A few weeks ago I told a story at the In This Body conference in London.

Called From Hormone Hell to Feeling Well, it is the story of how I first experienced menopause symptoms when I was thirty. I was misdiagnosed, told that my symptoms were “all in my head” and eventually referred to a psychiatrist.

For the next sixteen years I suffered ill health and terrible depression. It was only after I had to close down my business and almost lost my relationship in my mid-forties that I realised I was experiencing perimenopause and my ill health and depression were mostly due to hormonal imbalance.

Finally, at the age of forty-seven, I was correctly diagnosed, and, after a bit of a battle, prescribed the right treatment.

Taking HRT, and testosterone in particular, restored my mental and physical health and gave me back my life.

My misdiagnosis, and subsequent positive experience with testosterone therapy, has made me want to help empower other women in a similar situation so that they can get access to the treatment they need and lead healthy, fulfilling lives.

From Hormone Hell to Feeling Well: A True Story

Here is my story: From Hormone Hell to Feeling Well. There is a short two minute introduction before I start speaking.

If you enjoyed this story and think it can help someone you know, please share.

To find out more about the In This Body event read my blog post: In This Body: A Unique Conference on Female Body Experience.

And if you’d like to read more about my experience with menopause, HRT and testosterone, and the issues raised in my story, please read these posts:

The Menopause Almost Destroyed My Relationship
HRT and Me: My Experience of Prempak-C and Weight Gain
HRT and Me: The Battle for Testosterone
HRT and Me: Using Testim Testosterone Gel as a Woman and
How to Become an Empowered Patient.