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[Shirley]

I'm new to this site and my daughter suggested that I join for two reasons one to get support and two to get my story put to try to help others. I'm nearly 70 and had a hysterectomy in my forties and only kept on H R T for about 6 months because of the fear of cancer finally got H R T off the Dr but its been a very long journey to get here years of suffering and tests I did not need and medication that sent me over the edge. I've been treated for depression and anxiety and more antidepressants  I've had MRi scans to find out why I was having flushes so basically I was going bed with towels and my social life was severely impacted.Then because as the years rolled on I've been tested for dementia more scans and guess what no dementia. All the time I kept asking for HR T but no I was given everything even more antidepressants. When finally I had enough I took H R T myself for a month and the symptoms disappeared. So armed with an all clear dementia tests and free from symptoms after a month I went back to my gp ready for an argument yet again but I did not get one I think she realised all my symptoms were down to the menopause at last!! But years of suffering could have been avoided if only the doctors had put all my symptoms together and listened to me and treated me as a women I'm now on patches. See where I go from here its early days but I'm optimistic at least I have my life back

[Dotty]

Welcome to the forum and well done. You shouldn’t have had to fight for hrt but many of us do .

Keep posting…your story will help others. xxx

[Flossieteacake]

Hello Shirley. Welcome to the forum. It is shocking to hear all you have been through but it is wonderful to hear you have your life back.

[jillydoll]

Hi Shirley.   

Thank you so much for sharing your story, I’m sure it will help a lot of women.
I’m so sorry you’ve struggled for all these years, and had to go through so many tests. It’s just unbelievable the way you’ve been treated. It makes me so sad. 
Thankfully now, you can move on with your life and enjoy the rest of it.
Maybe because it’s been in the media more lately GPs are ‘seeing’ the symptoms of menopause now and treating it instead of dishing out ADs all the time. Not all of us need ADs, and I must admit, when I first started meno, right at the beginning of my journey, I trusted my GP and took the ADs when she offered them to me, but unfortunately they made me really poorly. It wasn’t until I gained some knowledge of the menopause that I knew I needed HRT and not ADs.
That said, some ladies need both, and that’s brilliant for them, but it wasn’t brilliant in my case. Nor yours by the sound of it.
Keep posting, let us know how your getting on, and I wish you well. If anyone deserves to get their life back, it’s YOU.
Xxxxx

[Perinowpost]

It’s really disgraceful that you should have had to suffer for so long Shirley. But well done you for persevering and never giving up x

[Kathleen]

Hello Shirley and welcome to the forum.

Thank you for your very interesting post.

I also have an AD story to tell. I am 66 now and I had my last period in 2010. I hadn't had many problems in perimeno but symptoms started to ramp up when I became post meno. I thought that I could tough it out but after three years I decided to ask for help. By this time I was in a very dark place physically and mentally.  My GP prescribed HRT but also the AD Venlafaxine, also known as Effexor. I was in no position to argue and my family were worried about me so I began taking the AD and HRT at the same time.
I now regret this as I have no idea if the ADs were necessary or not. I was told that Venlafaxine was especially good at reducing night sweats and on the one occasion I forgot to take my tablet I was hotter during the night but other than that I'm not sure of the benefit.

As the years rolled on I changed HRT many times and my Venlafaxine was often increased. Again I wish I had resisted that and 
the last time it was suggested I refused. By then I was taking 150 mcg which seemed like a lot and I couldn't see the point in going any higher.
I now feel stuck because I am afraid to come off the drug and also scared to change it.

Most of my physical meno symptoms have resolved and over the last few months I have reduced my Oestrogen considerably. However my emotional state is still very changeable and this worries me a lot. I even wonder if the AD is somehow contributing to my moods and the HRT would work better without them.

I am amazed but not surprised at your story Shirley and why none of the medics thought of the menopause beggars belief.

Hopefully things  will improve now that the symptoms are more openly discussed. Also  we don't need to rely on the medical profession to catch up with reality because we can inform and advocate for ourselves on sites such as this.  Sisters doing it for themselves eh ladies!.

Take care everyone.

K.

[Perinowpost]

At the risk of cutting in on Shirley’s post have you thought of slowly reducing your AD Kathleen? It can be done in a controlled way and you may begin to feel better x

[Kathleen]

Hello again ladies.

Perinowpost - thank you for your suggestion.

I hope to speak to a Meno consultant soon about my HRT change and I will mention my AD dose as well. I will then feel more confident about talking to my GP about either reducing or trying a different type.

Wishing you well and take care.

K.

[Shirley]

Thank you ladies for replies and support and I was sorry to hear that struggle of AD I know from my personal journey on them on some I had episodes of sleep walking also some affected me that I was delirious all day I am now  such a low dose we need to be telling doctors to work on a better hormone level and a better understanding of women's health I'm only in my 2nd month of HRT and I'm taking things slowly but how much better I feel  😊 and not to have this cloud hanging over me I will keep in touch with you all as this is so important I would hate for my granddaughters to be going through this in the future xx

[RJT]

I just chatted with a dear friend yesterday about dementia and meno and we wondered how many women get sent down that track when some HRT may have been the answer. I took a screenshot of your post to show her. It's something she worries about because her parents are suffering with it. Thank you for sharing your story.