Breathe
By Gabriela Sotomayor
At 38 years old, married to a charming man, a good friend, with a marriage with ups and downs like any other, with three teenagers, an 11 year old boy, two twins, an 8 year old girl and boy, a Labrador retriever, an extremely demanding job as creative director of an advertising agency for the Hispanic market in Miami, Florida, with good friends, at that age, what can go wrong? Hormones taking you by surprise and playing tricks on you.
Since I got married in 1986 I used the birth control pill for birth control. From the first day I took the blessed pills, I had a light, predictable period, no pain, no cramps, no bloating, no weight gain, no bad moods. One day my husband decided to have a vasectomy so that I would not have to bear all the responsibility for family planning, and without thinking about it too much, I celebrated.
After a few months after the vasectomy I could stop taking the pill, there was no longer a risk of pregnancy and I could stop using hormones and be a slave to taking the pill every night and having the responsibility of not bringing any more children into this world. As soon as I stopped taking the pill, the preparations to move from the United States to Europe (from Miami to Geneva) began. It was not easy to prepare so many things and leave a whole life in a place that was so friendly for the whole family and start the journey to an unknown place, colder, with another language, customs, way of life, in short, it was a big change.
At the same time I started to feel very bad, as bad as a stepped on spider. My spirits were at the floor, zero energy, very bad mood, little patience with the children and on top of that I was burdened with daily life, moving house and problems with my menstrual period.
I had been so regular with the pills, now I didn't know when I was going to get my period and if I had my period it consisted of a few drops, very little flow in several days, then a month would go by, a little more, or a little less, I didn't know when I would have my period, with sweating and strange heat at night, headache, exhaustion and the desire to bite the first person who came in front of me.
I went to the gynecologist, whose name I don't want to remember, and he told me that "it was normal for me to have irregular menstrual periods due to the stress of moving".
"But I've moved several times, I've never felt like that," I replied.
The doctor insisted and assured me that the cause was "stress and to try to calm me down". So I had to resign myself to the fact that life was like that and that dark tunnel in which I was immersed was going to be part of my new life until I was able to adapt little by little.
I spent about nine months in this miserable state. The change to Geneva came and I did not understand why I was still hot, sweaty, with headaches, bad moods, I did not understand why I was so depressed when life was smiling at us and we all had a good future ahead of us. We had to face it.
When we arrived in Europe my menstrual period became more and more spaced out until it disappeared completely. I went to see a general practitioner for a prescription to lift my spirits. He prescribed antidepressants. I also went to see a gynecologist, he did a hormone profile and called me into his office.
He told me very seriously:
- Ma'am, I'm looking at the results and I have to give you some bad news, you are postmenopausal.
- What? Postmenopause?
- Yes, I am very sorry that I have gone through this whole process without any help.
- Does this mean that I went through menopause "a pelo" as we say in Mexico?
- That's right, but as she is very young, it is important for her to have a full sex life, good bones and a better quality of life, I suggest a hormone therapy treatment, let's see how it suits her.
The blessed gynecologist prescribed me some progesterone and estrogen patches. My life changed. Just like a miracle. I stopped taking antidepressants. I felt wonderful, in the same mood as always, I regained my good character and energy. I couldn't believe it. I got my life back.
During all these years I have continued with my hormone therapy. With some adjustments to the dosage because the patches I used to use were taken off the market. At some point I tried to stop them and use a gel, but the symptoms came back with more force. Stopping hormone therapy was not an option.
When I turned 60 I went to the gynecologist for my annual check-up and she told me that "it was time to stop taking hormones", that I had to gradually lower the dose. I looked her in the eye and told her no, no way, that my daughter was getting married and that I was not going to go through that process feeling miserable.
- According to the experts, up to what age can you continue hormone therapy," I asked.
- Well, up to 65, no more, it can be dangerous," she said very seriously.
- Well, I'm still 65, I answered the doctor, thinking that I have time to calmly plan how to raid a bank of hormones, escape in a boat, sail without a defined course and continue to ride out the storm.
The opinions expressed are the responsibility of the authors and are absolutely independent of the position and editorial line of the company. Opinion 51.
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