Menopause Matters Forum

Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Vicky81 on July 29, 2022, 09:18:12 AM

Title: Irritable.....Zoley??
Post by: Vicky81 on July 29, 2022, 09:18:12 AM
Hi all

Hope you are all doing well.

I am unsure what is happening to me at present.  Four weeks ago i got covid, had extreme fatigue then it sort of settled around a week and half ago. However the last week i have been ever so tired out, even after a good long sleep. I did up my AD to 120mg (max dose) last Friday. Also, i am feeling very PMS-like, irritable mood....even with my partner this A.M in the car - this is something i haven't had in months - no tears at all....so this is strange. I have no go in me, floaty feel...and physical anxiety still there.

Even at work....the chitter chatter....wow i am finding it too much to bear....i feel like shouting PLEASE JUST SHUT UP!

Been on Zoley over a month now, and after reading alot on here, i do not think this is controlling my fluctuations. I know a lady on here said the same when she was tested amd proved she was still fluctuating underneath.

Got the GP calling me this A.M and seriously thinking of trying Yasmin. Not sure what advice you ladies can give? anything is appreciated as unsure what is causing all this tiredness/PMS style mood. xxx
Title: Re: Irritable.....Zoley??
Post by: Nas on July 29, 2022, 09:39:38 AM
To be honest Vicky, all the chopping and changing meds is likely to be causing the moods swings.

I swapped from evorel to estradot last wk.
The change wasnt for the best. Same dose of oestrogen, but mood dipped and PMT set in.

I really wouldnt swap again yet.
Title: Re: Irritable.....Zoley??
Post by: jorainbow on July 29, 2022, 10:04:25 AM
Any increase in anti depressants can cause issues too. I agree with Nas
Title: Re: Irritable.....Zoley??
Post by: Dotty on July 29, 2022, 10:07:35 AM
I agree with the other ladies that you need to stay on one treatment.  All the chopping and changing is just going to mess up your body. x
Title: Re: Irritable.....Zoley??
Post by: joziel on July 29, 2022, 10:13:18 AM
I wouldn't recommend changing. At least on Zoely you are on body identical estrogen, which will be protecting your bones from osteoporosis, and your mind from dementia, heart from heart disease etc etc - Yasmin is totally synthetic and won't have the same health benefits.

If you wanted to try another, Qlaira is the only other pill with body identical estrogen in it.

But really, it is pretty normal to get irritated and want to yell at people to shut up. I feel like sometimes there is 'emotional' stuff being blamed on pills when it is either just a normal part of life or due to difficulties in life itself making us feel certain things, or because we are scared about what's happening to us and this comes out as anger - and so on. Society indoctrinates women to be uncomplaining, passive, polite etc etc etc and so some women feel like failures or like something is wrong if they are not naturally all of that. The problem isn't with those women, it's with society.

Of course there is then a whole level that is hormonal, when people don't feel like themselves. But I think that, from the extremity of it, it's clear when that is happening...
Title: Re: Irritable.....Zoley??
Post by: Vicky81 on July 29, 2022, 10:20:43 AM
Thank you all so far for replying xxx
Title: Re: Irritable.....Zoley??
Post by: Vicky81 on July 29, 2022, 10:23:21 AM
I was actually thinking to maybe give the zoley one more month....?
Title: Re: Irritable.....Zoley??
Post by: Vicky81 on July 29, 2022, 10:28:04 AM
I also dont think the zoley would contribute to fatigue.... its the fact ive gone more irritable thats confusing me..?
Title: Re: Irritable.....Zoley??
Post by: Nas on July 29, 2022, 01:42:41 PM
Still don’t change meds!!
It’s a disaster all this chopping and changing!

As joziel said, it’s only human to become irritated and impatient at times. I work with a man 15 years younger than me. At times, he’s loud and damm well annoying and often I’m muttering obscenity’s under my breath! It’s normal.
Title: Re: Irritable.....Zoley??
Post by: Vicky81 on July 29, 2022, 01:57:10 PM
Lol yeah you could be right! I will keep to zoley for now.....i think its the tiredness from covid making me grumpy....
Title: Re: Irritable.....Zoley??
Post by: Vicky81 on July 29, 2022, 01:58:41 PM
When or if i do swap, its going to be either Yasmin or Marvelon....
Title: Re: Irritable.....Zoley??
Post by: Vicky81 on July 29, 2022, 02:01:43 PM
If Zoley does end up working then great! but if not, i did read on here someone put that Dr Nick Panay states that in order to supress fluctuations, a woman needs at least 30mcg pill....
Title: Re: Irritable.....Zoley??
Post by: joziel on July 29, 2022, 02:46:06 PM
I'm not sure what the focus on suppressing fluctuations is about. Fluctuations are a normal part of normal menstrual cycles. A normal healthy women who is ovulating will have low (50-200nmol) estrogen for the first 2 weeks of her cycle, ovulate and then have up to 1000nmol for the last 2 weeks. Progesterone will be very high the last 2 weeks -and then drop to almost nothing before a period.

Fluctuations are normal. The only point of adding in estrogen/progesterone is to ensure that the drops don't go to absolutely nothing in peri-menopause - when you would be getting low side effects. Not to somehow artificially obliterate all fluctuation.

It is normal for your own hormones to be doing their thing, underneath HRT during peri.
Title: Re: Irritable.....Zoley??
Post by: Kathleen on July 29, 2022, 02:51:21 PM
Vicky81.

I am sorry that you are still struggling to find the right regime for you. I completely understand your impatience and when we find ourselves acting out of character it is even more distressing.

I do not have any experience of the tablets that you are taking but I have tried many different HRT preparations in my time and I know how frustrating that process can be.

I am sorry that I don't have the answers for you but I am sending you hugs. Good luck and keep posting.

Take care.

K.
Title: Re: Irritable.....Zoley??
Post by: Vicky81 on July 30, 2022, 11:22:36 AM
Thanks joziel...its just things I've read here about suppressing fluctuations with a high dose bcp....but I understand what you mean xx

Kathleen- thanks so much for your kind words as always.. sending hugs back xxx
Title: Re: Irritable.....Zoley??
Post by: joziel on July 30, 2022, 11:26:28 AM
Right, but it's not so much 'suppressing' as evening out the peaks and the troughs. You don't want (comparatively) very high or very low (nothing) levels. Which is what is happening with your own levels during peri. If you take HRT, your lows are not so low and your peaks comparatively not so high (because the lows are not as low) - so you even everything out. So it's not really 'suppressing' your own levels, it is just adding in something constant.
Title: Re: Irritable.....Zoley??
Post by: Kat36 on July 31, 2022, 11:36:54 PM
I’m sorry you’re still not getting on we’ll Vicky. I echo Nas and the others,  the chopping & changing is a disaster.  Your body won’t know whether it’s coming or going. One of the best things I’ve heard recently from well-known meno Dr was that you’re still going to have days you don’t feel great…as you do with/when you had a normal cycle.  You might have days you feel irritable, or tired…or a string of days where you feel tired. It won’t all be plain sailing because of the HRT. It’s still something that I’m working on as I’d love a magic pill to help me feel the way I want from one day to the next but alas it does not exist….so today I’m irritable but I’ll take it. It could be worse. 
Title: Re: Irritable.....Zoley??
Post by: Vicky81 on August 01, 2022, 05:53:59 AM
Ahh ok thanks kat xxxx
Title: Re: Irritable.....Zoley??
Post by: jorainbow on August 01, 2022, 07:35:40 AM
I absolutely echo what @kat36 says. On my anxiety healing journey I would get cross if I felt off or anxious when i felt much better. Life is not linear. We don't feel great all the time even when all is great! Be patient with yourself xx
Title: Re: Irritable.....Zoley??
Post by: Vicky81 on August 01, 2022, 09:37:54 AM
Thank you jorainbow xxx