Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[NicNac75]

Hello,  I'm new to the forum and hoping someone can help.
My perimenopause really hit hard 3 years ago at the age of 47. Over this period of time I've been on various doses of evorel patches up to 100mcg patch and sandrena gel 1mg and then 1.5mg sachets. I use cyclogest pessaries for progesterone. Throughout this time I've suffered with severe depressive episodes and high anxiety. Nothing has helped thus far and I've tried 5 different antidepressants . Currently on escitalopram 10mg. I cry daily and feel so low. I have just changed to oestradiol gel in the hopes that this will help. Starting at 2 pumps. Has anyone else suffered similar with low mood issues and found anything that helped. I can't tolerate high levels of estrogen.

[CLKD]

Sorry that you haven't had any responses 

I've been through a bad patch myself - in April I was side swiped by sudden intense depression even though I'm on escitalopram .  My GP upped my intake to 10mg night and morning and it has helped.  R your symptom cyclical?

A few days ago I was grounded by high levels of anxiety caused by a pre-planned event that I don't want to cancel.  My GP has added betablocka to my regime which helped a few years ago.

How long did U give the ADs to work and which were prescribed?  It can take 4-8 months B4 we notice a difference.  Worse if hormones are fluctuating.

Do U require any replacement at this time?  Can U remember which symptom you wanted to ease B4 you tried HRT?  Some do find that the progesterone causes problems.

[NicNac75]

Thankyou for your reply

I've been on escitalopram for over a year now and just increased to 15mg. I have also been on HRT for over 3 years.
As stared in my previous post I've tried numerous antidepressants that haven't helped. I believe this is purely hormonal but I'm struggling to find a balance or regime that suits me! I initially went on HRT because anxiety and depression hit me like a truck overnight at the age of 47

[sheila99]

Sorry I don't think I can help much. If you take cyclogest continuously it might be worth stopping for a month to see if makes any difference. The other thing that might be worthwhile would be getting your levels tested to see if that sheds any light on it. Anxiety can be caused by too much oestrogen as well as too little. I know nothing about ads but I'm inclined to agree with you, if it arrived with peri there's a good chance it's hormonal. Testosterone can sometimes help with low mood bit probably not with depression.

[NicNac75]

I had my bloods done last week and my estrodial levels were 297 pmol so not massively high. I did try testosterone for a while but maybe didn't give it long enough. It's the palpitations and mood swings with the anxiety that are really getting to me at the moment. I'm dealing with low folate levels as well which I don't think is helping