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[Unicorn]

Hi there girls 🥰 please can someone reassure me?

I have been on sandrena gel 1.0 and Utrogestan 200 for about 6 weeks now.  I'm also on 100mg Sertraline.

From week 2 to 4, I felt so much more like 'me' and better, but now, I feel my pounding heart, anxiety, feeling 'meh' and hot face coming back slightly 😒.

Will it improve? Or will this regime not work?

Thank you xxxxx

Will it improve? Or is it not working?

[Unicorn]

P.s. I think coffee (which I love) makes it worse 😒😒❤

[Gnatty]

Well coffee definitely will make it worse! I love it too but generally now just have one cup first thing in the morning and then it's over to decaff. Why don't you put a call in to your GP and see if they think you could try slightly increasing your gel? The fact that it worked early on and then you feel it's not quite so good does suggest an increase is likely to be necessary.

[Unicorn]

Hi Gnatty 🥰 thank you.

I've just made a telephone appointment with my doc for next Wednesday.  Do you think it would be harmful if I increase the dose before speaking to her? Xxx

[ATB]

I would not increase without speaking to your doctor. I found I had an improvement, slight, at around week 4, which also seemed to be short lived and then I switched to patches and increased dose, with my doctor, but that was too much so now back down and on patches it seems to be about right. It can take 3 months, and they don’t tend to alter dose until then. I would give it time. Each dose change takes about 4 weeks to have an effect for me and 3 months till I really know what’s going on. It will fluctuate too if you’re still menstruating, with your cycle. I still feel a bit worse around ovulation. The anxiety thing is a real struggle and depending how long you’ve been like this it might be you need some type of therapy alongside this. I am having CBT.

[Unicorn]

Thanks ATB 🥰

I think the anxiety comes from the physical heart palpitations and exploding face, if that makes sense? So it's more physical as I'm not anxious as such.  I don't think therapy would help in my case as it's physical.

I will chat about it on Wednesday when I speak to the GP.... I maybe better then 🤞 here's hoping.... 😁😁

Thank you so much xxx

[sheila99]

My anxiety and insomnia took 3 months months to go. I found very little improvement in the first month then it was very much and down, some good days, many bad days. No consistency in the good days until the end of the 3 months. As long as you're seeing improvement I would ride it out. Anxiety can be a symptom of too much oestrogen as well as too little, if you increase now you may not be sure which is causing yours. I know how awful it is when you're desperate to feel well but IMO slow and steady gets you there quicker than chopping and changing. Be a tortoise! 🐌 (couldn'tffind a tortoise so a snail will have to do  )

[Unicorn]

Thank you so much Sheila 💓  this gives me hope!

The pounding heart and hot flushing aren't as severe as they were, definitely milder, but I suppose I was disapointed as I felt so much better from week 2 to 4.

I hope you don't mind me asking Sheila, have you ever had to adjust your hrt?

Thanks so much xxx

[sheila99]

Yes. I started on evorel sequi in peri, had to change after a few months to 2 pumps gel and utro because I developed an allergic reaction to the patch. As I've progressed towards meno (very late peri now, may have had my last period) I've had to increase twice because the anxiety and insomnia returned so now on 4 pumps. I try to reduce from time to time but every time I do the symptoms return (and there's no way I'm going back there again). It might be worth keeping a diary to see if how you feel is connected to utro.

[Unicorn]

Thanks Sheila 😊

Feeling awful today, slept 14 hours last night.... 14 hours! Went for a nap and woke this morning at 7.00.  Head muzzy, lost my appetite (again... appetite has been very up and down for years with peri), I just have 'no go' in me.  Also racing heart and this is all making me anxious and tearful now.  I'm so disapointed as I felt better week 2 to 4 on the hrt.  I'm on day 3 of the utrogestan, but I was fine on it the first time I took it.  I really don't know to think anymore ❤❤

[ATB]

Totally know how you feel. I’m on month 7. But I found an almost immediate slight improvement, especially in energy, and then it seemed to stop, then when I changed to patch and dose slightly higher I saw another improvement only for it to plateau and then get worse. So last change was a reduction in patch and I feel great now. The anxiety still with me though. That’s why I suggest other things to help. IMO it’s always a holistic approach that works. I did find reduction in anxiety with HRT, but also think it took at least 3 months each time to impact that aspect and it didn’t completely resolve it.

[Unicorn]

Thank ATB 🥰

How do you cope with anxiety? Is it constant? Xxx

[ATB]

It’s not constant and it’s definitely not ‘generalised’ anymore in that it seems to just be down to claustrophobia now. I have had health anxiety, anxiety around most things, since perimenopause. But before that I had mild claustrophobia that didn’t affect my life, now it’s taken hold so even the dark terrifies me, going to new places where I don’t know the route, etc etc also going to any doctor I shake a lot and am nervous, but the waking up anxious that happens to us I no longer get. Nighttime I sleep well etc I do practice meditation and listen to apps and things like that, I am having CBT which I’ve had before, and I take magnesium glycinate at night. Apparently I have developed OCD as a symptom of my anxiety. So I keep checking things repeatedly, I started this when I had bad brain fog and couldn’t trust I was doing my work etc properly and it’s just got worse. Therapy has helped, but it’s still hard as I’m now having to test myself and confront things that make me panic and that’s hard. There’s no avoiding it, I just have to do it.

[Unicorn]

Bless you ATB 🥰 you're a warrior!

I've just been sent back to bed by my hubby... my head is aching now from being weepy and worried that I'm going to stay feeling crappy forever. However, even though this is a blip, I have felt worse in the past.

I'm speaking to the Doc on Wednesday, so not sure if she will say to stick with this hrt on the same dose for a few more weeks or to increase? I'm not sure xxx

[ATB]

Keep reminding yourself it’s not forever! I had 7 years trying to figure out this and my thyroid problem and it is hard to keep positive but it really does get better. I forgot to add, my husband helps me enormously! He’s so supportive and allowed me to take time off work for however long I need it too so I’m very fortunate and very grateful. He’s autistic so helps a lot with the anxiety. Best of luck and I really hope you feel much better soon