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[4meSons]

Is this normal during this stage of life feeling overwhelmed by simple everyday living ? Things that you shouldn't even need to give a second thought too or mundane tasks. Everything seems like a huge hurdle and if I have to leave the house you would think I was walking the green mile !!!
Can HRT help with this or is it a case of time or is it I'm just going mad ?
This forum is one of the things that gives me comfort and I cling to it when it's especially bad but don't know if that's a good or bad thing. A psychologist would probably say bad x

[Dancinggirl]

OH YES!!!  Feeling overwhelmed is definitely part of being menopausal. HRT can help a bit if it reduces flushes and helps sleep.  However, I also think that as we age, we naturally want a quieter less frantic life.  I never thought I would want to retire - I was always so busy with each day really filled.  NOW at 62, I just want a slower pace all round - I want things organised and less stressful with more relaxation time - a good nights sleep is a rarity for me and I gave up HRT because it wasn't suiting me so well any more ( used it on and off for 25 years) - better treatments are definitely needed.  I can now see why 60 was the retirement age for women and unless the NHS make more of an effort to treat and support women with menopause symptoms, I don't see how they can expect us to work till 66 or beyond.

You are quite normal.  If you are not sleeping well because of flushes etc. then HRT might help but it can't fix everything.  DG x

[CLKD]

Yep.  The Change can bring problems that we are totally un-prepared for!

 

[4meSons]

I am sleeping ok up to now this week but last week I was still awake at the dawn chorus!! The sweats are still really annoying and uncomfortable but it's like fighting your mind over every thing.  For example taking something like a shower. I need to psych myself up for it or it's a case of I will just do it tomorrow. It's just as Well I am signed off from work as some days I look like I've just been dug up.
And of course when you tell people your having a bad menopause they look at you like you have 2 heads and are talking rubbish as they just sailed through it with no help and wouldn't touch hrt. They don't believe menopause can cause psychological problems they've never heard of it so that makes me more paranoid that I am disturbed and my self doubt has me frantically reading and researching.

[CLKD]

what's wrong with listening to your body?  If you find showering too much to be bothered with ...... leave it until later.  Look after you.  This too will pass.

[Mary G]

4meSons, from what I can remember, we suffer with two similar problems, silent migraines and excessive sweating.  If you are on the right dose of oestrogen then you should be able to completely eradicate the sweating and at the very least significantly reduce the silent migraines if they are caused by low oestrogen and/or too much progesterone as they are in my case. 

Do you know what your migraine trigger is?  Did you start getting them once menopausal and just before a period?  Did you ever have silent migraines pre-menopause?

I know a lot of women get on well with standard forms of HRT but many do not and you could be one of them.  In which case, you need a more tailor made regime and very probably significantly higher levels of oestrogen to get relief.  The depression and despondency go hand in hand in low oestrogen levels and low mood associated with migraines - I have never had a silent migraine while feeling good overall.  I now use between 2 and 3 pumps of gel every day but when I tried to reduce the dose to 1 pump every day while trying to go for a long cycle, I felt my mood drop and my sense of wellbeing rapidly deteriorate - the sweating started to creep back too.
 
What type of HRT/dose are you currently using?

[4meSons]

Hi Mary g I had my first silent migraine aged 45 and I didn't have a clue what was happening, I thought I had a brain tumour. It was just prior to the start of my anxiety and periods changing. I would have to take ibuprofen and go in a dark room until It passed normally within half an hour. I never noticed if there was a pattern but once i started venlafaxine they stopped and rarely get one now. I tried back on the gel for a couple of weeks but have returned to evorel 50 and in desperation added another 25 last night. I've just started utro again but this time I am using it vaginaly for 12 nights.
I can't remember the last time I have had a sense of wellbeing or contentment. I hit the age of 45 and my life fell apart
CLKD your right I can always shower tomorrow it's not like I'm going anywhere x

[Mary G]

My silent migraines started aged 43 so very similar once again.  I'm glad the Venlafaxine is working for the silent migraines so at least you have more or less eliminated them.

I wonder if you are not absorbing enough oestrogen, particularly if you can't get rid of the sweating and you feel so low.  It would be a good idea to have a blood test to see what your level of oestrogen is, that way you will know for sure whether or not you are achieving good levels.  I didn't get anything like enough oestrogen from patches despite working my way up to 100mcg so perhaps that is what is happening to you.  What dose of gel were you using?  Could you try and increase the gel dose to 3 pumps to get a good dose into your system? 

How old are you and are you post menopause? 

[4meSons]

I am 48 and in peri hell. I tried 2 pumps and then 3 pumps and never felt any difference between them, plus I kept getting oestrodose. I'm waiting for an appointment for meno clinic and hoping they do a blood test as GP said they didn't do them. I could always ask her again seeing I'm due a blood test for my diabetes she can only say no ....again. I've been chewing with asking for the evorel 75 or sandrena

[Mary G]

4meSons, do you think you could be suffering from hormonal anxiety and depression?  If so, you might need to look at Professor Studd's preferred regime for that condition which is 4 pumps of Oestrogel (make sure it is the real deal) every day, testosterone and 100mg Utrogestan for 7 days each month.  Take a look at his website it you haven't done so already.  Many women with this condition also need to take ADs too but it is a very successful treatment regime. 

If you are perimenopause, it could be that you need to override your cycle and you can only do that with high doses of oestrogen.

I think it would be worth pushing for the oestrogen blood test.  If your levels are very low - I suspect they are because it doesn't sound like you are asborbing enough oestrogen - try going for the high dose of gel but you need to keep going with it for a few months in order for it to work. 

[CLKD]

Maybe ask your GP 4 the blood test as Mary G suggests, though hormones are notorious for being unreliable!

[4meSons]

I am going to ask about the blood test so when my referral comes through to meno clinic they will know what my levels are to work from.
I keep getting the snide gel so that's why I would prefer the patch or sandrena gel. I've read profs site and see he recommends patches of 100mcg so I wonder if that is an option to try while waiting for referral or is it too high a dose.? I would still take 12 days utro x

[Mary G]

100mg definitely isn't too high if you need to reach the 800s to suppress your cycle.   I hope you can get there with a patch, I didn't get anywhere near that level even with 100mcg.

[willotty]

I think you can see how normal it is by the fact that you have 12 replies, yes, but that nearly 370 people have read this thread. You are NOT going mad x

[4meSons]

There must be a lot of overwhelmed women out there !! That's scary but also reassuring
I have started to read my anxiety bible as I call it by claire weekes and im also going to listen to her audio as it helped me a lot the last time.
GP tomorrow x