This picture represents how I have felt since my last diary post on the 18th November when I had just started HRT! A little bit pretty and perky with moments of wonderfulness but mostly an up hill climb with no end in sight with lots of struggling to get through the day, until the last couple of weeks which have been amazing. Now this for me has been quite a difficult time as I am an optimist and I try to see the good in most situations. But the last 2 months have really tested me.
After starting HRT on the 14th November I almost instantly started to notice that my sleep insomnia/night sweats were changing, for the better. I began to have occasional nights where I was sleeping through and if I did wake, I was able to drop back off - bloody marvelous after 1-2 years of sleepless nights, especially since I have never had trouble sleeping previous to that. Tick to one of my peri-menopausal symptoms - yipeeee, could HRT actually be working? Yes, me thinks.
After relishing in the joy of occassionally having a wonderful nights sleep, I continued to feel fatigued alot of the time. I felt as if i was dragging myself through mud sometimes. Just before starting the HRT my doctor asked me to take tablets for anemia as my blood count levels were down and also increase my thyroxine because my thyroid, after being stable for many years had suddenly started to act up. Although I was hopeful the HRT would help and my body would get back to some sort of normal, things went a little haywire and the doctor sent me for an endoscopy and colonectomy as she wanted to find the cause of my anemia and cancer was mentioned. I didn't really feel it was necessary but i was very appreciative of the Doctor exploring the issue. I felt all along that my fatigue was due to my underactive thyroid as I recognised similar symptoms from years ago when I developed this condition. Fatigue and heart palpitations being the main ones. Anyway, all the tests came back fine and the Doctor carrying out the proceedures said everything was extremely healthy. Fab fab fab.
So the fatigue continued until about 3 weeks ago when suddenly I started to feel more energised, more alive, more motivated and more excited about life again. My joy was coming back. I've been getting back in the gym and doing my weight training and cardio, trying to get my yoga business up and running, joining lots of groups and new yoga classes and generally feeling over the moon again. I'm not sure whether I will ever find out whether the HRT, anemia tablets or extra thyroxine has given my body back what it was deficient in, but I am just happy to be bouncing around again like a 21 year old...or maybe a little older! So I'm not able to report on this symptom as to whether HRT has helped.
Yesterday, something really wonderful happened which was very noticable. I had no aches in my hips and knees and today, the same, no aches and pains in my joints/muscles around those areas. So after starting my third month on HRT on the 9th January, this peri-menopausal symptom seems to be disappearing. I have felt so springy on my dog walks the last couple of days it's very exciting. This particular symptom has even affected my yoga practice. The poses I could do 4-5 months ago and have been doing for the last 2 years, were becoming less and less achievable, so I am looking forward to seeing how my practice continues from here on in.
The only other symptom which I appear to have gained since taking the HRT is allergies. I've sometimes had hayfever over the years on a small scale but not usually in the winter months and I've had a little bit of an itchy throat and nose. But overall not a massively disruptive symptom.
Overall, I am really pleased with HRT and the symptoms it appears to have helped namely insomnia/night sweats/muscle and joint pain. The jury is out on fatigue and i may never find out, but the most important thing is I feel energised again. I have my repeat bloods at the end of this month and my chat with the Doctor to see how my peri-menopause is coming along, so that will be something to report on in my next post. Until the next time, I do hope you are all keeping well and my posts are helping in some small way.
Below I am going to list a few things that have helped me over the last couple of months which may be of interest to you:
WWW.Harleystathome.com a website and facebook page with a wealth of information on everything menopause. For £19.00 a month you get lots of talks from menopause doctors/specialists/nutritionists and also zoom classes for pilates/yoga/reflexology/fitness and so many more. This website gives so much and the best thing is you connect up with other women going through the same as you.
Menopause_yoga on instagram is fabulous. It is run by Petra Coveney who is a menopause yoga teacher (one that I am hoping to add to my teaching skills this year). She runs classes to help with symptoms.
Menopause_doctor on instagram run by Dr Louise Newson is also a wonderful resource for so much information. Her Balance app is also a great piece of kit for tracking your symptoms and logging all your information down so that you can print out a letter to take to your GP if you wish to talk to them about your menopause.
Menopause Yoga by Petra Coveney is a wonderful book I have read this month which gives you poses that you can do to relieve symptoms and much much more.
Peri-menopause Power by Maisie Hill is another great book explaining what its all about and how you can help yourself during this time.
Good luck on your journey and if you would like to talk about anything menopause related please feel free to reach out and contact me via my website xxx
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