By Teah Mogae
Denise presented in a fluster. Her hair, usually pinned in her signature updo, was looking different. “I think my memory has started to fail me,” she blurted, looking worse for wear. Having treated her for the last few years, I knew something was clearly wrong. Without much prompting she outlined all of her seemingly random collection of symptoms, frustrated that Google had not provided her with a single answer for all of them.
“I hate to be a bother Dr Teah, but this brain fog and difficulty concentrating is driving me crazy. I am very irritable, and my husband is even calling me hurricane Denise as my mood swings are out of this world. I feel tired all the time but have difficulty sleeping and have occasional drenching night sweats, and I am gaining weight which I cannot seem to shift,” she said exasperated. “Google says I might have dementia, cancer, anxiety and depression and surely I could not have all of them together, could I?” she asked.
It turned out that her symptoms had started a few months prior and coincided with the irregularity of her periods. Despite being in her late 40s, she had not considered that she could be starting her menopause as she thought the only symptom was hot flushes.
After a largely unremarkable examination we discussed the milestone no one seems to celebrate and she realised she was experiencing symptoms of menopause, such as itchy crawly skin. “I thought I was going crazy!” Other symptoms like low libido and vaginal dryness had been ongoing for a few years but she hadn’t thought they could be fixed. With time, she came to understand the fluctuating nature of her hormones. Her ovaries were gradually shutting up shop but there were multiple options for treating all her symptoms, from complementary treatment to hormone replacement therapy.
I encouraged her to read about menopause on the Jean Hailes women’s health website whilst we waited for some test results. Months later, after trialling menopause treatment, she came back for a check-up. With her signature hairstyle back in place, she was glowing. She was sleeping better; her memory and mental fatigue had resolved, she was keeping up with her regular exercise and was enjoying a resurgence of her libido with her husband. She was feeling like a new woman.”If only men got to endure some of the challenges we face like periods, pregnancy and menopause, the world would be a different place, full of respect and compassion for all we do,” she chuckled.
Dr Teah Mogae is a General Practitioner living in Hoppers Crossing. In the interest of protecting patient confidentiality, patient stories are often composites and used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons is entirely coincidental.
