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I'm a nurse with 30 years of experience. My misdiagnosed menopause forced me to leave a career I loved.

Oct 1, 2021, 20:10 IST
Insider
Tammy Kraushaar, a nurse with over 30 years of experience, was forced to quit her job because of a medical misdiagnosis. Courtesy of Tammy Kraushaar
  • 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.
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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.

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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.

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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.

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