In this blog the aim is to raise awareness of menopause by sharing my journey in the hope that my network, wellness community, family and friends have a better understanding of the journey women like myself, their family members, wives, partners, mum, auntie, colleagues and friends go through, and we can start having honest open and empathetic conversations about menopause.
What is menopause?
According to the NHS Menopause is when your periods stop due to lower hormone levels. This usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55.
Perimenopause is when you have symptoms before your periods have stopped. You reach menopause when you have not had a period for 12 months.
Menopause and perimenopause can cause symptoms like anxiety, mood swings, brain fog, hot flushes and irregular periods. These symptoms can start years before your periods stop and carry on afterwards.
Menopause and perimenopause symptoms can greatly impact your life, including relationships and work.
There are things you can do to help with symptoms. Some medicines can replace the missing hormones and help relieve your symptoms.
The symptoms
My menopause journey started about 3 years ago when I began to get bouts of night sweats when I moved into my new home. I thought it was the heavy duck-down feather duvet I invested in. Over the next 18 months during the Covid lockdown, the sweats got progressively worse and soaked my sheets and bedding which I had to change in the middle of the night.
The onset of other symptoms started to manifest themselves which included bouts of hot flushes, bad skin rash, itchiness which was all over my body, extreme fatigue and brain fog. I ended up in Keswick hospital on serval occasions during lockdown for blood tests and diagnosis for long covid and prescribed antihistamines and shower gels and creams for the skin condition as this was keeping me up at night, which they said was causing the lack of sleep and fatigue. This eased some of the skin conditions but did not ease the brain fog, I was mixing my words and my memory was very poor. My sister and mum commented regularly on how I was losing my edge and sharpness and I was beginning to think there was something underlying happening that was more than long covid.
I started reading up on menopause, not a topic I or my family or friends discussed. Mum just told me she suffered from sweats and hot flushes and lived through it in a blur raising 4 kids and a restaurant business that operated 7 days a week. She never took any medicine or saw a doctor and that HRT-caused breast cancer was all she knew. Amongst my network of friends, I have a few in their 50s and then a few in my age group and mainly in their late 20s and 30s. Interestingly when I asked those over 50’s I got various stories of the menopause journey. I quickly realised everyone’s journey was different and many had their cultural myths too.
I have included my research, books, articles, and documentaries in this blog for your reference. Hopefully, these are useful resources for you.
By the time the lockdown eased last summer June 2021 and I was back in London I went back to my GP and raised my concerns about the long covid symptoms and started exploring the possibility that I could be going through menopause. My periods were beginning to become less regular now and only lasting one day and the bleeding was light to non-existent. The heaviest period would last 2 days at most.
My symptoms list was increasing, I was experiencing mood swings, anxiety, panic attacks, fatigue, major sleep deprivation, hot flushes during the day, burning in my legs (like ants crawling along my thighs, a bloated stomach, constipation and the skin rash continued.
As I was back at work again after the lockdown, I needed to have my energy levels and this constant brain fog lifted. My first consultation happened online but the Dr was not convinced and told me it could just be back-to-work nerves and a combination of long covid but did not rule it out. She sent me menopause information to read and HRT information too. I parked this as I was assigned to work in Dubai for 2 months and decided to pick this back up once I was back in London.
The Solutions
My work-life balance went a bit out of sync since I was back in employment.
I became extremely fatigued and the long hours and late nights along with the sleep deprivation began to affect my daily life. I was anxious, and suffering from the odd panic attacks again. My body clock was all over the place and my menstrual cycle lost all momentum one morning I suffered severe heavy bleeding and cramps and fainted. I went and saw my GP.
I had a blood test and we discussed my genealogical health and family health history. I was offered HRT options from gels, tablets, and patches in-depth and sent information again to review. The Dr called me a week later and answered all my questions and we agreed to start my HTR journey after a health check at the surgery. the health check was with a nurse who checked my weight, and blood pressure he went through a series of health questions. During this process, we in the UK were having a supply crisis and I was offered the gel or the patches whichever was available. After collecting my prescription, I went to 3 pharmacies and all of them did not have HRT stock and did not know when they would have any allocation. On my fourth attempt at the Woolwich Late Night Pharmacy, the pharmacist was extremely understanding and helpful and ordered the prescription in for me, but he said it could take up to 7 days, but he called within 48 hours to inform me that my prescription was ready for collection.
My Treatment Plan - HRT Patches - Evorel Sequi
Evorel Sequi belongs to a group of medicines called hormone replacement therapy (HRT). It contains two medicines, an oestrogen (estradiol) and a progestogen (norethisterone). They are both female hormones. Evorel Sequi is used for the symptoms of menopause. It is only used in women who still have a womb. It is suitable for women who have had menopause (postmenopausal) or are around the time of menopause (perimenopausal). Evorel Sequi is known as ‘continuous sequential’ HRT. This is because two hormones are used one after the other. Estradiol is used by itself for two weeks. Then the estradiol and norethisterone are used together for the next two weeks.
In a pack there are 8 patches. 4 x ‘Evorel 50’ patches (estradiol) and 4 x ‘Evorel Conti’ (estradiol and norethisterone)
The Evorel Sequi patches replace the oestrogen that is normally released by the ovaries. However, taking an oestrogen hormone regularly may cause the lining of your womb to build up and get thicker. This means that it is necessary to add a progestogen hormone to the oestrogen. This helps the womb shed the lining of the womb and stops any problems from happening. The shedding of the lining of the womb will probably give a ‘withdrawal bleed’. This will be like having a period each month. The withdrawal bleed will normally start from week 4 before you finish an Evorel Sequi pack.
Week 1 on HRT
During my first week of using the Evorel 50 patches, I had heavy bleeding after 2 days which lasted 2 days. By day 3, I was sleeping much better, and my energy improved. The hot flushes disappeared.
I added Suvi supplement tablets to my daily routine which were recommended and gifted by my friend who had just started her HRT journey a few months prior.
Everything seemed to be going well apart from the heavy bleeding at the start.
Week 2 on HRT
During my second week on the Evorel 50 patches and I was hit with nausea most mornings and my sleep was broken and was waking up halfway through the night again. My mouth was dry, and everything tasted metallic.
I was able to stick to my morning routine and daily exercise, a combination of yoga, running, swimming, meditation and breathwork even though some mornings were tougher than others. I found doing some morning exercise always helps to set up my day and clear my mind.
Week 3 on HRT
During my first week on the Evorel Conti patches, the morning nausea continued, but my sleep was much improved and my energy levels came back to normal par. I felt energetic and started my Medoc marathon training programme.
Week 4 on HRT
My second week on the Evorel Conti patches. The ‘withdrawal bleed’ started on day 2, with very heavy bleeding and clots and lasted for 3 days.
The morning nausea improved, and I managed to start eating breakfast again. Sleep and energy were good, and I feel I have much more calmness and clarity.
Overall my first month on HRT had its highs and lows but I firmly believe I am on the right track to tackle menopause the more I read and researched and talk to people who are on the journey we all agreed on one thing awareness and open conversations we should be having in our community, work and daily life. If you think you need help please reach out and go see your GP.
I am 5 months now into my HRT treatment, there are still ongoing highs and lows in the management of the symptoms but overall a huge improvement from where I was before the treatment started. The biggest improvement was energy, sleep, clarity of mind and a sense that I am back in control.
I am grateful for my family, friends and colleagues who have been very empathetic, patient, understanding and supportive on my journey.
Resources
Recommended Books
'Everything you need to know about Menopause (but too afraid to ask)' by Kate Muir
'Menopausing: The Positive Roadmap to your Second Spring' by Davina McCall & Dr Naomi Potter
'The M Word ' by Dr Philip Kaye
'Natural Menopause' by Anne Henderson
Instagram resources
@menopausematters
@menopausemandate
@menopause_doctor
@drmenopausecare
@karen.newby.nutritionist
@menopausehealth
@davinamccall
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