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[Noheroicsplease]

I've come to the conclusion that HRT doesn't do anything for me. Apart from wakeful sleeping and general fatigue, I never had any physical symptoms - mild night sweats, no hot flushes etc - even after a year without periods. My mood was bad, my emotions quick to turn, and I often felt sad/emotional

My reasons for going on mirena and oestrogel (now Evoret) were because of osteoporosis threat. I was only 46, turning 47 and my mum and sister have osteoporosis.

Roll on 18 months, and I honestly don't think that anything has changed. I still feel either irritable, angry or deeply emotional. I don't feel happy. And I feel sad that I don't feel happy because I have a good life, lots to feel thankful for.

I'm thinking of ditching HRT and turning to anti-deps.

I don't know why I'm posting, I've said this stuff before, I just suppose I feel in a circle with it all

[Dotty]

Anti depressants won't help you with osteoporosis so stay with hrt if you need osteoporosis protection. Maybe you need a higher dose of hrt.

[Daisydot]

Good advice from dotty I'd go back to gp and discuss options for trying another type of hrt.ive had three different ones before I found one ,the Oestrogel pump,that I was comfier with.good luck xx

[Noheroicsplease]

I don't feel I need a different HRT. I have had no physical symptoms to deal with. I don't think HRT is always particularly effective with emotional/mood stuff.

[pamb]

HRT may not be helping with emotional problems but it will be helping with bone health and other health issues that won't be noticeable on a day to day basis.

pamb x

[Dotty]

Why don't you stop taking it and see what happens? You might be surprised to find out what it is helping.

It is definitely helping your bones which is one of your main reasons for taking it.

Everyone is different and it comes down to personal choice.

[Daisydot]

The hrt will protect you with the osteoporosis issue and it just may lift your mood it's worth persevering with and alongside it if you want to try ADs then maybe discuss options with gp.good luck whichever way you decide to go xx

[Dancinggirl]

Noheriocsplease

You are worried about osteoporosis so I would stay with the Mirena and Oestrogel if I were you, for a few more years, to help your bones.
Many women find they need an AD/SSRI alongside HRT so why not simply try a low dose of AD to see if that helps. I assume you do exercise and Mindfulness to help with mood?
This stage in our lives can really ‘mess with our heads'. I find it so hard to hang onto any self confidence these days.
DG x

[Noheroicsplease]

Thanks all.

I do SO much exercise. I am really clued up and clear about food. I don't feel I can do much more for myself than I'm doing.

I think I might try some antideps.

x

[Taz2]

I don't feel I need a different HRT. I have had no physical symptoms to deal with. I don't think HRT is always particularly effective with emotional/mood stuff.

I've been on HRT for eleven years and though it's helped wonderfully with physical symptoms I've never found it helpful in terms of lifting my mood. Can't you stay on it for the bone protection and add in an AD for the depression/low mood?

Taz x

[sheila99]

I wouldn't write off HRT without speaking to your GP again or perhaps a meno clinic. I'm new to this as in peri & only been on HRT for 2.5 weeks but it has made a difference to me. I was fed up and tetchy, now more relaxed and less likely to over-react. Sleeping better though by no means perfect. Also permanently tired, now a bit better but not normal. You have many of the sypmtoms I have and HRT is improving them for me, so I would be wondering you'd benefit from a higher dose & also testosterone. It seems crazy to me they work on a 'suck it and see' approach rather than measuring levels and prescribing the dose based on this.

[dangermouse]

Isn't it that you only need to take oestrogen for your bones if you have an early menopause? Mid 40s isn't technically early, surely?

[Dancinggirl]

To be low on oestrogen from your mid 40s is not good for the bones and there is also a genetic element - so if close family have osteoporosis then HRT would be advisable. If the average age for menopause is early 50s then mid 40s is to soon, so 8-10 years without oestrogen would have an effect. It is known that 5 years of HRT in our 50s will protect the heart and bones for the long terms to hopefully in time they will find a way to deliver oestrogen to all women in their 50s without any risks.  DG x

[Mary G]

Noheroicsplease, it sounds like you are stuck in what I call the HRT halfway house.  Sometimes you can be free of basic menopause symptoms but still not firing on all cylinders which indicates low oestrogen.

I think you were originally on the right regime of Oestrogel with a Mirena coil but probably on the wrong dose of gel.  Getting the dose right is the key to success and as I've said on here so many times, if you have a Mirena coil, you need a high dose of oestrogen to counter the side effects from the coil which include constant low mood for some women. 

If you feel you are suffering with constant low mood and/or hormonal anxiety and depression, you need to consider increasing to 4 pumps of gel every day to override your own hormones - this condition needs specific, targetted treatment.  This is what gypsyroselee does so you might want to look at some of her posts - she also uses ADs and I believe she is doing very well but it took her a long time to get there. 

What dose of patch are you on?  When I used a 50mcg with a Mirena coil it was so ineffectual I might as well not have bothered using it at all.  I would switch back to Oestrogel because it will be easier to attain a high level of oestrogen.  I would also split the dose by about 12 hours to avoid dips.

If you try the high dose of oestrogen and it doesn't work out then you could look at other options but I would at least give it a try before giving up on HRT completely. 

[Noheroicsplease]

Hi all, thanks for your replies.

MaryG, you're prob right. I am in a halfway house. I'm def not firing on all cylinders.

I'm on 50cmg patch with mirena. I was on 2 pumps a day with ostrogel. I hate how big my boobs get with anymore than that, and I really didn't feel any different on 3 (tried it for 2 weeks) so I'm hugely reluctant to keep increasing it. I didn't like the feeling of a very high dosage.