I'm new to all this. And even newer to starting to learn about it all.
Here's where I'm at: GP has been very dismissive and useless. So I'm bypassing her totally now and educating myself.
Age 48 (almost 49).
Almost 9 odd months of increasingly heavy periods, larger and larger clots, increasing flooding.
From mid October: period 8 days long with all of the above. Still 3 weeks before next period.
Went to GP. Blood tests, low ferretin, given iron tablets and Transexemic Acid. GP dismissed perimenopause.
From November: 8 day long, very, very heavy, very clotty period.
Went to GP. Given Cerelle, which I took for one packet. One week break. Another 8 day longvery, very heavy, very clotty period.
Called NHS24. Referred to hospital. Given Norethistone. Doctor said I was 'the right age' for menopause
Went to GP. Asked for combined pill (which I was on for years and which worked really well).
Became ill with stress of preceding x months.
December. First packet of mini pill, some breakthrough bleeding but felt OK
January. Second packet of mini pill, heavy and long period mid packet with large clots and flooding.
Where am I at now?
The best I have ever felt was when I was on the Norethisterone. I actually felt like myself. Not talking about the endless bleeding having finally stopped, but I was my old self again.
Which leads me to wonder if I'm low on progesterone? My mood is a total roller coaster, but most of the time I'm feeling super panicky, really stressed out, very depressed. A bit like when I used to get regular, normal periods and it was the week before my period. I used to feel very, very tearful and vulnerable, and feel 'picked on' and paranoid.
Now, I knew those symptoms so well, that it happened so regularly, that if I just managed to get through the day/that week, then my perspective would change. And it always did. As soon as I got my period, I started feeling much better, mentally. And then on the second day of my period, I'd feel better physically. Then back to my normal self.
And now? It's like that panicky, stressy, vulnerable, paranoid feeling but never ending. And multiplied a bajillion times. It's been going on for months and months now.
The stress of it all, and also the stress of dealing with my GP (including her manner) has triggered the PTSD I suffered with for a good few years from 2007. I need to feel in control, and I need to feel in control of the decisions that are being made in regards to my body - or at least made to feel that I am being listened to and have equal input. The lack of all of this has also subsequently triggered my eating disorder from my late teens/early 20s.
Now, I'm very, very familiar with this feeling of extreme stress, and this fight or flight state I'm currently in - all because of my experience with PTSD. I need to try and deal with this asap.
So, should I be on the combined mini pill? I'm wondering if I shouldn't be on the POP? The Cerelle I was originally given. And also trying to raise my progesterone levels as well?
How do I do this? What do I take to try to raise my progesterone levels?