I'm a nurse with 30 years of experience. My misdiagnosed menopause forced me to leave a career I loved.
- Tammy Kraushaar is a registered nurse with 30 years of experience.
- She was forced to leave her job while struggling with misdiagnosed menopause.
- Here's her story, as told to Jamie Orsini.
For 30 years, I worked as a registered nurse. I've been a case manager, a staff nurse, a clinical research coordinator, an educator - I did it all, and I loved my job. In 2018, I was forced to resign from nursing as I battled misdiagnosed menopause, which caused me to suffer from anxiety, panic attacks, and insomnia, among other things, that were misdiagnosed for two years as depression.
I started experiencing health issues when I was 46. My periods changed, becoming heavier and longer. Looking back, this was when my perimenopause began. I didn't recognize that at the time, and neither did my doctor. She recommended an IUD to help with irregular periods. I was also put on iron pills.
For the next five years, I continued working as a nurse while developing symptoms like escalating anxiety. It built in my chest and was a heavy, physical pain that got worse when I was stressed.
I started having trouble sleeping. I lost my appetite. I lost my confidence. I felt like my mind wasn't working clearly and I wasn't processing information as well as I used to. I didn't feel competent at my job, even though everyone around me said otherwise.
My first misdiagnosis was burnout
After five years of pushing through, I had a panic attack at work. I left work that day and never went back.
My doctor, who I'd known for about 20 years, diagnosed me as having professional burnout. That's how my three decades in the nursing profession ended: with a panic attack and a misdiagnosis. My doctor decided to put me on antidepressants.
I used the time away from nursing to focus on my wellness journey. I learned how to meditate and do yoga. I started a gratitude journal. I tried to focus all my energy on getting better.
Over the next two years, I saw several doctors and specialists. I tried antidepressants, which didn't help, because I wasn't depressed. I developed new symptoms, like night sweats, adrenaline rushes, frequent UTIs, and body aches.
It was my own research that led me to perimenopause
Finally, I had my own aha moment, where one day I said to myself, "This has got to be hormonal. I don't think this is depression."
I have a background in research, so I started doing my own. The first time I came across the word "perimenopause," it wasn't with my doctor or a specialist. It was in my own online research.
I found Dr. Louise Newson, a menopause specialist from the UK. First I read her research. Then I corresponded with her. I found further research and community through Peanut, an app designed to help women find support through various stages of life.
I went back to my doctor and told her that I believed I was experiencing perimenopause. I was kicked around doctors until one finally referred me to a menopause specialist.
When the specialist heard my story, she said it sounded like classic menopause. She asked how I wanted to proceed - and I cried. My symptoms were finally validated. They made sense. I was finally being heard and my symptoms successfully treated.
I want women to know my story because it could happen to anyone. I had so much stacked in my favor: decades of working in the medical community, a strong support network, and doctors who believed me, even if they misdiagnosed me along the way.
Perimenopause is a real condition, and it can change your life. It shouldn't be the reason you end a fulfilling career.