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[AnnaCupcake]

I've already posted on a couple of threads but I thought I'd come and introduce myself.  My name is Anna.  I'm 47 and post meno.

My meno happened very suddenly when my brother was killed in a glider accident last August.  Initially, my symptoms were put down to shock and grief.  As I had a Mirena I wasn't having periods anyway.  I've been completely crippled with anxiety.  I was off work for weeks because I couldn't function.  I was having terrible dreams which I put down to the shock and night sweats which I put down to the dreams.

I'm currently Mirena + Femseven 75 but having great deal of difficultly getting the ruddy things to stay one.  My husband is threatening me with gaffer tape!

[CLKD]

Sorry about your brother, how awful.  No wonder you have had symptoms so suddenly, shock can cause our bodies to do all kinds of things!   

Is your husband threatening to put the gaffa tape on the patches or are you muttering so loudly that he's    - your sense of humour will fit right in.

Anxiety cripples me when it hits.  My GP prescribed Propranolol, 40mg - a beta-blocka that stops anxiety surges.  For emergencies when the anxiety floors me I have a to-be-used-as-necessary pill.  Has your GP offered anything to help?

Browse round.  Make notes!  Join in ………. 

[AnnaCupcake]

I've begged and begged but my asthma makes it a no no.  He will only consider it as absolutely the last resort.

[Tinkerbell]

Welcome Anna, sorry to hear about your brother, very difficult to come to terms with.
I have a Mirena, but my patch is Estradot and they stick so well they are sometimes painful to remove
Can you ask to change if you are having sticking problems?
Have you been offered any bereavement counselling?

[AnnaCupcake]

I am having counseling.  My GP referred me for therapy when we thought I was going crackers before we twigged I was menopausal!  Life hasn't been very easy and I've suffered from depression since my father died when I was a child so he left the referral in place.  Our local mental health trust thought I needed full therapy regardless of my hormones.

Often it is rather difficult to pull the strands apart on what's meno/hormone and what is depression.

[dazned]

 

How awful about your brother so sorry for you and your family. Grief can manifest itself in numerous physical symptoms so you probably have a mixture of issues going on. Keep up the counseling and get more if you can, when there is a sudden death it really hits hard,I know from personal experience,it took me years to truely come to terms with it so dont under estimate its power to throw up these physicality. Take care.

[coldethyl]

Sorry to hear about your brother. No wonder you were catapulted into menopausal turmoil. It is hard to separate what is menopausal upheaval from other psychological trauma but hopefully with your HRT and counselling , you're attacking it from all angles. Xx

[CLKD]

What would your GP consider to be 'the last resort'  .  Maybe talk to a Pharmacist about what is available.  In the meantime, try some 'rescue remedy' which you can talk to the Chemist about as it is sold in most.  I use the mouth spray, found it helpful yesterday when I was on the verge of panic attacks.  Even if it *is* the placebo effect, when it works it helps!

After all, you won't be taking an emergency med often, i.e. Valium.  I take something else but the name escapes me  : begins with an 'L' …….

CRUSE have a good bereavement service.  Run by people who have been through it.  MIND Charity have walk-in service in some areas too.

[Mary G]

AnnaCupcake, welcome to MM.

Sorry to hear about your brother, my brother died suddenly and unexpected aged 55 in 2014 so I know how you feel, it is a terrible shock and takes a long time to come to terms with.

Why not try the Oestrogel, I think it works better than the patches and it is flexible meaning you can adjust the dose to suit your needs.

[Dancinggirl]

I agree with Mary G - Oestrogel would be a far better option for you.  If you have a Mirena and it's still under 4 years old, then you don't need any extra progesterone and I think you have been given a patch that has both oestrogen and progesterone? If it is Femseven (have a look at the leaflet - do some of the patches contain both oestrogen and progesterone)  -  this would give you too much progesterone and this won't help your anxiety and low mood.  DG x