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[Envbeckyc]

I am 43 and have been experiencing irregular periods and hot flushes for the last 18 months, constant acne on my chin for the last 8 months (I didn’t have this during puberty) and for the last threemonths I have been suffering with really terrible night sweats and for the last 6 weeks vaginal dryness - which finally made me pluck up the courage to book a GP appointment to ask for HRT.

Mainly because I was really uncomfortable just sitting at my desk working, and exhausted from a lack of sleep, sometimes the night sweats mean that my fit bit can’t even give me a sleep score and shows an increased temperature!

When I woke up soaking wet the first time it was unexpected and I thought I might have a Covid fever and went downstairs to do a lateral flow test!!! It’s only when it happened for a few nights that I realised what it was!

I had to wait over a month for a telephone consultation and the GP was really obsessed with me not being 45 years old, and only prescribed me two months of evorel sequi 50 patches if I agreed to have blood tests to check my fsh levels and to rule out other causes for my symptoms!

Usually after blood tests I just get a text message saying that the results are as expected, but instead I was told to book a telephone consultation with a nurse to discuss the results!

I am guessing that it’s nothing too serious otherwise it would be a GP appointment, but am wondering why it could wait for a follow up appointment in six weeks time?

I know that in perimenopause fsh levels can be inconsistent and vary greatly, and although things like an under active thyroid can cause some of the symptoms, I can’t imagine that the ones I have had could really be anything else?

Has anyone else had a similar experience with a blood test?

Any advice really appreciated and gratefully received.

[CLKD]

Welcome.  GPs are so fixated on dates, times, rather than symptoms and actually listening 

MayB keep a mood/food/symptom diary, something to discuss with the Nurse.  She may have peri-menopausal knowledge.  It's usual in our practice now to pass on discussions from GPs to the Nurses. 

Browse round.  Join in.  Make notes 

[Flossieteacake]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I would not worry about the appointment as you say, it cannot be serious if it is in six weeks time. I imagine it is just to discuss peri with you. You are not too young to be in peri and it is such a shame Drs still say this and make us go through all sorts of hoops just to get HRT. Have you started the patches or do you have to wait to get them? I was just asking to see if you had felt any improvement since starting.

[Envbeckyc]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I would not worry about the appointment as you say, it cannot be serious if it is in six weeks time. I imagine it is just to discuss peri with you. You are not too young to be in peri and it is such a shame Drs still say this and make us go through all sorts of hoops just to get HRT. Have you started the patches or do you have to wait to get them? I was just asking to see if you had felt any improvement since starting.

I am waiting for the start of my cycle to start the patches - my last two cycles were just 21 days and 22 days long, but I am on day 26 of this cycle but my period has not started yet which is the starting gun for HRT. The nurse consultation is on Thursday as the message yesterday was to book an appointment straight away with the nurse to discuss the results despite the GP asking me to have a follow up appointment in six weeks!

I think that this is the thing that is a bit worrying, as I expected that the test results would be discussed at the GP appointment. Nurses are on strike today and tomorrow so it’s surprising that they found me an appointment so quickly!

It took them a year to find an appointment for me to have a smear test last year, despite calling every two weeks to try and book one! In the end I had to go to a different surgery in the same group to get one!

[Flossieteacake]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I would not worry about the appointment as you say, it cannot be serious if it is in six weeks time. I imagine it is just to discuss peri with you. You are not too young to be in peri and it is such a shame Drs still say this and make us go through all sorts of hoops just to get HRT. Have you started the patches or do you have to wait to get them? I was just asking to see if you had felt any improvement since starting.

I am waiting for the start of my cycle to start the patches - my last two cycles were just 21 days and 22 days long, but I am on day 26 of this cycle but my period has not started yet which is the starting gun for HRT. The nurse consultation is on Thursday as the message yesterday was to book an appointment straight away with the nurse to discuss the results despite the GP asking me to have a follow up appointment in six weeks!

I think that this is the thing that is a bit worrying, as I expected that the test results would be discussed at the GP appointment. Nurses are on strike today and tomorrow so it’s surprising that they found me an appointment so quickly!

It took them a year to find an appointment for me to have a smear test last year, despite calling every two weeks to try and book one! In the end I had to go to a different surgery in the same group to get one!

I think if it was anything serious they would arrange for you to see the DR not the nurse. I understand you are worried. I hope you will keep us updated.

[CLKD]

Because there's a waiting time for most appt U have been told to book as soon as possible ........ to make sure that you get a slot.

Let us know how you get on!

[Lucy]

Hiya! Also new here, also 43.
Not had hot flushes but do get night time cold sweats, or at least I did before starting hrt. My perimenopause also started quite early but my gp was willing to prescribe hrt as she is aware it's symptoms that matter not fsh levels as these vary through the month. I did get a blood test but it indicated Im still 'in range' of being fertile. Not that it matters - I still wanted my symptoms treating. Probably the most annoying symptom is a 20 day cycle and horrific fatigue for 3 days before every period. Hoping to add testosterone in to my regime to combat that! Also pmdd has really ramped up 😩 not the best recipe for a happy relationship, especially considering considering the effect menopause has on libedo😐

[CLKD]

Morning Lucy.