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[Greenfields]

As I've mentioned on this board recently, I am feeling sooooooo much better!  It's lovely to feel this way (11 days now) - and although I've had a few upset bowels, it hasn't impacted my emotional state - the dreadful anxiety I used to get is not around.

However, it occurred to me last night that I will have to stop taking the Utrogestan 100mg in a couple of weeks for my first scheduled "bleed/period."  As the Utrogestan is progesterone and progesterone is the hormone which reduces anxiety, I'm now wondering how I will be when I've just got my Evorel 50 patch on me and am taking the break from Utrogestan?

Has anyone any experience with this?  Just wondering whether I will be okay or whether all the awful anxiety and panic I experienced in March will come back? (being forewarned would be helpful!).  I'm hoping that my body will get used to the break so that if the first "period" is horrible, subsequent one's won't be so bad - but that may be an incorrect assumption?

Any information/experiences (good or bad) appreciated.

[GypsyRoseLee]

I only take 200mg of Utrogestan on days 15-26. Unfortunately my mood did dip considerably a few days after I stopped taking the Utro, on the same day my withdrael bleed started. I felt really crap again. Very low and anxious. Insomnia came back too. It only lasted for 6 days but it was really horrible.

Then the oestrogens started to kick back in, and I have felt great for the last 9 straight days. It's been lovely.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that hopefully my mood won't dip so severely this second time because the oestrogen will have had longer to provide a better buffer this month.

[pepperminty]

Hi ,
As GRL, I experienced a major dip after I finished the progesterone phase and went onto the new packet starting the oestrogen only phase . I started my period 4 days into the next cycle and felt dreadful . Eventually after many posts and a fruitless chat with a useless GP, I was told it was common and that because it happened then in my cycle I was suffering from PMT. I felt out of control and ill for 3 days , but gradually my mood improved after that. As GRL , I am hoping that it wont be so bad this time when I start my new pack . Oh the anticipation. If it doesn't improve along with the other symptoms, I will look into increasing my oestrogen maybe. You may not feel bad , but don't worry if you do , it will pass.

Pmintyxx

[Hurdity]

Hi Greenfields

Progesterone is not the hormone which reduces anxiety - except that it is a sedative and causes tiredness. Some women seem to like this sedative effect - but it dulls the sensations and perhaps acts like a sleeping tablet because the dose is so high (it needs to be because it is broken down quickly and a sufficient dose needs to be maintained in order to protect the uterus). The hormone most responsible for positive mood is oestrogen which rises a few days after your bleed starts (in a normal cycle) - when women begin to feel confident, positive happy etc. Replicating this with HRT can be tricky during peri-menopause especially.

It is normal to feel a couple of days of irritability, headache or other symptoms following progesterone withdrawal and as pepperminty says this is part of normal pmt - it is a physiological response. Once the progesterone has gone from the system and oestrogen starts to rise as GypsyRoseLee says, you should feel better again.

No-one ever expects periods to be fun, but just hope that the rest of the time you generally feel better on HRT than off it - that is what we all aim for.

If your oestrogen is sufficient then you shouldn't experience panic and anxiety - however because your own cycle will still be fluctuating (in peri-menopause) some of the mood changes are unpredictable. With HRT you have a constant dose of oestrogen (added to your own) which should prevent the worst dips of anxiety and low mood (due to oestrogen crashes) - but in peri-menopause this can be unpredictable.

Do try not to worry and anticipate that you are going to feel bad - actually you are on a low dose of progesterone - only 100 mg so the effect will be far less marked than those on 200 mg anyway! Heavens - in any case it is two weeks away - concentrate on feeling well today and not what you might feel like then!!

Hurdity x

[Greenfields]

Thank you for all these kind replies - and the information you posted Hurdity - I'm still trying to get my ahead around the impact of these different hormones!

It's nice to be forewarned though - I will stock up on food and books from the library so that if I'm not able to do much, I will have the resources I need at home.

Since I last posted, I actually woke up today not feeling too good - it took me by surprise given how well I've felt the last week or so. I woke up with free floating anxiety and a very dry mouth.  I lay in bed and practiced loving kindness meditation and focusing on my breath and eventually after quite some time, the anxiety diminished enough for me to get up.  But it was so weird to experience.

The rest of the morning I had no energy so I just did a body scan meditation and then did more loving kindness meditation in bed. I also felt nauseaus but made myself eat breakfast.

Now it's 1pm and I'm in the library and not feeling too bad.

The challenge also for me is trying to figure out what symptoms are arising from the HRT and what symptoms are arising from my nervous system having had a breakdown.  I know I was quite upset and scared at the election result yesterday in terms of the long term impact it might have on me if I don't get better, run out of savings and am reliant on benefits - so I don't know whether that also factored into how I felt this morning.

I really appreciate all the kindness and help on this board - it means a huge amount. xxx

[pepperminty]

Hi GF,

The challenge also for me is trying to figure out what symptoms are arising from the HRT and what symptoms are arising from my nervous system having had a breakdown

I don't think you can distinguish the too as they are probably interlinked . I got  "off" days before HRT , so it maybe just one of those things .

Pmintyxx