04 Sep Lack of Menopause Support
MASSIVE RANT ALERT (with some useful tips at the end)
Today I am fuming and I am devasted for the millions of women that will suffer because of the information I just found out.
As many of you know I don’t get on with the body identical hormones that the NHS can prescribe so I get them privately. These hormones cost me about £100.
I’ve been struggling a bit with spotting every few weeks and the age-old exhaustion so was told I needed a blood test. Now this blood test and the follow up are a lot of money. I don’t begrudge it but as it was a standard hormone test, and I don’t use the NHS for anything I thought I would ask my GP.
I had to submit the request a month ago. After hours spent on the phone chasing them for the answer I got told today that “THE NHS NO LONGER OFFERS BLOOD TESTS TO WOMEN OVER 45”…. Let that sink in a moment. Women over the age of 45 will no longer be offered a blood test to check their hormones.
Here is what else I know:
Women UNDER 50 are often turned down for any hormone support by the NHS because they are “too young” for menopause – despite peri menopause commonly starting in our late 30’s (and God forbid, like me you go into early menopause which took 12 years to get diagnosed)
So that means that if you are between 45 and 50 you will get NO blood test and NO hormone support.
What
The
ACTUAL???
I was told to pursue this test privately. Which would be a total of £500 with the follow up appointment.
Now this is where menopausal women get royally fu***ed (or not because we haven’t got enough oestrogen for the vaginal lubrication or libido required for a decent sex life..), EVEN if you have private medical healthcare, NO menopause/hormones/HRT will be covered. Not even, like me it’s an early menopause or brought about because of medical negligence (such as pituitary damage from taking contraceptives).
There is literally nowhere to turn apart from privately funded support which is inaccessible to most women. It makes me rage.. literally rage.
So, what do we do about it?
Demand more. I assertively (note: not aggressively) refused to take no for an answer. I pointed out how much I do to help myself and I asked how as a woman GP she was comfortable with enacting this regulation.
We must fight back, to educate ourselves about what we need and not be “good girls” who accept what we are told. It is not ok.. especially when I was offered to be referred to a gynaecologist who could ask for the test instead. That would cost the NHS thousands but was total waste of my and their time (which again, I pointed out).
If we want better for our daughters and granddaughters we have to fight this battle.