Peri Menipause was a 46 years old and having a very rough time when I last saw her. She was not sure, but she thought she was going crazy. She complained about wild mood swings, inappropriate crying, and being a “bitch” to her husband and children. She was sure it was not menopause as she still had her “curse”, and she had her hormones tested at the local lab and they were “normal”. To make matters worse, her curse had become irregular and heavier than usual. She wanted her thyroid checked. She gained weight and had heard that a poorly functioning thyroid will cause all of her symptoms.
Peri does not want any medication; she just wants answers. If you haven’t figured it out yet, Peri is premenopausal. She is not crazy. I wished she was. Treating a “crazy” woman is much easier than treating a perimenopausal or menopausal woman. First of all, there are no rules. Every woman does menopause differently. The lucky ones don’t even know they are in menopause; life just goes on uninterrupted. The unlucky ones, like Peri, trade one “curse” for another.
Menopause and its forerunner can be very destructive. Not only was Peri in trouble, but her husband and children are, as well. It seemed like they could not do anything right. I was in trouble, as well. Since she was still menstruating and her hormone tests were normal, Peri was not buying the diagnosis. She wanted more tests. The more tests that came back normal, the more frustrated Peri was going to be. When Peri is frustrated, her moods swing; and I’m right in the middle of those swings. I’d rather get hit by a golf club.
I’ve gave Peri a reading assignment. I informed her that normal hormonal levels mean nothing. I offered her an assortment of medications, including hormonal support. I need a Staples, “That Was Easy” button. When I mentioned putting her on SSRIs, the tears flowed. “I must be crazy. You want me to take anti-depressants!” I tried to explain that SSRIs are used to relieve symptoms of menopause. She’s not buying.
At this point, I wanted to refer her to a specialist. When all else fails, a second opinion is helpful and gets me off the hot seat. I had taken care of Peri for 27 years, so I didn’t refer her. It’s my job to work through her problems with her. I was sure she would survive.
We drew her thyroid panel and set up our next visit. We discussed medicinal, as well as bioequivalent, hormones. The all-natural approach is to go through menopause sans medication. Peri needs meds. We discuss nutritional support and exercise. I had requested a family conference so that I could explain things to her husband and children and enlist their aide.
If you are like Peri, rely on what your body and doc are telling you. No tests are perfect; all have false positives and negatives. Everyone will go through menopause in her own, unique way. There is no shame in taking medication or hormones when needed. Medications best known as antidepressants are often useful in menopause, not because your doc thinks you are depressed, but because they influence your neurotransmitters.
Peri, take a deep breath. You will endure, survive, and have a bright future.
Here’s your joke for the day:
A middle-aged woman seemed sheepish as she visited her gynecologist. “Come now,” coaxed the doctor, “you’ve been seeing me for years! There’s nothing you can’t tell me.” “This one’s kind of strange…” “Let me be the judge of that,” the doctor replied. “Well,” she said, “yesterday I went to the bathroom in the morning and heard a plink-plink-plink in the toilet and when I looked down, the water was full of pennies.” “I see.” “That afternoon I went again and there were nickels in the bowl.” “Uh-huh” “That night,” she went on, “there were dimes and this morning there were quarters! You’ve got to tell me what’s wrong with me!,” she implored, “I’m scared out of my wits!” The gynecologist put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “There, there, it’s nothing to be scared about.” “You’re simply going through the change.”
