Hi everyone,

I was diagnosed with myeloma at 29 years old, and I would like to share my experience with medically induced menopause with all of you.

Before my stem cell transplant, my doctors explained the different side effects I could experience from the high-dose chemotherapy. However, it wasn’t until I actually experienced them myself that I truly understood what induced menopause meant and the impact it could have on my body, my mind and my self-esteem.

The first sign was the loss of my period. I had my last cycle a few days after my transplant and that was the last time I saw it. Then came the sudden hot flashes and night sweats, vaginal dryness that led to pain during sex, weight gain, difficulty concentrating and mood swings. It felt overwhelming. I was already trying to cope with this diagnosis and everything that came with it, and suddenly I was also dealing with changes that made me feel like I no longer recognised my own body. Slowly, I also started to realise that becoming a mother after all of this would be extremely difficult, even though I had frozen my eggs before treatment. That was another very painful thing to process.

When I first shared what I was experiencing with my doctor, I felt dismissed and ignored. And this is really difficult to talk about. But I was so uncomfortable and so unhappy with the way I was feeling that I decided to share all my symptoms again at my next appointment. I will never forget what he told me: “Young lady, it was us who did that terrible thing to you…”

Although I understood that the treatment had caused these changes, what I needed at that moment was empathy and support. Instead, there was no advice or discussion about possible ways of managing my symptoms. It felt as though menopause was something I simply had to accept and put up with, and that eventually it would all go away. But I was struggling a lot.

What really helped me during that period was reaching out to my support network. I had several sessions with my psychologist and most importantly, I reached out to other people who had gone through similar experiences. In particular, I had a friend my age who had been diagnosed with breast cancer and was going through many of the same changes. We shared our struggles, talked openly about things that were sometimes difficult to say out loud and exchanged tips on how to cope with them. Knowing that I wasn’t alone made a huge difference.

Four years have now passed, and I am doing well. Looking back, I wish I had known that I didn’t have to simply accept all of these symptoms as something I had to endure.

So, my advice to all of you is: if you are struggling, please speak up and ask for help. You don’t have to suffer in silence just because something is a consequence of cancer treatment. Talk to your medical team, ask about options for managing your symptoms, and don’t be afraid to seek a second opinion if you feel that your concerns are not being heard. Reach out to your family and friends, psychologists, patient advocates or patient organisations. And, if possible, connect with other young people who have gone through something similar.

You deserve to be heard, supported and cared for.

Stay strong