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[Angel1964]

Hi Ladies, been on Femseven Conti patches 12 weeks now. I have a few good days of no anxiety, then it hits me hard for a few days. Anyone found that HRT Conti made their anxiety worse?  Unsure whether to remove patch.  Only other things I take are Menopace Plus, and just started last week extra Vitamin D low dose and Magnesium Oil Spray.  Any advice would be great

[ali 61]

Hi Angel,
I've just started Evorel Conti patches.

I have in the past had anxiety...but I cant say that the patches have made it any worse. I think it just "happens" now and again, but not necessarily down to the HRT.

I had never meditated before...but I have found "The anxiety guy" on youtube, and some of his calming voice videos really help if I do have anxiety. (They also help at nightime to give me a bit more sleep) xx

[Angel1964]

Hi Ali, I listen to the anxiety guy. He is very good I don't have any other symptoms now apart from anxiety really.  I think I will persevere for at least 3 months and see how it goes, as I don't know how long it takes our bodies to adjust to the hormones. Just get fed up with it when it comes back after a few days of good.

[jillydoll]

Hi Angel1964
I found that when I upped my dose of femoston my anxiety got a little worse.
I also had chest pains, which went when I lowered it again.
So my conclusion was, that I needed more oestrogen but not so much progesterone.
I've now introduced a separate eostragel to my mix, which is fine at the mo, as I'm still on the femoston so get my progesterone from that. So it must have been too much progesterone for my body to handle.
I had to stop femseven patches due to horrible migraines. Plus, my anxiety didn't improve much either on them.

[Angel1964]

Hi Jilldoll, I have read that both oestrogens and progesterones can increase anxiety. It all gets so confusing for me.  My doc said I can only be on Femseven Conti patches as nothing else available. I won't take tablet form.  Will see how it goes and thank you for your advice. X

[Hurdity]

Hi Angel1964

Some women find that the continuous progestogens lead to continuous low grade progestogenic  PMS-like side effects eg headaches, irritability, fatigue, depression, bloating and all sorts so your continued anxiety could be down to this. Have you though of going on a cyclical HRT so that you have weeks of oestrogen only and then 2 weeks of combi patches followed by a withdrawal bleed. If you changed to Femseven sequi you would be able to tell if you felt very different on the two different types of patches. The doc is wrong also about there being nothing else available -  what rubbish!!!! There are Evorel sequi/conti patches and also oestrogen patches or gel with separate progestogens (Utrogestan or Provera) although the prog is taken orally. There is also the Mirena coil which delivers most of the prog directly to the uterus. All the different types are listed on the Treatement menu ( HRT preparations). Femseven is not a high dose of oestrogen and if you are post-menopausal it is very doubtful that the oestrogen will be causing anxiety. Apparently some women report feeling jittery on very high doses but 50 mcg is medium dose!

Hope you feel better soon and managed to sort out a regime that works for you.

Hurdity x

[Angel1964]

Thanks Hurdity.  I do wish our GPs were more knowledgeable in menopause.  I have today started a slight pinkish bleed and have quite bad period pain, like I used to.  I have not had a period for over 3 years, so this is worrying me now.  My patch yesterday was a bit curled up, but this has happened before and I have not bled.  Maybe it is the patch starting to work after 13 patches, who knows??   I cannot deal with having a bleed after all this time.  So confused.com to say the least lol xx

[jillydoll]

Since I've been on Sandrena gel, 1mg, plus 1.1/2mg femoston conti,
my anxiety, and that horrible breathing thingy I had has completely gone....
(The breathing thingy was, different to my anxiety, as if my lungs wouldn't fill up properly,
I even questioned if I was suffering from asthma...) so I'm sure it must have been lack of oestrogen. There has to be a connection there somewhere.

I did double the dose of the femoston, but when I did I suffered side effects, which were just as bad as not taking hrt in the first place.
So the Sandrena gel, has really helped me. It's the extra progesterone I can't handle..

[Hurdity]

Some bleeding or spotting is to be expected in the first 6 months of using a continuous combined HRT. If you are 3 years post-menopause ( ie haven't had a natural period for 3 years and weren't on mini-pill or Mirena before that) then your womb lining had probably thinned right down so starting the HRT is stimulating it again -  unless you are worried and the bleed is heavy then give it another 3 months and if it doesn't settle then have a word with your doc. Probably the best post-menopausal regime would be the Mirena because once you've stopped ovulating it will stop any bleeding even with added oestrogen. It has the same progestogen in as Femseven so if you can cope with that then it might just be the thing for you?

Hurdity x