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[Mindfulmoomins]

Hello lovely people,

I felt the need to reach out today as I am struggling. You helped me so much when I first entered perimenopause. Sorry, this is a bit long as I have included a bit about my journey.

I really struggled with perimenopause with symptoms starting when I was about 43 (anxiety, low mood, dry itchy skin, allergies, racing heart and more).

I am progesterone intolerant (and had post natal depression and felt low in pregnancy) so after some trial and error have been settled and feeling well on 3 and a bit pumps of oestrogel and utrogestan vaginally 100 or 200 mg (when I can stand 200) 7 days a month (I hate it and get low and fatigued) plus testogel. I have had a scan and am due another soon to check my womb lining. I have regular periods but I think the scan showed no ‘follicular activity’ in one ovary.

I was already taking antidepressants before all this started but the GP suggested trying 15mg of mirtazapine at night. This has also helped with all the adrenal symptoms I think and helped me get back to ‘me’.

I am a meditation teacher and work as an NHS therapist so practise daily meditation, gratitude, exercise, eat well and have a spiritual community. My husband and daughter are lovely (most of the time).

But, here I am, after navigating my husband’s redundancy and him being 9 months out of work (he now has a job), Covid, my own work stress and home schooling (not any longer now the schools are open) plus working from home to find myself feeling wobbly, anxious and low. Just when things are starting to go a bit back to normal.

I seem to find hormonal stuff incredibly depleting and tumultuous.

I am 47 so I am wondering (hoping) if it’s part of the last rocky bit of peri before menopause?

Has anyone been progesterone intolerant and found being in menopause or post menopause was smoother and more balanced than perimenopause?

If you read this far thank you so much! Any support or advice welcome.

I hope you are feeling ok and managing this time. I think of all my fellow travellers on this hormonal path often.

Edit 30.05.21 I am feeling a lot better. I have upped my self care (again) and I am slowing down. I also upped my oestrogel to 4 pumps instead of 3 and a little bit. It’s hard work practising such ‘radical self care’ and takes a lot of honesty in my relationships and time. However, it appears my body gives me no other option if I want to feel ok. And I reallly really do want to feel good so’s it’s worth it. I hope everyone is doing alright this bank holiday and that the sunshine is helping anyone who is finding things tough. My heart goes out to anyone struggling. X

[groundhog]

Hi mindfulmoomins,
I can’t really help with your question as I’m further down the track and well into meno and possibly out of ( if that is even possible).  My life was thrown upside down when surgery went wrong so menopause was overlooked by the medics as I nearly died from surgical complications.
I’m also feeling very very low and keep staring at the anti depressants too scared to take them and getting too scared not to. Coild I ask which ones you take ?
Covid has tipped the balance for so many.  As a meditation teacher you certainly have the correct tool kit but sometimes that’s not enough is it.  I helped home school my nephews and I struggled snd got really edgy and grumpy with it all. 
Good luck with responses on your thread, I was unable to take HRT so have no experience sorry x

[Mindfulmoomins]

Thank you for your reply. Yes, I think Covid has tipped the balance for so many.

I take fluoxetine and mirtazapine.

Sorry to hear about your surgery.

Take care and if it helps, I have always tried to see medication as just another tool. It helps and I seem to need it but all the other tools help just as much. Xx