‘Like Corries Faye my relationship suffered due to early menopause – I went off sex

Coronation Street viewers have watched as 20 year old Faye Windass (played by Ellie Leach) has tried come to terms with her diagnosis of premature ovarian failure, or early menopause.

While the menopause – which occurs when your oestrogen levels drop and fertility comes to end – usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, one out of 100 women experiences premature menopause before hitting 40 and one in 1,000 women under the age of 30.

Faye's relationship with boyfriend Craig Tinker (Colson Smith) has been affected as they both try to navigate the changes. Viewers will see how their continual arguments, and Craig's apparent 'smothering' will lead to the couple contemplating not living together any more.

Ellie speaks about the challenging storyline on ITV's Loose Women today. Here we chat to three women who've experienced early menopause, including Louise who also found that her relationship with a longterm partner began to suffer as a result…

Louise Grant, 31, from Edinburgh, started the menopause at just 26. She struggled for years, but she’s in a happier place now thanks to HRT and finding a lower-stress life through creating @pimpupyourplants.

"My hot flushes began when I was 26. I’d just got back from the Canary Islands and everyone was commenting on my glow. I felt like I was literally radiating heat. I went to the doctor to ask if I’d caused myself sun damage. He bluntly informed me it was a hot flush.

I had no idea about the menopause so didn’t make the connection. I was given some blood tests and was asked questions about my periods, which had always been irregular and had been absent for the last two months.

When the results came back, I found I had high FSH and LH (luteinising hormone) levels, meaning a possible early menopause diagnosis. I spent a lot of time Googling and found The Daisy Network, a charity for women with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI).

During the year and a half it took me to get my POI and early menopause diagnosis and treatment, my relationship with my boyfriend suffered. The menopause turned me into a different person and I lost interest in sex. Women talk about vaginal dryness and it’s true. Luckily, my boyfriend was so supportive. It felt like such a breakthrough when one doctor advised HRT patches. After 18 months, I finally felt like someone was listening to me.

I want children one day, but we’ll probably adopt. Couples therapy really helps us work things out and understand each other.

I also grew very anxious. I was having sleep problems, where my mind was racing every night. I felt so self-conscious of my hot flushes and my moods were very low. It made me re-evaluate my career and I decided to quit my fast-paced, fashion buying job.

Life has become easier since I started taking HRT, having therapy and working on my plant pot business, in a creative, calm environment around plants. I also find support through social media and follow specialists such as Dr Louise Newson and Dr Anne Connolly.

I’m launching a plant pot for World Menopause Day with 30% of all sales going to The Daisy Network, as the charity has really helped me on my journey."

Josie Mitchell, a 31-year-old mother-of-one from Plymouth, went into “chemical menopause” earlier this year.

"After giving birth to my daughter Aubrey in 2018, I experienced two years of perimenopausal issues, from extreme facial hair, a huge 6st weight gain, taking me to 17st, hot flushes and severe mood swings.

At my lowest points, I would self harm and have suicidal ideation, and not be able to get out of bed.

Sadly, I was misdiagnosed by a local GP, who confused my mental state with a personality disorder. But after seeing a private gynaecologist in May 2020, I was finally diagnosed with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), followed by premenstrual dysphoric disorder in August.

There was a warning that I may need a hysterectomy, so in December last year, I had weight loss surgery so I’ll qualify for the operation. It was also a step in the right direction for me returning to myself again.

My periods – which had stopped after giving birth – then came back. This can still happen with POI and perimenopause. In March this year, the private gynaecologist investigated my blood tests, which showed I was lacking in oestrogen but had a surplus of progesterone because I was on a progesterone-only pill.

This was playing havoc with my mental health – I was experiencing paranoid delusions and I wasn’t able to leave the house on my own for two and a half years. I had to leave my job as a GP’s receptionist.

My consultant advised me, “The best thing for you is to come off the Pill and go into chemical menopause.” [This is an artificial process to shut down hormone production in the ovaries.]

I was given oestrogen, HRT and, in April this year, I started having gonadotropin-releasing hormone injections to put me into chemical menopause. I also had the Mirena coil fitted under general anaesthetic as I suffer from vaginal dryness. I will continue with the injections every 10-12 weeks until my surgical menopause procedure [an operation to remove one or both ovaries] in two years.

I now feel like a completely different person. I never knew anyone could feel happiness like this. My family have been an amazing support but I’ll continue with weekly NHS therapy for a long time. I feel blessed to have Aubrey in my life. I’m still on a journey but the fog is definitely lifting."

Amandeep Hujan, 27, a breast imaging radiographer from London, was diagnosed with early menopause four months ago after her periods stopped.

"When I received the call from my GP in May to say I was in premature menopause, I couldn’t take it in – the idea just wasn’t on my radar. I’d been suffering episodes of intense body heat at work, and older female colleagues – some of whom are menopausal – joked that I was having a hot flush. In fact, they were right.

Looking back, I realise I was also experiencing memory fog, missed periods and low moods, but I’d put it down to stress from working in a hospital during the height of Covid. Similarly, when I skipped a period in October 2020, I didn’t think much of it. I was fairly irregular anyway, and had just come off the Pill. Never in a million years did I think I was menopausal.

I had some blood tests done and the results showed my levels of FSH [follicle-stimulating hormone, which controls the menstrual cycle] were sky high. So I was referred to the Oxford Menopause Clinic for further tests.

During the six-week wait for my appointment, I did some research. The first thing on my mind was, “Will I be able to have children?” I’ve always craved a family. I didn’t want to waste any time so I booked in for a private fertility MOT in Harley Street.

I was shocked when the consultant Zoom called me to tell me my AMH levels (anti-mullerian hormone, which indicates your ovarian reserve) was only 0.2. Usually someone my age has a reading of seven and above. I bawled my eyes out. Hearing I had no eggs left completely broke me. Now my only option if I want a baby is to accept a donor egg and a one-time chance of IVF on the NHS. After that, I can go privately. I was so disappointed, but it was my new reality.

I’ve been on HRT patches for about two months. I’ve gone from having mood swings and crying at work to feeling incredibly happy thanks to the medication. My friends say it’s nice to see me smiling again. They’ve all been great, as have my family. I’ve recently started dating again too, after stopping during my diagnosis. But I’m waiting until I’m in a serious relationship before we talk about kids.

For now, I’m focusing on keeping myself fit by going to the gym and eating healthily. I still like to drink wine and have fun nights out with friends. I just make sure I hide my HRT patch high up on my leg or wear a long skirt. I’m quite early on in my journey, so there’s still a lot to get used to."

To find out more about early menopause and get support, visit daisynetwork.org.

Coronation Street continues on weekdays on ITV.

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