Hi;
Went to GP with a good range of meno symptoms age 51ish, hadn't had a period for 11 years since starting the mini pill.
Gp reluctant to give me HRT unless I had a mirena coil fitted in case I got pregnant; didn't like the idea so he offered oestrogen pessaries and citalopram...didn't want to start antidepressants so soldiered on.
Age 54; tried all the herbal stuff with limited effect, still taking pill, miracle long-suffering husband still with me and absolutely desperate through lack of sleep and night sweats...surely he'll give me HRT now!
GP has read up on HRT and the studies re bad effects have been discredited; I'm put on tibolone.
Couple of weeks later; meno symptoms abating...out with friend and have terrible attack of dizziness at top of flight of stairs.Lose balance,can't walk, panis,feel faint, not good.At home, I'm exhausted,sleeping all the time, can't walk up even one step,have to hold my husband's arm to walk more than a few steps, sit down after standing to load the washing machine.My bungalow (thank goodness) becomes a haven.
Visit doctor; bloodtests show nothing and extra tests for thyroid and diabetes (in family show nothing).Two similar episodes in the next three months and I quit tibolone!
Gp, who still probably thinks it's all depression, moves me onto oestrogel and utrogestan hich means having periods after 14 years!
Menopause symptoms gone, sex back on the cards..but things still didn't feel right; headaches,ringing in ears,feet felt disconnected and felt like a puppet with it's strings cut when I tried to walk, but not all the time. Anyway, 18 months in periods getting much heavier, intermittant spotting, sleep getting worse and another episode like mini-flu, frightened to go out on own in case I collapsed..back to GP.
He referred me to Gyno. re spotting and I told him I wanted to stop HRT; he said, just do it ! Stopped straight away, no more bleeds and mushy feet but after a month the insomnia,sweats etc. have raged back..at age 56.
I've now got him to prescribe citalopram (10mg) and oestrogen pessaries, back to his original prescription.In the meantime, he's done a lot of research and is now a fully-paid up member of the HRT club, how ironic.
I feel damned if I do and damned if I don't. I've tried two kinds of HRT and they didn't suit; the gyno. muttered something about I'd probably have similar symptoms on other "whole body" treatments.I can't find anything about my side-effects or anybody else who has had them.I think it might be linked to my autoimmune system or vitamin b12 deficiency, but I can't battle the doctors at the moment.Perhaps I should just take the antidpressants......