This might seem like an awkward post immediately following talking about my 40th birthday, and other than what can sometimes be an awkward topic, y’all know I’m always going to be real about life and all the things that go along with it.
As many of you know, I had a complete hysterectomy almost two years ago–the whole shebang, nothing left behind. This was fully welcomed in my life, as I have dealt with issues and quirky autoimmune flares that all stemmed back to those organs since my early 20s. It was recommended then that in order to regain the level of health I was seeking to get a hysterectomy–although, finding a doctor to perform such a surgery at that age, not so easy. I searched for awhile, gave up, and resigned myself to a lot of misery. Finally in my late 30s, enough was enough and I started the search for a doctor again. I still came up against the backlash of “you might want kids someday”–despite we had been married over a decade and that resolve wasn’t changing, but I did find a doctor. Ironically, it was a second visit to a practitioner I had seen several years earlier for other issues at my highest weight and was treated in a horribly fatphobic way–and upon my return in a very different body I was greeted in a much different way. While I was not a fan of the doctor’s bedside manner, he was good at what he did, and I could put my feelings aside for a short time to get through surgery and have further care carried out by my preferred practitioners. Anyway, that’s a completely other story for another day.
Long story short–my hysterectomy was a success! It achieved the outcomes we (my preferred docs and I) set out for. As expected, my body came back to a state of homeostasis after many, many years. The only after effect I still experience from the autoimmune issues is my thermoregulation (I’m always cold) is improved, not completely gone. I am very grateful that HRT (hormone replacement therapy) is unnecessary, even with the lack of ovaries, etc. My doctor phrased it this way, “Because your body was so jacked up for so long, I don’t think HRT is going to be a need because your body is just going to chill out and not swing the other way after surgery.” So far it has.
My other gratitude in that putting my body into full menopause in one shot, that only some things have affected me. While my weight hasn’t fluctuated, my body composition has changed–that’s played a bit of a mind game, but it is what it is. For the longest time, I felt that was the only menopause symptoms that I was experiencing. Haha sucker–don’t think so fast!
Several months ago, I started experiencing pain, itchiness, and increased UTIs. It felt like as soon as I would feel better, that the cycle would start again. Traditional medications and treatments seemed like they worked for a bit, but not entirely. I started blaming my lifestyle–as a fitness professional, I wear workout clothes most all day, and I thought I was creating an environment not conducive to healing. I tried showering more, different fabrics, doing laundry more and more, but it seemed like I was just exacerbating the issues. Enter NeuEve.
I wasn’t particularly excited about trying something else or something new, but these products have been life-changing. There isn’t anything at the pharmacy or prescribed that has helped me like these. I had the opportunity to try several different products. The first was the Gold Vaginal Suppositories–this was the strongest formula and I felt better within a day of the first use! After 3 doses of that, I stepped down to the Silver level–a slightly gentler formula and this continued to keep the symptoms at bay, and used that for 3 doses. Finally, I continue to maintain comfort with just the balm cream. It’s insane–the difference is night and day! No more discomfort, no infections since.
Now, y’all know me and that I don’t just pick up random things and use them–I do my homework and research what it’s all about. I really liked the medical research behind NeuEve products, and that via a Facebook group, that the creator, Dr. Renjie Chang, is readily available for feedback, advice, and to answer questions. How often do you get that kind of access to someone for help? I’m sold!
The whole reason for this post is not about to sit here and air my dirty laundry and very personal things–it’s not everyday that someone talks about their lady parts in print–but to make one point very clear: you don’t have to live in discomfort. Symptoms that you know aren’t normal absolutely aren’t normal. Only you are the expert of your body. We don’t just have to “deal” with things, we can get to the root of the problems we’re experiencing and there is relief.
And I promise…it’s not a regular thing to talk about my lady parts here, lol.
Heart and Sole Fitness & Wellness 