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[ClareBear81]

Hi everyone.
I'm new here. Not sure if anyone can help me but I'm hoping so. I'm 39 and will be 40 in October. About 6 weeks ago I started to become very anxious. I have general anxiety disorder which has been managed well over the last 10 years.
Having been reading up on symptoms of perimenopause I can see over the last 6 months I have had various symptoms of perimenopause such as headaches, heightened anxiety, crying at the smallest things, night sweats, breast tenderness and a change in body odour.
I have contacted my gp practice to see if they can run any tests. Because I'm on the contraceptive injection they can't do a blood test. They also seem to think I'm too young to be experiencing this.
They have advised that as I'm not in a relationship I should consider stopping the contraceptive injection. It is going to take some time for my periods to come back so I will have to wait.
The gp has changed my anxiety medication without even seeing me or running any other tests. I find this very frustrating.
Any thoughts?

[jaypo]

Hi there and welcome to the forum,sadly some Drs aren't clued  up about menopause but one thing for sure,is,there is no age limits for meno,my friend hit menopause in her late 30s.
You could say to the dr you have been on this site and now know there IS a chance you could be menopausal,most GPs have heard of us and a lot recommend us.
Put anything in the search box,you'll find an answer to pretty much anything xx

[ClareBear81]

Had a private gp appointment in the end. They advised I stop the combined oral contraceptive which I had been on for less than 2 months. Nurse at gp practice said it would settle my hormones.
Anyway gp prescribed gel 2 pumps daily and progesterone for 14 days out of the month. 6 days in with the gel. I have had tender breasts, headaches and have felt more anxious and tearful. Is this normal? When will HRT start to work/gel with symptoms? I feel worse than I did before. GP is referring me to a psychiatrist as I can't get my anxiety under control. Is this perimenopause or just anxiety? I'm on the top dose of venlafaxine so I'm not sure what to do.
Any suggestions?

[Terri]

Hi ClareBear

Similar happened to me when I started HRT, exactly the same symptoms you describe. Whilst 2 pumps is the starting dose, it was too much of a surge. The advise by my meno GP was to for stop for a few days, let the body settle and restart at 1 or even half a pump over a few weeks. I stayed on 1 pump for 5 weeks until sweats came back. It can be rough until it gets better.

I’m now on patches since a few weeks ago and my body prefers the steady dose rather than 1 hit.

You’ll get there. I’ve learned so much since starting HRT 4 months ago. I’ve needed to tweak and change during that time with every change having side effects before it settles. I’m still learning my own body. It’s said so many times it’s trial and error, it really is.

Terri x

[jaypo]

I'm not on HRT myself but I know from being on this site for some time that sometimes you need to change your HRT it's not a case of "one size fits all" all too often women are put on ADs or anxiety meds when in fact they don't need it,my anxiety was through the roof when I was peri and that's when I joined this forum, I was at my wits end,NO WOMAN is TOO YOUNG for menopause and it's time Drs started realising this,you can email Dr currie here or look up Dr Newson on YouTube,she has invaluable advice

[Michelle7474]

I had aniexty and i had never suffered it before , so it’s deffo peri menopause symptoms
A lot seem to suffer it.

I hope your HRT settles soon and you feel better .. it is trial and error
I felt worse on mine and I stopped it 10 weeks ago & although I feel better I’m not back to my normal self yet ..

Jaypo, did you take anything for your aniexty ? Did you not wanna use HRT
I thought would be answer for me , although now I think I added it to my body too soon
I’ve been reading that why hormones are fluctuating hrt isn’t needed , it’s when hormones are falling that we do.

Hope you feel better in yourself soon clarebear. Xx

[jaypo]

No,never considered it,lots of BC in mother's side and dad died from a blood clot,so I was always too scared

[sheila99]

Just be aware that some meno symptoms seem to need a build up of oestrogen. My worst symptoms were anxiety and insomnia. I didn't see much improvement in the first month than very much up and down for the next 2. I hope you see some improvement soon.

[Michelle7474]

No,never considered it,lots of BC in mother's side and dad died from a blood clot,so I was always too scared

Jaypo
Sorry to hear that , I don’t take anything for aniexty because I suffer with blood clots and have been on warfrain for 28 years & I would rather keep that in check than having medication keep messing with my INR, I did try a beta blocker and it’s not for me and took me ages to sort my INR after it
So I much rather just take nothing
I’m off HRT now ( was on patches as they was safe to use with my condition )
But I believe they made me feel worse and also maybe I added to early


I’m trying to hang out as long as possible with nothing
How as your journey been ? Do you suffer any symptoms
 

[jaypo]

I still suffer the occasional anxiety nut nowhere near as bad as it was a few years ago,still have sweats but they're either not so bad or you just get used to them,it was rough getting through it all but hopefully I'm out the other side now,keeping busy helps.
Can you exercise at all,running kept me sane

[Michelle7474]

I still suffer the occasional anxiety nut nowhere near as bad as it was a few years ago,still have sweats but they're either not so bad or you just get used to them,it was rough getting through it all but hopefully I'm out the other side now,keeping busy helps.
Can you exercise at all,running kept me sane

That’s good to hear that it’s not as bad as it was gives me hope
I had only suffered aniexty once before HRT then once on it became daily .. and then when I came off 10 weeks ago it was worse ( withdrawal) but now as time goes on it’s not as intense but Its in back ground .. took over my life aniexty did to where I was indoors to scared to go out anywhere unless I went for a ride in car with husband ( didn’t go often to shaky and nervous )
Slowly but surely I go out now , I make myself go out alone even if it’s only the local shop .. I feel better than what I did back then & hoping as weeks go by that hormones all level out properly
I used to run on treadmill and loved it , I love walking and would always walk miles to go get a loaf of bread just for the fresh air & excercise ( son used to think I was mad lol ) I would walk into town instead of public transport or husband driving
I can’t wait to start doing all that again as I miss it , I miss work and everything.. so I’m hoping soon I’m kinda Back to how I was pre HRT so I can get me back

[jaypo]

Thing is,everyone is different,mostly I feel ok now but like you,the anxiety and also depression was debilitating,needless to say ADs were prescribed but I didn't want to go down that route,I'm a bit of a fighter and was determined it wouldn't get the better of me,I won't lie,it wasn't easy but the women on this forum helped me so much,it's always good to know you're not alone and you're not x

[Michelle7474]

Thing is,everyone is different,mostly I feel ok now but like you,the anxiety and also depression was debilitating,needless to say ADs were prescribed but I didn't want to go down that route,I'm a bit of a fighter and was determined it wouldn't get the better of me,I won't lie,it wasn't easy but the women on this forum helped me so much,it's always good to know you're not alone and you're not x

That’s the best thing , knowing we aren’t alone , same as me I was prescribed AD but didn’t want to take them.
I’m strong usually , but this kinda knocked me side ways .. but 10 weeks on and I know I’m ready to beat this
Amazing what hormones can do eh .. would never have believed it until I joined this site
Helps so much reading people’s experiences & learning we are never alone Xx

[ClareBear81]

I've now been on HRT for 10 weeks. Use 2 pumps of gel and cyclic progesterone. I can't say that I've noticed much of a difference. I seem to still feel anxious and have brain fog. I have my follow up online appointment after Christmas. I'm not sure if and when I need to increase the gel? Did people find the patches worked better for them then the gel? I'm confused as what to do next? Do I stopped HRT altogether if it's not helping? Do I need to try it for the full 3 months?
Thanks for your support

[jaypo]

I do think you need to give it time clarebear but sometimes it's a case of trial and error,not on HRT myself so can only go by what the ladies on here say