How to Get Your GP to Listen to You — Even When It Feels Difficult
- Monigho Griffin
- Sep 14
- 2 min read
At a recent workshop, I was delivering training when something happened that stayed with me.
One woman looked shocked, stood up, and suddenly left the room.
When she returned, she shared why.
She’d been to her GP three times in the past year with brain fog, mood swings, and poor sleep. Each time she was told, “It isn’t menopause — your blood tests are normal.”
That wasn’t just her story. It’s a reality many women face, being dismissed when they are looking for clarity /confirmation or support from their GP regarding menopause.
📊 The Fawcett Society’s Menopause & the Workplace study (2022, 4,000 women) found:
45% of ethnic minority women needed several GP visits before their symptoms were recognised.
For white women, it was 30%.
Try this 5-step guide to help you prepare and feel heard at your GP appointment:
1️⃣ Write Your Symptoms Down
Don’t rely on memory. Keep a record of hot flushes, brain fog, mood swings, night sweats, and any changes to your sleep, work, or daily life. Use this image as a guide
2️⃣ Bring Someone With You
If you feel nervous, take a trusted friend or family member. They can support you, remind you of what you wanted to say, and make it harder for your concerns to be dismissed.
3️⃣ Quote the Guidance
NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) is clear:
Women over 45 with typical symptoms should be diagnosed on symptoms alone.
Blood tests are usually only needed for younger women or unusual cases.
🔗 Read NICE Guideline NG23: Menopause – Diagnosis and Management👏🏾👏🏾
4️⃣ Know When to See a Specialist
In most cases, your GP should be able to help directly. A referral to a menopause specialist is needed if you are:
Under 40 (possible early menopause)
40–45 with unusual symptoms
Living with breast cancer or other serious health risks
Unable to take HRT
Still without answers after your GP assessment
5️⃣ Be Persistent
If you don’t feel heard, ask to see another GP. You deserve support, and persistence often makes the difference.💜
As a result of my workshop, the attendee arranged another GP appointment, and this time she was prescribed hormone replacement therapy treatment
Please share this with a friend, sister, or colleague.
It could save her weeks — even months — of unnecessary stress, worry, and delay.
hi
If you’re self-employed, freelance, or running your own business, I know how even more isolating this stage can feel. That’s why I’ve started a small community just for us — the Perimenopause Entrepreneurs Group.
It’s still in its early days, but that means you can join and help shape what it becomes. We’ll be sharing strategies, stories, and support to access experts to keep both our health & wellbeing and our businesses going.
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