41 years of periods and a horrible cycle and still it carries on with no end in sight.
Heavy from the time they started at 12 and I have spent most of my adult life with anaemia. I have also spent most of those 41 years living my life around my heavy periods but being told it's all 'normal' for some women to experience. I have been a gynae patient at the same hospital since my mid 20's (now 53) and have trialled endless medications which all made me feel worse, been through many uncomfortable internal procedures, experienced years of infertility and for the last 8 years I have been in perimenopause which has made everything a million times worse.
Three years ago my ferritin levels fell to below 2 (well, I actually found out they'd been that low for 5 years!) and I had to have infusions. I then opted for the uterine ablation thinking the heavy bleeding was my main problem and it would sort all of my problems. Turns out it didn't help at all really. Yes it is lovely not to be flooding every month but I simply swapped heavy bleeding for pain, I didn't factor in that my body would still be in a cycle so every 'period' my uterus tries to push out the blood which isn't there causing horrible cramping and making my IBS even worse (since found many FB support groups with women in the same position). My gynae wasn't interested and simply suggested pain relief, I insisted on a MRI scan which discovered endomtriosis and adenomyosis, I was 50 when I found this out. Seems the adenomyosis was always there mildy (have found it mentioned in previous scans but my gynae failed to mention this). The ablation has now caused the condition to become diffuse throughout the walls of my uterus which is making the pain worse. I am now on a waiting list for a hysterectomy which I really really do not want (I am not mentally well enough for major surgery right now).
And perimeonpause appears to be the unwanted gift which keeps on giving. I have been experiencing symptoms since the age of 45 and things just get worse and worse. The luteral stage of my cycle is especially awful, I am so anxious, so panicky, moody, depressed, my whole body seems on edge, achy, in pain, bad guts, bad indigestion, everything I eat makes me feel awful and I just don't feel right. I do not feel like myself at all. I hate having a cycle and I only feel well for a few days at the end of my 'period'. I still track my cycle and will have a period around day 25-32, usually day 28. I will bleed a teeny bit, hardly anything but I know that means I am still in a normal cycle and I also show signs of ovulation. When will it ever end? I am 53 in March ffs, can I not get a break?
I trialled HRT but that made me feel worse and was concerned the hormones were feeding the endo. My endo gynae has no interest in HRT so couldn't advise me. He suggested Zoledex or Ryeqo. I have tried both and they gave me awful side effects including a worsening of my aura migraines which are hormonally induced (had them throughout pregnancy and every period). I am just getting by with pain relief during my period and putting up with all other symptoms (which is having a hugely detrimental effect on my mental health right now). Tried antidepressants but can not find one which doesn't worsen my gut issues.
I don't know who else to see for help. My GP says she doesn't know what to suggest due to my more complex gynae issues and being under the gynae department. I don't have money to go see anyone privately and even if I did I am not sure who to see - another gyane/a menopause specialist or private GP?
Has anyone else been in a similar position? What can I do to feel more human? Right now I am really not enjoying being female and have had an absolute gutload of gynae issues and am just living in hope that my cycle will stop within the next year or so, surely this can't continue. Isn't the average age for menopause 51? Why is my body not average?