Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Mary1962]

I know our hormones cause a lot of ups and downs in life (putting it mildly!) but since my periods have started to wane I don't think I've ever struggled so much emotionally or mentally.  I'm 51.  Life generally hasn't been its easiest the last 4 or so years but I've always thought of myself as someone who can steel herself and get through but I feel like I've run out of supply of the me that I used to know.  My coping ability seems to have gone AWOL.  I'm assuming the lovely fading oestrogen and progesterone when in good balance normally play some part in keeping us more chipper?  It's awful I just don't recognise this rather sad sack, not so optimistic person I seem to have become in the last year or so.  I put a brave face on but sometimes just don't know how to bounce back.  When the worst is past with the hormones, please tell me my spirits will revive?

[gladys]

I know how you feel I really do I am struggling to cope with the anxiety and feeling down as with you I have coped with things in the past a person who gets up and gets on with it but not as easy with menopause

[CLKD]

Hormones can cause depression, the ups and downs ……….

Anti-depressant medication can help the sufferer 'see the wood for the trees' and enables us to make informed choices about other medications etc..

[katem]

Hi Mary1962, I know exactly what you mean. I am almost 57 but still having periods. Started having depression and anxiety problems/issues approx five years ago. I have found this incredibly difficult to deal with because, as in your experience, its not me at all. I have always been an outgoing optomistic extrovert and loved life. Now I don,t and there are now occasions every month when I hate life or see no point in it at all. I have now recently gone onto HRT patches and so far so good, I feel a tiny bit of the old me has come back. I,m hoping this continues and even gets better and I hope it gets better for you also cos I know how awful it can be. Good luck  and take care xxx

[Kathleen]

Hello Mary 1962.

I'm another one that could have written your post, despite being on HRT.

A lady here reassured us all recently that we do recover when we make it to the other side, although she did say we emerge in a slightly changed form (smacks of Dr Who, but you get my drift).

You don't mention your age, meno "status" or whether you are on HRT but don't despair there is help available and you are not alone.

Take care and keep posting.

K.

BTW I am 57, post meno and currently using Evorel 75 patches and Utrogestan 100 vaginally. My meno problems started when my periods suddenly stopped four years ago but I soldiered on until  last year when I tried HRT in pill form and now patches. As I'm still having problems I've decided to give the 75 patch the full three months and then think about an increase to 100. I'll  keep the forum updated. 

[SueRoe]

Mary 1962 - This sounds very familiar. I stopped coping with life (making decisions, coping with pressure at work, finding the energy to do what I'd previously enjoyed) in my mid-forties (I'm now 52) and was put onto anti-depressants. I don't honestly know if they helped; if they did it wasn't much. I started HRT 5 months ago and began to feel better within a couple of weeks. This meant that I could get myself out of bed earlier and could be bothered making the effort to do things, ie I became a lot more like my old self. If you think your feelings are related to your age/hormones try and persuade your GP to let you try HRT before you go down the road of antidepressants. I feel I lost several years taking antidepressants when I should have been on HRT. Good luck. I'm sure your old self will reappear given the right treatment and support. x   

[bev567901]

I could have written your post too. It is oh so familiar. I was given an anti depressant & benzos & then this year I have started on HRT patches. I too hope we make it to the other side. We are the same age too, my symptoms started when my periods started to change at 50. It's hard to make a doctor understand the connection they just don't get it. So frustrating but so nice not to feel alone. B x

[caz24]

Hi

I am confused so would be v grateful if someone could clarify. Can you only take HRT after your periods have stopped completely? Probably a daft question!

I have been feeling really low, anti-social and suffering from anxiety.

Anyway as I felt so rubbish I looked around on this site and found some good advice on supplements. I have been taking Starflower Oil, B6, Calcium & Magnesium, Omega Fish Oils and Iron for good measure for about 4 weeks now and whilst I don't feel on top of the world I feel better than I did and definitely not as anxious. Just got to work on the anti-social bit now  x

[2cats]

Not a daft question carol24! You can take HRT whilst still having periods so if you feel you could benefit from it then go and ask your dr for some.  Many of us have tried the herbal route and though it definitely offers some relief, the HRT seems to have more impact.   Good luck,

[caz24]

Thanks 2cats for your reply and for clearing that confusion up for me  x

[CLKD]

No question on here is daft!  I remember well how I would cry the night before a bleed even if a period wasn't due, I only had to hear a piece of music and I would be off …….. for no apparent reason  I remember well the mood swings …………    HORMONES 

[bev567901]

Sparkle, Sorry it has taken me a while to repy (school holidays  )  I was not given the choice re AD or HRT. I tried for HRT with my GP for a year but just got slowly worse & had to go on an AD (Zoloft, lustral) as I was pretty poorly. I would like to think that had I started HRT sooner I would not have needed the AD. Chicken or egg. I think both have worked though but it is hard to say which has helped the most. It took me a year to find the right GP at my practice, she was there all along. I find it a travesty that so many ladies say the same thing but some are lucky & get the right person right at the start.
I hope your appt goes well tomorrow, one of my first peri signs was upset tummy followed swiftly by my first early period. Are you keeping a journal so you can try & make some sort of sense of some of the worst symptoms. I think it helps when you see a pattern & can finally say I am not going crazy it IS my hormones. B x