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[MissBabs]

Hello everyone, I am 57 and I had what is called "the surgical menopause" at age 47 due to issues which had been ongoing for 10 years: and after which ignorantly, I thought that was it and I had sailed through the menopause.  I did not realise that the brain doesn't know this and at around 50 I started to feel incredibly unwell - falling to sleep in my office, finding it difficult to cope with my job, which was managerial, having hot sweats and not sleeping, but mainly incredible feelings of anxiety without knowing why, and getting panic attacks.  I knew that something was not right - not being a frequent visitor to the surgery I eventually went as I felt unable to cope with my job.  My GP prescribed anti-depressants to help me sleep, and said to increase from low dose once they weren't having the same effect. They made me feel less able to cope and I stopped whilst on the low dose as I knew this was not the answer. I asked him about the menopause and expressed my ignorant idea that I had already had this due to the surgery, and he did not disabuse me at this stage.  Bear in mind that at this time, NICE did not allow HRT on the NHS unless the menopause was considered by your GP to be "life affecting"!    After a year of feeling desperate, I handed in my notice.  I was working via a private hospital and spoke to one of the physicians, who carried out blood tests (for which I paid £800) which showed that I had renal fatigue amongst other things.  I went back to the GP who then carried out tests on the NHS which showed I had negligible oestrogen levels, even for post menopausal women,  and was vitamin D deficient.  He put my on 40mg ostrogen only HRT for which I requested gel as I have digestive tract problems, but I got patches.  I felt better for a while but eventually paid to see a private gynae.  He explained that any risks from HRT, negligible in my case especially as I have no ovaries or womb,  are not from the dose and doubled it (I am 6 foot tall and above average weight/height which I think makes a difference in hormonal dosages?)  I said that I felt my GP would not agree to this but after receiving a strident letter from my Consultant, he did in fact double the dose and I feel so much better - I believe I could have remained in my job if this had been done earlier. I still have issues sleeping and I have lapses of concentration, however I decided to finish my humanities degree and with the effort I put in, can actually read a book again and take in information.  I would therefore strongly suggest that you do "aerobics for the brain" by reading, doing crosswords or maybe doing an OU course, if you can afford it(!)  Incidentally, my dentist asked me how long I was intending to remain on HRT - as if this was relevant to him (dentists call themselves Dr. but are not qualified as physicians).  This shows the general attitude towards women on HRT that we are all doing it to stay young and lovely.

[Taz2]

Hi MissBabs - welcome to the forum.

Thanks for telling us about your journey and I'm pleased you are feeling better than you were. It's great that your doc also picked up on the low vitamin D levels as these can really affect mood and body energy etc. and also gives you a really foggy brain feeling.

As for the dentist - it has long been known that being on HRT is really helpful for our gums and general mouth health so this may be why you were asked this question.

Which HRT have you been given?

Taz x 

[Joyce]

 

Interesting reading. Though shame you had to do somersaults & jump through hoops as well as spending a lot of money to get where you are now.

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome to MM MissBabs
Your story is not unusual.  My next door neighbour had a hyster some 8 years ago and she was suffering dreadfully from flushes and nights sweats.  Though she was only in her 40s when she had the hyster she had not been advised that some oestrogen would help.  I, of course, told her about MM and suggested she ask the GP for some Oestrogel and she now has got her life back.  I believe that  women who have had a hyster are less likely to develop breast cancer if they use oestrogen, so really all women who have a hyster should be advised to use oestrogen as a preventative unless there is a family history of breast cancer.
As for the dentist commenting on HRT - oestrogen will actually help to maintain the health of your gums. I did once get  a comment from one of the practise nurses at my surgery suggesting that women stay on HRT to keep looking younger - I would say that HRT helps us to keep working, stay active and maintains quality of life.  DG xxx

[Kathleen]

Hello MissBabs and welcome to the forum.

Thank you for your very informative post.

I am interested in your idea that the dose of HRT should take account of the size of the woman being treated. I know that fat cells can produce hormones but I don't know if thinner women suffer more symptoms than larger women but presumably overall height and weight is a factor.

The medical profession are beginning to understand the importance of tailor made treatments so hopefully HRT will be included in any research but I'm no holding my breath!

Wishing you well and take care.

K.

[Mary G]

Welcome to MM!

I wish I could say I was surprised to read your story but sadly I am not.  Despite the new NICE guidelines that have been published since you first obtained HRT, there are still women who are frightened of taking it because of the bogus scare stories and doctors who either don't know much about it, are luke warm about prescribing it and when they do, prescribe the wrong type at the wrong dose.

That is why so many of us, myself included, have sought advice privately - I went to the brilliant Professor John Studd.  There is still a very long way to go on this. 

[MissBabs]

Reply to Taz, sorry if this is not properly posted but I'm a forum idiot amongst other things. I'm on Elleste Solo 80ug . The dentist's questioning tone was not sympathetic. However he later mentioned my gums were better than ever and i researched this after and wished I'd pointed out the link with HRT. As a rider, before increasing the dosage I was having fortnightly migraines lasting up to 4 days and since,  I have only had x3 in 9 months.

[Taz2]

You'll be able to point that out to the dentist next time    It sounds as if the HRT is working for you - not sure about the dosage but if your consultant thinks you need this higher dose then I'm sure it's fine. I've found that as I got older (I'm 62 now) the dose was lowered although it seems strange to me as, surely, the further into meno you go the more you need!

Have you got your vitamin D level back up now? This will make such a difference to your concentration level. Good news about the migraines.

Taz x

[Hurdity]

Hi MissBabs

  from me too.

Re the above average height and weight - I am sure it makes a difference. After all if your body is larger/taller/fatter then a given dose will be more diluted than in a smaller/lighter person (notwithstanding this being counteracted by increased oestrogen from fat cells that Kathleen rightly pointed out). Animal medication is always worked out approximately according to body size eg cat worm pills - but HRT is not! It's another example of the one-size fits all (literally!) not being appropriate!

Glad you are feeling better on the dose you are taking and long may this continue

Hurdity x

[Evelyn63]

From a negative start to a very positive finish , what a great post Missbabs  Its a shame as the others have already mentioned, that you had the stress not to mention the expense of trying to get proper diagnosis and treatment. I hope they gave you a staff discount ! 


I still feel at a loss to understand in this day and age with so many knoweledgable and informed women, that GP's still hand out AD like smarties ! Surely by now the message should have sunk in that Menopause causes most if not all of these symptoms and a much more effective treatment than AD's .

Good luck and hope you continue to feel as well as you currently do.