British women are having at least 10 GP visits before they get a menopause diagnosis, said an expert on the subject, who suggested almost 5m GP hours were being wasted on unnecessary appointments due to the ignorance of health professionals.
An estimated 13m women are undergoing menopause in the UK, with a substantial proportion experiencing debilitating symptoms including heart palpitations, hot flushes, headaches, vaginal pain, anxiety and depression, reports The Independent.
Dr Louise Newson, who spearheaded research on the issue, warned that women are enduring “needless barriers” to getting HRT”.
She said almost a third of women had between two and five medical appointments before their symptoms were diagnosed as linked to perimenopause and menopause, and that one in 10 of almost 6 000 women polled were forced to sit through between six and 10 appointments before getting their diagnosis.
Newson said that all too frequently, they were told their symptoms were caused by depression instead of low mood linked to menopause or perimenopause.
“For many, they find that the existing healthcare system is not equipped to deal with them: the over-prescribing of antidepressants is a nationwide issue and, coupled with an endemic lack of knowledge around HRT, women experience repeated appointments and unnecessary prescriptions.”
Newson said that HRT, often with testosterone, was the evidence-based, first-line treatment for perimenopause and menopause-related symptoms.
Around two in five women were offered antidepressants instead of HRT and 13% of women said healthcare professionals had suggested cognitive behavioural therapy instead of HRT, she added.
GP Dr Helena Ahling-Smith said: “I have seen many women with a history of anxiety and depression who have been prescribed antidepressants first line rather than considering that they would benefit from having HRT.
“Had HRT been considered in the first place they would not have suffered in some cases years of poor mental health or required as many appointments with their GP and mental health services.”
Menopausal women had also been prescribed pain relief tablets and referred to orthopaedics or rheumatology, despite the cause of their musculoskeletal pain being low oestrogen.
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HRT should be given earlier as menopause ‘reshapes the brainʼ – Nature Scientific Reports
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