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[hollyb]

Hi everyone

I'm new on here, and would be really grateful if anyone has any advice for my gynae appointment tomorrow afternoon (short notice, I know!), or just generally.   

I'm 33, and have not had a period for 5 months.  I had blood tests at my GP in December due to this and feeling tired and having hot flushes.  Everything was normal (inc thyroid and sugar) except for cholesterol of 5.8 and FSH over 100 and LH over 60.  I had the FSH and LH test repeated around 3 weeks later and they were around the same.  I have no kids yet (and not in a place for them yet relationship wise) so this is really freaking me out. 

My mother and her sister had their menopause in their fifties, there is no family history of early menopause I know of.  I had a Mirena from around September 2010 until May 2013 when I had it removed due to random light bleeding (but no proper periods), after that my periods came back regularly for several months before stopping abruptly.  About 2 weeks after the last one in early September I had a couple of days of dark brown spotting (sorry for TMI!), no bleeding since. 

My symptoms now are:hot flushes  – sometimes a few a day, sometimes every half hour to hour, tiredness and intermittent sore throat & swollen glands, skin and hair have gone dry and itchy – both used to be oily, more spots, brain feels slow – keep getting distracted and forgetting what I was doing / thinking, palpitations / racing heart a couple of times a day, insomnia & more restless legs / twitching muscles at night, intermittent joint pain, especially shoulders, elbows, knees and one foot, muscles feel sore and weak, constipation, feel like mild UTI all the time, dizziness on standing up (always had this but worse recently), moodswings, including sudden low mood, tearfulness, anxiety, irritable etc

Anyway, sorry for the long post, but I'd be really grateful if anyone can give me any advice.  Thanks, Holly. 

[CLKD]

   Make a list to take to your Appt..  Have a browse in the menus left of screen.  I'm sure someone else will be along soon!

[Dancinggirl]

Hi hollyb and Welcome to MM
CLKD is right - take that list of symptoms you have just typed out and give them to your doctor. How long have you had the intermittent sore throat and swollen glands?  These are not usually associated with menopause. The Gynae is obviously monitoring what is going on which is very good and will hopefully give you help and advice about the way forward - it may be too early to tell whether you are in early menopause there are many reason for hormone fluctuations. When you've had your appointment do get back to us if you have questions or need support. 
Good luck  DG x 

[Taz2]

Hi hollyb - welcome to the forum.

Sorry to hear that you are going through all of this and I hope that we can all be of help to you. I wondered if you had heard of Daisy Network which is a site for women suffering premature ovarian failure? http://www.daisynetwork.org.uk/signs-and-symptoms.htm

I agree with Dancinggirl that it would be good to take the list of your symptoms with you to your appointment. You need to get as much advice and support as possible and as she says there are many reasons for hormons to fluctuate - not just menopause - so don't be too despondent.

Taz x 

[anna123]

Hi Holly
I'm 39 and was diagnozed with POF last year, very unexpectedly.

I know it's easy gto say but please try not to worry.See what the consultant says. My 2 tests were also high levels of FSH consistent with menopause. However the levels still do fluctutuate throughout the month so it doesn't mean you will never ovulate again. There are also many ways of assisting women with POF to start families if that is something you do want. Think they're so much more aware of it nowadays and there is so much help available. At least by being aware of it you will be able to get proper treatment .
Hope your appointment goes well

[hollyb]

Hi

Thanks for all the replies above.  The hospital confirmed premature ovarian failure and have given me HRT - Estradot 25mcg to be increased if the symptoms don't improve and utrogestan 200 to be taken for a week every 3 months.  I specifically asked for the oestrogen patch and utrogestan hoping that the side effects wouldn't be too bad. 

How long should I expect it to take before I feel much better?  I've been off work a lot in the last few weeks and I really don't know whether I am OK to go back tomorrow.  I seem to be OK for 3-4 hours a day and then I'm just completely exhausted.

Holly x

[CLKD]

Go and talk to your place of work.  Explain what you have told us and it may be that once you have had that discussion, you will feel less tired.   If any work worries are in the back of your mind it can make us worry in the back-ground ………..

We have a thread about forgetfulness - if I could remember where it is  - off to do a search 

[lubylou]

Hi there
I agree that you should put work worries to one side and focus on getting yourself on an even keel. Is it possible to get time off work from your GP this might give you the space and time to recover a bit from the emotional roller coaster you have been on recently.
Lubylou