How to Make the Most of Your GP Appointment for Perimenopause

You deserve a productive conversation

You are not being dramatic. You are not just stressed. And you are not simply getting older in a way that requires no attention. Perimenopause is a significant hormonal transition with real, evidence-based treatments, and your GP appointment is your gateway to accessing them.

Yet many women leave their first perimenopause-related appointment feeling dismissed, undertested, or with a prescription for antidepressants when they were hoping for a conversation about hormones. You can change the outcome of your appointment by arriving prepared. This guide gives you a practical framework for doing exactly that.

Prepare before you walk in

The single most effective thing you can do before a GP appointment is write down your symptoms in specific, concrete terms. Not just 'I feel tired' but 'I have been waking between 2am and 4am most nights for the past three months and cannot get back to sleep.' Not just 'my mood is off' but 'I am experiencing waves of anxiety that feel physical, especially in the second half of my cycle.'

Bring a timeline. Note when symptoms started, whether they have changed, and what makes them better or worse. If you have been tracking your symptoms in an app or journal, bring that record with you. Printed or on your phone, a log of two to three months of data is worth more than any verbal account because it removes uncertainty from the conversation.

Note any changes in your menstrual cycle: length, flow, missed periods, spotting between periods. Cycle changes are among the most objective markers of the perimenopause transition and are taken seriously when you present them clearly.

Name what you want from the appointment

GPs see many things in a short appointment. If you do not name what you are there for, the conversation can drift toward whatever seems most acute in the room. Open your appointment by stating your purpose clearly.

Something like: 'I think I may be in perimenopause and I would like to talk about my symptoms, whether testing is appropriate, and what options are available to me.' This framing immediately sets the context and signals that you want an informed conversation about the transition, not just symptom management.

If you want a specific test, ask for it by name. If you want to discuss hormone therapy, say so. Many GPs are more comfortable having these conversations when you initiate them directly.

Be specific about how symptoms are affecting your life

Healthcare providers are trained to respond to functional impairment. Describing not just the symptom but its impact is the most effective way to communicate clinical urgency.

Instead of 'I am not sleeping well,' say 'My sleep disruption is affecting my concentration at work and I have had to cancel social plans because of fatigue.' Instead of 'I have been having mood issues,' say 'I am experiencing episodes of anxiety that are unlike my previous baseline and are affecting my relationships.'

This kind of specificity does two things. It helps your GP understand the actual burden of your symptoms. And it makes clear that this is not something you can simply push through, but something that is affecting your functioning and your quality of life.

Ask for what you need

You are entitled to ask for information, tests, and treatment options. If your GP does not spontaneously offer something you believe is relevant, ask.

Ask whether blood tests would be informative and which ones they recommend. Ask whether your symptom picture is consistent with perimenopause. Ask what treatment options are available for your most significant symptoms. Ask about hormone therapy specifically if it is relevant to you. Ask whether a referral to a specialist would be appropriate if your needs are complex.

If you feel your GP is not knowledgeable about perimenopause specifically, it is reasonable to ask for a referral to a provider with relevant experience or to seek a second opinion. Healthcare knowledge in this area varies significantly between practitioners, and finding someone who takes it seriously makes a real difference.

What to do if you feel dismissed

Being told that your symptoms are just stress, that your tests are normal so everything is fine, or that there is nothing to be done is not the end of the conversation. It is the beginning of your advocacy.

If you feel dismissed, you can ask the GP to document your symptoms in your notes. This creates a record that can be referred to at future appointments. You can request a follow-up appointment to discuss further, particularly if you want more time to talk about treatment options. You can ask for a referral to a gynecologist, menopause specialist, or endocrinologist if your needs are not being met by a general practitioner.

You can also seek care elsewhere. Menopause clinics and specialist providers exist specifically for this purpose, and increasingly, telehealth services offer access to providers experienced in hormonal health.

After the appointment: follow up and monitor

Leave your appointment knowing the next step. Whether that is a blood test, a follow-up in four to six weeks, a prescription to try, or a referral to discuss, you should know what happens next and when.

If you start a new treatment, track how you feel over the following weeks. Keep a record of what changed and what did not. Note any side effects or unexpected responses. This tracking makes your follow-up appointment more useful because you have evidence rather than impressions.

Logging your symptoms in PeriPlan over time means you walk into every appointment with a clear, dated record of your experience. That record is one of the most useful things you can bring to a healthcare conversation.

This content is for informational purposes only and does not replace medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider about your specific situation.