i gave him my symptom list: headaches, migraines, exhaustion, sleep problems, nausea, increased indigestion,wanting to be alone, irritated with the whole world, crying at the drop of a hat, dizziness, ringing in my ears, pelvic pain, itchy dry skin, memory problems, body aches, joint pains, uncomfortable vulva, weight gain, hot flushes and night sweats.......He looked at me and said only hot flushes, memory problems and headaches are due to menopause (out of my list)..... What the...! Seriously? Are they all soooooo out of touch with what we are really going through....!!?? (Just need to have a rant)😝😔😬😖😫
Never and I mean NEVER go to a male doctor with your hormone issues. They follow the textbook of whatever the medical industry is telling them at that time. I go to an all female clinic that the minute I said I was crying at hello, she said let's put you on low dose birth control pills and see how you do?
Other female doctors I've spoken to are not out of touch and they can relate to the symptoms since they have other women come in with the same complaints. I suggest you find yourself a female clinic or doctor but always ask if they're familiar with women entering menopause before booking an appointment.
Couldn't agree more with Sochimas advice..the 2 male doctors at my surgery had me in complete despair with their advice in past - one saying lack of ostergen wouldn't cause some of the awful sypmtoms and the other once saying I'm being neurotic! After feeling like I had to fight for it finally got referred to a female gynae last year after numerous health tests to work out what was wrong and thinking I was dying as according to Dr's what I was going through couldnt be hormone related.
Hi
just read your "rant" I believe you. Panic attacks, palpitations, crying, feel so lonely. I'm 56 went 12 months without period then had one normal, now stopped again? No energy, can't sleep. Feel unhappy and don't know why. Could fall out with myself!! Gp says HRT or antidepressants. Don't want HRT because of risks. Nobody seems to want to understand, especially the professionals. Do you have history of pmt? I do and it has been said if this is the case then the menopause will be bad!!! Great
Physicians are taught very little about menopause in school. It's about as simple as: Give her Premarin if she doesn't have a uterus, give her Prempro if she does have a uterus. That's pretty much it. So no surprise if they don't understand all the mulittude of things that are effected by these hormones. Sorry Kiddo! It hurts to not be taken seriously, and made to feel like a hypochondriac.
you need to get a female gyn those men know nothing!
This was supposed to be the menopause expert in my city!
Yes I had bad pmt and some post-natal depression too.....I have also read that connection with a worse menopause 😩
Yes I think that's what really hurts that they look at you like you're a lunatic or a hypochondriac. They need to get off their pedestals and read a forum like this to get in touch with the real world!
yes they love playing the 'neurotic' card, don't they!😡 I must say, though, I've been to some awful female doctors too....I think it's just doctors in general not looking at the big picture.
Sorry but I have so many symptoms with pains and anxiety and they say that anxiety is not related to hormones but I disagree because when I hear other women and people's symptoms and it's all related!! Drs are clueless yes!! I've been told to just take antidepressants because it's depression! But it's more to that! Frustrated and since I've been dealing with this for so long and I know my body it's definitely all related to perimenopause! I had to do my own research! Hope this all comes to an end really soon! 😩😩😩
I have read so much on here about how little doctors know that I haven't even tried my doctor, lol! I read what you guys write about and get familiar with what is happening to me, and yup...at 47 it is perimenopause, end of story...I'll live...maybe feel like dying many days...but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I don't need a doctor to mess with me even more when they don't know much anyway. So far I have found things that help my individual experience, and I really don't feel so bad these days. I take the rough days in stride and rest...on the good days I get everything done that has been neglected. Everything that comes up I just blame on hormones and it works for me! LOL!
The best way to approach doctors on this subject is and also to make them feel you are not some idiot off the street who doesn't know anything is to say: I've read on a couple of medical websites on hormones and some say low dose birth control and HRT helps diminish some of the symptoms that I'm experiencing now that I'm in perimenopause and entering menopause. THEN say: What have you read? Then say; I'd like to try some of the recommendations I've read. Believe me they won't take you for stupid and you'll leave feeling better you came in informed.
oops: .... now that I'm entering perimenopause and headed towards menopause. THEN.....
My Gp put me on Clonidine, it does help with palpitations and flushes somewhat, have you tried this, it might help you. Hope you start to get some real help. Do you have family, friend support? This is what I miss, I retired at 55 because of a bitch of a manager, lost that work support and have only my Mum who is 80 and Husband, no family. If you have close friends reach out for someone to talk to, don't bottle it in, be well.
Anita
I'm really happy that works for you, Indifferent. I put off going to the doc for about 4 years.... Then I only went there coz I thought I might need a prescription and I was at the end of my endurance.....
Hang in there Trishann, these doctors are clueless....you only have to read this forum to know that anxiety is a big part of perimenopause/menopause....I have never had regular anxiety in my life and now I fear and am anxious about all sorts of things
Agreed!
Think your gyno should retire Lisk. It makes me so angry to hear that all of the symptoms that come that we have not suffered from before are brushed under the carpet as if we're imagining them
Surely the doctors must have many woman complaining about the same symptoms
I don't get hot flushes my main symptoms are neck pain, aching legs, dizziness and poor balance, I feel I could fall over vet easily. Also headaches, migraine nausea the list goes on
I got fed up panicking and crying and just decided to just get on with it, some days are harder than others but changing my attitude towards the symptoms has really helped me, I've decided to not worry and just live my life
Just keep going Lisk and things will eventually ease I forgot to say I get breathless as well 😆 Could go on and on
Take care and lots of love xx