Perimenopause and Preparing For Your Doctor’s Visit

Before you read on, please note that this post is for informational purposes only, not as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Reliance on any of this information is solely at your own risk. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare practitioner (HCP) before undertaking any new healthcare regimin. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking advice because of something you learned here.

When I was a young pharmaceutical representative, I frequently remembered seeing patients frustrated by the lateness of their physicians. Delays anywhere can be frustrating, especially if you have waited months to get in to see your healthcare provider.

Doctors are late a lot, often because they are squeezed to see so many patients each day and some patients require more time than originally allotted. At the same time, when it is our turn for the visit, we want to maximize our time with the physician, which is totally understandable. 

Here’s the thing, perimenopause and the symptoms are unique to each woman and can be complex. An annual or OB/GYN well check is not the best time to bring forward a myriad of symptoms. That’s not to say we should suffer in silence, but the more we prepare ahead, the better the visit will go.

Here are the top 5 tips to ensure your visit goes as smoothly as possible:

1. Get organized before going to the doctor and know your goals: If we are lucky, our doctors may have 30 minutes for our visit but the average visit time is scheduled for 15 minutes. The more we prepare for our visit, the better our appointment will go. Also, if you know you want to talk about hormone therapy, prepare. It is totally ok to not know what you need, but the steps below will help prepare you further.
2. Write down all of your symptoms: Sure, you can keep a journal for symptom tracking which might be helpful, especially if your symptoms and periods are irregular. If a journal is too much, take notes on your phone or simply spend some time the day before your visit collecting your thoughts. Better yet, take the Greene Climacteric Scale to self assess your symptoms. We linked one here that you can fill out and download to take with you!
3. Annual visit does not equal a problem visit. Be clear about the reason for the visit: During that annual check up a doctor has to check blood pressure, vitals, and in the case of a well-woman exam, they need to screen for breast cancer, check the ovaries, and perform pap smears. For best results schedule an appointment to specifically discuss your perimenopause symptoms.
4. Take note of anything you have tried already and the success rate of those interventions: Maybe you’ve tried an anti-inflammatory diet. How did you feel? If you took some supplements recommended by a naturopath, how did they work? Whatever you have tried, especially if it hasn’t worked, take note so you can share it with your healthcare practitioner. That way you won’t waste their time and they won’t waste yours!
5. Know your medical history: Just because we have electronic health records in this country does not mean they are always up to date or that the doctor will catch everything upon your chart review. By knowing your body as well as your family history you will be better equipped to answer any questions your doctors may have.

Here’s the truth: You can do everything above and still not get the result you are seeking. Remember, you know your body better than anyone else, including your HCP. If an HCP isn’t listening, tells you it’s all in your head, makes pronouncements about not believing you are in perimenopause, tells you that you are “too young,” that they don’t write hormones, or anything else that doesn’t feel right, you may consider seeking the advice of a different qualified HCP. 

Thankfully there are wonderful sites like the North American Menopause Society that have a list of hormone health providers, and a bunch of fabulous telehealth services where you can get the help you seek!