Debbie's Story
I have an 8-inch scar that begins above my navel and
travels down the entire length of my abdomen. It is a daily
reminder of the two surgeries I underwent 11 years ago to rid
myself of ovarian cancer.
I was 26 years old and really having the time of my life. I
was basically a newlywed; I had been married only 2 years. My
husband and I had just purchased our first house (a fixer-upper),
as well as a dog to complete the picture. I was practicing as a
registered nurse at a women's center. Much of my time at work was
spent performing health counseling, conducting health screenings,
teaching classes, and speaking publicly on women's health issues.
One day while at work, I experienced some very heavy
bleeding during my menstrual period. It happened only that day,
but I was alarmed because such an occurrence was abnormal for me.
When I called my doctor's office, I was assured that erratic
bleeding was not abnormal in a woman of my age. The doctor's staff
told me that it was probably due to stress or an ovarian cyst, and
to call back the next day if the problem persisted.
Although the heavy bleeding subsided the same day it
started, I scheduled an appointment anyway. Since supposedly I was
experiencing a problem that didn't need to be addressed
immediately, I had to wait about 4 months for an appointment in my
doctor's very busy practice.
As the months passed, I felt perfectly fine. I was able to
function 100 percent both at work and at home. However, a few
weeks before my appointment, the heavy bleeding returned. Again,
it lasted only 1 day. In retrospect, I think it might have been a
sign from above, just in case I was tempted to cancel my doctor's
appointment.
Finally, the day of my doctor's appointment arrived. As I
was ushered into the examination room and prepared for the pelvic
exam, all of the less-serious reasons why a 26-year-old woman
would experience a few episodes of heavy bleeding ran through my
mind.
After my doctor entered the room and asked me the standard
health questions, she began the pelvic exam. During the exam, we
were talking about life in general when she suddenly began
concentrating her efforts on my left side.
After deeply palpating my abdomen with a perplexed look on
her face, she said, "I feel a mass on your left ovary."
I was stunned into silence. Staring blankly at her I finally
replied, "Couldn't it be a cyst?" "No," she
said, "it's a solid growth. However, given your age and
unremarkable family history, I am 99.9 percent sure it is not
cancer."
Although my brain heard her words, my heart knew she was
wrong. At that very moment an intuitive sense washed over me
confirming that it was indeed cancer. I had never felt such a
strong "gut instinct" in my life. How could I explain to
my doctor what I already knew?
Over the next few weeks I was scheduled for numerous
diagnostic tests: ultrasound, CT scan, upper and lower GI series.
I did everything in my power to ensure that I received these tests
as soon as possible. The tests revealed only that I had a fairly
large mass on my left ovary-and one on my right ovary, as well.
Was it cancer? No one knew. The tests ordered to shed more
light on the situation did nothing but prove inconclusive. The
next step was surgery to remove the tumors.
On 17 May 1990, I was formally diagnosed with ovarian
cancer and underwent a hysterectomy with removal of both my
ovaries. Over the course of the next 2 months, I had further
surgery and treatment for the cancer.
Aside from frequent follow-up exams and tests over the next
few years, my treatment was complete. My oncologist pronounced a
clean bill of health. I hoped he was right. After 3 months of
doctors, tests, and hospitals, it was now time to resume my life.
Although I opted for hormone replacement therapy almost
immediately, I found that after about a year I was not my same old
self. I went from doctor to doctor trying to effectively manage
the night sweats and vaginal dryness. These issues were much
easier for my doctors to address than the cognitive problems I
developed.
I began noticing changes in my short-term memory and verbal
abilities. My doctors were at a loss to explain these. I am
certain if I had been 56 instead of 26, they would have told me it
was a sign of aging-and I might have believed it. But a previously
sharp 26-year-old woman in a mental fog? I didn't think so.
Thus began my search for answers. I refused to accept that
I would never feel any better. Maybe my body would never be the
same as it was prior to surgery, but I was certain I could return
to a comparable state of well-being.
As I researched information related to a sudden menopause
(in my case surgically induced), I realized why the doctors were
at such a loss to help me. The information I found was diffuse and
scanty. There was not a plethora of knowledge, but there was
enough to validate what I was feeling.
I then began paying closer attention to the women in my
menopause classes and health-counseling sessions. I also
extensively interviewed dozens of suddenly menopausal women. Upon
questioning these women-most of whom underwent hysterectomy with
ovarian removal, had pelvic radiation or some form of
chemotherapy, or were diagnosed with an eating disorder that
resulted in cessation of periods-many admitted that their
menopausal symptoms were not well controlled. They stated that
often their doctors and nurses did not address the problems they
were having. Some women were unaware that their symptoms were
related to sudden menopause.
Sudden menopause is radically different from natural
menopause. With natural menopause, the body gradually transitions
from higher hormone levels to lower hormone levels. This
progression happens over a period of several years, allowing the
body to adjust. Many women who undergo a natural menopause will
report physical and emotional changes, but for the most part,
these changes are either tolerable or easily managed. This is not
the case with sudden menopause, which normally comes on fast and
furiously. Hormone levels can literally plummet overnight,
shocking the body into chaos. Easing menopausal changes in these
women requires a greater degree of attention and management.
As my dismay and compassion for women suffering from sudden
menopause mounted, I decided I owed it to them and to myself to do
something. Over the years, I'd been able to help myself and the
many women I'd encountered in my nursing career. It was now time
to share my knowledge and experience with a wider audience so they
could benefit as well. I asked myself what would have helped me
the most when I was struggling. The answer was perfectly clear: a
comprehensive resource that provided tips for alleviating my
menopausal changes while educating me on how to prevent the
long-term health issues for which sudden menopause placed me at
risk. This revelation served as the impetus for my writing Sudden
Menopause: Restoring Health and Emotional Well-Being.
Sudden Menopause is designed to provide you with a way of
solving your menopausal woes, while educating and motivating you
to achieve optimal health and well-being. The chapter on
symptomatic relief provides you with many coping strategies that
will help with the most commonly reported menopausal changes.
Although it may be tempting to begin taking vitamins and
herbs, first read the chapter on dietary supplements. It will help
you to use them safely and responsibly.
The same is true for hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Although many women who experience a sudden menopause find relief
through HRT, not every woman is a candidate for this therapy. The
information contained in my book will help you to make an informed
decision regarding HRT.
The information I have included on osteoporosis and heart
disease is crucial, because once you have been through a sudden
menopause, your risk for both conditions skyrockets. However,
there are many ways you can lower your risk.
The last chapter, titled "Creating Health," helps
you to pull together all of the lifestyle information provided in
the previous chapters. It also recognizes the important
contributions of emotional and spiritual well-being to overall
health.
Finally, each chapter offers suggestions for questions to
discuss with your doctor.
A special feature of Sudden
Menopause is the many case histories I've included from women
I've worked with. Their stories, which offer perspectives on
numerous and varied issues related to sudden menopause, will
encourage you that, no matter what the condition that led to your
sudden menopause, and no matter what your resulting symptoms,
there is hope.
Although every woman's sudden menopause is as unique as the
woman herself, and changes do not occur overnight, I am certain of
the following:
q
You can improve the quality of your life.
q
You can regain control.
q
You can feel better.
---Debbie
DeAngelo, R.N.C., B.S.N.
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