My last period was in 2007, 8 years ago, I was 47. I didn't realise it at the time and my Dr didn't diagnose it, but I had an early menopause. I started having hot sweats when I was 33. Dr put it down to panic attacks as I was stressed at the time but now I can clearly see that this was all symptomatic of the menopause. I was given beta-blockers which did help with the anxiety.
Since my periods stopped, I had a lot of migraines but no other symptoms until recently apart from arthritis but didn't associate it with the menopause. I was glad to be pain free as my periods had been very painful and occurred every 22 days. I also suffered from horrendous PMT. However I did want children but what can you do? Just accept it and get on with it.
For the past 5 years, I have suffered from severe vaginal dryness, it's painful, sore, uncomfortable, so bad in fact that I went to the Sexual Health clinic. The nurse there said it looked very red and sore and told me it could be aids, diabetes, she didn't think it was thrush or herpes but checked anyway and gave me an HIV test and a test for syphilis.
She said I need to have a through check-up at the Drs. That I might need oestrogen cream or HRT.
All tests came back negative, though they said I had blood in my urine.
So I made an appointment, this is back in February 2015. The Dr I saw said make a double appointment with Dr J as she trained in gynaecology.
So I did this and had to wait about 2 weeks as she was in holiday. At my appointment, she ripped open my clit and said let me know if it hurts! Too late. She told me to get a smear test before she would prescribe oestrogen cream or HRT and gave me Replens (vaginal moisturiser) in the meantime, which has helped a little.
After the smear test and result, another month gone by by the time I get another appointment with Dr J. This time I tell her I can take it no longer, I want to try the HRT rather than the cream as I have had enough of the sleepless nights, the low mood, the lack of any sex drive, aching arms, and the very sore, dry and uncomfortable vagina (with also a kind of bearing down pain which is permanent) which makes sex feel like broken glass inside and it not pleasant so we hadn't had any sex since last August. No to mention the elusive orgasm.
So I am prescribed Elleste Duet. I go to the chemist and find I have to pay 2 prescription fees for 1 item because there are 2 different tablets inside. I am livid about this. White oestrogen tablets and green progesterone tablets. Dr told me: “You will bleedâ€. I thought this would be a light miniscule period. I take the white tablets followed by the green tablets and I wait for this “bleed†to occur. I start a new pack still wondering until day 4 when my period begins, a very painful heavy period, and I am shocked and not happy. The day before this period I was very emotional and cried all day, very exhausting. So day 5 and period has still not stopped and taking loads of co-codamol (OTC). Needless to say, I have done some more internet research and found that once you have stopped having periods for a year or more, you are supposed to have a continuous HRT that does NOT give you periods! I've been trying to sort this out since the end of January this year and here we are in June and I am going to have to go back to the Dr yet again! Because I am not waiting for the 3 month supply to be used up to see if it will happen again. I want to start living my life. I have really had enough. Surely the Dr should know this. So there is Elleste Duet Conti, which is continuous. No periods. And there is also Tibolone which is synthetic but its like oestrogen, progestin and testosterone for the female body and apparently gives you back a sex drive with no breast tenderness etc. I will try the Elleste Conti now, as I am already taking the white tablets and if no joy will ask for the Tibolone.
You can get all this, I believe through the internet pharmacies at a price if the Dr won't give it to you.
The green tablets gave me uncontrollable eating mania and I have put on another ½ stone since taking these pills.
I had stabbing pains in my cervix yesterday and I and not happy at all. My fear is: what is this period doing to my womb? I have made another appointment to see my Dr.