PMDD, surgical menopause and gnrh injections

[SweetStuff2022]

Hi! Long time lurker but first time posting. I'm 36 and suffering with PMDD badly, tried the pill, ssri's, coil, everything I can, and I'm now so desperate to get my life back that I want a full hysterectomy with oophorectomy. I do understand a surgical menopause won't be easy, but nothing can be as bad as the hell of PMDD over the years, half the month of every month I end up with intrusive thoughts, suicidal thoughts, crippling anxiety (take ssri and propanalol but it's not enough). I'm on tranexamic acid monthly because I'm horrendously heavy. Already been sterilised. I've had lletz in the last year for CIN3, I just want to be free of it all and have a happy life with my children. Could I please ask anyone who has been through this, did they insist on making you have gnrh injections before they would agree to a hysterectomy? I'm so sensitive to hormones that I'm scared to have to adjust to them and hrt only to then have to re adjust to a different hrt after the menopause. I'm feeling so lost and low any advice would be so appreciated, thankyou x

can I ask if this thread is still active? This is like looking in a mirror for me 😔

Hi! I never got any replies but I can say that I'm having surgery for full hysterectomy and oophorectomy next month, no chemical menopause necessary as they said they were very confident it was pmdd. Been very unwell since this post (ended up admitted to hospital in the end, horrible but certainly sped surgery up). Its hard but hang in there x

Hi @SweetStuff2022 have you had the surgery? How are you feeling? What do you mean by no chemical menopause necessary - do you mean GnRH injections?

I came across your thread as I'm in exactly the same position. Having spent yesterday ending up with the mental health crisis team and OOH GP, and my family having to supervise me due to suicide ideation, all due to PMDD, I have had enough. My stupid period heavy period arrived overnight, so the worse is over, but I'm not having another month like this ever again.

@Carrythelight Hi! I'm 3 weeks post op now 😊 the best decision I could have ever made for my health. I should be in my worst of my pmdd now and ...literally nothing. I keep crying because I can't believe it's actually real. It's a big op, surgical menopause is very intense, I'm on a bit of an emotional roller coaster starting hrt and my own hormones depleting, but it's not anywhere near as bad as pmdd. I thought pmdd would end me eventually, but now I feel like I've got another chance at life. Don't give up hope, hang on in there, there really is life after pmdd. I didn't believe it for how bad I was at my lowest. But I'm free now. The operation has literally saved my life. I know you'll be tired, but keep fighting, keep advocating for yourself, push to see a specialist. I didn't get to do the chemical meno first I went straight into surgery but for many cm is amazing while waiting for the op. If you're on Facebook join the Iapmd group, there's a whole community of women supporting each other through this, loads of success stories, support, you don't have to feel alone in this xx

@SweetStuff2022 Thank you so much for replying. I'm emotional reading your response and so genuinely happy it has been such a huge success! It has given me hope, when yesterday seemed so very bleak. My main symptoms are complete insomnia, anxiety, intrusive thoughts. Funnily enough not rage. I don't have the energy. But it's the sleep deprivation which has the biggest impact - on home, work, life, everything.

There's quite a few lapmd Facebook groups. Do you have the specific name to hand?

@Carrythelight bless you I was where you are at Xmas, gp prescribed diazepam which helped get me to my op date. I was the exact same, no rage, but absolutely terrified, it was beyond anxiety, it was pure terror, intrusive thoughts, very dark, SI, insomnia. The meds helped my sleep and in turn helped my nerves a little. Its IAPMD- PMDD Oophorectomy, Hysterectomy & Life After group, purple header with iapmd.org connected. I promise there is life after pmdd, I didn't believe it but am living proof x

Thank you so much. I can't tell you how reassuring your posts are today. Coincidentally, the OOH GP prescribed diazepam yesterday to get me through the next two days until I can get to the GP tomorrow. It worked, thank god. Not sure why that's never been prescribed before? I'll join the Facebook group now.

@Carrythelight no problem at all, I'm sorry you're in the throws of it right now. I'm surprised too, I stayed on it every day until my op date, it helped so much, especially with sleep. Honestly join and have a read, I've put my own post op updates on there as have many others, it's an amazing group, so supportive x

SweetStuff, was this a radical hysterectomy you had that included the top part of the vagina? I’m desperately trying to find anyone with experience of this.

@Matcha95 hi, I had total not radical so cervix removed but vagina remained the same x