Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Mindfulmoomins on December 08, 2018, 10:33:18 AM
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Hi everyone,
Finally some sun here in Herts thank goodness. It really helps. I hope you have some wherever you are.
I have just been looking at my cycle and can see that after ovulation my mood starts to drop slightly before going down further in the 7 days I take progesterone and then crashing out two days after stopping it.
It almost feels like PMDD which I didn't have before peri. I am hoping testosterone will help when added to my 4 pumps of Estrogel and 7 days of 100 mgs of utrogestan vaginally.
If it doesn't do you think a hysterectomy is a possibility? Of course it sounds drastic but if it means a better quality of life and the ability to live without dreading almost two weeks of every cycle it would be wel. worth it.
Does the NHS ever do a hysterectomy for cases like mine (PMS, PND and real difficulties in peri)? Also do people usually feel better after if they've had it for hormonal depression and anxiety?
Thank you, I have looked through some older posts but haven't quite found an answer.
With much love to all the beautiful and amazing women sharing this difficult journey. I wish I could meet you! Xxx
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Hi there, I'm sure if you pushed to get it done on the nhs you would get it done,mine was done vaginally & I was out the next day but they did leave my ovaries so I still got period like symptoms I.E sore breasts every month,even pmt but not nearly so bad,was the best decision I ever made but then my periods were horrendous with huge clots etc I could be wrong but if they take out the ovaries wouldn't you go crashing into menopause?
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Have you had a trial menopause where you are given Prostap(?) injections to shut down your ovaries? This would help you to see whether having your ovaries removed would help with your symptoms.
Hysterectomy shouldn't be considered lightly as there are things that can go wrong and, also, I've found since mine I never totally recovered and my pelvic floor is now weaker than ever. Hysterectomy often leads to prolapses as the support network has gone so all this needs to be considered. The final thing is that some women really notice a change in orgasm. This is not often mentioned but most of the orgasmic sensation is from the womb contracting. You will still get clitoral ones but these are nowhere near as wonderful. This might not be something that you are concerned about but just thought I'd mention it as, once it's gone, you can't put it back. ;D
You might like to check out the various hysterectomy associations. I had lots of information and support from this one when I was getting ready for mine due to prolapse https://www.hysterectomy-association.org.uk/information/is-a-hysterectomy-right-for-me/ This the page on PMS https://www.hysterectomy-association.org.uk/health_conditions/premenstrual-syndrome/
Taz x
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Taz and Jay, thank you so much.
Yes that would be my fear - would my symtpoms be worse as I would go into full meno or would things be more even and better.
I didn't know about the injections - that's so helpful. I'll talk to the meno specialist about them.
I would be worried about prolapse. I do Pilates but don't do my pelvic floor exercises as much as I should. That's interesting too about orgasms.
My Mum had a hysterectomy and has had prolapses but this is now resolved following a second operation and more stitches.
Taz, do you mind me asking more about what you mean by ‘never fully recovered' and did you have mood and anxiety issues before your hysterectomy?
I'll have a look at those links - thank you.
Thank you both so much. I value your input enormously. Xx
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Nothing wrong with my orgasms taz woohoo 😂
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Hysterectomy is major surgery. A lady should never be sent home B4 5 days post operation. Also, make sure that you discuss the type of HRT you will require B4 signing the Consent Form.
If you can live with current symptoms then stick with it. Pre-bleed I would cry, buckets even if a period wasn't due. HORMONES >:(.
When I had low blood sugar-type symptoms in the 10-14 days B4 each period, NAPS advised me to eat every 3 hours. That is, day and night. To keep energy levels more even which eases that sudden lurch of nausea. Not to eat more but to spread out the diet throughout the day and night. Slow release foods are useful: porridge [ :sick02: ;D], a good quality muesli, bananas, a protein sandwich ........ ginger biscuits - my puppy got used to there being a biscuit by the bed after she'd been for her mid-morning wee: that is, 2.30-3.00 a.m. :D
I would try simple steps and maybe keep a mood/food/symptom diary to chart progress?
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Nothing wrong with my orgasms taz woohoo 😂
I guess you must have been one of the women who didn't experience the uterine ones then ;D
Taz x
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CLKD, I was sent home the same day after a mastectomy and left to care for the wound, drains etc. completely on my own, no district nurse back-up; couldn't believe it but it's a sign of the times I'm afraid.
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CLKD, I was sent home the same day after a mastectomy and left to care for the wound, drains etc. completely on my own, no district nurse back-up; couldn't believe it but it's a sign of the times I'm afraid.
Sure is racjen, I had nothing near as you did(so sorry btw) but hysterectomy done one day out the next,bed needed I guess
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Hi MM me again lol.
I felt I had to respond to you as one of the "lucky" ones.
I had my hysterectomy when I was 38 uterus and cervix removed ovaries intact.
It was the best decision of my life, a bad haemorrhage after the last birth had left me with a blood phobia, I still have it,and of course every clot filled painful period I had afterwards drove me frantic so when my new young gp i moved to suggested trying the tummy implants with a view to hysterectomy I lept at the chance.i had no idea what the implants were all about all I focused on was hysterectomy and no more blood.even though my surgery was a bit more complex because my bladder had adhered to my womb so had to be cut away i still made a good recovery.
I've never ever regretted that choice.i had looking back now at least 10/ 12really good years until the sweats started around age 51 I think I went on hrt for 2 years but when I moved house the new gp took me off it pronto as he didn't like it! The next 5-7 years were awful it was one symptom after another and so many ailments I thought I was cracking up.i lost my identity really and hated who id become.two years ago I'd an accident and didn't go out so my health then became my focus and especially the meno symptoms.i researched like mad and tried every pill patch gel sprays and for 6 weeks or so it was bliss because it was so much easier for me than others, because id had the hysterectony so didnt have to worry about progesterone i was oestrogen only, then I started getting severe side effects which were actually worse than the original symptoms so id say I lasted around a year and a bit trying various hrt before I bit the bullet and stopped it.
I've no regrets about that I'm doing very nicely without it now I feel stronger physically and mentally than ever and my zest for life has returned I'm no longer hiding away with health anxiety.like everything in life what works for one doesent always work for another so it really is a personal choice only you can make after weighing up any info the ladies on here share with you, me, id do it again in a heartbeat.good luck with what ever you decide DD😘
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DD, thank you. That is such a wonderful story - what a journey! Oh to feel as mentally strong as I used to!
I am so glad it helped you.
Did you find you still had PMS (if you had it before the hysterectomy) afterwards and if so was it less?
Xx
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I had the most awful pms MM as do my children and grandchildren and sisters.i suffered terribly with pnd after the children and after the last birth had severe mental health issues resulting in electric shock therapy amongst other barbaric things.Id love to meet up with these "caring professionals" now i was only a kid myself so hopefully they're all ten feet under now.
After the hysterectomy I had nothing like that.no pain no pmt no clots.My life completely changed bonus was I could have as much jiggery pokery as I liked with no consequences :jiggy: ;D.then as said previously Mrs meno knocked on the door and unfortunately overstayed her welcome lol.as I said I've no regrets and id do it again but you have to be sure and do what feels right for you.😘DD
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Thank you DD 😘😘😘
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I had Premenstrual Syndrome and NAPS advised the 24/7 eating regime. Helped enormously. Give it a go! It takes 3 months to get into the habit though ::)
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Thanks CLKD. I do keep my blood sugar levels even and get ‘hangry' if I don't but I just don't think waking up in the night to do it would be good for me! X
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Ah the trick is to have a 'treat' by the bed if you go to the bathroom or let the puppy out ;) not to wake in order to eat.
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Hi everyone,
Finally some sun here in Herts thank goodness. It really helps. I hope you have some wherever you are.
I have just been looking at my cycle and can see that after ovulation my mood starts to drop slightly before going down further in the 7 days I take progesterone and then crashing out two days after stopping it.
It almost feels like PMDD which I didn't have before peri. I am hoping testosterone will help when added to my 4 pumps of Estrogel and 7 days of 100 mgs of utrogestan vaginally.
If it doesn't do you think a hysterectomy is a possibility? Of course it sounds drastic but if it means a better quality of life and the ability to live without dreading almost two weeks of every cycle it would be wel. worth it.
Does the NHS ever do a hysterectomy for cases like mine (PMS, PND and real difficulties in peri)? Also do people usually feel better after if they've had it for hormonal depression and anxiety?
Thank you, I have looked through some older posts but haven't quite found an answer.
With much love to all the beautiful and amazing women sharing this difficult journey. I wish I could meet you! Xxx
Sorry to hear about your ongoing symptoms even with HRT. However I doubt whether hysterectomy would be indicated for symptoms that may well be partly due to the HRT itself. Do you know what your natural cycle is doing or what was it doing before you started hRT? It is difficult to know how much is due to your natural hormones and how much to do with what you are adding or a combination of both.
Ideally the 4 pumps of oestrogen should be preventing the oestrogen crashes which are charactersitic of PMDD as you won't be getting the massive surges and falls - that is the point of HRT. At high enough doses ( a la Studd) your own cycle should be suppressed which would also eliminate the hormonal crashes.
The crash 2 days after stopping progesterone sounds very much like progesterone withdrawal - and may be low mood, tension, headache etc - like the PMS just before a period rather than for the whole of the cycle. There is nothing that can be done about this if you are also sensitive to progesterone itself but it isvery short-lived! If you are unable to cope for the whole time while you are taking progesterone and severely depressed and not able to function - then this might be an indication for hysterectomy - but after trying to suppress your cycle in other ways like Taz suggests.
Not sure how old you are but if under 50 have you thought of the CCP - one of the gentler types that is similar to HRT (QLAIRA or ZOELY)?
It's not necessary to eat during the night but a light snack before you go to bed will help blood sugar levels. I read somewhere they are at their highest during the latter part of the night anyway! Think I recall correctly?
Hope you manage to work something out for the best - do let us know.
Hurdity x
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Thank you Hurdity, for your wisdom and knowledge.
My natural cycle before starting HRT (18 months ago) was starting to get slightly erratic (light periods every 3-6 weeks). I now have a regular bleed a day or so after stopping utrogestan.
I too thought the 4 pumps would be preventing the crashes. Funnily enough I am feeling really good and like ‘me' the last few days.
Sometimes though I can almost feel things shifting and my mood changing. I think I might be pretty sensitive to hormones generally (as soon as I conceived I started getting anxious and low but was able to carry on working full time. Almost as soon as I gave birth I started to feel like myself again, it was weird).
I had the same thing when I used to come on - it was like a switch went off. Tension left my body and I started to begin to feel a sense of self esteem again.
I am under 50. 45 in a few weeks in fact. I have not heard of CCP, Qlaira and Zooey so will look those up and take the info to my next meno appt in Jan.
I usually have a few nuts before bed so might try keeping some next to the bed at night.
I am so so grateful for your and the other ladies help. I feel quite emotional saying this but I feel like you helped save me last year and this year.
Xxx
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😊❤️
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I had PMDD and it has been cured by removing the ovaries, but I've kept my womb. Also trialled the monthly injection (prostrap?) to prove that shutting down the cycle worked. Yes I was in immediate chemical then surgical menopause but I'm on Mirena coil for progesterone, estrodot 100 and tostran and it's good, I'm level and balanced. It was the fluctuations that I can't cope with.
Hope this helps xxx
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LJB thank you, yes that is very helpful xx