Ladies how do we make the best choices?
Posted , 7 users are following.
So I have now had the most erratic irregular floods and periods for now 3 years and 5 months. There is no such thing as a cycle or period length. Some months I bleed continually, have a week off and start again and some months I go months without a period. In June I was perimeno and I will be honest I have had enough. Even though my period pants don't leak (and man have they been tested this week!) and even though I am keeping incontinence pads in business (why don't these companies make perimeno pads???) I just need an end in sight.
I have bravely or foolishly made an appointment to see the GP to talk hysterectomy and I would value anyone's input into making a good choice.
I can tolerate tranexamic acid but it makes me very tired, huge headache and upset stomach and leaves me agitated it might not work (it's only been tried 3 times in 8 months - sometimes I think my body could stop bleeding on it's own).
I cannot tolerate mefamic acid as I can't have anti inflams, and I was nauseous with Norethisterone (and bled worse after it!)
I don't fancy Mirena as once it's in it can't come out and I am scared I will carry on bleeding and be an absolute cow.
I don't fancy ablation as I would be the one to fail I think
I cannot see the point in hysteroscopy for my thickened womb lining because if they are going in to look they might as well take it. And if a thickened lining might cause cancer later on they can take it all now.
I wanted to go natural but lately I feel the need for some predictability about my period - I have Adele tickets - how can I bleed through Adele????
So I just wanted some advice - anything and everything please. I have done multi vits as advised on here, no difference. I am not plagued by hot flushes although I get a few, I don't snap everyone's head off although I have the odd rant. I feel old and tired and grouchy but hey ho that's life and thankfully I can manage anxiety better than I used to and I am blessed with not having depression.
All I need is for the bleeding to stop or at least to know when it is coming
Ladies if you are in menopause, how much longer do you think I have to go?
Should I try HRT? Should I try something else?
Please can you share the good, the bad and the downright bloody and help me go to this appointment armed as best I can.
Thank you lovely lovely ladies so much - this forum keeps me sane xxxx
0 likes, 8 replies
gailannie Crazydaisy72
Posted
Odd period cycles is very normal as we approach menopause. Our systems are no longer the consistant, and fairly predictable cycle they once were.
With all the things you mentioned that didn't work, a part of me thinks you are looking for someone to say, yep have a hysterectomy. While it is true that there are some women who do ok with having their uterus removed, many do not. Please take the time to look at some of the hysterectomy websites. You may be shocked to see that there are many women who wish they had never considered it. Unfortunately, there is really no way to predict how this might work for you.
What I will mention is that you are currently dealing with a TEMPORARY situation, but looking at a permanent solution. What I can promise you, is that while your are having difficulty with constant and inconsistent bleeding, IT IS GOING TO STOP. You are getting closer to menopause, even though it is terribly inconvenient.
I might suggest one thing you haven't tried. Why not try some vaginal natural progesterone? There is on FDA approved product called Crinnone. This product is often used with pregnancy and studies have shown that it will oppose estrogen and keep the uterine lining thin. This is a bioidentical substance. It is progesterone just as our bodies once made. This is often the missing component when we are still producing enough estrogen to create bleeding, but not producing viable eggs that push off plenty of progesterone. Progesterone offten provides the counter balance we need.
Just please don't get into a hurry. That's the finny thing about menopause. One minute your bleeding, and the next you are dry as a bone and wishing you could have a period again.
Goodluck
Crazydaisy72 gailannie
Posted
Gailannie you are exactly the person I needed to hear from, because yes I just want the bleeding to stop so I can manage my life again and I feel like it is never going to end, but I am terrified at the thought of having a hysterectomy because long term I worry about the effects. I worry about everything when I am bleeding but you are right I don't give it a thought when I am not bleeding. I am definitely going to try the Crinnone thank you xxx
metamorphed Crazydaisy72
Posted
i would try this suggestion by gailannie. We all want this to stop for us as it really tries your patience, but gailannie is right, don't be in a hurry and make the wrong decision. the progesterone as she suggests might be just the thing for you. good luck.
gailannie Crazydaisy72
Posted
Hope you can find a way to calm things down for now.
Lorene51 Crazydaisy72
Posted
I wish I could give you some advice! I had about one year of flooding periods, then since August they have been lighter and farther apart. I started a gusher again yesterday after skipping a cycle! It is very frustrating but I'm just not willing to have major surgery. I try to think of it as a time in my life that will pass (hopefully soon). What are period pants?? 😬 Let us know what you decide...each woman has to decide what is best for her.
Crazydaisy72 Lorene51
Posted
Aww it's a pain isn't it? My lifestyle (I work full time and my kids are both disabled) means that I really don't have the time for major surgery, but I am finding the bleeding and especially the flooding is hard work managing the kids. If I knew I had maybe a year or 18 months I would crack on as like you I am skipping cycles so I think right it's coming, but it's been a long what 9 weeks now :-(
Period pants - I don't know if they will take the brand off but they are called Diary Doll. They are basically like normal knickers (actually more like bikini bottoms type fabric) but they are leakproof. Basically like big rubber knickers. They comfortably hold a maxi night time tena lady and at my worst I soak that in an hour and at best can go overnight on them. They have literally saved my working life although I still think I am leaking all the time.
I think I am going to see what the GP says and try this Crinnone in the meantime. If I knew HRT was an option for giving me predictability so I knew when it was coming I would go for that xxx
sam91 Crazydaisy72
Posted
Ive got the exact same problem as you have. I am 50. I am under a private consultant in the Middle East but he is one of the leading consultants in Europe. He is German. So I will tell you what he has told me.
I've been in peri for two years now. Met my consultant last year when I ended up in A&E in the middle east. I was given blood transfusion and biopsy. The lining of the womb 3.5cm so he did a d&c which helped a lot, but the bleeding only lightened, it never stopped. Lining then increased back to 1.0cm. Of couse he wanted to perform partial hysterectomy immediately but I declined. I have very low progesterone and oestrogen is contiually dominant causing the lining of womb to build up.
Against his wishes I asked for Tranexamic acid but it did not make the slightest bit of difference anyway (he said, "told you so"
. My consultant does not like the use of Mefenamic acid so I didn't go down that road. I asked about ablation and he told me under no circumstances would he perform the procedure as it was too risky. He said once the lining of the womb gets burnt away, he will be unable to check my womb for precancerous changes and he wants to check for this regularly. However I do know a couple of people who it has worked for. But they didn't have chronic bleeding. Just prolonged bleeding.
Vitamins made no difference whatsoever to the bleeding. I did try for a couple of months. If anything it made it worse.
So after a lot of research from friends and family in the medical profession, I decided to have the Mirena Coil, but I do have a few side effects. I can put up with them. The bleeding only stops for a week or so but I no longer have the dangerous bleeding. So that is good and I am feeling much better. It's still early days with the coil so i've been told to wait and see what's happening after having it for six months or so.
I know that most likely in a few years time I will end with partial hysterectomy. He has told me that when the Mirena coil is removed, most likely the heavy bleeding will come back (as it has with two friends of mine) but he says we can talk about that, if and when it happens. I guess I will then have a choice between another coil or the operation. Failing that I have my bottle of Agnus Castus in my kitchen cupboard so I may give it a try before agreeing to the surgery.
I dont think there is a problem with partial hysterectomy. I have friends who say it was the best thing they did. They are older friends who are now in their 60s. After a partial hysterectomy he has told me there is a small chance that the ovaries may stop working due to lack of blood suppy after the uterus is removed, but it is quite rare. He has performed thousands of ops and only a few of his patients have had this happen. But if it did happen it would mean going onto hrt. This is the reason I have delayed the partial hysterectomy for now.
I can understand that you are thinking about hysterectomy. My nursing friends who have had the hysterectomy are much tougher than I am. I am far more cautions. They think i'm crazy and I should have just had the op done straight away. That's nurses for you!
Hopefully you can pick out some ideas from above to discuss with your doctor.
BugglyBot Crazydaisy72
Posted
Crazydaisy, I know how you feel. My health anxiety has been horrendous and sometimes you just want to scream. I'm here as an advocate for the Mirena Coil and I'll explain why.
I'm 51 years old now and have always had very heavy periods. I even went to discuss a Hysterectomy at 30 years old but thankfully I didn't go further with it and I was pleased as at 34 years old, I had our third son. My periods really were that heavy and continued to be that way.
Back in 2012, they got so bad that I was using 3 super plus tampons and two sanitary towels, only to have to change the tampons within the hour. I was very stressed and was taking something like 8 Tranexamic Acid tablets a day but I still bled. I couldn't go out anywhere for fear of leaking, etc. My doctor wanted me to try the Mirena Coil and I'm so glad she did. After a little settling of cramps and some bleeding, the Coil was doing it's job. I haven't used a tampon since and even though, I get a little bleeding sometimes, (a mini Tena pad is sufficient enough to soak it up), it has changed my periods for the better and fingers crossed, it stays that way.
Trust me, I can't thank the Mirena Coil enough. It saved me having a Hysterectomy and even if I have to have it changed before going through the Menopause completely, it's been worth it. We have three sons, two have mental disabilities, our youngest's disabilities are stronger. For me, the Coil has been brilliant. Whatever you choose, I hope it works for you. Good luck x.