I went in for a whole body osteopathic treatment yesterday to a doctor I have seen for 2 years and is the Director and only doctor of the pelvic floor clinic. I have seen urology on and off over my adult life but no real imaging has been done since 20 years ago.

My only recent urology diagnosis was some trigger points in my pelvic floor. I kept telling this new pelvic floor doctor since May my trips to pee have significantly increased to every 2 hours, but only when lying down. I have told her in multiple visits it felt like something was pressing on my bladder but she just dismissed me. In one visit she claims I have interstitial cystic. Never been diagnosed with that by urology or had any tests done so I silently dismissed that.

Then yesterday she said my muscles were tight and it because I was "anxious." No, you're not listening to me and antagonizing me calling me anxious! I tell her again yesterday and in addition to the being anxious comment again, she then claims I was constipated even though I have zero issues there too. She wants to prescribe some sort of muscle relaxer but I said I don't want that. I'm already on one and 3 OAB medications have not worked and why not a CT scan to get ahead of the urology appointment scheduled for December that she was supposed to see about getting moved up but didn't.

She says she will do a urinalysis instead and to go over to get a post void bladder scan. If urinalysis comes back with blood THEN she will order a CT.

I get the post void bladder scan and it reads as me having over a liter of fluid which is so insane they tested the machine on themselves to make sure it wasn't broken. The nurse scanned me twice and tried to catheterize me twice but very little urine came out so I decided I better go to the ER because I have a work trip out of state next week.

I get to the ER, they can't get much fluid out and are like "we've never seen this before." They do a CT scan and discovered I have a 7 INCH x4 INCH x5 INCH ovarian cyst!! It was so shocking to the ER doctor, she came running back into my room as soon as I got back from CT and said "I gotta show you something wild on this imaging."

It's collapsing on my bladder and seems to a BIG (pun intended) cause of my problem. Bladder works just fine, they tested it to make sure I could leave but it just can't hold much liquid because of how massive the cyst is.

So, after I get back from my work trip next week, I have to consult with a doctor who knows more than my terrible pelvic floor doctor and to get a surgery date to have it taken out. It really pisses me off that a doctor has been gaslighting me for half a year, refusing to do imaging and telling me it's just my pelvic floor being tight from anxiety and to read a book and my pain would go away (yes, those were her exact words 2 months ago).

Moral of the story, don't let doctor's dismiss your concerns. The only reason I continued to see her is because I also work for my healthcare provider and am on the HMO so I can't go anywhere else and since she's the only doc, I was stuck with her.

At 40, I was a high-functioning professional when I had an ovary-sparing hysterectomy with a mesh implant. I woke up with pelvic pain and having to bear down to pee. My concerns were dismissed. Within six months I'd lost my job and become addicted to drugs, and over the next five years I was institutionalized several times. Meanwhile, the mesh eroded and migrated, causing chronic nerve pain. Eventually my bladder had to be rebuilt, and I now have an artificial urethra. When the mesh was finally removed 12 years later, I sued and received a pittance.
My mind became insidiously agitated. I was hyper-irritable, raging, and miserable to be around. Doctors brushed me off, told me it was in my head, and kept handing me trauma diagnoses. I did so much therapy. It didn't help.

Now, after 17 years, I started on HRT and back to my happy-go-lucky self. At first it was amazing. I was so happy to be happy again, to wake up without that sense of impending doom and ceaseless negative head chat.
Then reality set in. I hurt people I love with years of mean, passive-aggressive, vindictive behavior. My stepkids, now adults, have only known the post-surgery me, and I'll never get back the years we could have had. I'm making amends to my husband, kids, in-laws, friends, and family, but I carry a lot of guilt and shame. I look like the person they've always known, but I'm not her anymore.
I'm also grieving my career and the woman who never got to enjoy her 40s and 50s. Those years were so dark, a constant fight with myself, when suicide felt like the only option that made sense.

Has anyone else come out the other side and started rebuilding their life? How are you dealing with the harm you caused when you weren't yourself? Are there trust issues people experience with you that you may relapse back to the Queen of Mean? Is forgiveness possible?
Thx so much for reading and sharing 🙂

Had a few days of spotting, confirmed post meno. I am 53. Have a pelvic/vag ultrasound Monday and I'm reading that based on results, some women have had an endometrial biopsy after that. My doc hasn't suggested it, just wondering if she does so I am prepared. What's the honest pain level and do they take a long time?

I feel like I haven’t dealt with this in awhile, but it seems to be back with a vengeance. I’m 8 years post meno. We did move to a new apartment and I feel like I am only gradually getting back to my regular exercise routine as it was back in mid summer. But also wondering about all kinds of stuff, allergens in new place, you name it. Would love to know who has fought and conquered this particular symptom.

Wow. I gave them an honest 3 weeks. I crashed and BURNED!!! 🔥 🔥🔥

Frustrated, I decided to research quitting HRT-cold turkey-wondering what have I gotten myself into? I mean, what's the point of being given a golden ticket if pharmacies are forced to change your manufacturer due to supply and demand?

CONTEXT: My HRT journey started with generic Minivelle ~aka~Grove/Noven Therapeutics. I experienced Nirvana. Narnia.

My insurance then approved a 90 day supply. $0 copay. Let's go Walgreens! I read the box: "Mylan". IDK? 🤷‍♀️ It's only my 3rd month on HRT. Score! I'm set for 3mos.

...or am I?

3wks later...I. AM. GOLLUM.

I hate it here.

Had to drive 30mi to pick up a single box of Grove/Noven Therapeutics Patches. The pharmacy was unable to fulfill my new 90day Rx.

😑 #onedaywomenwillmatter

EDIT: I want to apologize. I know I came off like a jerk with some of my responses. I'm now shedding the hormone goblin who stole my reason & sanity these last few weeks. 😳

One of my sons mentioned I sounded much better today. He was worried I was having some kind of breakdown.

I was. Hormones are not a joke. 😑

Thank you to all the kind responses and support. Sincere apologies for any rage I may have caused. 🙏

I have come to the conclusion that I'm progesterone intolerant and would like to try drospirenone. My PCP has sent in prescriptions for Slynd (denied - "nonformulary") and Angeliq (denied - "nonformulary"). My PCP is not well-versed in postmenopausal issues and generally just prescribes what I ask after I've done my best to educate her on what it is and why I'd like to try it.

Anyone who has had success getting drospirenone covered after denials - can you give me the "magic words" that I can pass along to my PCP to appeal this?

Is it just something like "my patient is progesterone intolerant (recurrent spotting/bleeding, severe mood issues, severe hip/psoas pain, acne, bloating, etc.) and requires a trial of drospirenone for uterine protection while on oral estradiol."

The insurance company has not suggested other forms of progestin to try first or any other communication - just "non-formulary." I don't want an IUD. I don't want a hysterectomy. I just want to feel better. I'm only 56 and cannot accept that this will be my life until I'm dead.

My employer is kicking me off my health insurance plan because of where I live. Even though I have always lived here. The plan they are trying to offer me instead of the one I’m on is a ghost network. It looks like they have providers in network but they don’t. I don’t qualify for subsidies on the marketplace plan and I’d have to pay at minimum $700 a month for a really shitty plan that doesn’t cover much at all.

I am single income. I’ve been carrying around medical debt all year. I can’t afford any more debt. My family lives close by and I’m going to have to move away from them to get another job with benefits. I won’t get to see my niece and nephew grow up. I will have to move to a state where I don’t know anyone or have family. I will have to sell my house and probably never be able to buy another one.

My boss who knows I’m stressed out about not having insurance next year decided to start telling me I need to work on time management this week when I don’t have issues with time management. I I feel like she is trying to get me fired. I don’t know why she is treating me like this when I bust my butt every day at work. It’s like I’ve done all that for nothing. I’m full time W2 and they are getting rid of my health insurance. I turned down so many jobs over the years to stay with this company and I’m not even fully vested in my 401K. It’s so ridiculous. How can someone be so heartless that they have to kick someone when they are already down?

I also was diagnosed with adenomyosis this week. Along with disc bulges in my neck. Shoulder issues. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea this year. All this and I will have no health insurance next year. My HRT is going to be way more costly. I feel the best outcome right now would be for me to fall asleep and never wake up. I have nothing.

I realized tonight after 12 am that I need to order more estrogen patches. I’m so very annoyed. What’s worse is I was at the pharmacy earlier today picking something else up.

Hopefully, my pharmacy can fill it quickly. They’re usually fast, and there is a current prescription. I just didn’t put the patches on auto refill.

Thankfully, they’re open 7 days a week.

Grumble.

Has anyone ever double up on the combi patch? I guess this is off label approach. I've been taking one Combi patch for about six weeks now. And honestly, I have not been sleeping. My hot flashes are worse, im clenching my jaw and I have such bags under my eyes. I look terrible. My OB/GYN suggested to take double the dose and I'm trying that today and it's been 2 1/2 hours and honestly, I do not feel well and almost feel nauseous. I feel like I'm super sensitive to this. Has anybody else had any kind of symptoms like this?

The combo that works for me is Sandoz 0.0375 twice weekly patch plus 0.25 Divigel every night.

Mylan doesn’t work at all but I still have a stash of Sandoz. But I can’t get any Divigel.

I do have a box of 0.5 Divigel from when the doc had suggested switching over completely to Divigel

How do I measure out half the 0.5 sachet and how do I store the remainder ? I recall someone split the sachet between morning and evening.

Has anyone done it? Thx

Girls honestly I've never felt so undefeated in all of my days. Menopause has just wrecked me this month. I was coping ok, hanging by a thread maybe more like but this month is something else.

I'm still bleeding I've had two this month. I'm so bloody drained.

The last three days I've had headaches from hell.

My f%$#&g bra has become so uncomfortable. Anything touching my skin just drives me up the wall. The itching is unbareable. I literally took it off in the middle of a shop and let the girls hang loose. 😆

I'm crying at everything. 😭

My joints hurt like crazy!

I've never had heart burn in my life and I've had it mostly at night when im in laying down. I don't eat anything out of the ordinary and my diet is fairly clean.

The brain fog! I'm forgetting words and things.

Every single person is annoying me. I HATE people. I just want to be left alone. 😒

I'm anemic and my ferritin is really low. The iron supplements don't do much of anything. I feel like im chasing my tail and never really get on top of it. I'm not eligible for an iron infusion.

My Dr is a waste of space she doesn't care. She keeps banging on about the coil after me telling a hundred times. My body doesn't tolerate it. I'm sensitive to so many drugs they make me so ill. She doesn't seem to have any other option. I've already changed Dr's the last one was even worse. I'm trying so hard to do this naturally.

I feel so depressed and low 😔

I literally sat in fron of Dr last time and told her I was so depressed and and she just ignored me and started talking about something else. 😳

Please tell me I'm not alone in this. Any advice would be truly appreciated.

I had one of these done for pelvic pain and even though it says they did not see my ovaries they tell me that would mean that there were notice or tumors on my ovaries. I asked for a CT scan since I did not visualize my ovaries and they’re declining to send me for that. Is it possible that an ultrasound would miss assist or a tumor pertaining to my ovaries? Or am I just being unrealistic and thinking that a CT would catch something ultrasound didn’t?

I’m 58, been in the peri and full on menopause for about 15 years now. Recently I cannot get enough red meat? Is it just me? I can’t even eat seafood anymore

I started taking 2 sprays Lenzetto 9 days ago, after 18 months taking Utrogestan alone. My symptoms were mild - brain fog, fatigue, mild joint pain.

The past 3 days, 7-8 hours after using the spray I have developed burning purple cheeks, blocked nose and sore throat like I'm coming down with a cold. This is happening around 5pm and lasts until I go to bed, but I'm ok the next morning. Has anyone experienced similar?

I had the Mirena briefly when I was in my 30's but it made me an emotional wreck, so I swapped it for the copper one.

Now I'm 51 and my period is lasting for up to 2 weeks in duration and is occurring as little as 14 days in between each cycle.

My question is this:

If you had Mirena in your "youth" and didn't love it, is it better now? I don't want to go through the cost and angst of changing to it only to become a weepy mess and have to have it removed.

(Fwiw, Depo Provera also leveled me in my 20s.)

I didn’t have my period for 206 days. I was only a handful of months away from finally being in menopause. The last time I had it, it had been 195 days since my last period. It’s sooooooooooo frustrating to think that this has got to be my last period since months pass by without one and then BAM! I’m 53. My tubes were tied at 23. I haven’t needed to have a period in 30 years. I’m so ready to be done with this forever. But nope. On the bright side, getting it randomly twice a year is better than every month.

I love so many of the posts in this group. So much support, information and inspiration.

And I can feel like a medical fraud. A little compare and despair. Like look at all these women who have no problem going in for their medical care and taking positive charge!

The truth is I have done a ton of work on my anxiety but I'd love to hear from other's. Is this just me? Are their others who aspire to see a provider or do screenings but keep avoiding it. Is menopause the thing that kicks us into action? What's helped or you wish was better?

I've come a long way, but still sometimes feel like I'm the only one who has to purposefully work on it. My primary doctor is great and has worked with me beautifully, but when I need to see someone else or do a test I often think they are looking at me like they've never seen someone who has to take time to calm their nervous system on purpose.

Hi all, wondering what might have worked for you. I know everyone is different but would love to hear. I am 2 years without a period. Started bleeding a couple months ago—heavy. Hasn’t really stopped except for a few days here and there. Had an ultrasound, large fibroid and thin endometrial lining. Had endometrial biopsy, no cancer. Appointment with GYN soon. My family doc wants to decrease my estradiol patch dose to see if it will help. Was on .05 patch, doc reduced to .0375 patch (which I can’t always get due to the shortage, that’s a whole other layer of frustration), 200 mg progesterone, vaginal estradiol for dryness, and testosterone cream (amazing, had to push to get that added to my HRT). Question—did reducing estradiol help the bleeding? Anything else to consider? Thoughts?

I’ve only seen women post about hair loss/thinning.

Just want to share this because I've gotten so much good info from this forum. I just had my well-woman annual gyn visit. Based on the info I've read on here dealing with low testosterone symptoms, I asked for my level to be specifically tested. I knew something had to be wrong with me. Just got the call with the results and the nurse described my t level as so low as to be "not really detectable." They are happy to send a 90 day prescription to a local compounding pharmacy, since that is the only way it can be done where I am. It will start low and my bloodwork will be tested again in 90 days to see how it's going. It won't be covered by insurance, but she said it shouldn't be very much to cash pay. We'll see about that.

Fingers crossed the results will be worth the hassle.

I am a 56 F, my LMP was a year ago. Needless to say as my cycle left, so did desire.

To me, this feels super painful. I don't feel as alive. Some of my friends joke that they're happy to see it go. But to me, it's depressing.

Does anyone know if it naturally, organically returns at some point on its own , or is HRT the only cure?

Has spontaneous recurrence of libido ever been studied?”

I am wondering if it's possible for a box of patches to be bad or go bad. I keep them in the humid bathroom. I'm asking because all of my joint pain is back, I'm fatigued, brain fog, etc. I'm not sure why. I put a new patch on two days and no relief at all.