The Premature Menocast (Nikki, Kate, Siobhan and Nina)

We're back with another episode!

This time we're looking at how to treat premature ovarian insufficiency.

HRT is the main way that treatment is given, and if you have a womb you need both oestrogen and progesterone.

You can have this in combined pill form or through the skin - there are lots of combinations and you need to find an option that works for you.

Sometimes you need to try multiple options before you get the right one.

Feel free to reach out to us with questions/comments: prematuremenocast@gmail.com

And you can follow us all on instagram at:

Nikki @femalehealthdoc

Siobhan: @mylifeonpausepoi

Kate: @fertility_menopause_support

Nina: @soullaundry_womenshealth

It's our first ever episode!

The 4 of us met through the Daisy Network, a support group for people diagnosed with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI).

POI is diagnosed when a woman goes through the menopause before the age of 40. It can start as young as 13 when periods don't start at all.

This diagnosis is not well known, yet it effects an estimated 3% of women under 40.

Clues can be mood changes, hot sweats, difficulty conceiveing and periods becoming irregular or stop altogether. For women under 40, menopause is the last thing that is often thought about.

We want to raise awareness, educate and hopefully entertain along the way!

For questions/comments/feedback, email prematuremenocast@gmail.com.

Follow us all on instagram!

Nikki: @femalehealthdoc

Nina: @soullaundry_womenshealth

Kate: @fertility_menopause_support

Siobhan: @mlop_poi

Resources mentioned:

My Life On Pause Book by Siobhan O'Sullivan

Join the campaign and sign the petition! #nottooyoung - https://www.change.org/p/nottooyoung-for-menopause

See you in the episode!

Nikki, Kate, Siobhan and Nina x

In this episode Siobhan and Nikki talk about their experiences being childfree and adoption children.

If you have any questions or feedback, please contact prematuremenocast@gmail.com

Make sure to follow us on instagram too! @theprematuremenocast

Welcome to episode 2!

Here's some handy shownotes for the session:

POI is usually diagnosed by your GP or healthcare professional and may include the following:

• No periods for more than 4 months

• An elevated FSh blood level of 25IU/l on two separate occasions taken at least 4 weeks apart

• A full medical history 

• Any relevant family history

Symptoms of POI:

Symptoms of POI can vary, here are a few of the most common symptoms:

• Hot flushes and night sweats also known as vasomotor symptoms

• Irregular periods

• Cognitive symptoms 

• Genital Urinary Symptoms of menopause – such as vaginal dryness and urinary symptoms

• Difficulty sleeping

• Infertility

Useful Guidelines: 

ESHRE Guidelines - https://www.eshre.eu/Guidelines-and-Legal/Guidelines/Management-of-premature-ovarian-insufficiency.aspx

NICE Menopause Guidelines –  https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23

How to contact us with your stories of how healthcare professionals have spoken to you through your diagnosis...

Email – prematuremenocast@gmail.com

Follow us all on Instagram!

Nikki - @femalehealthdoc

Nina – @soullaundry_womenshealth

Kate - @fertility_menopause_support

Siobhan - @mlop_poi

For more support:

The Daisy Network – https://www.daisynetwork.org/

Fertility is a huge topic when it comes to POI - you could argue it is THE TOPIC for many women going through this.

We don't want you to lose hope though - there are options, but emotionally, it can take it's toll. There is no "easy" option, but the best thing to do is to seek help ASAP from a fertility specialist so you can get started with what is right for you.

Feel free to reach out to us with questions/comments: prematuremenocast@gmail.com

And you can follow us all on instagram at:

Nikki @femalehealthdoc

Siobhan: @mylifeonpausepoi

Kate: @fertility_menopause_support

Nina: @soullaundry_womenshealth

As promised, here are your comments we asked you to provide in episode 2. We wanted to dedicate a whole separate episode to them because the topic is too important!

If you'd like to add to them, feel free to email us at prematuremenocast@gmail.com or send us messages on instagram:

Nikki - @femalehealthdoc

Nina - @soullaundry_womenshealth

Siobhan - @mylifeonpausepoi

Kate - @fertility_menopause_support

The more people sharing stories like this, the more the culture will (hopefully) shift and that improves healthcare for all of us.