One gynaecologist told me I was constipated.

Another suggested a hysterectomy.

I just wanted someone to work out why I was in so much pain.

When we moved to the Gold Coast, my pelvic pain was crippling. I kept having what felt like UTIs, except they weren’t UTIs. Something wasn’t right, and I knew it.

It took two years to find the cause.

Two years.

For me, it turned out to be vaginal dryness associated with menopause. Falling oestrogen. Something so common, yet somehow missing from the conversations I was having with the people I’d gone to for help.

And honestly, I’m still angry about that.

This year, I started HRT. Estrogel has helped me like nothing else. I have my life back.

That’s my experience, and finding the right treatment is individual. But being listened to shouldn’t depend on which doctor you happen to see.

October is also Menopause Awareness Month. And clearly, we still have some work to do.

We’ve got headlines about Tesla’s “flying” Roadster. Robots cleaning the pool. Meanwhile, women are still going from appointment to appointment trying to find out why it hurts to pee.

Can we put a little of that innovation into listening to women?

And it isn’t only what’s happening below the waist.

Declining oestrogen can affect our skin, too. Less collagen, more dryness, less elasticity. The skincare you’ve used for years can suddenly feel like it belongs to someone else.

After more than 25 years in skincare, I knew skin changed. Living through those changes myself was another thing entirely.

But the vaginal dryness? The urinary symptoms? The pelvic discomfort? We need to be talking about those just as openly as hot flushes.

Because “dry vagina” sounds like a small inconvenience until you’re the one living with it.

For me, it was pain that affected my life. And I needed help.

So if something feels wrong, please keep asking questions. Write down your symptoms. Ask whether menopause could be contributing. And if you’re being dismissed, you’re allowed to seek another opinion.

You shouldn’t have to fight this hard to be heard. But your health is worth speaking up for.

One important thing: urinary symptoms aren’t always menopause, and a genuine UTI needs treatment. Please don’t ignore symptoms or assume they’re hormonal. Fever, back pain or feeling very unwell means getting medical help promptly.

If you’re going through something similar, I feel you. The pain, the frustration, the exhaustion of explaining yourself again.

I’m here for a chat. You can email me at info@loveyouwell.com.au.

Be Well,

Anastasia
Love You Well, Founder x