Natural or NHS?
A lot of people assume that because we are a company that specialises in natural remedies, we would be a bit anti doctor and the NHS. In an ideal world we would love the two disciplines to co-exist, complementing each other, but in the meantime, as one of our health advisors, I would always recommend seeking medical advice when needed. I know how important a proper diagnosis is before starting any kind of natural therapy.
My own experience
A couple of years ago I was woken early one morning with what I thought was a heart attack. My heart was pounding and almost jumping out of my chest and I could hear it thumping in my ears. What a fright! Those of you who have had this will know exactly what I mean! My first thought was, ‘I am too young and healthy for a heart attack!’ but what was it? This continued every morning for about a week and although I suspected that it was stress palpitations (I was going through a really busy and also worrying family time) I knew I had to get it checked out, as I was aware that there is a family history of heart problems and I didn’t want to leave it to chance.
Luckily, after explaining all my symptoms and taking my blood pressure my doctor agreed that it was just stress but if it got worse she would look into it further for me. That was the point at which I upped my magnesium and took Passiflora Complex and tried not to worry so much!
Go and see your doctor!
Through the website we get so many women wondering what their symptoms are: are they in the menopause? Is it something else or something sinister?
I always advise going to the doctor to check. The doctor can do a simple blood test to see where the hormone levels are, and although it is not 100% accurate it can give a good indication as to what is happening. We also get a lot of women who don’t want to bother the doctor or who feel they are being silly or at worst a hypochondriac and this does sadden me, as anything that worries you about your health should be looked at and taken seriously.
What to do if your doctor is unsympathetic
I know that there are wonderful doctors out there who go to great lengths to support their menopausal patients and will do everything in their power to help. But, I am also appalled by the way some women are treated. The menopause is not a disease: it is a natural progression in life and all women will go through this at some point. So I just can’t believe some of the stories I hear from women who have gone to their doctor with valid symptoms and just been told that they have to live with it, or that it will go away, or that there is nothing the doctor can do. I even had one lady tell me that her doctor told her to go away and look up help on the internet… I am very rarely speechless but that was one time!
If you feel your doctor is not helping you at this time or that they are ignoring your symptoms, just remember that this is your National Health Service. You, me, us, we pay for it and we pay the doctor’s wages, so you are entitled to sympathetic and proper treatment. Another thing you can do is take along a friend or relative (preferably one who looks ‘official’), to help you get across all that you want looked into, and to write down everything the doctor says. This is usually guaranteed to get you better treatment. If all else fails you can change doctors and find one who is more sympathetic and understanding.
Do let me know any experiences you have had, good or bad.
