Hi
My name is Jane and I am 31 years old. I started this web site after my search for support & advice for early menopause was unsuccessful. I wanted to talk to other young women about how I feel & cope. I found one group local to me, I was the youngest by 16 years, although these women were going through the menopause the same as me, I wanted to talk to women my own age about my experience...

Anyway here is my story...............
From the moment my periods started at 13 I had problems, irregular bleeding and terrible pain. I saw a gyne when I was 16 who told me I was just unlucky and that having children would help! I was told this many times over the years.

I did have children.....for which I feel I am very lucky....the pain would go during pregnancy but would be back with a vengeance soon after. I continued to see different gynaecologists over the years, my problems got worse and worse, I had more cysts than I can count, a few were removed surgically & I had them burst too...I seemed to be spending more and more time in hospital!
After over 12 years of telling the doctors there was something wrong I was finally diagnosed by laparoscopy as having Endometriosis. By this time I was on morphine for the pain and unable to get out most days, my life was unbearable!!

At the age of 29 it was decided that the only way to be free of the pain and growing Endometriosis was a Hysterectomy, taking away my womb, & both ovaries...I was taken in and had the operation 3 weeks later.

I had a mix of feeling after my Hysterectomy......I cried for the part of me that was missing, I did not feel like a woman, and was scared about going through the menopause, my Fiancée was a pillar of support, but I did not feel he could understand what it felt like, how I felt... apart from handing me a prescription for HRT the doctor did not offer any support....so I struggled with my feelings alone, for a long time.

When I mention 'hot flushes' or 'HRT' to people they think I am joking, nobody expects a young woman to go through menopause...but we do!
I am pain free now and I am grateful for that everyday...and more grateful for having my children...if I had not had my family young, the doctors said I would never have had children, and my heart goes out to the women that may never have that chance.
My hope is to raise awareness of early menopause, set up support groups so women of any age do not have to go through the feelings, symptoms and problems menopause can bring. Your support can help others, our story's can help other women not feel so alone!

Thank you for reading my story.......if you have a story you would like to submit please go to the contact page and I will contact you within 24 hours about submitting your story.

Best wishes
Jane
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