POF Trials

After giving birth to Boo, I began to worry whether my POF would have any effect on my girls or my sister - was it hereditary?  My mum had an early menopause so I guess it wasn't a huge surprise to her when I was diagnosed.  My sister, on my doctors advise took a blood test to check her FSH levels and they were at 7, which was great news. She has gone on to have 2 babies and I'm so thankful that she had no trouble conceiving.

I decided to look a little further into how this could affect my daughters and ended up taking part in some trials in London. My husband had seen an article on the internet from The Daisy Network asking for participants who had recently been diagnosed with POF. Boo was just over 1 when I started. It was a 2 year trial, (Treatment of Premature Failure) and I opted to go 'drug free', so no HRT at all. Every 3 months I travelled to London, had a bone density scan, an internal scan, blood tests and mental health questionnaires.

The blood tests showed that my FSH levels remained high, the bone scans showed that my bone density was reducing fairly quickly, and that I needed to take HRT (until the age of 55). The internal scans showed my shrivelled ovaries - they looked like tiny grapes, with no life left in them. That was the hardest part of it all really. The mental health questionnaires showed that I was okay but not brilliant! I imagine the previous few years had taken it's toll and I was a little depressed. Hard to imagine being depressed when I had everything I ever wished for, but the fluctuating hormones in my body took over and I had no real control over my emotions. I think my body was still menopausal, and with no drugs to control everything, it was seen as being pretty normal to feel the way I was feeling.

It was kind of sad finishing the trial but I did feel that I had helped a little with the research, above and beyond everything else, my daughters may find it a little easier to find information on POF should they ever need it. It also gave them the ability to go to London, to my trial centre,  and have some blood tests when they are older to check their hormone levels. At least that way they will know sooner if there is the possibility of having any problems with conceiving. I share everything with them, in a gentle way, but they are very aware that Boo was a miracle and they understand the reasons why she was such a surprise.

So, I'm now taking Premique again, for another 11 years at least. I do think it balances me somewhat. I don't always feel on top of the world but I'm now 44 and busy with all the girls and their lives, so I do believe that naturally life does become a bit more tiring and running around after the little one is certainly demanding at times.  She's such a character - phenomenally bright and still as feisty as ever!