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[Bluebelle]

 .....Hello All,

Thank goodness I have found this site or should I say lifeline.....
I am finding it so helpful and above all so reassuring that I am not the only one who is suffering at the moment. I absolutely feel I have reached rock bottom and don't know which way to turn.

Forgive me for the long post I will try and keep it short but I would dearly love to here your advice.

Eight years ago I had a sterilisation at the age of 40.  It was no particular reason other than my husband admittedly was too afraid to have the op... 
within weeks I noticed that I suddenly had the urge to sleep with the windows open and feeling exceptionally hot and started getting severe palpitations. At the time I was under a lot of stress due to a difficult job but soon changed things and found a job that I loved. My symptoms are excessive weight gain approx 2 and half stone.  Absolute despair and can't find the joy in anything even though I have an amazing husband, family, job and work/life balance.  Severe tiredness, disrupted sleep, palpatations, periods becoming erratic and much heavier , clots etc, bad headaches, and the worst  anxiety I ever had with panic attacks thrown into the mix(never suffered with these before).  I just feel totally like I have lost the person I once was, and the 'light' has gone out. I don't yearn for my youth or anything like that, I just yearn to have some energy and a bit of Ooomph and to not feel so awful !!!

As the years have gone by the changes have become more evident and quite difficult to cope with.  Today after 27 years with the same doctor I feel I have been forced to change surgeries as no one will do anything to help me, and I am sure they just think I am neurotic and have fobbed me off with all sorts of things.  Im sick of being told I am depressed and to take anti depressants when I
know for a fact it has to be hormone related. Not one single doctor has ever mentioned peri menopausal Hrt etc... Its only now that I'm starting to piece things together.

Both My mum and her sister had breast cancer and thankfully come through the other side they were both on HRT for many years and both their cancers were hormone receptive.  After speaking with the doctor to day and from the family history they are absolutely adament they will not prescribe me HRT, they will however give me anti depressants and the mini pill. 
I have never ever taken any form of contraception in all my adult life as I was so in tune with my cycle that I knew to the minute when ovulation was about to happen.. It worked as I had two children and didn't want anymore, so I did something right, so I am reluctant to go down this road.

Today I have contacted the secretary of Dr Tina Peers to arrange an appointment thinking that I would rather try the Bio Identicals route only to be told she specialises in Body Identicals ...now I am completely confused as I didn't know they were two different things or are they? ....

I just feel I am walking in a minefield of conflicting information ..... Please can someone please just advise me the right road to go down.

Would bio identical be safer for me judging by my family history and if so recommendations

Thanks for listening to me ramble and Im sorry my post is all over the place (a bit like my head at the moment  )

[Dotty]

Body identical hormones are Estradiol in the form of pills , patches or gel . And micronised progesterone . They are the nearest to our own hormones . They can be prescribed on the nhs by a gp.

Bio identical are made up by specialist pharmacists and are not licensed for use in UK.

I'm sure someone else will be along who can explain it better.

[MIS71MUM]

Hi Bluebelle
No you are not going bonkers.  GP's don't give us credit for knowing our own bodies.

I went to my GP with similar symptoms as you, and was offered AD's.  I had to research my own HRT and go back to my GP.

I'm not sure of the difference between bio and body identicals but someome will be along soon who does.

[CLKD]

Nope.  However 


Did your Mum and sister have HRT prior to breast disease, that isn't clear .........  however, Quality of Life is important in order to function  . Some ladies find that keeping a mood/food/symptom diary useful.  To chart how they feel.

It may be wise to have a full blood count, i.e. thyroid function, VitD levels and Iron count to make sure that you aren't lacking anything, it's easy to blame menopause for symptoms.

I was sterilised in the 1980s and didn't go into peri-menopause until the late 1990s.  I don't think that sterilisation is likely to induce menopause.  Why would it  . 

Sadly many GPs won't recognise menopause as it's cheaper, easier and quicker to prescribe ADs  .  Is there a Practice Nurse in the Surgery?

Browse round. Make notes!

[Bluebelle]

Thank you both for your replies....

Thank you Dotty for explaining the difference between Body and Bio identcals..... When I previously asked me GP about Bio Identicals, she dismissed it and muttered they dont perscibe such a thing as theres not been enough investigations into it all ...so of course this added to my confusion.

I think your right  MIS71MUM, I think I am going to have to go down my own path of trying to help myself privately or otherwise.  In an ideal world it would be nice to have a sympathetic ear and a doctor who doesn't clock watch.

I am feeling hopeful that with the knowledge on here and all the other information I have been reading there will be an answer..... 

[CLKD]

May I suggest that you read the 'treatment' section above?  Make notes 

Sounds as though your GP doesn't know much about menopause treatments?!?

[Dotty]

Body Identical hrt is fine. Have a look at the website of Dr Louise Newson - "My Menopause Doctor" - lots of fantastic info on there.

[Bluebelle]

Thanks also CLKD....

My mum and aunty were both on HRT for a very long time and later developed BC in their 60s.

I realise that the sterilisation would not of brought on pre menopause symptoms but it seemed really coincidental at the time.

I think your right my doctor doesn't seem clued up about it.  I just about had enough of their lack of support, rudeness and dismissive attitude.
I don't expect miracles from them but just a little more understanding and information so I can work out what would be best for me.  Instead it's just this brick wall al the time  it seems.

I have had a blood test done today to at least determine where I am, and signed up to another surgery. I aslo made an appointment to see Dr Peers but have to wait until June so thats at least three positive steps in the right direction In the meantime I will hold on for dear life and just hope my poor husband doesnt divorce me or my poor dog doesnt decide to leave home 

[CLKD]

Tell the dog she can stay here for a while    we have dog thread somewhere 

Print off 'advice for husbands' from this site and hand over to him? 

[Bluebelle]

Thanks also CLKD....

My mum and aunty were both on HRT for a very long time and later developed BC in their 60s. That is the reason why the doctor said they wont even entertain the idea.

I realise that the sterilisation would not of brought on pre menopause symptoms but it seemed really coincidental at the time.

I think your right my doctor doesn't seem clued up about it.  I just about had enough of their lack of support, rudeness and dismissive attitude.
I don't expect miracles from them but just a little more understanding and information so I can work out what would be best for me.  Instead it's just this brick wall al the time  it seems.

I have had a blood test done today to at least determine where I am, and signed up to another surgery. I aslo made an appointment to see Dr Peers but have to wait until June so thats at least three positive steps in the right direction In the meantime I will hold on for dear life and just hope my poor husband doesnt divorce me or my poor dog doesnt decide to leave home 

[Bluebelle]

I have spent the best part of the morning on the phone trying to get more answers to my questions.

I phoned professors Studd office and spoke to a lovely lady who was very informative, however she confirmed that due to my family history bio identical hornones will not be suitable for me due to my family history of oestrogen receptive breast cancer on my mothers side.?I absolutely feel like crying 😭.... I just feel I'm stuck in a dark hole and I no one can help me out ...

Back to the drawing board I guess !

[Dotty]

Send an email to Dr Louise Newson and ask her opinion.

[Bluebelle]

Thank you Dotty ... You must of read my mind

[CLKD]

Let us know!  Quality of Life, Girl, Quality!

[Dotty]

I'm sure I've read somewhere that the risk depends on how old your relatives were when they got breast cancer but I can't find it now !

At the end of the day it's your decision if you can get a dr to agree.

Also I think there is no added risk of breast cancer if you are under 50..... but I’m not a dr.