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[KarineT]

Hi everyone,

Has the menopause changed the way think, feel and behave?

I have a tendency to think negatively more often and I get moments when I feel vulnerable, anxious and low.  I am going to start a CBT program to see if that can help with the negativity.

It would be great if you could share your experiences.

Thanks

Karine

[KarineT]

What stage are you at?

[KarineT]

Did you have these feelings in peri?  3 years postmeno and the body and mind haven't adjusted to this new level of hormones?

[KarineT]

So it looks like you've been affected in all three stages.  Let's hope that the fog will lift for you.  It cannot last forever.  The body has to adjust at some point.  So, psychologically, is it better in postmenopause than perimenopause?

[KarineT]

Have you got some health problems?  I've always felt stressed in the past, on and around my periods, but not as much as this as I'm going through the menopause. I don't have health issues that I know of.  I believe I've been peri since 2015/16 but, in May 2018, I had some  sort of health anxiety when I kept getting dizzy on an almost daily basis.  I thought there was something seriously wrong with me such as a cardiovascular disease or neurological disorder because of the frquent dizziness.  I had all sorts of tests done to rule out any medical conditions and they didn't find anything medically wrong with me.  The dizziness, which seems to have reduced,  was really scary at the time.

[Bring me Sunshine]

Hi Karine

I am 4 years into the menopause the peri stage was hell with anxiety and depression then 2 good years on the correct dose of hrt then hormnes dipped again in December and still cant find the balance again or me it is pure hell and I recently completed CBT from being a positive happy person who was everything CBT is about  before this menopause CBt did nothing its just words when its chemicals that are up the swanee.  It may work for you though.  Good Luck I hate the menopause post seems worst

[KarineT]

Hi Karine

I am 4 years into the menopause the peri stage was hell with anxiety and depression then 2 good years on the correct dose of hrt then hormnes dipped again in December and still cant find the balance again or me it is pure hell and I recently completed CBT from being a positive happy person who was everything CBT is about  before this menopause CBt did nothing its just words when its chemicals that are up the swanee.  It may work for you though.  Good Luck I hate the menopause post seems worst
[So, are you 4 years postmeno? I know some postmenopausal women who are fine fine .  That would be unfair on the rest of us if we are in a permanent state of anxiety and low mood.  I just can't imagine these symptoms last forever because we will have a pretty measurable life]

[KarineT]

So, are you 4 years postmeno? I know some postmenopausal women who are fine fine .  That would be unfair on the rest of us if we are in a permanent state of anxiety and low mood.  I just can't imagine these symptoms last forever because we will have a pretty measurable life.

[Bring me Sunshine]

No i reckon it all started for me when the mirena coil ran out about October 2016 I started getting anxiious and depressed around Jan 17 the dr just treated it as depression so went on numerous anti depressants rferred to a physchiatrist then had a blood test around middle of the year 2017 and I was told the reading for oestradiol was around 105 so I was post menopausal as I had had a mirena for the past 10 years I had not had periods so couldnt tell whether they had stopped naturally or not.  Hrt got me well toward the end of 2017 but I got terrible migraines from the tablets.  I changed to gel and sunk very low again until I got up to about 4 pumps I even quit a good job Id been there 28 years but didnt want to go sick again.  On 4 pumps I was well I even ran Menopause Cafes to help others and I stayed well until Dec 2019 when the hormones dipped again and despite a couple of weeks of well I am still looking for the right combination to get the oestrogen up again as I am obviously susceptible to fluctuations of hormones.  I live in hope it will get better cos I cant carry on like this its not living its existing and I know what well is. CBT did nothing for me I need oestrogen to be the right level. Its horrible I hate it and am always looking for answers looking for support paying specialists for answers...........its hard work!

[KarineT]

We will have a pretty miserable life if these horrible symptoms never stop.  As for HRT, it can only do so much and when you have to stop, maybe because your GP doesn't want to prescribe it to you anymore becsuse of health risks, what do you do?  I've read somewhere that symptoms do come back if you stop HRT. 

[Bring me Sunshine]

Karine

If I get the balance right again I am staying on hrt till the end of my days.  I was so adamant that I would never go on hrt as was terrified of breast cancer after losing my mam to it  in her early 50s back in the 1980s.  However I did all the research read everything on it and felt it was safe and if I hadnt gone on it in 2017 (as no anti depressant was touching the depression and anxiety) I may not have been here now to write this.  So I am a fan of it (when it works).

I have just heard back from Dr Heather Currie and she wants me to just stick with patches and not use gel as well as not so good if your levels fluctuate.  She has also suggested that I ditch the 2 evorel 50 patches(I had to go on 50s as couldnt get 100 estradot or 100 evorel with the covid situation) and said get on a 100 patch and possibly a 25 patch but not mix with gel.

Hope again another trial another 3 months.............................I will report back.  I promise there is light at the end of this im sure as  I found it half way through but I had a blip and it happens I didnt know.  Hey I thought menopause was the odd hot flush it would be fine like it is for the majority of women How wrong was I. 

[Baby]

O God yes it has totally changed how my brain thinks. My brain is someone elses. EVERYTHING I do is an effort. I used to get up and just do what I had to do that day. Now I overthink everything. It's a battle every day. I wake in the morning full of panic of how can I possibly face the day and do anything. I make a list the night before of things to do so I can try to focus on the day. I am lucky if I get a couple of decent days a week. I fight on praying my mood will lift. CBT does nothing to help with hormonal depression. We are logical woman we know ourselves and as a person myself who has always had anxiety I knew my triggers and could cope overall well. I never used to have panic attacks like I do now.  For example my daughter called round the other day unexpectedly and i had a full panic attack. For f ....s sake before meno i would have just been happy to see her. Luckily she is so understanding and supportive. I just pray this will end soon. The last eighteen months i have had someone elses brain.

[Bring me Sunshine]

I promise Baby if I get a breakthrough I will report back..............with what worked thinking of you and empthasising you are not alone.  I rang the samaritans in tears Sunday I just felt no one was helping me gps. meno clinic, mental health team (still waiting for an appt) and do you know what no one answered!! Good job I wasnt stood on Beachy head!!!

It will pass it has too!! Until then we will keep on keeping on xx

[KarineT]

I think it's because the brain has oestrogen receptors and  perhaps,  during the menopause it causes a chemical imbalance, explaining the way we feel during that time.  I believe that at some point, the body has to balance itself.

[Uptick]

I think oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone can influence the way we think. As you said, there are receptors for these hormones in the brain and they are certainly responsible for libido which is the psychic energy emanating from the id, the mass of primitive instincts and energy underlying all psychic activity. The unconscious mind is always in the background of the conscious mind.