I went to see another GP.
She said, you know, “Are you on any regular medication?”
I said, “I’m on the pill and I have a Mirena as well.”
And she said, “Not to cause offence, but why does a 43 year old lesbian, why is she on so much birth control?”
That is a really good question.
I love to cook. I love to garden. I’m a single mum to two little boys.
I had really heavy periods. My anxiety escalated. My sleep was disrupted, brain fog.
As women, we’re taught just to carry on.
But it got to a point where I couldn’t parent and I was like, I think I’m in perimenopause and I need some help.
It makes me angry because I think women are not believed.
When I was told, “Well, your life is stressful, you’re doing all of these things.”
I said, “Yeah, but I’ve been doing all of those things for a really long time.”
This is not it.
I don’t think menopause was something my mum ever spoke about, and we need to get rid of that stigma.
We deserve to be as happy as we possibly can.
And I really think that perimenopausal and menopausal healthcare helps us achieve that.