How to talk to your GP about menstrual health

Antonia Jenkinson 15/08/23

Talking about periods is still seemingly a taboo topic, with social media sites shadow-banning videos which explicitly mention them. This can make talking about menstrual health to professionals extremely difficult, especially if you aren’t used to talk about them in general. Talking openly about your period is important for your menstrual health throughout your life, so this post will detail tips to make it a smooth experience.

When should I see a doctor?

As with most other health conditions, if you are worrying enough to consider seeing a GP, you should go.

You are entitled to the appropriate healthcare and you are worthy of comfort. Unfortunately, because menstruation is a bit of a taboo subject, there is no ‘normal’ for periods. The best thing you can do is regularly track your cycle so that you notice immediately any changes. It’s also important to note that any symptoms of menstruation which interfere with your daily life are not normal, and you should book an appointment with a doctor. This could include missing a period for a long gap of time, debilitating period pain, low mood and depression before your period, spotting between periods, and mood swings. It is highly possible that there’s nothing wrong and no need to panic, but its good practice to see changes and have them checked.

The appointment

You are the patient, so it isn’t your job to know what’s going on with your period problems, but it can be helpful coming prepared to the appointment with an idea of what you’d like to cover.

Arriving prepared can be really beneficial to achieving what you need from your appointment. Tracking your cycles leading up to your appointment will help you to answer questions your GP might ask, like when symptoms started, or describing pain. Knowing the correct terminology for your anatomy will make a conversation easier. If you are unsure about talking about your anatomy, you can check out our blog posts called ‘what do you actually know about your vulva’ and ‘what do you actually know about your period’. It can also be helpful to know the symptoms of gynaecological conditions like ovarian cancer, which causes excessive bloating and constipation, or endometriosis, which causes painful sex and periods. This can also be helpful if you suspect you have contracted a sexually transmitted disease, as you can then choose to visit a walk-in sexual health clinic rather than a GP if that’s what you are more comfortable. If you take medication for any pre-existing conditions, or are on any contraception, its important to know the name of the medication, how long you have been taking it, and the dosage if applicable as your GP may ask you about it.

While it can certainly be overwhelming to talk to someone about something so personal, it is really important not to brush over any questions you might have. We would recommend writing down any questions you have in advance, so you don’t panic and forget them, and so having a physical copy of the list of your questions will be a physical reminder to ask them.

It might seem obvious, but it’s important to be wearing appropriate clothing at your appointment. This is because a GP might ask to do a pelvic examination and for your convenience it can be tricky to peel off skinny jeans behind the curtain. Your GP won’t care about whether you’ve had the chance to wax or shave – all they are concerned about is your physical health. GPs have seen it all, so try not to be embarrassed!

Your health matters

There is a reason why endometriosis, PCOS, and PMDD take so long to diagnose – lack of medical research and normalising debilitating period problems.

Do not brush off your experience – you know your own body best and deserve to be listened to. The problems you are facing matter, and you deserve the care of health professionals. Don’t be afraid to request a different doctor if you have had a negative experience before. You aren’t expected to know the answers to your problems, but being prepared and knowing your own body could save your life.