Gift: Having my voice heard

Dazzle is an author who shared their story on Patient Opinion. 

I started suffering with early menopause following surgery at the age of 29. It’s taken me four years to begin the process of getting the right treatment.

The psychological symptoms of early menopause are so often overlooked or misdiagnosed. Rather than hot flushes and sweats, the mental health symptoms of anxiety, panic and low mood are the most difficult to live with.

There’s a link with low oestrogen levels and depression. It’s a chemical imbalance happening in your body. I found it frustrating when doctors tried to tell me it’s not down to an imbalance, but instead told me it was normal to feel down going through what I was going through. When you know yourself, you know it’s not that you can’t cope.

I felt so alone. Because there are so few specialist services I felt like I was stumbling around in the dark. It was important for me to find somewhere women could share information, which is why I started a voluntary support group for ladies who have suffered early menopause in the UK. It’s a peer support group where we can all support each other.

I think I’m also very fortunate to have a fantastic GP who just gets it. She’s been there every step of the way. And for me, that was also a big reason why I decided to use Patient Opinion, to give credit where credit’s due to doctors who are supporting you. It’s important to thank them when they do something right.

PO gave me the gift of allowing me to have my voice heard.

It enabled me to express that I consider myself a full and active partner in the self-management of my condition (quite rightly so!) It allowed me to show health services that if they listen to people they can make services better and more person centred. It also allowed me to thank my wonderful GP Dr Susan Gemmill for the fantastic care and support that she has given me over the last 5 years. Patient Opinion helped me get my message to the people who need to see it very quickly and also allows other people who are struggling to see that they are not alone. I am hoping that as a result of my latest post NHS Lanarkshire may look at a service for Early Menopause as there currently is none.

Self-advocacy and the ability to speak up for yourself is so important, and that’s where PO is really helpful.

From Dazzle