When you notice changes in yourself,
Whether psychological or physiological,
Speak to your usual healthcare provider about your symptoms and explore treatment options and self-help strategies together.
And speak to them as many times as necessary to get the right diagnosis,
Information and treatment for your personal symptoms and health conditions.
Sadly,
Not enough healthcare professionals know about menopause themselves because many medical schools don't have a mandatory menopause education program.
So they are unable to recognize the symptoms of menopause.
In a lot of cases,
It can take sometimes years before those who experience symptoms receive the right diagnosis and are given the correct treatment.
We hear over and over again that women are being misdiagnosed and told that they're too young to experience menopause.
Because of hormones fluctuating so much during the menopause transition,
There aren't currently any reliable blood or other tests that can accurately show whether you are menopausal or not.
But you can still get a diagnosis based on your list of symptoms and if you speak to a healthcare professional who understands the menopause.
After the age of 45,
If you have irregular periods and other typical menopausal symptoms,
Then a healthcare professional should be able to diagnose your menopause without the need for any tests at all.
For a comprehensive list of menopause symptoms,
You can go to Gen M's website or use the free version of the Balance app.
The app was created by Dr.
Louise Newsome,
Who specializes in helping women with their menopause symptoms.
So why is it useful for you to prepare a list of your symptoms in advance of your menopause-related doctor appointment?
By taking a full list of your symptoms to your doctor appointment,
You're helping them to correctly diagnose your condition and,
Most importantly,
To prescribe the right treatment for you.
We know that,
Unfortunately,
Many women are being diagnosed with stress and depression and given antidepressants when they in fact experience menopause symptoms.
In most cases,
Antidepressants don't resolve the symptoms of the menopause because they don't tackle that hormonal imbalance which is causing those psychological symptoms.
The second reason is that doctors tend to have limited time for appointments.
You need to make the most of your time during that appointment.
So rather than have to think about what symptoms you've been experiencing,
When you get there,
You can just show them your list.
So what do you do before your appointment to prepare yourself?
Document your symptoms over a period of a few weeks and notice what symptoms are you experiencing,
How often and how severe are they,
And which ones are most affecting your quality of life.
When calling to make the appointment,
Ask who is the best person to see.
Tell the receptionist that your appointment is menopause-related.
Therefore,
Could you see a women's health or menopause specialist?
Also ask the receptionist if they offer double appointments and if they do,
Request one.
You should also decide what you're looking to get from your appointment.
Is it a referral to a specialist in a particular area?
Confirmation that you're going through menopause?
Is it to discuss treatment?
And so on.
And write down any questions that you want answering during that appointment.
And what should you do during the appointment?
Try to be brief and concise so that you have the time to cover as much as possible from what you have planned.
So ask direct questions.
Tell your doctor that you have a list of your symptoms with you and show it to them.
Start with the most important details or the most burning questions.
And if you are concerned that you might have a particular illness,
Share this with your doctor.
And also take notes if you're concerned that you might not remember everything that the doctor said.
And what should you be mindful of after the appointment?
If even after you went to your health practitioner fully prepared,
You're still not getting the information,
Support or treatment that you need,
Perhaps you might realize that they don't have sufficient knowledge of the menopause,
You can request to speak to a different health practitioner,
Ideally one that is specialized in women's health or menopause specifically.
