My hormones are fucked and no one cares.

[Blobster]

Since having my DC my hormones have been a mess. I breastfed and thought that was the issue, but after weaning about a month ago I’m worse than ever.

I’ve got insomnia, but I’m exhausted. I crave shit foods all the time. My face has aged a lot. My periods don’t hurt as badly any more (the only saving grace) but they last for ages and come quickly. I’m very dry downstairs and I have zero interest in sex. I’m grumpy a lot, get snappy. And when I’m alone I feel despondent and cry. My immune system is awful.

Ive been to the doctors loads. One female doctor gave me a blood test and said I was fine because results are fine - she checked estrogen and progesterone.

The last doctor I spoke to, male, said it was anxiety. But it doesn’t feel like anxiety. I feel stressed but I feel so sure it’s my hormones. I’ve tried ashgwanda (spelling?) and various seeds and sleeping pills and yoga and meditation and nothing works. I’m so sure it’s my hormones by the doctors just keep saying I’m fine.

What the hell do I do? I feel like I’m on the verge of a breakdown. I get time away from DC but I can’t rest, I can’t sleep. I’m frightened I’m going to have a breakdown or a heart attack but I don’t know how to feel better. I’m so sure it’s my hormones but the doctors just keep treating me like a nuisance.

I remember feeling totally worn out and exhausted after each of my babies. I hadc4 in under 6 years and it took my body years to recover. I don’t think enough support and emphasis is given to women’s bodies after they have given birth.

As soon as I had finished BFing the last one I went on the mini-pill which settled everything down (I was 36 at the time) all was fine until about 18 months ago when I started getting breakthrough bleeding and the peri-menopause hit me like a freight-train (I’m almost 49 now). I swing between suicidal and psychotic, it’s bloody awful.

Definitely look at iron and folic acid supplements. You seem fixated on it being hormonal but if your oestrogen and progesterone are normal, it's probably not that. Depression and anxiety are very common PP and can cause all sorts of symptoms including insomnia and exhaustion so don't rule it out. I had PP anxiety after my 2nd DC and I honestly thought I had something physical wrong with me because I ached all over (muscle tension) and felt really dizzy all the time. Is there a GP at your practice that deals with women's health specifically? I would definitely want to speak to a female GP about this.

I was like this after my first. Might have been a coincidence but I started weight training and it got sorted. It also seems to have a positive impact on my PMS symptoms now. I know you probably don't have the time - I do home workouts with dumbells and an app (Fiit).

I have no advice but I’m 28, had my second baby 6 months ago. And I feel exactly the same as you described, plus body/ joint aches all over.
my Gp practice are also utterly awful and seem to only want to test one bloody thing at a time! My iron is also in the normal range but literally the lowest normal it can be so nothing prescribed.
So far I have no answers and keep being fobbed off with its hormonal even thought I’m 28 and only breastfed for a week!
i would love to have all the usual things tested but they just won’t, I feel absolutely awful.

just wanted to say I’m here with you 😭

Ugh, reading all these posts makes me so angry at the state of women’s health care in this country!

It is so exhausting having to advocate for basic care on top of everything else. More frustrating the advice seems to be to offer hormonal contraception to mask the issues. Grrrrr!

I wonder if you might consider using a test with a company like Hertility? It’s probably cheaper than going private, and they would check your hormone levels at different parts of your cycle.

I’m so sorry. I’m going through the same and had to start Sertraline to try and break the cycle of anxiety the insomnia causes. So many nights of no sleep and trying to go to work after. Lost count of the number of times I’ve been to my GP crying. Paid privately for HRT two months ago after they thought it was peri menopause but that seems to be doing nothing.

what meds have you tried? I’ve heard it gets better and also read it’s a type of reproductive depression just linked to weaning. Wondering if the pill will help