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[Nina1204]

I'm going back to the Dr today. I've been spotting for 8 days with all the accompanying cramps etc. I've been using Elleste Duet Conti for almost four weeks and although the flushes have stopped and I'm sleeping better my anxiety levels, irritability, and anger are through the roof. My concentration is non-existent and my tolerance level, well it seems that tolerance and patience are a thing of distant memory. I was going to say that the only time I feel anywhere near normal is when I'm with my husband but even that isn't strictly true because half the time I'm feeling anxious.

Right now I'm fluctuating between wanting to cry, throwing something and punching the cr@p out of something. (The second something can be substituted for someone). I'm just pi$$ed off ALL the time. I'm sitting at my desk at work, I've been here for an hour and a half and I've managed about five minutes full on work. I'm angry at my computer, how pathetic is that?? The display settings have gone awry and I've got a black boarder either side of my screen, that's winding me up a treat! This is how unreasonable I am at the moment. I'm just so annoyed. I want to tell my boss to ram his job where the sun don't shine, that would undoubtedly be a bit of a mistake and I'm quite pleased he's out of the office this week.

The assignment that I have to submit by Thursday isn't getting done because I just can't focus. I feel like giving up and that's not who I am. I fight until I drop then I get back up and fight some more but my will to fight has just deserted me.

Oh well, no choice really but to give myself a shake and try to face the rest of the day.
Thanks for listening x
Nina

[Dancinggirl]

Nina1204

Firstly - going straight onto a conti HRT isn't the best idea. Starting on a sequi HRT first is best to see if a progesterone suits you.
Secondly - Elleste has a progesterone that often gives PMT type symptoms - there are kinder progesterones.
Thirdly - you will get erratic and break through bleeding with any conti HRT for up to 6 months.

My suggestions: Look under TREATMENTS on this site to get clued up on the different HRTs available. Many women find they cannot tolerate using progesterone all the time, as is necessary in any conti HRT - even well into post meno, they put up with monthly bleeds as this is a often the best compromise.  It will be a trial and error approach before you find something that suits you.  If you want to stick with pills, then Femoston is a good one but try a sequential version first (Femoston 1/10) to see if the progesterone stage suits you - if it does, you can then switch to the conti version.
Many prefer the transdermal route with oestrogen patches or Oestrogel and then have progesterone as either Provera or Utrogestan alongside as pills for 10-12 days each month. You could also consider having a Mirena fitted - this works really well for many women as you can then use as little or as much oestrogen as you need.

I'm afraid anxiety, irritability and low mood are all part of, not just, menopause but also ‘getting older'. HRT can help by reducing meno symptoms that prevent quality sleep etc. but we do need to be kind to ourselves, eat sensibly, get enough good exercise and learn to relax more. 
IT's a range of strategies that help us find the balance - HRT is just one of the strategies.  DG x

[Daisydot]

Hi Nina I feel so sorry to hear how your feeling there will be other ladies with more experience than me along to give you expert advice meantime why don't you download a meditation app there's lots out there calm or headspace are excellent and honestly do help.i have a Fitbit watch I got as gift from my sister and sometimes like you my heads racing so I do the meditation app and my watch shows me after only 2 minutes how my heart rate comes down from 88 to 64 it really does help calm you.good luck Nina xx

[Nina1204]

Thank you for your responses.

I'll look into your suggestions but I don't think HRT is for me. I could cope with the flushes, it's the irritability and crying that get me.

[Dotty]

I've been told I've got to give it 3 months.  All of what you are experiencing could be the menopausal symptoms breaking through because the HRT isn't working full yet.  i sympathise with you.  It's very hard.

[Hurdity]

Hi there Nina - please don't despair! Great response from Dancinggirl and Daisy dot and just want to emphasise that your feelings and symptoms are most likely to do with taking continuous combined HRT and one which contains norethisterone! If you are post-menopausal then HRT should not make you irritable nor lead to crying m- with the right dose of the right type.

Please please try another one - ideally separate patch and progesterone if you can but sequentially as Dancinggirl suggests - but you would have to have a withdrawal bleed ( as I do in my 60's) - a small price to pay for feeling well most of the time.

I  would like to put a different view on mood - I don't agree that it is part and parcel of getting older - but yes we need to make sure our lifestyle, diet are optimal and reduce stress. The right HRT can prevent low mood - if there is no reason for you to be this way ( ie life events). I have been taking HRT for 10 years - and rarely cry, do not get irritbale ( I'm fairly calm unlike when I was menstruating!), and do not suffer mow mood and I'm in my 60's I dod take HRT on a long cycle ( with supervision of my doc) so have 6 week or nearly that much on oestrogen only.

Don't give up yet and hoping you will find something to suit you and feel better soon. Rememebr post-menopause is for ever!

Sorry this is written a bit of a hurry - got to go out

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

B4 a period I would be EVIL .......... things that I coped with in the weeks prior to the build up would suddenly cause me to FLARE. Once the bleed began my mood would settle.  HORMONES