Hi Ladies
I'm Karen and I have known of Menopause Matters for some time, with my gp referring it, but this is me just finding the brain space to open up my foggy and very much disorganised world.
I'm 60 next month and had been on Evorel Conti 50 for around a year now. Initially, I had gone to the gp unsure if my symptoms of chronic brain fog and fatigue were from long covid or menopause, or both. The gp at that time put me on Tibilone, before another gp changed it to Evorel conti. I now take Evorel 50 and Utrogestan 100 as prescribed by hospital gynaecologist only last week.7
I've always been super organised in my younger life. Spreadsheets, lists and a happy, healthy, positive and calm outlook. I now struggle with my memory, concentration, motivation and fitness. For instance, I have an expanding file folder with all my important documents for the house, family and car that I haven't been able to update in a few years. I've currently got three piles of 'filing' to do, all balancing on my dressing table, on the table next to my chair in the lounge and on the kitchen worktop. I know I've got my mot certificate somewhere in the three piles! Probably the year before as well. The passport is anyone's guess.
I have also got in my back bedroom, a treadmill, rowing machine, bike and abs sit up bench. All covid impulse buys, that were used half heartedly and all of which are now pushed together to maximise room space for my clothes horse and ironing board. Fitness just seem like another world to me at the moment.
This new sense of self is not the me I recognise and I have in a past depressed state successfully helped myself with self help books. I'm reading again to promote positive thinking and to try to motivate myself for the simplest of tasks. I feel I'm having to force myself to do the basic things in housework. I have the goals list in baby steps to not overwhelm myself and really want to get my mind over the matter.
I've always been a push through and get on with it, even when I have been feeling really rotten. It more often than not just leads to me feeling more exhausted and sore, or breathless through asthma, but I do it anyway. I very much want to feel better quicker than I am if that makes sense?
I don't want to let this mentally debilitating state be me forever more. It has the knock on effect of lack of physical effort and I worry this might have longer lasting health issues and I just become plain lazy. Just now, I feel mildly depressed, but I feel I can catch it if I really help myself. I have a lovely supportive, kind and caring second husband, married for 2yrs now, that I met online. We were together four years before we got married and we have a lovely soft and affectionate cat, so I am loved. My two sons, whilst close, are grown and have their own families. I care for my elderly mother and this in turn helps me to try to stay strong and not to collapse as she needs me.
I take 30mg Citalopram
Evorel 50 patch
Utrogestan 100 tablet
Magnesium & B12 supplements
Paracetamol daily.
I am currently waiting for an appointment for camera scan and probable biopsy (second time) for unexplained bleeding. The first time, last year, gladly nothing was found. I do have a small fibroid but have been assured this is not a problem. This time round though, I have bleeding and also painful mid area back ache and a real fatigue and joint ache and stiffness.
I find myself looking at others with a little envy at what they can do physically, in terms of keeping active and also how they articulate themselves when speaking, as I trip over myself, can't seem to find the words, lose my train of thought and bumble my way through conversations with people that I can actually see them glaze over.
In general, it does creep in from time to time that something might be wrong with the bleeding, but I try not to get carried away with the unknown.
I have read the jokes and funnies and appreciate the beautiful and uplifting support on the forum. You ladies seem a really lovely bunch and I send my love to you all for your struggles with your individual issues.
Btw, has anyone found an effective way to remove the patch glue from the skin? I've tried exfoliating scrub and am currently on nail varnish remover pads with a bit of scrubbing needed. Any suggestions welcome thank you.
Hopefully we can all feel a lot better in the coming days.
Karen xx