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Nicola Bal's avatar

Your work from art therapy is beautiful Sam.

I’m sorry that so many of us are in this awful position.

All the unanswered questions because they don’t know the answers.

We just want to make it through this transition, with some semblance of a life.

I’m seeing gastroenterology tomorrow (by video call 🫩 do doctors not do physical exams anymore? Don’t they want to touch my abdomen? No, Iv just to sit on camera and reel off symptoms—again—it feels like time wasting), but actually I think it’s gynaecology I might need referred to.

Thanks for sharing ❤️

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Sam Galloway (she/her) 💕's avatar

Hi Nicola, thanks for your kind words. To make it out of perimenopause alive with my mind intact feels like a stretch right now. Good luck with the gastroenterologist. I’ll be thinking of you. It’s very odd that they are doing that consultation online 🤔

Good to rule out gastro stuff in pursuit of a gynae referral. The gatekeeping is ridiculous! Let me know how it goes 💕

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Sam Galloway (she/her) 💕's avatar

Thanks, Nicola! I’m just heading to bed (phone addiction, anyone?) but look forward to replying properly in the morning 😃

We are in for a classic Windy Welly night. Hopefully the melatonin does its thing and insomnia doesn’t take hold…

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Lisa Chambers's avatar

I’m so glad you’re here. I have a retroverted uterus, too. I thought it was my partner’s fault! 😂

I am ready for them to take my uterus. Seriously. Ovaries are protective at every age, Ob/Gyn has said. Women with ovaries have less likelihood of developing dementia.

It’s interesting, Sam. We have similar issues, thicker lining from HRT + small fibroids which are common at our age. I was not able to complete a procedure to biopsy in office due to vasovagal response. I wish they would just take it. Now, the common practice is to collect pathology and remove only the section with abnormal cells. Each procedure, even just to do a scraping, is traumatic for me.

I don’t like paps even. I don’t want anyone I don’t know well in my space that way. Every appointment like that is a day I have to clear my calendar.

I can handle a lot but my ladyparts are really personal. Especially when they force open the cervix. I need support to follow through. Maybe a friend can come with.

Here is to living through the many ups and downs. I’m relieved others are talking more openly about all of it.

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Sam Galloway (she/her) 💕's avatar

I’m so sorry to hear of the fate of those women, how unbearably torturous and tragic. We really are just vessels for the patriarchy, whilst they refuse to see it.

Thanks for your kind words x

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Sam Galloway (she/her) 💕's avatar

Hi Lisa, the procedures are all so invasive! It’s awful. I need my ovaries out so I can live free from PMDD. Otherwise my mental health remains at risk. Dementia would be nice to avoid, but I already have my ovaries off with add back hormones. I’ll keep up with the HRT. It’s diabolical that we have to fight so hard for such intrusive medical treatment.

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Sam Galloway (she/her) 💕's avatar

Hi Lisa!!

I’ve just taken my melatonin but will read your reply and message properly in the morning.

High five from my tilted uterus to yours! 😹

Does that sound weird..? 🤔

It sounded okay in my head!

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Lisa Chambers's avatar

For real. I can’t get clear answers about the after effects because hysterectomy is discouraged. I know medical care has improved since my mom’s generation, but they did have an easier time getting approval. I don’t know how positive that is considering it was the only option to slow flow or address tumors. There was no imaging so invasive exploratory surgery was necessary.

It’s nuts. Total roller coaster. Linda Blair has left the building for me at the moment. Crimeny.

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Sam Galloway (she/her) 💕's avatar

It’s dire that medical misogyny is the norm.

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Lisa Chambers's avatar

This biology is exhausting. I research our fam genealogy and so often women died in childbirth from sepsis or hemorrhaging in midlife. It’s bonkers. The patriarch gets a new younger wife who has 5-6 kids, falls to the same fate only to be replaced again by an even younger wife while I have to figure out how all the kids and women connect to one old creeper.

Good times. These bastards really want to roll back the clock. ⏰

I’m glad you are advocating openly while documenting so meticulously! It removed the taboo for those who come after us. And it honors our mamas and grandmothers who had shortened life spans. 🕯️

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Anna Sansom's avatar

Witnessing the reality of your pain. I sincerely hope you can get the medical care and attention (and anything else needed) to move forward without this weighing you down any more.

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