Please just make it all stop now. Thank you.

[Stroopwaffels]

Hysterectomy in Novemb4r 2016. Menopausal symptoms from 2018. Roller coaster of anxiety, vaginal atrophy, low mood, all the usual aches and pains.

5 years of it. Done with it now. Please just let it be over now.

Are you able to take HRT? Or even just use oestrogen cream for the VA? I'm taking mine to the grave with me.

I'm on HRT! 75 mcg patches. But still this roller coaster of shit-ness. Seeing GP later in the week to see what else can be done. I had bloods done a couple of weeks ago after my hair started falling out much more dramatically.

I'm with you OP. I've even considered making it stop, sometimes. it's awful, don't even feel human anymore

Whacked back in the weight I tried so hard to lose.
Hot sweaty mess. Face sliding off. Hair being crazy.
Everywhere itching. Infection down there, now…

Bloating as if I’ve permanently got time off the month.
ToM turning up randomly. Often quite heavy bleeding.
Feeling fat, depressed. No sex. Marriage crisis.

Honestly, it’s worse than puberty, first period, the pill, pregnancy, birth, newborn phase. And it came out of nowhere!

Agree, sailed through three pregnancies, no post natal depression, all fine. Menopause has just been awful.

Why aren't you on more oestrogen? I haven't had a hysterectomy and I'm on 100mcg and wouldn't hesitate to get more than that privately if I needed it.

And do you have testosterone? That's been absolutely magic for me.

Oestrogen stopped the hot sweats, ovestin helped the weeing at night, the coil (which I know you don't need) helps with sleep and the testosterone has given me energy, happiness, and sex drive again.

BTW I get all of the above through my GP I've never had to go private.

I have had lots of battles with the GP @Moredarkchocolateplease , large practice of about 6 doctors and none with a special interest in menopause. It's been a real struggle and every time I want my oestrogen increased it's a fight. It's just so tiring. I have a private consultation with a specialist in a fortnight as tbh I have lost all faith in my doctor to know anything about menopause - before I got HRT I came away with 2 x prescriptions for anti-depressants, and one for folic acid.

If I have to pay for testosterone privately I am in the position to be able to do that, but really wanted to get all bloods etc done as I also take thyroid meds which complicate the issue.

Oh you poor thing that sounds so awful.

I really hope your private app goes OK. There are doctors out there who understand menopause and do the right thing.

And presumably if you get a private prescription your GP will then be able to prescribe it. X

it's really difficult to get an NHS GP to give you testosterone if you have had a hysterectomy, they say you don't need it. it protects the womb from cancer(?) but they don't seem bothered (or don't know?) about the effect on mood

@FlowFle i just had to say 'libido' and they gave it to me.

I think that's the progesterone.

no, it's testosterone. I've been trying to get them to give it to me for months/years

I’m lucky to have an amazing doctor, gotta say!

having been very confident that it is testosterone, you made me think.....is it progesterone that protects the womb, like you said, actually??? wouldn't surprise me if the GP has got it wrong, going from experience

I think they might have... https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/utrogestan-micronised-progesterone/ I have had a hysterectomy so just use estrogen patches, if I still had a uterus I'd be prescribed progrsterone too as a protective measure. Testosterone is one of those controversial things, lots of GPs don't think women need it at all, on the other hand women are reporting that testosterone helps with a huge range of menopause symptoms like motivation, low mood, libido etc.

😯 GP definitely told me I couldn't have testosterone because I don't have a uterus....fumin'!!

how are you feeling today? 💐

Feeling more positive today @FlowFle - it is sunny in Scotland for a change an I have a plan of what I'm going to ask the GP for when I see her tomorrow. Higher dose of estrogen patch, and Vagifem or similar to deal with the atrophy.