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[Michelle7474]

Hi all moaning me again lol

I’ve been debating whether or not to continue with HRT as almost 4 Months on these and I’ve felt worse apart from the initial 2 weeks of starting which I was greatful for

I wasn’t sure whether to wean off the patches or to just take off
But pharmacist as said as a rule because I wasn’t on them for over 6 months I can take straight off.. they usually want you to wean off after 6 months etc

She said I could have needed a lower dose to start to get my body used to it as the 50 seemed high & that it’s self could have been causing the daily aniexty as before the HRT it wasn’t so often

So I took it off … she did also advise to leave it off a while if I can manage and let my own hormones get to normal as for almost  4 months it’s been added too like extra hormone
She said the patch it’s self don’t take long to get out of system but for my own hormones to get back to how they was could take a while

Everyone who I know said I got worse on the HRT ( aniexty wise ) non sociable because of these feelings

I don’t really know what to expect coming off this but she said if I bleed remember it’s normal it’s my hormones doing this as I’ve stopped the patch.
I remember coming off the pill after 15 years and remember the bloating feeling headaches and feeling like I was pregnant and nausea etc and maybe this will be like that although 4 months withdrawal is loads less than 15 years withdrawal lol maybe I’m dreaming

she also advised to monitor things and if I don’t feel any relief from the original  symptoms that pushed me to HRT in first place then try at the smaller dose as said it’s a lot for our body’s to take in when our hormones are not balanced through peri menopause.. she said it’s like we shock our systems to think what is this

said it could also help not being on it with the feelings that I’ve been getting each day as my body may not need it yet
& then when I need it tell the GP as they would start me off lower next time.

She is a lovely women who gave me an hour of her time over the phone
And reassured me everything I’ve experienced is infact hormones. Although I knew this sometimes we do feel like we going insane

Amazing that coming off the phone from her, I felt 100% better in myself ( not symptom wise ) but felt like i had actually been taken notice of .. someone listened and told me how these hormones distupt  our life’s
She also told me to tell my husband it’s his fault 😂😂😂
Wish me luck
I will still be on here as this forum as helped me plenty of times
So for that I thank everyone

[EllaAurora]

Hi Michelle,
just checking in, how're you feeling with the patch off now couple of days? Any change to anxiety so far, and any other symptoms from the withdrawal?
Hope all goes well for you and you'll find a good balance soon!
Take care xxx

[Michelle7474]

Hi Michelle,
just checking in, how're you feeling with the patch off now couple of days? Any change to anxiety so far, and any other symptoms from the withdrawal?
Hope all goes well for you and you'll find a good balance soon!
Take care xxx

Hi EllaAurora

I feel ok so far .. but I know it’s early days .. I don’t feel so jittery to be honest
I took patch off on Tuesday and instantly in my self felt relieved ( because I had been toying with the fact of not knowing where to take off or not )

I haven’t had much aniexty to be honest but this could be because my body was gonna give me a few days rest of it.
When I have felt it .. it’s passed quicker where usually it lingers constantly all day every day awful it was
It’s still there I know it is as it wouldn’t disappear like that , but I feel calmer less jittery but again I don’t know if that’s no patch or just my body wanting a rest from it.

Sleeping pattern still same as I’ve never been best sleeper but I sleep
Lightheadedness still there although not as bad as in less intense and also feels different to when I was on the patches ( strange I know but I’m aware it’s there )

My face is still hot and this was before patches seemed my face was always hot by my cheeks
My feet still have the hot flushes .. it’s the most bizzare thing .. they get clammy and sweaty and then cold , I first experienced this on the patches but I have read it could be too much estrogen that can cause cold clammy hands and feet but I also know aniexty can cause the same symptoms with this time will tell I suppose
Strange tho I could slide across our wooden floors with how sweaty they get lol saves walking I suppose

I don’t know what to expect to be honest as it’s all a new thing .. I came off patches mid cycle so I’m expecting a bleed at somepoint as before patches they had always been regular but then came closer together .. and on patches was getting every 3 weeks

I did send a email to Dr Currie so I’m awaiting a reply to see what she thought as I’m intrigued to know if too she thinks too much estrogen coulda ramped up aniexty & jittery feelings as that was worst thing for me ..

I will never rule out using HRT again but if I can go without it for now then I will.
In the future I know I will probably go back on it if my symptoms get worse as I know once you get the right balance it can work wonders

I never wanted to take an antidepressants which GP offered as I knew I wasn’t depressed I was down because of how I was feeling but not depressed if that even makes sense & that woulda been my last resort even though I often thought about it .. I know they help people so I’m not against them I just know at that point it wasn’t depression causing symptoms it hormones ( pesky bloody things )

My husband said when he came in from work yesterday that I looked more refreshed than I have done for weeks but that could be the less jittery part.

I woke up with a sore throat feeling but I purely thinking that’s my stomach acid as I felt it last night whilst in bed like rising from stomach to throat and more like a burning not pain  ..I’m on omeprazole because I had burning near ribs for over a month which these help with most times  I’ve changed dose from 1 to 2 a day since Monday so that could be also why I feel like rising acid feeling ..
I did take a covid rapid test just incase but is negative thankfully and besides my husband I’ve not seen anyone since last week Friday ( anti social me as stayed indoors )

Over all though I feel calmer in myself and I will take it day by day .. maybe because I’ve only used for just less than 4 months my withdrawals won’t be so bad ..
I had withdrawals from mini pill after 15-20 years so was kinda expecting the same .. time will tell

How are you feeling now ?? Have you found a regime thts helping
I know first month I felt most my symptoms ease on patches .. but it was the months after but again the dose could have been too high. I will never know lol


Hope your journey gets better in time & I hope mine gets better also coming off them.

[EllaAurora]

Hi Michelle,
good to hear you are feeling better, even if its early days and situation is of course volatile -just getting couple of days rest from constant anxiety must already feel great!
Will be interesting to hear what Dr Currie responds to your question on estrogen and anxiety. I'm wondering the same for myself and thinking whether my attempts to increase dose (assuming I was too low) have actually made things worse over the past couple of months. I know for some ladies in peri, higher doses work as they override own fluctuating cycle, but some women actually feel better on lower levels.

Let us know how you get on and take good care of yourself!xxx

[Michelle7474]

Hi Michelle,
good to hear you are feeling better, even if its early days and situation is of course volatile -just getting couple of days rest from constant anxiety must already feel great!
Will be interesting to hear what Dr Currie responds to your question on estrogen and anxiety. I'm wondering the same for myself and thinking whether my attempts to increase dose (assuming I was too low) have actually made things worse over the past couple of months. I know for some ladies in peri, higher doses work as they override own fluctuating cycle, but some women actually feel better on lower levels.

Let us know how you get on and take good care of yourself!xxx

Thanks for reply and yeah just one day off from that feeling is great although as I said it’s still there but not so intense.

I will let you know what her reply says
Was actually my pharmacist who mentioned too much estrogen & was explaining all different things to me & advised me to see gp & either go lower dose or come off it and see what happens  with the aniexty episodes and jittery feeling .. I always thought myself that I needed higher to stop it all happening even when I mentioned higher dose to my GP she said no we keep you on this dose for now and see how things are. That was before I decided to take patch off
Will never know if I needed Lower dose as maybe producing enough of my own ( not the right amount other wise I woulda never needed HRT in first place )

Next time as I know there will be a next time I’ll start lower and work up lol 😂

Good luck EllaAurora., I hope you find what’s good for you xx

[Michelle7474]

Hi Michelle,
good to hear you are feeling better, even if its early days and situation is of course volatile -just getting couple of days rest from constant anxiety must already feel great!
Will be interesting to hear what Dr Currie responds to your question on estrogen and anxiety. I'm wondering the same for myself and thinking whether my attempts to increase dose (assuming I was too low) have actually made things worse over the past couple of months. I know for some ladies in peri, higher doses work as they override own fluctuating cycle, but some women actually feel better on lower levels.

Let us know how you get on and take good care of yourself!xxx

Hi EllaAurora
I recieved email back from Heather

Very detailed and very helpful , she said it’s better to start off Lower as that just tops up what we lose when we are losing hormone during peri
as higher dose can cause side effects of body is getting to much
so my body may have not need the 50 patch etc
She suggests that maybe to stay off HRT for a while and see how it goes & if the pattern continues in middle of cycle and start of cycle she suggested a mini pill to try as I could benefit from that also
I had let her know my history medical wise as certain things interfere with warfarin
It was pretty much what my pharmacist had said & I’m hoping that soon all these symptoms I had since HRT fade away ..
( my days are getting better so far )
She also said if I was to start HRT again in future to start off lower dose
The email detailed more as I had introduced myself and symptoms then asked the question
It was worth the £30 to understand it more & I actually feel by taking off the patch I did right thing for me

I hope your regime is now settled & helping you

Xxxx

[EllaAurora]

Hi Michelle,
thanks for keeping me posted! Sounds like you got some good advice and reassurance that your own gut feeling was right and you may have had too high a dose. Hopefully the period now without HRT will clarify where you are in terms of menopause and you can then restart HRT if you feel its still needed. How are you feeling now? Hope you continue feeling better!!

I'm also on a journey trying to 'restart' my situation, as I was feeling worse and worse when trying to increase dose, first with gel and then switching to patch. All this time I assumed my dose was too low, but I'm now thinking that it may have actually been too high, or creating too big fluctuations which then caused the symptoms. Ultimately, I took the patch off a week ago and went back to my original regime of Estrogel small dose (1 pump) and utro sequentially. After couple of days I'm feeling better, but it is so early that I'm really taking day by day and can't say yet if the improvement will be sustainable. 1 pump is very small dose, so I may need to start increasing after couple of weeks, but I'll try to keep everything now as stable as possible. My gut feeling is that I'll be better off with lower estrogen, as also during the past years before HRT, I felt the best just before my period (when hormones are low), and the least stable during ovulation when estrogen is high.

Take care and let us know how you get on! xxx

[Michelle7474]

I’m glad you felt a little better past few days EllaAurora, I hope these days continue for you

I’ve been off a week now and yesterday I had bad aniexty.. I needed to go and get bloods done but it set off the biggest aniexty ever … I came back as I couldn’t do it
Later on I made my husband take me as I  knew I needed to do this. Through shakes and fast heart beat and over whelming feeling of this bloody aniexty I did them so even though it was torture for me feeling wise I beat it.
I’m gonna make myself each day go out even if it’s a short walk & I must try not let this over take my body like it as been.

It’s just an awful rollercoaster & My GP just keeps saying antidepressants but I don’t want to right now, I’m not ready for that
I’m gonna try and see if rescue remedy works for me ( I hope so )
I’m not one to take tablets or medication if I can help it as I can’t stand side effects and feeling not myself so I’ll try other alternatives first

Apart from yesterday though most days since coming off patch , I’ve felt better as in not so jittery but always knew it was there in background &  Im like yourself I’m taking each day as it comes & im gonna try my hardest to get back to the old me , so I’m gonna make myself aniexty or not do one thing a day.. as in things I’ve stopped  doing because of this aniexty
Aniexty is not good for anyone & I honestly wouldn’t wish it upon anyone at all 
I hope our journeys get better as it’s so draining feeling like this

Good luck Xxx

[EllaAurora]

Hi Michelle,
sorry to hear about your anxiety attack yesterday. It sounds like it might be the last of the HRT leaving your body and now your own system is trying to catch up on what is happening. Hopefully it'll balance over the next days.

You're so brave and doing exactly the right thing -fighting back vs anxiety and keeping up doing things despite it!

Hope today will be easier for you and let us know how you get on!
xxx

[Letmein]

Michelle, I could have written your post 2 weeks ago. I so associate with everything you wrote and it's refreshing to read that I'm not the only one feeling worse on HRT.

I  first tried it, on the patch, when I was in peri, Mainly due to anxiety and very bad sudden insomnia. It didn't help and if anything made me feel worse. The progesterone stage terrible too. At the time though I was under huge stress at work and home so it was hard to say what triggered the anxiety.

I tried for 4 months and couldn't take it any more. I felt so much better when I came off for a whilst. Things in life got better and I finally went into fullmenopause but I continued to feel like I was on adrenalin all the time and sleep no better.

I tried the alternative Trobolone, within weeks, I felt terrible. Gave it up. I 5gen decided to try the pill and continuous regime, again awful within a few weeks

Two years went by, no more menopause symptoms but the adrenalin rush and poor sleep so decided on a,last attempt and tried the gel. Lowest dose. Within one hour I had my first hot flush in month! This into used and gradually increased. I was told to let my body adjust so I persevered. It continued to get worse and sleep no better. It did help a little bit, maybe, feeling less wired but ultimately I still felt shattered every day.

After 4 months and getting daily hot flushes and the worse night sweats, I had enough and gave it up. I haven't had a hot flush since. The adrenalin rush came back with a vengeance though and about 8 days after I stopped, I had the worse panic attack with no event whatsoever triggering it. I hadn't had one since I first started the peri.

I'm now 3 weeks after stopping, and exhausted, wired up but no flushes and no more feeling bloated, having lost the 5 pounds I put on since starting the progesterone.

I've decided that I had only antidepressants to try. It's so depressing. Reading all the posts how women feel wondering and back to their own self on HRT and here we are!

I hope you feel a bit better off. Are you also going to try antidepressants? I'd love to read a post from someone in our situation who has done well on them and feel a bit of positivism!

[Michelle7474]

Hi letmein

I’m so sorry that you have felt this way it’s absolutely awful feeling and overcomes our life
I’ve had enough of it for a while but I’m not one to try any medications as I more worry about side effects than anything lol

I just spoke to my pharmist and I’m gonna try rescue remedy or calms and see if that helps me
& if not I’m gonna bite the bullet & try proponol 10mg .I’ve had these since April & never taken because I had read it slows heart beat down & that would make me feel more anxious I think 🤔
but pharmist said a small dose would not interfere with that and it’s what they usually give to people before driving tests etc so perfectly safe as in people can drive etc afterwards .. I’ve read a few people on here saying they are good and a friend of mine takes them ( higher dose )
She said it’s usually the higher dose that would cause more side effects
My pharmist always seems to explain more and maybe because she as more time than a GP as they have time slots to keep too

I will obviously used rescue remedy first & hope that helps

I’ve never suffered like this at all in my life I’m 47 and feels like this is how it’s gonna be forever lol
Im not ready to take antidepressants although I’ve known a few people take them but im not ready for that just yet ( my mind is telling me no & even my pharmist said try other things first )

I do feel better without HRT as in not as jittery but as you read aniexty came back with a passion yesterday worse one for me .. today I feel jittery but not as bad kinda thing. I also believe I’m due which usually makes these symptoms worse.

I want to get back to normal as possible and beable to do things like before
Just simple things of going shopping then eventually back to work , I miss work but when somthing like this over takes your mind and body then it’s a shock

Im positive in a way that I know I have to get over this & I will
I will try rescue remedy & then if that don’t help I will take plunge on the aniexty tablet 

I hope you feel better soon Letmein it’s exhausting
Have you tried aniexty tablet ? Maybe that would be an option before antidepressants..
my friend takes antidepressants and said she just feels calm on them but she went on them because she felt so angry during menopause so she needed to be calmed down .. I know quite a few who have been on them and worked but some took a few attempts to find the best one which is like HRT it’s finding somthing that suits us
I think for me maybe I tried too early or too high of a dose and after so long it became to much for me & last week I took it off

Tomorrow will be a better day .. we have to think like that

Keep in touch Letmein & I hope you find somthing that helps you Xx

[Letmein]

I strongly believe that for some, the worse part of the transition is the oestrogen ups and downs and why the peri stage is much worse for some than the actual menopause. It certainly was for me. I started to feel much better when my periods stopped for a year. Before that, the anxiety was totally overwhelming.

The menopause would be bearable if it wasn't for that hyperness feeling and the insomnia and all what falls under it. Unlike so many women, hot flushes were not a big problem for me and again were worse during the peri phase.

Crossfi gets with the proponol. I tried it but it didn't help me at all and indeed left me very dizzy as my blood pressure and resting heart rate are very low and have been since starting the peri phase.

There are no real treatment for anxiety long term. They can give valium and similar for acute anxiety but that's all. GAD is treated with antidepressants that were formulated for depression but been found to also treat anxiety.

[Letmein]

I'll definitely keep in touch as it's not many who find hrt makes them feel worse.

I started the peri at 46 I think but my worse year was my 47th. It got better after that. It was horrible then as I thought I was dying.

[Michelle7474]

Mine started at 46 also and this year as been the worst for me

I hope whatever you decide to do helps you with aniexty

My BP is always normal unless I get aniexty then goes through roof & takes ages to get it settle again
My resting heart rate I’ve never took much notice .. if I look at Apple Watch it usually says 78 etc but each day is different
The way I always feel my Heartbeat  I think it’s high but I don’t check as would panick me more lol Sod’s law

I tried rescue remedy & did feel a calming effect but I’m not sure if it would stop me having a full on aniexty but I’ve tried it & that for me is a big thing as I don’t like meds etc
I take warfarin daily because of my blood and usually a parectomol when needed of I’m in pain and maybe a co codamol 8/500 small strength lol
Omzerole I take one a day .. they did up it to 2 but that was too much for me as I felt worse so I went back down to one a day

So to me medication I try without but if this aniexty carries on I will try the proponol… what did CrossFi mean when you wrote about proponol was a bit confused what you meant.

It’s mad how hormones can do this and I agree I have on a number of occasions thought I was dying it’s awful and unless people have been there they will never know at all

If you take antidepressants let me know how you get on & good luck with them
Some on here have said they are life savers .. I wouldn’t rule them out completely but I’m not ready for that yet

Take care of yourself and I’m looking forward to reaching the no period stage .. least then we know what’s what with hormones and can onli get better right ?? Loool I live in hope Xx

[Nas]

Hi Michelle,
I do hope the anxiet settles for you soon, as it is the most god awful thing to experience in life.
Anxiety was my worst symptom at the start of menopause, it just hit me out of the blue and I couldn'rt drive my car for longer than 10 minutes before feeling like I wanted to pass out!

I would definitely go out for a walk each day because I don't think it is that easy to control hormonal anxiety to be honest. I think it is caused by low or fluctuating oestrogen levels and because oestrogen is low in supply, adrenelin kicks in instead, causing that fight or flight feeling.

It has taken me two and a half years to drive local (ish ) journeys (we are talking 5/10 miles, but very fast and bendy roads).  At one point, I was going to quit driving as I would return from each journey utterley exhausted!

Don't let it beat you, else it will severely hinder your life I thinl.

I too am envious of women who say HRT is a 'game changer' etc etc.. for me it controls the most basic of symptoms and for now I can get in my car and do what I need to do, but there are other symtoms which it does not help with right now.

If ONLY it was the hot flushes and no periods. But the anxiety and insomnia, are killers and not to be taken lightly.

Best of luck and to everyone else going through this journey.

xx