Hi! I am Pam Andrews, 52 years old, a perimenopause survivor. I had been in perimenopause for about 8 to 11 years (depending on when you start counting) before I officially “graduated” from it. During that time, I was able to carry on raising my 2 kids, keep my job as a magazine writer, and enjoy scuba diving. But it wasn’t always that easy for me.
Before I learned I was in perimenopause, I suffered the worst symptoms in silence – severe PMS, erratic menstrual cycles, embarrassing hot flashes, frequent headaches, a sour mood and even depression. Being a proud woman, I didn’t want other people to know about my symptoms. Some would say I was in denial – blaming everything on stress and being too busy. I didn’t want to get help, I guess because secretly, I was afraid that my symptoms could be pointing to something more serious.
When finally a day came when I couldn’t even get out of bed because I was PMS-ing and bleeding so heavily. I got scared thinking I could be bleeding to death. I did something that I avoided till I have absolutely no other choice – I went to see a doctor.
I ended up going to several doctors after one would refer me to another one given my wide range of symptoms. I went to an OB for my menses, a neurologist for my headaches, a psychologist for my depression. Each one ordered a battery of tests and prescribed a set of treatments for me. It was my OB who identified my condition as perimenopause, and he assured me that it’s a natural phase every woman goes through.
Well, perimenopause may be a natural stage in a woman’s life – but I’m sure you’ll agree, nothing about it feels natural at all!
For the first time in my life, I felt so sick and fragile. Up until then, I’ve never thought of myself as old and I’ve never given much thought to getting older. And now, I’m suddenly faced with the notion that my body is losing… Read more…
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