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[SueRoe]

How do I tell if I'm depressed and need antidepressants or menopausal and need HRT? Life seems empty and so so difficult. Every day starts with a battle to find the energy to get washed and dressed and generally improves a bit during the afternoon/evening. I'm 53 and post-menopausal I think. I can't find the energy to do anything or go anywhere and this is having a huge effect on my lovely kind patient hubby who is full of beans and raring to enjoy this time of our lives. I had been feeling better so I stopped my HRT (made me itchy and knackered all the time) and felt goodish for a few weeks but now I don't see the point of all this. If this is it for the rest of my life I don't know if I can stand it - it seems like such a waste of life to do and be nothing. Any advice would be good - should I go back on the HRT and get so itchy that I can't sleep, or try St Johns Wort?

[rebelyell]

Oh dear, I do sympathise.  I have found anxiety a crippling issue lately [I am 55 and still on HRT, but need to stop taking it soon].   I have started CBT and am hoping that will help.  Have you thought about a talking therapy?

Personally I wouldn't go the ADs route yet as side effects can be a problem and they flatten your mood a bit, aswell as causing tiredness which sounds like something you don't need at the moment.

Good luck - somebody else will come along with advice soon. 

[Annie0710]

Freda, is it possible to try a different hrt? One that is maybe kinder to you ? Or have you trialled more than one already ?

Personally, and I'm not knocking ADs, as there is definitely a place for them for some types of depression, but if a condition is causing it I'd try sorting the condition first,

Annie xx

[SallyG]

Dear Freda. If you feel so low then please do go to the GP and try Ads. We are not doctors so do not rule it out on the strength of opinion when your feeling down. You do sound quite low so you need treatment for that. Have you gone to see a specialist in HRT? There are many different types. I have been on HRT for 6 months and found it very good.I am also on an anti depressant and it has helped with the menopause. Please don't give up on it.
Hugs
SallyG

[CLKD]

You are depressed.  Go to your GP and have a discussion.  8-12 months of an anti-depressant will ease symptoms.  I have to take a low maintenance dose of AD for Life otherwise I wouldn't get out of bed.

Anxiety is a different illness.  Again it can be managed with medication. 

When was your last period and how many months since your last bleed?  I think it's 18-24 months after a bleed when a lady is considered post-menopausal.  Peri is anytime from ?  to ? 

[SueRoe]

Thanks ladies. Last period that had nowt to do with HRT was December 2013. Nothing but spotting since then even in withdrawal from progesterone phase, and nowt at all for a year. I agree that ADs flatten mood and energy so not keen - that's why I wondered if St Johns Wort might help - I believe it's prescribed in Germany ahead of our commonly prescribed ADs with fewer side-effects. I'm not feeling more anxious than my normal naturally anxious/cautious nature makes me feel at the moment, just no motivation or energy. It seems such a waste to start each day with a groan when i've so much to look forward to and be grateful for. I don't like myself very much at the moment.

[Greenfields]

If you're drawn to using St John's Wort, why not consider contacting a herbalist and going for a proper consultation?  Then you can get treatment tailored to you - just a thought.

Or maybe try other modalities - I love acupuncture - it's helped me a lot.

Also massage - aromatherapy is nice (haven't had one of those in ages but essential oils have different properties as well).

Or increase your exercise.  I'm on a GP referral which means I get cheap exercise at the sports centre.  I've been going daily and its made an enormous difference - my GP didn't want to put on any more meds like ADs because I'm so sensitive to meds (am just on HRT at the moment).

There are lots of natural things to try - if you have the money then do it. And then if it doesn't work - go to the GP.

I've just completed a questionnaire for a nutritionist and am intending of having an appointment with her soon because I want to make sure my diet is tip top.

Good luck - whatever you do, don't ignore the symptoms though - I'm not a Dr but it does sound like depression - so do something about it - whatever you are drawn to.

[CLKD]

I have never found that ADs flatten mood or energy and I've been taking them since 1988!  Some have made me nauseous so I had to stop; 1 made me sluggish that was Prozac  ……. which my GP told me that "these are unlikely to have side-effects"    ……. however  !  Depression itself sapped me of energy, courage and I couldn't get out of bed.  I had to crawl down stairs to let my dog into the garden, I laid on the floor until she jumped back over me and I crawled back upstairs to bed  .  I never want to feel that ill again. 

There are lots of ADs on the market, there is absolutely no need to suffer.  Apparently some take 10-14 days to kick in, however, I had some which improved my feelings within 48 hours.  The longer the brain is depressed, the longer it takes the medication to begin to work and with some, it can be 3-4 months before the Sufferer begins to notice any difference!

At least have a chat with your GP! there is no need to suffer 

[Mary G]

Freda,

Sorry to hear you are feeling so low.  It might be worth consulting a menopause specialist.  It will cost money and I don't know how you are placed but if it helps it would be worth it and that way, you can find out if your problem is depression or a hormone deprivation problem.  I don't know what type of HRT you were taking but regarding the itching, I too had the problem of itching all over at night when I was on Angeliq (oral continuous combined) but I have to say that moving on to the estrogen gel has changed my life.  The specialist I see (I don't think I am allowed to name him) is brilliant and he very often recommends two to three pumps of estrogel per day and then 7 days of utrogestan 100mg (progesterone) - if you have had a hysterectomy you do not need the progesterone.  Apart from the wretched periods and as long as I don't take synthetic progestins, I feel exactly the same as I did when I was 30 even though I am nearly 54.  I really don't want to be overly persuasive but some medics believe that women are often prescribed ADs when they really need HRT. 

[Annie0710]

I caved in 3 years ago and accepted their ADs as they said it'd help IBS

They took away all my emotions, things that I would normally be empathic about left me numb, I even went to a child's funeral and didn't shed a tear, it was like anyone's problems weren't my concern even if I was close to them, nothing seemed to tug at my heartstrings, when I went to get a repeat they said I had to have a consultation first and couldn't book me in for a week, even though initially they said they shouldn't ever be stopped suddenly so I never bothered to book an appt and looked into other ways of treating IBS

I wouldn't rule out that I'd never take them again, but I would have to really weigh up the pros and cons before so

[Greenfields]

I have never found that ADs flatten mood or energy and I've been taking them since 1988!  Some have made me nauseous so I had to stop; 1 made me sluggish that was Prozac  ……. which my GP told me that these are unlikely to have side-effects  ……. however  !  Depression itself sapped me of energy, courage and I couldn't get out of bed.  I had to crawl down stairs to let my dog into the garden, I laid on the floor until she jumped back over me and I crawled back upstairs to bed  .  I never want to feel that ill again. 

There are lots of ADs on the market, there is absolutely no need to suffer.  Apparently some take 10-14 days to kick in, however, I had some which improved my feelings within 48 hours.  The longer the brain is depressed, the longer it takes the medication to begin to work and with some, it can be 3-4 months before the Sufferer begins to notice any difference!

At least have a chat with your GP! there is no need to suffer 

I think the effects of ADs vary so much according to the individual.  I've been talking to people about possibly taking Citalopram but have held off for now because I hear different stories from different folks - some are absolutely fine on it and others have all sorts of side effects.  The problem with these things is that you don't know until you take it.  If you're very sensitive to medications then you have a completely different experience from someone who has a more robust constitution to medications.  I've been told it takes 4 - 6 weeks for medications to kick in.  At the moment I'm sticking with daily exercise which I think is really helping but am playing it by ear in terms of whether I'll need more meds down the line to cope if I am able to move back to Canada.

[SueRoe]

Thank you for your replies. I've been on citalopram 20mg before and am v reluctant to go on it again. I know ADs are vital and life-changing for some women. I feel that I was prescribed ADs when my depression was hormone-related, as Mary G describes, and that I should have been given HRT 8 years ago. Maybe I wouldn't have lost all those years of life if I had been...it's something I feel quite bitter about now. I don't want to lose any more of my life to feeling like this so much of the time (sometimes I feel good for a few days but this always comes back which makes me feel it's hormonal and not another form of depression). This is so difficult to make sense of when things are so inconsistent.   

[CLKD]

There are 2 kinds of depression: organic and clinical/situational.  I have organic.  I get clinical too so it is vital that I continue with ADs.  I take Cipralex 5mg at night and morning.  If my brain gets low for more than 3-5 days I up the evening dose.

Depression should never be ignored.  Hormonal = organic.  Do have a chat with your GP, I lost 5 years of Life because I wouldn't accept that GPs wouldn't look into the reason for my depression - whether it is genetic for example. 

Anxiety is totally different for me.  Some ADs help both conditions.  It can be so tiring finding out what suits, can't it!

[Annie0710]

I've never heard of organic depression CLKD, not that I know much about it but I was told once that it's clinical or reactive , I was very low after a medical blunder that could've had terrible consequences and my GP said what I was feeling was the shock (reactive)

But that was many years ago

Annie xx

[CLKD]

clinical/reactive/situational is the same - many 'experts' don't recognise organic.  But hormones = organic  I also get depressed at World situations etc.;issues I can't alter i.e. reactive depression.

Having watched my family 'suffer' in various ways since a child