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[Kathleen]

Hello ladies.

I have noticed something about my mood swings and wondered if it resonates with anyone else?

My mood changes seem to follow a pattern where I can feel calm and optimistic for a time but these episodes are  followed by a drop in mood along with a pang of anxiety or some tearfulness. I swear that I can feel the mood chemicals changing in my brain!   

Not surprisingly I enjoy the 'ups' and I am very disappointed by the 'downs'. My trusty meno book talks about the emotional symptoms of the menopause and says 'mood swings from elation to despondency are common'.  Do any of you ladies have  similar experiences?  If so, how do you cope with being on an emotional roller-coaster?

I realise that I have complained about this before but I would welcome any comments  or tips as I find this aspect of the menopause very distressing and it's the main reason that I have restarted HRT.

Wishing you all well.

K.

[jillydoll]

Oh yes Kathleen I have that and I'm on hrt.
I can go from having a great laugh with my son, which could last a few hours, to going really quite low. So low in fact, I could cry, which I have done many a time locked in the bathroom by myself so no one sees my red eyes.
It's bad enough going through these things, what I don't need on top, is my family fussing, and thinking I'm a real head case. 😏
After the tears though, I tend to be ok again. 🤷‍♀️

Which hrt did you decide on Kathleen?
How long have you been on it for?
🤞🏼 For you. xx

[Perinowpost]

Hi Kathleen I had these symptoms during peri meno (thought I was losing it) but they were resolved once I started hrt.

I only have them now when on progesterone phase (utrogestan) of hrt, and then only when I’ve been on it for a few days (in my case 5 exactly).  Before that I feel relaxed, but around 5 days it tips into something else and I have a couple of bad days before withdrawal, and then I’m fine again for the rest the month.  It’s a small price to pay for feeling well and all the benefits hrt gives.

I find cutting out sugar and processed food really helps, and I don’t drink when on utrogestan. I also take concentrated (high quality) fish oil capsules and all these things help.

What hrt are you on (as Jillydoll asks as the right one can make a big difference? x

[racjen]

Yes, sounds very familiar, and particularly the bit about it being in the progesterone phase, although for me it happens more in the progesterone withdrawal phase. Yesterday morning I was sobbing for ages and really struggling with depressive feelings, yet by the evening I was laughing more than I have for weeks with  my family. Nothing had changed except my brain chemicals....

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies and thank you so much for your replies.

Jillydoll - your experiences sound like mine.  I used to have quite sudden mood changes but now one mood can last for hours. Great if it's a calm one but pretty tough going when it is a tearful one! I tell myself to wait for things to change again but I never was a patient person, even before the meno struck!

I was feeling tearful this afternoon but then the mood lifted enough for me to go out and deliver Christmas cards. I saw my friend and when she asked me how I was I explained about the crying. She has had similar experiences and thinks that letting the emotion out is the thing that helps improve our mood. I also knew someone who used to have a bath every evening so that she could cry without her family hearing her.

For HRT I am using the gel again, two pumps atm. Previously I put it on my inner thighs but  now I am using my upper arms to see if that makes a difference. I have only been doing this for two weeks so very early days but I have  a Zoom meeting with an NHS consultant in January so I hope to get some advice then.

Perinowpost - thank you for your comments and your responses to oestrogen  and progesterone are very interesting. I was three years post meno when I started HRT and I need both hormones so I never did find out how I reacted to them separately. You have developed a very good understanding of your regime and I am pleased that it is working for you.

I eat a whole foods, plant based diet mainly for it's anti inflammatory effects though I have some nice recipes and the food tastes good lol. It's interesting about fish oils because I believe they contain vitamin D which is in the news atm for treatment of COVID but there is a suggestion that it may help mood as well.

I agree that finding the right HRT is key and I hope I can make some decent progress on that score very soon.
 

racjen - I have been following your story and agree about both else changing except the brain chemicals, I swear I can actually feel mine when they change. I see that you are also taking  other medication so perhaps in time these will dampen your responses to prog withdrawal and your moods will stabilise.


Thanks again ladies and wishing you all well.

K.

[warwick01]

Hi Kathleen

Yes I can relate to the mood swings. Yesterday I felt really low and cried alot. Told my husband it was because so many weepy Xmas films on TV. I have suffered with a bad chest over the weekend and tormented myself I have Covid and would end up in hospital. When my mood is low my thoughts are extremely irrational.

Hope the gel helps

Wx

[Perinowpost]

Kathleen have you tried patches, they give a more consistent dose than gel and as such may help mood swings?   I tried gel but couldn’t cope with the dips it gave me.  Wishing you well x

[Kathleen]

Hello ag9 ladies.

Warwick - yes, I also become irrational when my mood is low.  I also assume that I am out the other side when I feel better only to be despondent when my mood dips again . I am post meno and hoped I would be over all this by now, it's exhausting.

Perinowpost - thank you for your suggestion. I have been given the gel by my surgery until I can see my consultant  in January and he or she may prescribe the patch.

Many thanks for your comments ladies and take care.

K.

[warwick01]

Perinowpost I know what you mean about dips.... I use 2 pumps at night at around 8.00pm 1 at 6.00am but find I dip mid afternoon, I tried 2 am but make me hyper.... npt sure if its because I take Leveroxine thyroid med at 6.00am.

Wx

[Kathleen]

Hello again ladies.

I accept that adding hormones may exaggerate the ups and downs  but I noticed a pattern when I wasn't using HRT. Infact I would say my mood changes several times in a day and usually about every four hours.

I have recently restarted using Oestrogel so I wonder if this will make things better or worse. I am hoping for better, obviously!

Take care ladies.


K.

[Perinowpost]

It should even it out Kathleen, that’s what happened to me anyway.  I can actually feel when my patch runs out, and within 2 hours of sticking a new one on I feel better again x

[Kathleen]

Hello again ladies.

Perinowpost - thank you for your post. It's reassuring to know that things can even out and if there are some dips along the way I can handle them if I know why they are happening.

Wishing you well.

K.