Scuse this rather gloomy post - wonder if anyone else can relate..
Until 4 years ago (roughly) was the picture of health, a slim and fit yoga teacher with long hair and a zest for life.. The first 'symptoms' I had were my hair beginning to thin and fall out... gradually and then suddenly (about a year ago I lost over 2/3's of it)
My periods were getting heavier, and the doctors weren't at all interested and just said 'it's your age'
Finally, I became so ill and anaemic that I had to stop work, had put on weight and my periods had gone mental, lasting for a month sometimes.
I was so tired I couldn't get out of bed, let alone teach or practice yoga.
Turns out I had/have thyroid antibodies, but again the doctors won't prescribe thyroid meds (so I bought some and started self-medicating - I do feel better energy wise and that has definitely helped.
I was prescribed norithisterone (yuck!) which stopped the non-stop bleeding
I changed doctors (after a huge fight) and finally got investigated for fibroids - yes I have a small one
Was prescribed Esmya for that and took for 3 months but refused a further 3.. am still waiting a year on for either an ablation or re-section
I have started HRT (Oestrogel +Uterogestan) but decided to stop after amonth. I feel awful, my boobs are huge and I have put on even more weight, lost the urge to exercise and I feel just so depressed and fed up..
I feel like a shadow of who I was.. and my relationship has all but broken down because of it
I want to get a menopause specialist's opinion and exactly WHAT is going on in my body. All the GP's ever said is its difficult to test because your hormone levels are all over the place, but surely its easy enough to test my progresterone and oestrogen and testosterone levels?
I think actually at one point my testosterone (but not the other two!) was tested and it came back quite high, as did my prolactin
I feel like I'm just swimming in the dark, if that makes any sense, I think I've always suffered terrible PMS and I feel like at 51, y periods and terrible moods have ruined my entire adult life, I really want shot of them/it
Would having a hysterectomy help? I worry that I can't take the time off work to recover and that it is so drastic, but maybe would be the best solution for me
any help/support gratefully received. I can't even bear to look in the mirror as I see my once lovely hair reduced to bald patches and wisps.. I feel so unnattractive and that's whats making my relationsihp break down, my partner is sick and tired of me talking about it and he won't support me
Sadly,
Abby