I know the risks, but it should be my choice

Sandra Wright, 50, a college lecturer, lives in glasgow with her husband. She says: I was at a prestigious awards ceremony. It was the sort of glamorous black tie event I would have loved just a few years ago.

But I spent the entire evening in a paroxysm of dread — petrified of making a sweaty spectacle of myself. My hot flushes are so bad — each one an internal volcano erupting up to 20 times a day.

The nights are even worse. I consider four hours a night to be good. My days are spent in a fug of exhaustion and anxiety. It’s a living hell.

and still my doctor refuses to prescribe HRT. I’ve been begging for nearly three years, to no avail.

Despite me arguing that the only thing making me stressed and panicky were my hot flushes, she put me on antidepressants.

I started getting symptoms in 2016 when I was 48. when I went to the doctor in 2017 her response astounded me. she thanked me for ‘being brave’ then went on to explain that, as I had no children, I was at a higher risk of developing breast cancer and she had an ethical duty to ensure my safety.

Then, even though I assured her I wasn’t depressed, she prescribed an antidepressant, Venlafaxine.

I was too upset and confused to argue and the flushes worsened.

after three months I asked to see a different doctor. He agreed to take me off the antidepressants but refused to prescribe HRT.

I know the risks, but I have the right to make my own decisions.