Women’s GP Canberra: Common Health Concerns Women Should Discuss With Their GP

A women’s GP Canberra can take a holistic approach to your symptoms, taking into account your age, medical history, medications, lifestyle and other health factors, rather than focusing on each symptom individually.

Ongoing Fatigue

It’s normal to feel tired after a busy week. Fatigue that lasts longer is not the same.

If you are feeling tired all the time, even after a good night’s sleep, you should talk to your GP about it. Fatigue may be caused by many factors such as poor sleep, stress, nutritional deficiencies, thyroid issues, infections, mental health issues, and other medical conditions.

A doctor will not assume that you just need more rest, but will take your symptoms into account and determine if you need more testing.

Frequent Headaches

Occasional headaches are normal, frequent or changing headaches are not.

Headaches may be associated with dehydration, stress, lack of sleep, muscle tension, migraines, hormonal changes or other factors. It can help your GP to understand the pattern if you keep track of when the headaches happen, how long they last and what symptoms are present.

A sudden, extremely severe headache or a headache accompanied by symptoms such as weakness, confusion, difficulty speaking or loss of consciousness requires urgent medical attention.

Changes in Your Period

Many factors can affect your menstrual cycle.

Periods can be impacted by stress, weight changes, hormonal changes, contraception, pregnancy, perimenopause and some medical conditions.

If you experience any of the following, you should talk to your GP about any significant changes, especially if your periods suddenly become very heavy, painful, irregular or unusually frequent, or if you have bleeding between periods or after sex.

Having a cycle record will help you to communicate changes during an appointment.

Sleep Problems

Sleep problems can impact concentration, mood, energy and overall wellbeing.

Insomnia, waking up multiple times, waking up too early or waking up feeling unrefreshed can be caused by different factors. Common causes include stress and anxiety, but physical health issues, medications, lifestyle and sleep disorders can also be a factor.

Talk to your GP if you have trouble sleeping for a few weeks or if it is interfering with your daily life, as this may help you find out what is causing the problem.

Digestive Symptoms

Bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, reflux and abdominal discomfort are common concerns.

If digestive symptoms occur occasionally, they may be due to diet or temporary illness, but if they occur regularly or repeatedly, they should not be taken for granted as normal.

Your GP may ask about your diet, bowel habits, medications, menstrual cycle, family history and other symptoms to help determine what may be contributing.

If digestive symptoms are accompanied by severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, significant bleeding, unexplained weight loss or other concerning changes, seek prompt medical attention.

Urinary Symptoms

Urinary symptoms may be uncomfortable and are often overlooked as women may feel embarrassed talking about them.

If there is burning on urination, urgency, frequent urination, blood in the urine or repeated UTIs, consult a health care professional.

Leaking urine is also a frequent occurrence, especially after childbirth or as a woman gets older, but it doesn’t mean that she has to put up with it. There might be some underlying factors that can be evaluated and controlled.

Changes in Mood

Mental health is a key component of overall health care.

Everyone can experience persistent anxiety, low mood, irritability, loss of interest in activities or feeling unable to cope. Emotional changes, life events, stress, sleep issues and physical health can all affect your mood.

When emotional changes are starting to become hard to cope with, talking to a GP can be helpful.

If you are thinking about hurting yourself or you think you may not be safe, please get help now, not during a regular appointment.

Weight loss or gain that is not explained.

Weight loss or gain is a normal part of life, but if it is unexplained or large, it should be taken into account, especially if it is accompanied by other symptoms.

Weight changes may be due to diet and activity, but also to medications, sleep, stress, hormonal changes, thyroid problems and other health issues.

The key is not just how much weight you’ve lost, but what else has changed.

When to see your GP?

Don’t wait until symptoms are severe to seek medical advice.

If a symptom, think to talk to your GP about:

• Continues or returns to
• Is getting worse
• Interferes with work, sleep or daily activities
• Appears without an obvious explanation
• Represents a significant change from your usual health
• Coexists with other new symptoms

A GP consultation may be needed to decide if reassurance, monitoring, testing or further assessment is needed.

Keeping Track of Your Health

You know your normal patterns better than anyone else. Being aware of changes in your periods, sleep, energy, digestion, mood and overall health and wellbeing can help you to identify when something is different.

There is no need to self-diagnose before consulting a doctor. Just telling people what has changed, when it began and how it is impacting you can be helpful.

Healthcare is not just about curing diseases. It’s also about knowing what’s going on with your health and taking the necessary action when it changes.

FAQs

1. What are the top health issues women talk to their GP about?

Fatigue, headaches, menstrual changes, sleep disturbances, digestive symptoms, urinary symptoms, mood changes and unexplained changes in weight are common concerns. The right assessment is determined by the person.

2. If my symptoms are mild, should I see a GP?

Even if a symptom is mild, it is reasonable to discuss it with your GP if it is persistent, recurring, unusual for you or is affecting your daily life.

3. Do all period changes indicate a health issue?

No. There are numerous reasons for changes in menstrual patterns, such as hormonal changes, stress, contraception, pregnancy and perimenopause. But if there are major or ongoing changes, then they should be evaluated.

4. What should I say to my GP at an appointment?

Describe what has changed, when symptoms began, how often they happen and if there are any factors that make them better or worse. Refer to relevant medications, medical conditions and family history.

5. When is a health concern urgent?

Severe difficulty breathing, chest pain, sudden neurological symptoms, severe bleeding, loss of consciousness or sudden extremely severe headache are symptoms that require urgent medical attention. When in doubt, get medical advice early if symptoms are urgent.