Finally.....NICE is developing Menopause Guidelines for GP. Too little, Too late???

You're probably right.  The fact that it was making the news all day on the BBC tells me pretty soon we'll be bombarded with TV adverts for all-things Menopause.....just think of how they took over our screens advertising our 'feminine needs'......!!

For my sins, I read the Daily Mail on line, bypassing the non-stop TOWIE/BGT rabble/Kardashians who seem to fill the screen day in-day out......and generally whizz straight to the Health section.

Did notice quite a while back that they were doing lots of features re: Peri/Meno issues: all very good in their own right. Read a great article from Sandra Howard's love of HRT:  thought she was spot on. 

Maybe they were trying to get ahead of the tabloids, who'll no doubt take a leaf from Davina McCall's book with such headlines as:  "How to keep your Man happy during Menopause"!!!

I think most women are now savvy enough to do their own research - thanks to Dr Google!  It won't stop the symptoms coming thick and fast, but at least we can inform ourselves how best to manage them, and to a degree what to expect. 

I shall be watching how the media in the UK handle this - with kid gloves boys, we're a feisty bunch!!

Sx

 

Yeah, and lets hope those guidelines are read - and implemented -  by both male and female health professionals.  I don't know if its just me, but I sometimes think that female GPs treat other females with a degree of contempt, like we're letting the side down! 

Personally, I think I'd prefer to see a male GP/Consultant any day. 

I think it speaks volumes when something (Meno) that has been around as long as 'Woman' herself, has only just been deemed as needing universal 'guidelines' in the UK!! 

Just out of interest: I wonder if any Peri/Meno females were instrumental in formulating these guidelines????

Sx

 

that's exactly how i was treated today, shaz, on my phone conference.  i've gotten through the hot flashes that bring on anxiety/panic; i can breathe through them, or take a 2.5mg valium if i absolutely need to.  what i CAN'T get through are the labor-type cramps i get with my periods.  i was prescribed pain pills for my 3 days of misery back in march.  they gave me 12... 12.  not 30/90/180...12.  i went through 9 in 10 weeks, having had 3 periods in that time frame.  i called to get a new rx and they won't give them to me now because i get the valium.    soooo, do i give up the valium and the relief it gives me from the hot flash anxiety/panic, which could pop up any day, any time,  or do i stay in bed for 3 days for who knows how many times in one month until i stop bleeding in, oh, i don't know, 6 months to 3 years???  i think i'm going to get a hysterectomy.  they've kind of forced my hand.   i have anenomyosis and it's either motrin (which does NOTHING for me except give me a stomach ache) or hysterectomy.   p.s. i asked for a dang hysterectomy 3 years ago!  they said, NO, try the ablation first.  welllll, ablation DOESN'T work for women with adenomyosis.  thank ya very much for the waste of time and pain and no relief unless....... i get a hysterectomy.   **rant over.  ahhhhhhhhh. 

I feel for you Kiddo. Ain't any of this easy. Reading your post does put things into perspective for me: maybe I'm doing alright in comparison.

I'm one of 5, 3 of them being older sisters. Eldest (71+) seemed to have had the sh***y (see, I'm learning!) end of the stick re: gynae issues.

Had terrible experience during labour which even us in the UK would Sue for now (alas, 37yrs ago, and even then anyone treated inappropriately seemed to think it was to be expected...."Oh well..."

She had lots of issues after, culminating in a full Hyste and bladder repair. Was given HRT for 15yrs. Her best memory of this is "the sex was great"!!:-)

She has had L/T mental health issues, taking a major cocktail to keep her 'with us'. Seeing/dealing with her as a sister has probably ingrained my dislike of all-things medication-related: I avoid them and GPs as much as I can.

Maybe like her, a Hyste is the best thing for you too? They'll probably put you on HRT - or at least offer it - to support your bones. Maybe too all that pain will go away and you then deal with Menopausal symptoms only, instead of what sounds like a double whammy for you!!

I feel for you as you are still so young. I'm 54 and had enough of all this Periods mullarkey. But I do appreciate that I have been blessed with good health, a stoic resilience to most things (helps being a 'glass-half-empty'-type: I'm rarely disappointed :-) !)

Best of all is that us 4 sisters have all inherited our mother's (RIP x) fiestiness and sense of humour :-)

I hope you get what you want and it brings relief to you. I understand some women 'mourn' the loss of their womb. Strangely enough, any woman I've ever known has said it was the best thing that had happened to them.

Keep posting and reading. It'd be great if someone could reply to you about more 'natural' ways of helping with the anxiety, but more specifically your hot flushes. I occasionally take a bit of Evening Primrose, but by and large I don't get too much of that....YET!!!! I'd be interested in that info too

(just had the Mother of all rain storms in SE England: started just as my husband and son left for the gym. No doubt the air was full of ********'s!! I watched it from my cocoon of a bed:-) :-) !!)

Have a good day:-)

Sx

When I lived in England I had a Chinese lady doctor, Dr. Au (I kid you not) she was lovely! Her sister had endometriosis so she was very sympathetic and annoyed on my behalf when the (male) 'specialist' said it was 'only a few spots', (yes it Might only be 'a few spots' but those spots are on my gut and they hurt like hell).

Had a lady boss once - she was a whole different case. The Moderator would not let print a description of HER!

Take your point. I shouldn't generalise I suppose.

Probably my experience of the childless, unmarried, brusque, bitter-sounding gynaecologist/obstetrician who 'cared' for me re-natally!!! The beautiful, clearly gay male midwife who also cared for me was, by stark contrast, an absolute Angel, brilliant at his job, who shared my opinion - quietly - of this lovely 'lady' grrrr!!

Kristi, can't help much but noticed your 'labour-type' pains with periods. Have you tried Ponstan? or Mefanemic acid, I think. If you have then maybe you're unlucky and it's no good for you. Years back I was prescribed it as I used to feel so ill I couldn't do a thing, except lie down till it had passed. If I took one of these as soon as I felt like it was all about to kick off, I could usually carry on as normal - just like magic. We're talking pain like nothing else - all the usual stuff from the pharmacy just didn't do a thing. For me, the Ponstan killed the pain, the terrible cramps, the sickness and faint feeling, but also - my (very kind) GP told me, it reduces the bleeding somehow (slows it, I guess). 

Hope things are looking up soon.

Ah Ha... talking of 'reducing the bleeding' - how about some Tranexamic Acid (wonder if this is the same as the Mefanemic??) .

Was taking it for a while to deal with really heavy bleeding (even managed to get on my nerves, and I'm pretty much a 'get on with it'-type).  Worked very well.

True to form, I didn't like the thought of taking pills long-term so I stopped taking them.  By which time I think it'd done it's bit for me, and my Ps had naturally got lighter. 

I'm sure any suggestions are worth us mentioning.  I didn't so much  get cramps (although do still love a microwaved wheat-filled heatpad on my belly:  very comforting). Just got fed up with passing chunks!

Hope something's out there to help our 'sistas' at this 'orrible time x

Sx

i do take the evening primrose 3x a day, and other supplements.  my doctor prescribes 5mg valium that i can take twice in the evening, if needed.  as i said, i only take it when nothing (breathing, relaxing, etc) is working.  in the last 7 days i've take 2 halves of a 5mg.  so, not too bad.  i also don't like taking pills, especially the ones that make me woozy.   as far as the hysterectomy and the pain:  yes, i think that, or WAITING (how long is the ????) for these periods to end.  how much more can and should i take. i'll keep my ovaries, so go through the process as usual.  i hope i don't have to take hrt ever.  i'd like to do things naturally as well through, diet, exercise, relaxation/breathing.  we shall see though.  doesn't always work out the way we'd like.  thanks for your words of encouragement.  : )

que sera, i was told because of adenomyosis (scar tissue growing in, around and outside of my uterus) that hysterectomy was the cure.  i will check out ponstan.... is it over-the-counter??  i'll google.  thank the maker for google!!

yikes... it's an nsaid and nsaids give me terrible stomach pain.  i was in the military and if you had pain that is all they ever wanted to give you.  well, my stomach is torn up from them.  if i take an nsaid i have to take something for stomach upset.  i'd like to be able to take ONE pill and the doctors would rather i take TWO???  why???  sorry, this just doesn't make any sense to me. 

i just ordered some "bromelain", a natural anti-inflammatory made from the pineapple stem.  it's used for joint pain, gout, sinusitis, menstrual cramping, etc.,..  i'll give it a whirl. 

Never had to take them, I'm pretty sure.  But was prescribed Coedine once when I in my late teens for 'Flu-like symptoms.  Gave me the raging gut ache, and made me bleed, like a light Period. 

Told my then family GP (lovely bloke), who just sorta went "Oh...OK. Don't take that then".  I had already decided Coedine was never gunna be for me!

Mind you, we are talking of the late '70s.  So I hope things have changed!!

My sympathy goes to you:  nothing like a gut ache to give you the hump!!

Sx