A Merseyside woman said she was at an “all-time low” because she struggled to find menopause support.
Cathy Hilditch, from Formby, experienced a dip in her energy levels after she started going through menopause. The 55-year-old struggled "to get up and go" and this meant she missed out on enjoying outdoor walks with her two dogs, Pepper and Dave.
The agency nurse, who now lives in Crosby, told the ECHO: “I thought I had probably finished the menopause, but I was still experiencing night sweats, disturbed sleep and a general feeling of overall tiredness and lethargy. I felt unmotivated to do anything, and anxious and my confidence had dipped. I just suffered through the symptoms I experienced and never asked for any help."
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Menopause happens when your periods stop due to lower hormone levels. The process usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55, however, in some instances, it can happen earlier naturally. Menopause can also be triggered after surgery to remove the ovaries or the uterus as well as cancer treatments like chemotherapy.
According to the NHS, perimenopause is when you have symptoms before your periods have stopped. Whereas, you reach menopause when you have not had a period for 12 months. Menopause can cause symptoms like anxiety, mood swings, brain fog, hot flashes and aching joints - all of which Cathy thought she had to go through on her own.
She said: "I never sought menopause support from my GP. I always thought it was something I just had to put up with and what women go through. I felt fed up and really low and it began impacting my daily life."
It wasn't until Cathy came across Bodyline that her “quality of life” started to improve. The female wellness clinic began trialling an individual hormone replacement therapy programme, the Bodyline M Plan, and although not all women need treatment, the plan worked wonders for Cathy.
She said: “Now I feel motivated and happier in myself. I have struggled with depression for many years and, without being dramatic, I finally feel at peace with myself for the first time in a long time.”
During Cathy’s first appointment, she had her bloods taken to see what hormones she was deficient in. Once the results were back she went for a further consultation to discuss her general health, medical history and symptoms.
Cathy’s results showed she was deficient in oestrogen, progesterone, and DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone). She was prescribed hormones in daily tablets and topical creams to be applied on the skin twice a day. Cathy’s blood analysis also showed she was Vitamin B12 deficient, so she was able to receive a B12 injection to improve her associated symptoms.
After six months of being on the plan, Cathy claims it was the specialist nurse-led support and bespoke hormone treatments that allowed her to get back to doing the things she loves - including spending quality time with her dogs. And this was just one of the many "life-changing" benefits she experienced from the treatment as after just a couple of weeks, Cathy realised she was "sleeping better and felt less lethargic and brighter in mood".
Regardless of what treatment you opt for, Cathy is now advocating and encouraging women to reach out for help "because it can make such an amazing difference."
She added: "Awareness of menopause has increased so dramatically recently, it never used to be talked about but rather something women just had to put up with for years. Reaching out for help, for me, hand on heart, has been an absolute game changer."
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