Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[joeline]

Hello, I have only just discovered this forum and it is such a relief to read people's stories! To cut a long story short I had blood test results back on Monday which confirmed that my oestrogen levels are very low and I'm peri. I saw someone privately and have been prescribed estrogel, testim and provera. My least manageable symptom is crippling anxiety, which comes and goes. Anyway, my euphoria at discovering that there might be a hormonal cause and not just my own insanity has now given way to nervousness that the hormones won't be the answer. I would love to hear from anyone who has had success with these hormones, especially with anxiety, and how long they took to help. PLEASE only good news stories as I need to feel optimistic about this! Incidentally I saw Mike Savvas, and he was great (although NOT cheap, as everyone knows!). Thank you so much! x

[Hurdity]

Hi joeline

 

One thing I would ask is what have your periods been doing -as this is the most reliable guide to peri-menopause combined with symptoms especially if you are over 50 - blood tests are unnecessary (except if you have no womb - but I presume you have as you've been prescribed provera - unless you have womb but no ovaries?).

I have pretty much only ever used bioidentical = body identicial hormones for HRT and have been using Estradot (oestrogen) patches for 11 years almost. The progestogen you have been prescribed is not bio-identical by the way - it is one of the synthetic ones, but some women tolerate it beter than Provera and for high doses of oestrogen it might do the job better without having to take very  high doses of progesterone which is what I use - marketed as utrogestan in this country. For testosterone I use Testogel which is the same strength as Testim - just different fillers but does the same job.

What doses have you been prescribed of each and duration per month?

Sounds like you will benefit from giving it a go if your have symptoms that are troubling you - and I do hope the regime works for you In the meantime have a good read of all the threads - there are lots of gel users on here as well as Testosterone users (sounds like we are drug addicts doesn't it ).

Also read the blog about self-help CBT - to avoid medicating anxiety (hormones don't count as medication in the same way - as these are what it says - hormone replacement). https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/daisyblog.php

Hurdity x

[joeline]

Many thanks for your response Hurdity. I am only 43, but my mum had her menopause at 44 and my grandmother even younger. As for my periods, it's a bit hard to know what they're up to as I had the coil and they basically stopped (I had it out 3 weeks ago). Before that they were very heavy and long. I've been prescribed 5mg of Provera for first 7 days of each month, 3 pumps of estrogel and an 8th of a tube of 5mg of testim every day.

My anxiety symptoms all started in July and I am currently taking 30mg citalopram for that but just not getting better.  One good week, one bad week, few good days, few bad days etc. It never occurred to me it was hormone related until I started doing some research online and then Savvas told me that my oestrogen was very low.

Thanks, here's hoping I get a good result from the BHRT! Thanks again x

[aspie65]

I never thought my anxiety was hormonal either and ended up on escitalopram.  It did help somewhat but not when the peri got going.  Being on HRT definitely helps me a lot.  Although I have to say that I still needed pregabalin, which is very good for anxiety, in addition to the HRT to feel completely well but that is just me. 

[Mary G]

joeline, I've heard really great things about Dr. Mike Savvas although I have never met him myself - I believe he works at Professor Studd's clinic sometimes.  I was prescribed a similar HRT regime to yourself (Utrogestan instead of Provera) and it is definitely the best regime so far.  I think you have got off to the best possible start and would be surprised if you don't see a very significant improvement very quickly.  Dr. Savvas is an expert on hormonal anxiety and depression and he has prescribed what is believed to be the best HRT regime for women who suffer from it. 

A member called GypsyRoseLee who used to suffer from hormonal anxiety and depression has had great success with it and you might want to check out some of her posts.  It took her a while to get there but she is doing very well now.

Please let us know how you get on. 

[joeline]

Thank you so much for your responses! They really do cheer me up. I feel like I was such an innocent about the menopause - I had absolutely no idea about it and I've been stunned in what I've learned in the last few days.

aspie65 I don't know anything about pregalbin, is it an SSRI? My anxiety manifests purely physically, rather than mental symptoms (which is why CBT hasn't necessarily helped me).

I will check out the posts you suggest too. And let you know how I get on. Thanks again. J x

[4meSons]

Pregablin is used for nerve pain, epilepsy as well as GAD and is now seen as the new valium. My anxiety started as physical but the worry over why I was anxious made it mental. I didn't know there was a connection  between anxiety and menopause and just discovered this recently.

[aspie65]

Pregabalin is not an SSRI and it is safe for long term use, with no build up of tolerance.  I have found it life changing for this period in my life as the anxiety was the main problem for me and it became completely intolerable.  I take just 75mg at night (you can safely take up to 600mg a day) and 25 in the mornings as and when I need it.  I had previously tried diazepam and beta blockers but didn't find either really did the job.  It is certainly worth considering joeline.

[joeline]

Thank you. I may speak to my doctor about it. I think I'll give the BHRT a few weeks and then see how I feel first before adding another med. So much patience is needed for this experience isn't it?

[aspie65]

It certainly is.  I am currently trying to adapt to oestrogel/utrogestan after several happy years on Prempak that is no longer made.  I can't get the dosage right and I am struggling day to day.

[racjen]

I know exactly what you mean about the anxiety being physical and not mental, not based on worries or triggers. I do get a sense of dread and impending doom along with it, but again it's not triggered by anything. I've been struggling for months with this, have been on a very high dose of estrogen, but bear in mind that low testosterone is also very implicated in anxiety problems. You need to get your estrogen level up significantly before you try testosterone, as all the body will do is convert it to estrogen anyway until it has enough of that. I tried it months ago when my estrogen level was on the floor, and it didn't help. But now my estrogen level is over 1000 pmol I'm giving it another try and I have to say, very very tentatively because I desperately don't want to tempt fate, that after nearly a week my anxiety is definitely lessening, my mood has improved and sexually, well let's not even go there.....