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[Frazzle]

I am so confused as doctor says I'm perimenopausal.   

In 2011 I had a uterine ablation which was then followed by a Sub Total Hysterectomy in 2012.  Then due to further complications I went back into theatre late 2014 and had a Bilateral Salpingo Oophorectomy.  And I was told I would wake up and be in surgical menopause.   It feels like this is all never ending as I have been in and out of hospital for 5 years now and still it goes on as I am not allowed HRT due to stroke risk.  And now on top of everything I have what I 'think' is vaginal atrophy yet the GP keeps treating me for thrush which isn't working, even swabs have come back clear!  so I asked if he would blood test me to see if the menopause had finished to assume my atrophy diagnosis.   Test results have come back though saying that I am Perimenopausal .......  how can that possibly be when the ovaries were physically removed 18 months ago.   Any advice would be very very welcome.

[dogdoc]

Frazzle. If you have no ovaries you are fully menopausal. I assume they are calling you perimenopausal because your FSH is not in the 'post menopausal' range. You will still have estrogen in your system from fat, adrenals etc. but you are without a doubt menopausal if you have no ovaries and almost certainly are more likely to have vaginal atrophy ( which can cause yeast issues, urinary tract infections, urethral and vaginal itch/sensitivity, pain, dryness etc.). You almost certainly would benefit from vaginal estrogen like vagifem if those are some of your symptoms.

I don't know how they can keep treating you for thrush if cytology says theres no yeast.

sigh.
Fed up with doctors.
dogdom

[Hurdity]

Hi Frazzle

 

Sorry to hear about your problems and no wonder you feel frazzled!

As dogdoc says - you are fully menopausal. You haven't said how old you are and do tell us more about the stroke risk - it may well be that you are not necssarily precluded from taking HRT - unless you yourself have had a stroke?

Here is what it says on this site:

http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/atoz.php#GlossS

Stroke
    The incidence of stroke increases in women after the menopause and an association between a protective effect of ovarian hormones estrogen and progesterone has been suggested. Similarly, it was thought that the use of HRT reduced the risk of stroke. Although some studies have shown a protective effect, others, including the Women's Health Initiative trial, have shown a small increase in risk of stroke in those women taking HRT. It has been concluded that HRT should not be used for either primary or secondary prevention of stroke. If a woman has had a stroke and is considering treatment for menopausal symptoms, non-hormonal options should be tried first and HRT should only be considered after full discussion with a specialist.

These are the contra-indications for HRT:

http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/contraindications.php

Contraindications for HRT.

    Pregnancy
    Undiagnosed abnormal vaginal bleeding
    Active or recent blood clot or myocardial infarction (heart attack)
    Suspected or active breast or endometrial (womb) cancer
    Active liver disease with abnormal liver function tests
    Porphyria cutanea tarda

Here are the vaginal oestrogen types - you definitely need some of this asap!

http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/local.php

Hope this helps

Hurdity x

[Frazzle]

Hi. I had my ablation at 42, the ST hysterectomy at 43, BSO ovaries removed at 45.5 and I am now 47. 

I was admitted to hospital just after the BSO with pleurisy and pneumonia, they said about a blood clot following a CT scan but all was ok after goodness knows how many drips and antibiotics.  I was on HRT up until that point but it was early days after the operation and the symptoms were too much to cope with, so they doubled the HRT dose, if I recall it was estradot 1mg to 2mg.  They think this double dose gave me the blood clot issue as I had the pneumonia at the time.  The hospital took me off HRT instantly and I've been refused it since as my weight has gone loopy with the hormone imbalance.   HRT would stabilise the hormones but they said my weight, high blood pressure and the blood clot risk puts me at stroke risk, so they haven't let me have HRT since. So for the past 18 months apart I've been getting bigger and bigger and have been facing all symptoms without any treatment.   They won't even let me try Menopace, Red Clover, Black Cohosh etc as they say plant hormones/isoflavenes? could be just as bad for me as synthetic hormones in HRT. 

Tonight I have picked up a tube of cream from the gp called Estradiol and she said to use it every night for a fortnight and then twice a week for 3 months.  Trouble is she said it was pessaries whereas this us a big tube of cream.  Not sure what to do to be honest as she made it sound like it was for internal use but presumably I just apply it like the canestan etc I've ben using for thrush??