I must have dipped in and out the forums for a couple of years, but finally registered and posting.
I've been trying to get straight how and when my menopause symptoms started and boy I wish I'd kept a diary
Looking back, I had none of the irregular periods stuff, but then again my cycles had always been a bit erratic (27-35 days was normal for me as I never took OCP for more than a couple of years).
I guess somethings were starting to kick off the end of 2007 (age 44) - getting more tired, little bit tetchy, PMT at unusual times of the month.....
Then 2008 the teen style crushes started - quite strange, but fun and felt like puberty again.
I had my first hot flush Jan 2009, I think brought on when I took hormone tablets to delay my period for our 20th wedding anniversary holiday away. At the time I thought it was just a side effect from the tabs.
By Feb 2010 I was a wreck, panic attacks, unable to sleep, frequent hot flushes, no sex and felt like my world was falling apart. Saw my GP, various blood tests and investigations but I finally agreed to try HRT. I'd been reluctant to try due to a bad experience in my late teens/early 20's with combined OCP.
To start off the HRT was amazing, got me back on track, normalised everything, sleeping well etc. However, my libido was so low it was almost zero. I think I changed to continuous HRT formulation around Sept 2011 (and had no bleeding since), but by March 2012 I weaned myself off, as I was getting depressive symptoms and feeling emotionally flat, that reminded me of how I felt on the OCP. Plus I wanted to see how I was without medication - how bad would things be?
Well the flushes were not too bad, but the rebound VA was horrific - not that my libido had improved/changed at all when on HRT, so there was 'no action' going on down there anyway. I started Vagifem around June/July 2012, and thought that's all I'd be able to get to help, and so carried plodding on until I read an article in the Sunday Times this July about one woman's experience with Testosterone replacement, and I identified so much with her symptoms and experience.
So back off to GP, and referral to Gynaecologist. To cut a long story short I started Tibolone (and was given Oestrogen cream as well as Vagifem) on the 14th Sept and blooming heck..........
I felt like a weight was lifting from my shoulders within 3 days of starting the tabs. After a week there was the start of the reawakening of the libido. At week 4 I had a bit of a blip, but I think this is because I tried changing the time I was taking the tablets to around bedtime - I've shifted to late afternoon, which seems to suit me better.
I thought I wasn't having many hot flushes, but now I'm on the tabs I'm maybe getting 1 a day, and very mild. Yesterday I noticed that the mobility and strength in my left shoulder is improving - this was a problem since an injury in 2009! To top it all I went to the gym after work today, I was feeling so energised. This is not something I've managed to do for ages.
I know it's early days, but I've had more sex since starting these than in 2yrs
So that's my history up to now, aged 53, and looking forward to the future at last.
Sooze
