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[onion relish]

Hi All,

I wrote a post on the New Members board asking for help before my GP visit - which ended up being a total waste of time (the visit, not the post).

Well, I thought I'd write here my experience of my visit to a psychiatrist the next day, as it is relevant.

I've had long-term mental health problems since being attacked and having a diagnosis of PTSD 20 years ago, seen quite a few GPs and CPNs over the years (some good, some bad).

I went on HRT last year for help with debilitating flushes (I have MS and don't do well with any form of heat). I went on Elleste Duet, which killed the flushes and made me feel wonderful the first month. Downhill all the way until March this year when I was so ill with anxiety I went back to my GP. She referred me and I saw him this week.

Fabulous! Seriously.

He was straight to the point, asked me why I was seeing him. I told him that I'd had a crisis in March and that I thought it might be strongly linked to the HRT. After being told by a GP the day before to start taking Elleste again as my patches weren't stopping the flushes, and then being told that hormones don't cause anxiety (by a FEMALE GP!), he calmly told me that, YES, our hormones will be the cause of powerful physical AND mental reactions and that he was seeing it more and more.

How great it felt to come away from a medical appointment not feeling like an idiot.

He's writing to my GP and neuro to ask them to look into finding something to help. Keep your fingers crossed for me, ladies.

I hope this post helps ladies feeling the same way as I was.

[MIS71MUM]

That's good news.  It's good to know at last hormonal changes are being recognised as causing anxiety and depression.

What will you do? Could you change to a HRT with a different progesterone maybe?  Maybe a kinder one than in the Elleste Duet?

Good luck.

[Roseneath]

Thanks for your story onion. It mirrors my own recent experience. I got put on Elleste Duet 10 weeks ago after a bout of Insommnia caused by a family rift. (I had no hot flushes, just periods of varying cycles). I didn't do much research into it aside from being told not to get the ' horse pee one'. I had no hormone checks done. I was in such a state to sleep I would have taken anything. First 4 weeks fine; slept well, gradually came off Nitrazapam sleeping tabs (also went on a great holiday which helped & took propananol). Last few weeks awful. Two very heavy periods in a month, cramps, headaches and the most terrible anxiety and brain fog. I feel nothing like myself; in a stressed paranoid daze. Was told to try and stay on it for 3 months as it may need this long but put a call in today to the GP and he said to come off it straight away. Am getting some bloods re-done on Thursday so it will be interesting to see if there is anything else causing this or if it was just the increased hormones. To the outside world I probably look OK but inside is in termoil. So glad I found this forum.

[MIS71MUM]

Norethisterine is the harshest of progesterones! The gynaecologists favour it because it stops the lining of womb building up. Elleste duet contains this progesterone.
I know you should try a HRT regime for 3 months, but if you are taking against the progesterone, then I think it's best to change now. Femostan has a kinder progesterone, so may you should ask your GP for this. Xxx

[CLKD]

Dr Kathleen Dalton did lots of research into PMT years ago - how those 10-14 days pre-period can alter a lady's personality etc..  Stands to reason that hormones control almost everything we do and if there is an upheaval then our bodies and brains will notice  .

Well done on seeing the Psychiatrist, will you get a follow-up?

[onion relish]

Thanks for all your replies. I'll start from the bottom up...

CKLD - I'm amazed not more research has been done. I think I'd happily bet that most crimes committed by women were done during PMS. I know I would go completely *wrong* due to PMS, not to mention suicidally depressed. I was put on Prozac after my PTSD diagnosis, which stopped PMS dead.

With hindsight, my first marriage failed due to my PMS. Not directly, but due to my ex's reaction. He'd mock me and goad me every single month. I swear he had more PMS than me. I'm now extremely happy that I finally divorced him. My current, lovely partner is wonderful. He recognises when I'm not myself (because I'm REALLY NOT), and takes any clumsiness/temper/out-of-sorts behaviour in his stride. No "on the rag" poking from him.

I don't think I'll have a follow-up as I'm no longer in the same place I was when I was referred (suicidal/agitated etc.). I will ask to see him again if my moods start to get bad again, though, as he was excellent. I'll also ask to see him if his advice to my GP and neuro gets ignored and they insist on me going back on Elleste - the reason my mood was so down to start with.

I have no idea why they'd do that as I'm clearly overweight and have high risk family associations with stroke/thrombosis. I repeatedly told the GP that, along with telling her I didn't want to take any more tablets than necessary (I take huge amounts for MS and pain), and asking for a referral to a meno clinic or gynae.

MIS71MUM - I was shocked at how heavy my periods were on Elleste. And I'm used to heavy periods. Thank you for your advice and I hope that others reading might get a bit of comfort knowing that their mood changes have a genuine reason that can be helped. I'm hoping to be prescribed something that will help without causing me mental problems. Kinder is a very appropriate description, and thanks for the good luck wish 

Ah, Roseneath. I feel your pain. You're lucky you're getting bloods done. I'm supposed to have regular blood tests for MS and the meds I take, but not been sent for nearly 2 years. I feel that if I complain, I'm being written off as *that hysterical woman* and in some way punished. I also have the problem that a lot of my brain fog and other symptoms are associated with MS. The fact that the flushes are new for me seems to mean nothing to them. Can I ask - your name? Are you in South Wales?

[Roseneath]

Nope. I'm in Scotland,not been to Wales for 40 years! I do keep thinking wouldn't it be funny if someone on the forum lived just round the corner.

[CLKD]

Lots of research has been done but lots of medics aren't aware of it.  Dr Kathleen represented ladies in Court who had been arrested due to having murdered someone, when their hormone history was charted it was usually severe PMT!  They were then charged with manslaughter.