Our Patients' Journeys
Patient Stories
What We Do
We're dedicated to helping people through the menopause
The Menopause Clinic WSM is led by specialist nurses who understand just what it is like to go through the menopause and the challenges it can bring. That’s why we always do our best to help anyone who comes to us. Here, we have put together the stories of a few of our patients to show you that you are not alone and that no matter where you are on your journey, you can benefit from our nurse-led services. Get in touch with us to find out more.
Kate's Story
Impact on Work-Life Balance
February 2022
At 43 years old I found myself feeling like I was having a nervous breakdown. Severe anxiety, panic attacks, a constant feeling of impending doom, deep depression, suicidal ideation, missing periods or having a period every 17 days, I had lost track of what was normal for me. On top of this I was also experiencing; crippling fatigue, migraines and horrendous night sweats, this had become my life and a life I couldn’t cope with anymore I honestly thought I must be dying.
A lot of these symptoms have always been an issue for me due to suffering with PMDD and Post-natal Depression after the birth of both of my children, but now I found instead of 2 weeks every month having to cope with these debilitating symptoms I now felt like this constantly, something had changed and had gotten a lot worse!
After reading about my symptoms to try and make sense of what was happening to me, I became suspicious that these feelings were connected to my hormones. I decided to speak to my GP who arranged a FSH blood test due to being under the age of 45 and sure enough when the results came through, I was told I was in early menopause.
I was starting to really struggle at work, and I had lost confidence in my body as I didn’t know how I was going to feel from one day to the next. I gradually started having to take more and more time off from work sick due to my debilitating symptoms. I started to question my strength and resilience because every day was such hard work just to function. Things became so unmanageable that I had to take 3 months off work which caused even more anxiety due to the financial strain this placed my family under.
Unfortunately, due to no fault of their own I found the GPs I encountered were just not educated about Perimenopause/Menopause and for months I was left in limbo as to how best to go about addressing my worsening situation. It was then I decided that I should see a specialist.
Desperate and at a loss with how to take things forward I contacted a nurse colleague, I work at a GP surgery, and asked if she could recommend or knew of a Menopause Specialist, without hesitation she suggested I speak to Sharon.
I arranged a virtual consultation with Sharon as my anxiety was so bad at the time, I had been unable to leave my bedroom for 10 weeks without having a panic attack. During the meeting I was instantly put at ease. I finally felt I was talking to the right person and had immediate confidence that Sharon would be able to help me.
The consultation was not rushed in anyway and I was given lots of opportunity to ask as many questions as I needed to. We discussed in great depth, supplement use, the importance of exercise and self-care such as meditation and mindfulness, cutting down caffeine and sugar intake, avoiding alcohol, and focusing on diet and hydration as putting these things in place will increase the effectiveness of the HRT.
We talked to me about the risks and benefits of using the HRT in detail and addressed my concerns around the Breast Cancer scare as this I feel stops many women from starting HRT.
Sharon is extremely knowledgeable and explained everything so clearly. She helped me see that everything I was experiencing was due to low oestrogen and because of my history with PMDD and post-natal depression this, unfortunately, made me high risk for severe symptoms during perimenopause/Menopause.
Sharon was very professional during our consultation and left no page unturned, once we finished the consultation I felt completely reassured and ready to start my HRT Journey. I felt confident that I wanted to start ASAP as it can take up to 3 months for the HRT to take effect.
Following my consultation, Sharon has been extremely helpful along the way including advice and guidance on how to speak with my GP about access to the prescriptions. Within 6 weeks and after a few dose adjustments I felt the HRT starting to take effect. The aches and pains that I had gotten used to disappeared and I’ve not had a single migraine since starting HRT. My night sweats have stopped, my depression has lifted, and my anxiety has all but disappeared. I feel happy now for the first time in what feels like an age, I feel like me and I look forward to the day ahead.
6 months ago, I couldn’t imagine ever feeling better but thanks to Sharon I have returned to work full time, I have my own business alongside my full-time job and feel awake and alive for the first time in a long time.
Sharon thank you so much for everything, I’m so glad I made the decision to contact you because you have quite honestly saved my life!
Mary's Story
August 2022
Like so many women I blundered through the perimenopause and into menopause in utter ignorance, with my eyes firmly blind-folded. Sure, I had heard about hot flushes and the end of menses, but seriously that was the limit of my knowledge! Now, I have pretty good health and rarely need to see the doctor, but over the past three years I found myself going back and forth to his office with a variety of “unrelated” symptoms, yet the word menopause was never mentioned.
My symptoms continued to pile up; I was permanently over-the-top exhausted (I literally hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep in over three years). My joints were so painful I could hardly walk down the stairs in the morning. I felt as if I was slowly falling to bits emotionally and physically.
As luck would have it, at that moment I listened to a podcast that Sharon had recorded and there was that lightbulb moment!!!
My symptoms suddenly made sense and yes, there was something I could do about it. I arranged to speak with Sharon who patiently listened, carefully informed me of my choices and then helped me draw up a plan of action appropriate to my own particular needs.
Sarah's Story
April 2022
Before Mandy gave me her invaluable support, I was struggling to receive any help from other medical professionals.
Mandy has given me back my sanity and quality of life.
She explains everything in a clear and reassuring way during every step of the peri menopause/menopause journey.
Partner’s perspective:
Mandy’s insightful knowledge and caring attitude has helped my wife during a very difficult time negotiating menopause. She has also helped me to understand so that I can help my wife, leading to a happier life for us both. Adrian, North Somerset.
Tara's Story
October 2021
Tara is in her mid 40’s and is experiencing perimenopause. She also has multiple sclerosis:
I just want to say a huge thank you for the quick support on getting me started with HRT. I cannot begin to tell you how much better I feel. I hadn’t realised just how bad the effect of the lack of hormones were having on me. I honestly thought that my MS was catching up with me. Since starting the HRT I seem to be thinking and feeling normally again despite facing the immense strain of caring for elderly terminally ill parents. I feel better equipped to deal with life again.
Teresa's Story
Women's Reproductive Well-being in the Workplace
June 2022
I am 59 years old and over the last seven to eight years I have been slowly and surly loosing me!
Becoming increasingly anxious, living on a high state of alert in my mind, waking up at least 5 to 6 times a night – exhausted, feeling you cannot do right for doing wrong; to the point where you think that the world is against you and everybody in it. I really thought I was slowly losing my mind.
I could not retain people’s names and information my work and productivity were suffering as I was second guessing everything I was doing. To the point where my head was in so much turmoil, I could not even think straight; not being able to put my mind to anything I did. I was struggling to do the simplest of task feeling that I was getting too old to do my job – completely lost and scared.
In the end I had to go and see my GP as my stomach was so bloated, I looked as if I were 8 months pregnant and could not even get my clothes on. My GP took one look at me and said “I am more interested in what is going on in your mind” I came out of her office with a prescription for antidepressants and a referral to see a psychiatrist for six weeks. I only took the pills for a few weeks as they made me feel like a zombie and totally unable to engage with the world until at least midday.
Since then, I have tried a few more times to get help from my GP but they always default to antidepressants. My Libido went down to zero after a few years of experiencing extreme discomfort when having intercourse due to virginal dryness. Me and my husband did not have sex for the last three years of our marriage. I have now been divorced for three years. In the end I just felt so very, very lost I even turned to my priest for spiritual support which did help to relieve some of my anxiety believing that I was not alone, lost in my own hell hole and to trust in God. Which I did!!
I will never ever forget the day of our work place conference in Weston when Sharon came into my world – so full of life, energy and joy she looked amazing a real ray of sunshine. I sat there and listened to her remarkable talk on menopause and believe me she was truly amazing. There was I thinking and feeling that I was on the downward spiral – no longer capable of carrying on with my career on a fast track to being geriatric, every bone in my body aching and stiff not knowing where to turn for help.
Well! Sharon saved me on that day believe me and for that I am eternally grateful more then she will ever know. I can not put into words the difference Sharon and HRT has made to my life I have my mojo and confidence back; I feel 40 again it is unbelievable. Within just a couple of days I started sleeping like a baby. Waking up each morning fresh as a daisy ready to enjoy what the day has in store rather then hiding under the covers wishing for the world to stop turning, so I could jump off!
There are no words to explain how it feels to get your life back. I felt as if my life was over.
My life would have been so different if I hadn’t received the information, expertise and support that Sharon has given to me over these last few months. In fact, it is criminal that especially women of my generation have had to suffer the way we have.
Teresa