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[Losingtheplot]

Hi

Has anyone found that when they have increased there oestrogen dose that this has helped with mental health symptoms such as anxiety?

I increased my sandrena gel from 0.5mg sachet to a 1mg sachet 7 weeks ago. The hot flushes stopped after a few days however the anxiety is still an issue.

I am taking anti ds too, but my GP did say there was scope to increase the sandrena up to a max dose of 4 sachets if required.

Obviously I wouldn't increase to this amount initially, maybe 2 sachets of 1mg from the 1 x 1mg I currently use.

I know the rule is to wait 12 weeks before any further increases but I am.almost 8 weeks into the increased dose and really should it not have worked by now if it was going to?.

I feel the anti ds have helped somewhat but not fully. Been on them for 6 weeks.

[Arya Underfoot]

As far as I understand Progesterone is supposed to reduce anxiety, increasing your oestrogen probably won't help. Are you taking progesterone along side your Sandrena gel? For me personally, I found increasing the gel increased my anxiety, could just be me though, I'm super sensitive to oestrogen fluctuations. Increasing my progesterone dose definitely helped with my anxiety.

Hope you find the right dose soon because the menopause anxiety is just awful.

[Losingtheplot]

Hi Arya Underfoot

Thank you for replying. I take 1 x utrogestan which is the right dose for 1mg sandrena gel.
I am not sure what to do at the min. On a positive note my panic and morning dread has been pretty non existent this morning!!! Hopefully things are improving at last!.
I actually feel calmer.

Hope you are ok and which HRT are you on?

[sheila99]

If your anxiety is a meno symptom it should go with sufficient oestrogen but if it's a long standing problem you had before peri then probably not. Anxiety can be a symptom of too much oestrogen as well as too little so it's important you don't increase too quickly and miss the sweet spot. My anxiety took the full 3 months to go completely so if you are seeing some improvement now it might be better to wait before you increase. And be aware that progesterone can cause anxiety in some people.

[Losingtheplot]

Hi Sheila

I have been on the HRT for 3 years now. So the progesterone at 1 x 100mg tablet suits me.

I started on 0.5mg sandrena gel and 2 x prog tablets 3 years ago. Then decreased the prog to 1 tablet quite quickly as I couldn't tolerate 2 of them.

Everything has been  great since starting HRT in April 2023 all symptoms controlled and the panic and anxiety seemed to calm down quite quickly. I  was also taking Fluoxetine Ad's just 1 x 20mg tablet.

I decided to stop the Fluoxetine in June this year.

Then end Sept beginning Oct I started noticing symptoms again. Irritatability, brain fog, mood swings followed by hot flushes.

I suppose I may as well wait another few weeks and see what happens.

Just sick of this anxious feeling all the time feel it has hit me hard. The Ad's will be helping too all takes time I guess.

I will see what my Gp suggests in 4 weeks time as she did give me the option of increasing. I dont want to suffer unnecessarily if I just need to increase my oestrogen however I know it can take up to 3 months to feel the full benefits also.

Today has possibly been the calmest I have felt in weeks. I am still anxious just not as much if that makes sense.

[Losingtheplot]

Well just when I thought things were improving still struggling.  .

I am so fed up of feeling like this and am considering increasing my Sandrena Gel. I only have 1mg sachets and my next appointment with the doctor isnt till 29th Dec which isnt too far away I suppose.

By then 12 weeks will have passed since I have been on the increased Sandrena gel from 0.5mg to 1mg. GP has said I could increase by another 1mg sachet, but I was maybe thinking of a 0.5mg?.

My anxiety is still there so bad throughout the day, such a struggle to leave the house. Everything is such an effort. I am worn out with it now. The morning dread has improved to how it was so that is positive.

I shouldn't still be feeling like this after being on Ad's for 7/8 weeks, increased HRT and supplements. My mind isnt racing as much but I still don't feel back to me. Brain fog has improved ,irritability returning slightly!.

I use my gel at the same time everyday.

To say I am fed up doesn't do how I am feeling justice.

I know things can take time to improve but when I last had a downturn like this and started HRT and Ad's I am sure by 6 weeks things had calmed down considerably. I am tempted to have a private hormone blood test done to see what my levels are doing. I use testosterone too however I am sure the level hasnt been checked for 2 years.

My bloods were taken a few weeks ago but GP said she would not be testing hormone levels.

Also I am tempted to ask my GP for a copy of my blood results as I am sure by law I am entitled to them. I have just rang the GP and will be able to pick my results up in 15mins!

I just dont know what to do. Increase by another 1mg as of tomorrow so be using 2mg or to stick to current dose until Gp review on 29th Dec and give it another 27 days on 1mg.

[Sophya]

It’s strange how the hot flushes settle fast yet the anxiety hangs on like glue. Seven or eight weeks still feels early for some people, the mood stuff seems to lag behind everything else. The dose range your GP mentioned gives you room to adjust but it makes sense to go slow and see if your body catches up first. The antidepressants helping but not fully is pretty common when hormones are still shifting. You’re not imagining it, lots of people hit this weird in-between phase.

[Losingtheplot]

Hi Sophya

Thank you I am pleased that how I am feeling is how some people feel and that I am not going crazy.

It really can take a long time to feel in a good place again each time hormones deplet.  I just wish I was one of the lucky few it didnt affect. I am still off work and have to be feeling more stable before I can return.

I work in the NHS and have to be on the ball with my work . My Manager has suggested home working to ease me back in when I feel ready.

I know HRT isnt a magic cure but I am comparing to how quickly I felt the anxiety improve the last time once I was on HRT when I first noticed symptoms were too much and out of control. At the 6 week mark I felt so much improvement. Maybe I did have a few wobbles but just can't remember as it was almost 3 years ago.

Just a small dose of gel seemed to do the trick after I initially tried patches. Although the Evorel 25 was great in some ways (issues with patch sticking and skin irritation) it was Evorel Conti that disagreed with me.

I will see how I feel tomorrow regarding increase as I have already had several weeks off work and need to get back atleast in the New Year.

I may spilt the dose and do 1mg Am and 1mg pm and then take the prog tablet on a night as normal.

Its so difficult not knowing what to do for the  best. But then I am scared I have too much Estrodial which  can cause issues too!.

So confused

[Losingtheplot]

I woke up this morning with an awful churning type sensation in my stomach and shaking inside.

The morning dread had subsided  but am I reading too much into it. I took a propananol unsure if it helped as I am just constantly on edge.

I am still unsure that I am on the correct dosage of estrodial. I have contacted Randox about a blood test and this should show how much Estrogen I have in my body and absorption from the Sandrena.

Had anyone had a blood test done privately? Louise Newson has said on one of her podcast level should be 250 -1000.

So I suppose if I am in that range then things are stable?

I know we are all different and some people need more hormones than others. The Sandrena gel must be working though as otherwise I would still be having hot flushes. As you can tell I am still confused about what to do.

I feel that I need to wait until review on 29th Dec and then potentially try an additional 0.5mg of gel, so then be on 1.5mg just a further increase of 0.5mg.

If it doesn't suit I will just go down to 1mg again and persevere.

What would you do in my position as the GP is leaving the option up to me on whether to increase if no improvement in anxiety and propananol not being effective.

[AmandaJR]

It took me 3 months on the max NHS standard dose ( 4 pumps Oestrogel/ 100mcg patch/ unsure on Sandrena as not used it) before the anxiety eased. I needed more and thankfully my GP prescribed more than the max standard dose which totally got rid of anxiety.

I’ve come across many women who need more than the standard dose especially those crippled with anxiety, depression and fatigue. These links might help:

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/aug/16/it-feels-impossible-to-beat-how-i-was-floored-by-menopause

https://www.chelwest.nhs.uk/professionals/gp-hrt-advice-guidance?fbclid=IwY2xjawOb1NlleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE1WlVsUm5qVEREQlhIUjY1c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHt90cF9hZ0s-2HgDeIG1i_TrBE9L1HzgYBv0a3IMFm8yUJaKXSXj2aOQVCLr_aem_zs0v56YllKJDTh3EVm_nPA

https://www.studd.co.uk/depression.php

[Losingtheplot]

Hi AmandaJR,

Thank you so much for the links. The information in them is v interesting. The 3rd link does provide some excellent points about the depression and anxiety being hormone related .

I do have a history of anxiety and depression from childhood, however when pregnant my mood was stable. I did suffer badly with PND horrifically after pregnancy and had to go back on SSRI's.

I also suffered PMT badly too so I know life is not without its stresses but this is v hormonal related as SSRI's have usually helped me in a matter of 3 to 4 weeks considerably.

I do think I will need to increase my Sandrena gel to see if it helps with the anxiety. My Gp is happy for me to increase by another 1mg sachet. She has said the max dose is 4 sachets

I was initially on 0.5mg gel for 29 months (April.2023) which was sufficient and controlled the symptoms. I also.took Ad's which I stopped in June 2025. I increased by a further 0.5mg to 1mg from 10th Oct when hot flushes had returned.

Maybe increasing by 0.5mg might be enough or 1mg might be needed as I know too much can also.cause anxiety.

Either way I won't get a sooner appointment with the Gp now so either I increase the dose myself to 2mg from 1mg or just wait it out until.29th Dec which is what I think I may do.

[AmandaJR]

Hi Losingtheplot, it sounds like your GP is supportive and that’s what’s needed.
I’ve read that too much oestrogen can cause anxiety too, I didn’t experience that fortunately. If you gradually increase it you can always decrease it if you feel it’s too much, I’ve only used Oestrogel but I’m assuming Sandrena is just as flexible?

Once when I increased from 3 pumps to 4 I felt a little jittery but I also felt incredibly energetic. I thought this feeling of being 20 again was going to last but alas it didn’t, I woke up feeling gloomy again the next morning but gradually continued to improve.

For a while I was scared to adjust HRT even though I felt hideous, in the end I figured I’d got nothing to lose by trying.

I’m trying to find more useful links!

[Losingtheplot]

Yes my GP is lovely. I feel very comfortable with her. I am so pleased that you regime is working out well for you. In the 3rd link I also found the part about the blood test showing oestrogen levels as normal and not.picking up the depression element interesting. As I had considered having a private blood test done for hormone levels.

However if it shows in range and I am suffering hormonal anxiety/depression won't really have achieved anything? I know GPs go off symptoms but Louise Newson do hormone testing.

The Gp was happy for me to increase as of 24th Nov or to take propananol and see how they worked for me.  Her thinking was that I needed something that would help me now. Therefore I went with the beta blockers option with a review on 29th to increase gel if no significant improvement.

I do think the gels we both use are very similar. Sandrena comes in sachets and instead of a bottle with pump dispenser.

I only have just over 3 weeks to wait until my appointment so may aswell continue on the 1mg then will have been 3 months on this dose so reasonable to increase if needs be.

[Losingtheplot]

Am so fed up  .

Why do things take so long to settle down!. Ive started on Vit b12 supplements again as I have read these can help with moods and nervous system.

I do think I need to increase my HRT this is just so so difficult. I am sick of feeling this way and not sure how much longer I can continue to feel like this.
Everything is still such an effort. My mind isnt racing as much but I just feel so so low. Just no motivation and really can't face feeling like this much longer.

I am tempted to ask for an increase in gel even if I can just pick it up from the chemist without seeing GP and add an additional 0.5mg.

[AmandaJR]

Sorry you’re struggling, I know it’s physically and emotionally crippling.

I’d make the call whilst there’s time to get the prescription issued today. You don’t have to take it but it’s there if you decide to. Good luck 🤞