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[shortperson]

Hi everyone

New person here, with no idea what is going on! So I would be grateful for any advice on whether I should check things out with my GP or not - so far, I have only briefly asked two female GPs about my symptoms and haven't had a hugely helpful response.

I am now 47 and have had the Mirena IUS fitted for coming up to 2 years. Before that I was on the Loestrin pill for years. I was lucky and my periods never caused me much pain or problem. My bleed gradually got lighter and lighter in my 40s until I was 44 when I was getting no bleed on my pill free week at all. I spoke to the nurse practitioner but before anything else happened, I had a bleed, so I just stopped worrying about it. But then after that, the bleeds disappeared again to either nothing or very light spotting. I then had the Mirena IUS fitted 20 months ago, when I was 45, and have not had a bleed at all since, nor any kind of period symptoms.

However, 3 weeks after having the Mirena fitted, I started getting full on menopausal symptoms - hot flushes, headaches, not sleeping, night sweats, anxiety, lack of concentration, crying, bout of thrush, itching, vaginal dryness - I have had pretty much a showcase of all menopause symptoms over the past year and a half, on and off. The only ones that have really stuck with me the whole time have been feeling fed up and disinterested in everything, crying, and tiredness. Over the past 3-4 months, I've also experienced a lot of light-headedness, especially when I stand up, which is making me feel quite bad when it happens, which is every few days. That is my main concern at the moment, as I don't know if that's 'just' the menopause or something else, along with having absolutely no clue where I am in the whole menopause process.

It feels like the pill could have been masking or holding back any potential menopause symptoms, apart from the loss of periods, as I was still getting some oestrogen, but as soon as I stopped that, menopause symptoms kicked in full time. But am I post-menopause now I have had no bleeds for over 2 years? Or is my body still adjusting to the IUS? Is that possible? I am not sure if any of my symptoms are bad enough to get some help, i.e. HRT - the light-headedness is the only one that I am a bit concerned about. But I would like to have some clue as to what's happening and where I am in the whole process.

Any thoughts or advice gratefully received!

Thank you

 

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome to MM

It would definitely be worth talking to your doctor.  Many women don't get bleeding with the Mirena, even if they are still peri meno. Blood tests might throw some light on what is going on e.g. FSH and oestrogen levels could be tested - although if you are still peri meno (which I suspect you might be) then blood tests can be a bit unreliable but the doctor should diagnose based on symptoms.   As you have the Mirena you can simply add in some oestrogen as gel or patch to see if you feel better.
If a blood test shows low oestrogen then, at you age, some oestrogen as gel or patch would be advisable as you need to protect your heart and bones for the long term.
Read up all the info on this site and go prepared to the doctors appointment.  In your place I would be quite firm about wishing to try a small dose of oestrogen based on the protective and symptom benefits it would offer you. DG x

[CLKD]

Also if you have vaginal dryness ask for appropriate treatment for atrophy.  There are several threads here about *that* 1!

It is different to over-all HRT but essential to ease the symptoms of feeling the need to pee.  Vaginal atrophy mimics urine infection-type symptoms really well!  As oestrogen levels drop the body may become dry: inside and out  .  Deep in the ears; nostrils, eyes, vagina, skin, scalp .........

[shortperson]

Thank you both for your advice! I will go to the doctor's fully armed :-)