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Hi, I've been in your shoes. I held onto my meds for 12 months or more before I started them. I felt bad enough and I was terrified they would make me feel worse. It was once I got as low as I could get, I'm talking ......., that I decided I had nothing to lose but to give them a go. I worked myself up so much that once the cream touched my thigh, I almost panicked, but I calmed myself down realising that I was making the situation worse just by my thoughts. I actually started with only half a pump in the morning. My doctor said that would do nothing but it was the only way I could mentally allow myself to apply it. I figured a tiny amount to start with may show up any side effects and ill know whether to continue or not. I did that for a couple of days, didn't notice anything bad, so upped it to one full pump for about a week, still didn't notice anything bad, so I went to my full dose of 2 pumps daily, and am still on that now almost 12 months later. With the pill, I was again terrified of some effects so after some research I learned inserting it vaginally at night is the best method for lowering side effects. I didn't notice anything at all when starting that other that a wet feeling throughout the night.
I am now almost 12 months in and while I can say I'm not ........ anymore, I don't feel anywhere near as good as I would like to be. I've actually put a post on here thismorning regarding that.
But anyway, sorry for the long post but if I can narrow it down at all I would say give the meds a go. Slowly to start with if that helps your mind,   but you truly won't know unless you give it a go. For some it works miracles. You may be one of the lucky ones!

I have been a member here for literally 9 minutes and I am desperately hoping to hear back from some like minded people.
I am about 7 years into the peri journey and have now gone my longest time since a period, 143 days. Why didn't anyone warn me about how harrowing this stage of life can be?!
My number 1 issue is anxiety, followed very closely by light headedness, body aches and pains, stifness, no libido, strange feelings in my head, teeth/gum issues, hair thinning yet sprouting in strange places, weight gain, absolutely zero tolerance for any bullshit, available to go from zero to 100 in a nano second....and that's not the complete list! I completely understand why there was such a high rate of women institutionalised at this stage of life in times gone by.
Oh and might I add, I am ON hrt. I'd hate to imagine how I would be if I weren't.
But my point of this post is, I would love to hear from ANYONE going through similar because atm I don't have anyone to go through this journey with me and I feel so alone and so scared. I have so many fearful thoughts every moment of every day. It would just be nice to chat with people in similar circumstances who may even be able to offer some advice.
Thank you for your time.
Come ride the wave with me 😆

Hi I'm so pleased I found this thread.

I'm summary, I'm 9 years into surgical menopause and have real issues with oestrogen. I only feel the benefits when my levels are rock bottom for a couple of weeks, add a new E product, feel a bit better and then start to feel dreadful. I have very low quality of life since hysterectomy. I'm currently on low dose implants but at my appointment on Tuesday, I want to skip the E and just try the T. The only time I felt well was when my T got up to 3.0 which is classed as too high in the NHS.

I've been through and suffered with the specialists telling me I just need more E more than once and am at my wits end. High E actually makes all my body hurt and go stiff, fatigue and dryness goes worse, the opposite of what should happen but I've been in this game for so long and it happens every time.

I just wondered how you are doing with trialling T only?

Thanks
Lou

Have you started the sertraline while still going through withdrawal from the other anti depressant?

Taz x

Have you tried utro vaginally? Sometimes it can improve things. I don't know about the relative risk, perhaps the PIL will tell you?

It won't hurt to apply anywhere - Grandma swore by zinc and caster oil, green I think it was.  We use 'nivea', Vaseline hand cream in the yellow bottle [which says not to use on the face  ], 'savlon' ......... vaseline can be a bit sticky though 

To Paris or bust

Cream teas

Thanks both, will keep this in mind. Have heard other experiences of people feeling strange on it.

Attraction