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[Miabella]

Hi everyone,
Feeling nervous as I haven't posted on a forum before but here goes.
I am 57 next month and had my last period about a year ago. I started having bad anxiety last autumn, but as I was very worried about a family member I thought that was what was causing it. I was already taking Citalopram (prescribed 20mg but I generally only took 5 or 10mg) saw a doctor a couple of times and he said to go back up to 20mg and also prescribed Propranolol (which I don't feel has much effect as I don't get palpitations more of a tight feeling in my heart area). I really thought that once the person I was worrying about was ok my anxiety would go but that didn't happen, I feel at times it's worse, and a few months ago I started to wonder if the menopause was my problem. I don't get hot flushes but I get night sweats. I have had anxiety a few times in my life including very badly after one of my children was born and antidepressants seemed to work for me.
Anyway I finally had a proper conversation with a different (female) doctor 3 weeks ago and she suggested that I increase my Citalopram to 30mg and come back in 3 weeks as by that time it should be obvious if the higher dose is helping. My 3 weeks are up and I don't feel any better - these last few days have been especially awful, and I go back to the doctor tomorrow. I imagine she will want to change my antidepressant and we also talked about HRT, but if she suggests trying 2 new meds at the same time I think that might be too much? Not helped by the fact we are going on holiday next week for 2 weeks so I couldn't see the doctor if the new meds aren't going well.
Just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience to mine, and if it's more common to have anxiety during menopause if you have suffered from it before.

[jillydoll]

Hi Miabella.
Welcome to the forum. Hope you find all your answers, the ladies are very knowledgeable.
If I were you, I'd go onto hrt, as long as there are no medical problems, that you can't.
I started femoston conti, I'm post meno too, and it's the best thing I've done, my low mood
as gone, anxiety has gone, it just makes things better, it doesn't cure everything, but it does
give you back your life, and quality of life is so much better than struggling.
I too suffered anxiety earlier in my life, I was looking after my parents, and thought it was stress
to do with that, looking back , I must have been perimenopausal. Although, the stress from looking
after them contributed to it as well.
As for your anxiety going after you stopped looking after the person , we'll, it doesn't work like that.
Especially if you've got very low oestrogen.
Why not try femoston conti,? It's one of the most gentle ones , it was only a few days that I noticed
I'd started to feel better on it.

Good luck , keep us posted....

Jd x
Oh, and happy birthday for next month.......

[Dotty]

Hi I would definitely try HRT as NICE guidelines state that antidepressants should not be used as first line treatment for menopause.

[Nediachick]

Hi Miabella,
This my first time on this forum too.
Your experiences sound very similar to mine - depression, anxiety, sweats, etc., along with a bucketful of other symptoms 😨....but it's taken me years of doing my own research to realise what was actually going on.
My GP was of no help, also prescribing me with anti depressants (which just made me feel worse).  So after almost seven years of suffering and unsuccessful trips to the GP surgery, I finally decided to book myself in to a private menopause clinic.  I stopped taking the anti depressants as I wanted to clear my system out so that if she prescribed HRT, I wanted to make sure no other meds would interfere with it.
She has put me on a course of HRT patches, which I've started today.
Your GP sounds as if she'd try you on HRT (unlike mine), so in my opinion, if there are no health reasons why you shouldn't go on it, I would definitely give it a try. 
From my own experiences, anti depressants really didn't work for me (they might work for some people, everyone's different).  Perhaps wean yourself off of the AD so that your system is clear, and try a course of HRT.
Would love to know how you're getting on in the future.  Hope all goes well xx

[Miabella]

Thanks for your replies and advice. Will see what doctor has to say tomorrow. Maybe it's time to give HRT a try....

[CLKD]

  both.  H[ormone]R[eplacement]T[herapy] - may well help ease symptoms.  It can be Trial and Error finding something that suits so browse round. Make notes.  Decide which symptom you would like to ease first.

Again - GPs not having a clue as to symptoms, age group, what else might be the causation .......

[Miabella]

Update. Saw doctor yesterday and we agreed that as I go on holiday next week, it isn't the best time to change my medication, so I will continue on 30mg Citalopram and see her again on my return. If I am no better we will try something else then. She gave me some emergency Diazopam, which I have never taken, but it's good to know I have them if I have a really bad day. I am also trying other tips I read here - taking Propranolol before bed and eating as soon as I get up - have to force it down but it's worth it if it helps.
Thanks again for being here everyone