Amanda Lewis was told at the age of 11 that she had gone through menopause and would not be able to have children in later life.
She first noticed the signs when she started to gain weight, her periods stopped and she couldn’t stop crying. After cseeking medical advice, doctors told her she was going through menopause, and from there her life changed.
Speaking to The Sun, she said:
“From the day I was told I was going through the menopause, I grew up quickly. I’d started my periods when I was ten but I hadn’t had any since I was 11.
I’d gone up five dress sizes — going from confident and bubbly to overweight and depressed.
When I was diagnosed at 13, the doctor said, ‘When you want to have a family you won’t be able to’. They sent me leaflets about the menopause, with old ladies all over the front.
It was heartbreaking. I felt quite bleak about the future. I tried to put on a front but about once a year I would break down and cry.”
But now, nearly 17 years later, she is delighted to be pregnant. She and partner Tom decided to undergo IVF using a donor egg. Thankfully, it was a success and the couple are now 13 weeks pregnant.
“From our first appointment to a positive pregnancy test was just three months. It’s been a rollercoaster and I’ve kept videos of our journey on my YouTube channel Amanda Dawn,” Amanda said.
Amanda is keen to share her story to help others who find themselves in similar situations.
You can follow her journey on YouTube.
