Melissa Turner used homeopathy to help her recover from early menopause – and changed her life in the process

In early 2013, I was feeling at a very low ebb but put it down to the fact I had two small children. I had only just stopped breastfeeding and of course wasn’t getting much sleep! I had also been diagnosed with a Vitamin D deficiency.

In June, I discovered a pea-sized lump on my right breast. I had lost my mum eighteen months before to ovarian cancer and discovered that I carried the BRCA1 gene. Because of this, I was fast-tracked for an NHS mammogram which revealed I had a stage 1 grade 3 tumour.

In August, I underwent a double mastectomy, followed by six months of horrendous chemotherapy. I felt absolutely terrible and had no energy. I was still grieving my mum; my eldest child was starting school and I couldn’t even pick up my eighteen-month-old. On top of that, we moved to a new house – it really was a very bad time for our family.

Suffering terrible menopause symptoms

By Easter of the following year, I was starting to recover. My hair was growing back and I was able to do school runs again. But because of the BRCA1 gene, I opted to have an oopherectomy (removal of ovaries and fallopian tubes) which led to a medically-induced menopause at the age of 35.

With a natural menopause, your body has time to adjust during the peri menopause period. But I was straight into it, suffering with terrible symptoms – joint pain, complete exhaustion and night sweats. My GP had prescribed me an effective – but very brutal – anti-depressant to tackle these and for a time, the medication worked. But when I tried to wean myself off it, the symptoms returned worse than before. I couldn’t see a way out.

Around this time, my youngest son was suffering from a bad case of Molluscum and having had no joy with my GP, I started researching alternative medicine. This led me to Mary Ellis, a homeopath at a local college – The Southern College of Homeopathy. During the consultation with my son, Mary could see that I was struggling and gently suggested that she might be able to help me too. I made another appointment to see her on my own straight away.

My life has changed in so many ways

Mary prescribed several remedies and herbal tonics, as well as providing some excellent dietary and lifestyle advice. I noticed a gradual improvement from the outset and after six months, I was off the medication and symptom-free.

I was so impressed with the whole homeopathic approach that in 2019 – and with a bit of encouragement from Mary – I attended a weekend course with a view to becoming a homeopath myself. At the end of the weekend, I was hooked! I am now in my fourth and final year of learning and practising under supervision.

Having breast cancer and early menopause could have been an entirely negative experience. But those experiences have led to me where I am today so for that I am enormously grateful. My previous role as an Ofsted inspector feels a very long way off…!

For more information about The Southern School of Homeopathy, visit http://schhom.com/