Forced menopause has changed me can anyone relate?

Posted by cacaro88 @cacaro88, 6 days ago

Three months ago, my life changed in ways I never expected. I understand that my cancer treatment is helping protect my future, and I'm grateful for that, but no one could have prepared me for the emotional toll of being thrown into menopause, while also taking an aromatase inhibitor. I don't understand how women get through this. The crying comes out of nowhere. One minute, I'm okay, and the next, I'm in tears for no reason I can explain. I've always been a strong, resilient woman. I've handled life's challenges head on. Now I barely recognize myself, and it's frightening. I keep asking myself, what is happening to me? Is this really what estrogen loss feels like?Is it the medication?Is it all of it together? I feel like I’m falling apart, and the last thing I want is to do is take another medication to manage the side effects of the medications I'm already taking. One thing I have noticed is that when I'm outside in the sunshine walking or just sitting in nature, I feel a little more like myself for a while. It's as if I reconnect with the woman I was before this happened. Those moments give me hope that she's still in there. I'm reaching out because I need to know I'm not the only one. If you've been forced through menopause and taking an aromatase inhibitor did you experience these emotional ups and downs? Does it get it better with time. What helped you cope? Sometimes just hearing from someone who's walked this road means more than anything a doctor can say. Thank you for listening.

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Kelly, Moderator | @klp | 1 day ago

Hello, @cacaro88, and welcome. Thank you for sharing your story.
You've certainly been through a lot. Cancer treatment, taking an aromatase inhibitor, menopause ... that's a lot to navigate all at once.

You might be interested in this conversation, where members share their experiences with taking an aromatase inhibitor and how it affected their emotions:
- https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/anastrazole-and-anxiety/

While my experience is different, I can relate to being thrust into menopause. I entered surgical menopause last year, and it's been a roller coaster (to say the least). And even more frustrating is that there isn't a defined path forward. No one experiences perimenopause and menopause the same way and doctors have differing opinions on how to treat symptoms, so sometimes it feels like I'm just throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks!

Nature is such a good, grounding force! And there's a growing body of research showing that spending time outdoors can have a positive effect on mental health. It's called biophilia -- here's a really interesting little article on it: https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-minute-prescribing-nature-for-mental-physical-health/

I'm wondering, besides being outdoors, have you found anything else, even something small, that helps you feel a little more like yourself?