Early Menopause or something else?

[Eggcellent29]

Hi all

I will try to keep it brief!

I was diagnosed with early menopause in my 20s after no having a period for 6 months after coming off of long term birth control and high FSH. I was prescribed HRT but refused it.

Since then, my periods have returned.

I have never had any symptoms of menopause.

I just had my son (donor egg IVF) five months ago and my period has returned. I had bloods done again and my FSH is super high but estrogen was the low end of normal for Day 1.

My GP is insisting I take HRT. They are calling my periods post menopausal bleeding due to my high FSH, but I know from scans I had during my treatment that I have been ovulating.

My questions are.....

Does anyone have any experience of periods with super high FSH?

Am I being completely delusional/totally ignorant about what the menopause is - I was under the impression that your periods stopped, but my GP is saying that because I went through it so early this may not be the case, same with total lack of other symptoms....

Could this be premature ovarian insufficiency rather than post menopause?

Any advice or experience welcome!

@Eggcellent29 With respect to them I don't think a GP is the best person for this. You need specialist advice from a fertility or menopause gynaecologist.
Ask for a referral or if you can pay for it privately.

If you have a loss of ovarian function before age 40 it is classed a POI.
That is the same as menopause- same thing in reality- no eggs left.

The treatment is HRT whether you have any symptoms or not because you need estrogen to protect your bones and heart.

HOWEVER in some women who suffer from POI periods and fertility can come back.

My advice is you look online at the Daisy Network website a national charity for women with POI and run by consultants at the Chelsea and Westminster hospital. You could also get an NHS referral there if you can travel.

If you join the charity they have phone ins when you can talk to doctors.

@JinglingHellsBells

Thank you for taking the time to reply :)

I think this is where I’m getting a bit confused - I’ve been told that POI can be a lack of number of eggs OR a lack of quality. So you can have eggs left, but they are basically all/mostly duds. Hence why you can still have periods, but not be fertile. I am under no illusion that I am fertile and I think perhaps this is where the GP is shutting me out - they think I just don’t want to accept my infertility, which is not the case.

I think what’s making me feel that the menopause diagnosis isn’t quite right is the fact that I’m having periods again and the original diagnosis was made when I wasn’t.

In fact, if I hadn’t had a blood test, now I would have no reason at all to think that anything was wrong.

I will look into the Daisy Foundation, thank you.

I have a referral but apparently I will get a call within the next six months to actually book in 🙄

I suppose the other concern is that if I am completely wrong here, what is regular post menopausal bleeding be caused by ☹️

If you can get to London, this is where you need a referral.

www.chelwest.nhs.uk/services/womens-health-services/gynaecology-services/menopause-and-pms-clinics/clinics

I am not sure about anovular cycles- periods with no ovulation.

Post menopausal bleeding is not an issue for you. It's relevant for older women and as you have had a child not long ago, the risks don't really apply to anyone under 40/50.

How old are you now?

www.daisynetwork.org/

Daisy Network