Misdiagnosis after misdiagnosis
Posted , 13 users are following.
I am so thankful I have found this forum, reading the posts makes me realise that a) I'm not mad and b) I'm not dying! In July I had a fainting experience, sent to the cardiologist who after tests says your heart is grand but here are some beta blockers for the palpations and fainting thing. 6 weeks later I am getting very sick, I am in constant state of this falling feeling, vomiting etc. I ended up in a&e 3 times and am told to go to ENT. Head to ENT who tells me I have Meniere's disease, a lifelong, terminal disease! I get sicker and sicker and finally take myself off beta blockers and I begin to improve - in two weeks I had lost a stone and my body was shutting down. Now I am off them I can focus on what is really happening to my body and after reading your posts I believe it is the menopause. I am constantly uncontrollably crying, I haven't driven in weeks because I am afraid!!!!!! What??? I definitely have anxiety issues and I am thinking of the worst possible outcome of things. My neck is so sore with an aching feeling and this morning I felt so bad I couldn't even sleep it off. I know I am rambling but could this be menopause and these male doctors just don't think about it?
1 like, 22 replies
vcas catherine31058
Posted
I can't begin to tell you how reassured I am by your post, my experiences are incredibly similar. I've fainted three times, had heart scans and brain scans and am going to see an ENT specialist next week. We are NOT going mad.
Mrsgm catherine31058
Posted
Poor you, you really have suffered. I think my gp and it sounds like yours too are so slow when it comes to diagnosing this peri menopause stuff. I've been to the doctors for the past 5 years with this and that and thought I was found mad, if I had let them by now I would be on anti depressants for the past 5 years. Thankfully I refused. Not once did anyone mention the menopause, my blood tests showed that my fsh level was post menopausal but because I was still having periods they just dismissed it.
My gp now says to try alternative treatments like black cohosh, but I am not trying something that has not been proven to work. I'm not a guinea pig. I will take my usual mess of 2 glasses of rose wine nightly and get on with it! So far it's been hell, can only get better x
catherine31058 Mrsgm
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Why is the Menopause the last thing that these doctors think about? On another point I've often wondered why women of a certain age stop driving, it never made sense to me - now it does!
gailannie catherine31058
Posted
I want to second that question, WHY IS MENOPAUSE THE LAST THING DOCTORS THINK ABOUT? I did 4 years of chronic muscle and ligament pain that was so bad I could barely move. I saw a dozen doctors looking fr help. It wasn't until the vaginal atrophy and dryness happened that I was given vaginal estrogen, and within weeks all the pain went away. NOT ONE DOCTOR EVER THOUGHT TO ASK ME ABOUT MENOPAUSE STATUS TO SEE IF THAT MAY BE THE REASON FOR THE MUSCLE PAIN!!!!! NOT ONE!!!
catherine31058 gailannie
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Well to answer you gailannie, I'm just back from the doctors who has said I am suffering from anxiety but sees no reason why it should be related to menopause because I do not have any hot flashes.
Mrsgm gailannie
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It's so obvious as well!!! I wonder how much time and money is wasted on tests, scans, medicine that is a complete waste of time.
gailannie catherine31058
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OMG Catherine!!!! I never had hot flashes or night sweats either! No, my symptoms were completely pain related. My muscles weren't happy at all with estrogen deprivation.
gailannie Mrsgm
Posted
Agreed Mrsgm. Just look at all the scripts for cholesterol meds that are written, when it's well documented that estrogen will reverse high LDL, helps with heart health, and helps with insulin resistance! My Lord we need to understand menopause better.
ImagineOneDay catherine31058
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ImagineOneDay Mrsgm
Posted
amanda59745 gailannie
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enigma23 catherine31058
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I also don't have night sweats or hot flushes. My hormone levels were normal too, but that is not an indication of menopause either as hormone levels fluctuate daily, and this result was from only one blood test. My GP is a specialist in gynaecology and has ignored the other symptoms I have just because I don't have flushes! She also ignored the fact I had a hysterectomy last year as I still have my ovaries. She has just prescribed me antidepressants for 6 weeks as I said i had mood swings and was tired and weepy sometimes. I asked her opinion of alternative therapies and she basically laughed at me. I am going to see another GP! My sister in law has also.suffered with fainting and sickness - vertigo, again GPs did not link it to menopause, but is most definitely one of the symptoms. I will not be taking the antidepressants, and definitely will be seeking out herbal/natural alternatives. I do hope you get answers and help from elsewhere. There is a wealth of information out there, I just hope you find a more understanding and knowledgeable GP!x
gailannie amanda59745
Posted
I know the feeling Amanda. I did chiropractor, message therapists 2-3 times a week. I saw a total of 12 different doctors looking for help. But, at least for me, this was an estrogen issue. Just a small amount of vaginal estrace made all the pain go away. Don't know if that's also your problem, but certainly might be something to look at. Oddly, It isn't until I had the experience that I noticed all the charts of meno symptoms mention muscles pain.
I feel for you. Cause boy it's difficult to live every day in pain.
amanda59745 gailannie
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gailannie amanda59745
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When I was first given vaginal Estrace it was for the vaginal dryness. They didn't do any blood tests, just treated the problem. But since that time I've had tons of blood work. My estradiol level initially tested below 15 pg/ml.