Menopause

 

Don’t you just love the gift that  is menopause, said no woman ever!

When I was younger and started menstruating my periods were bothersome, painful & heavy - I would bleed through regularly and pain killers weren’t particularly effective. So after a trip to my doctor, despite my young age, I was put on the pill. it was amazing! No more heavy & painful periods.

Moving on 10+ years, at the age of 26 I made the decision to stop taking the pill as I was ready to have children. Fearing the return of the horrendous monthlies I was pleasantly surprised to find my body had decide to give me a regular 27 day cycle with a short not too heavy period! 

Then at the age of 36, my family complete, I visited the hospital for a weeks stay in order to have a double prolapse repair - after having a long stint of electric pulse pelvic floor therapy and physio to no avail for incontinence, a physical examination resulted in a double prolapse discovery - thanks Hypermobile EDS!

• Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) has a prevalence of about 1 : 5000 and falls under a group of hereditary disorders targeting connective tissue and collagen synthesis [1]. Twelve different subtypes affect collagen production and processing pathways. The hypermobile EDS variant (type III) is the most common subtype and thought to be inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion with no known genetic mutation. While commonly associated with hyperextensible skin, hypermobile joints, and hematological manifestations including increased tendency to bleed, defects in collagen biosynthesis at a molecular level predispose to gynecologic and obstetric complications [2].
• Female patients with EDS often have bothersome pelvic floor disorders including pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI) [2–4]. These disorders can present at a young age without the typical risk factors such as pregnancy and delivery or menopause. The management of POP in patients with EDS involves a dedicated and multidisciplinary approach which is rarely reported in the literature.

Whilst recovering from my surgery my Consultant confirmed that I was perimenopausal. I was suprised but assumed that it was because I was young when I started menstruating. 

Roll on 18 years and here I am almost through menopause - just 29 days to go before I can officially state I’m post-menopausal!

One of my daughters mused that perhaps being on the pill for so many years may be the reason why I had such a protracted journey. Perhaps my body was ready to go through the change but I still had eggs to dispose of? So I googled the pill I was on (long since withdrawn due to side effects), and sure enough it prevented egg release. There is very little research evidence available that I can find to support this assumption and researchers disagree on whether it’s eggs or hormones that trigger menopause. 

Is it possible that it’s the reason I have had such a drawn out menopause journey? I have no idea, but I’m so glad I’m practically over the finish line! 

My friend google also tells me that..

Perimenopause begins in a woman's late 30s to early 40s and can last 3-15 years.

Why didn’t any doctor tell me this? Somehow that information would have been helpful, in fact any information, advice & support would have been amazing. Instead when I ask for help with symptom relief & possible HRT I was told I couldn’t have anything due to my CKD. So left to manage it alone, the best I can.

I have hot flushes almost 24/7 and have a fan by me at all times, I’m constantly running hot, which is a bonus during the cold weather but not great in summer when I have to lurk in the shadows, searching for shade and the cool breeze of my fans!

I also recently learned that driving anxiety & inability to drive at night is also a recorded menopause symptom, which I have and now I feel validated in that knowledge - knowing it’s not just me being rubbish.

Also, so many of the other symptoms are the same as my chronic health conditions & so I assume it’s exacerbated them as I can tick practically all the symptom boxes.

Talking about symptoms, I read up on them and I was realistic that when I hit that date of official post menopause commencement that they won’t miraculously go away. Instead it discover it may be months to possibly 8 years before they taper off! I feel I’ve dove my time so please universe - make it just a few months!

x~X~x