Menopause Matters Forum

Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Charlie1970 on March 09, 2023, 07:33:39 PM

Title: Anxiety and HRT
Post by: Charlie1970 on March 09, 2023, 07:33:39 PM
Hi

Could do with some advice 🙏🏻. After suffering sleepless nights due to hot flushes, mood swings and anxiety I started taking HRT *Utrogestan and 1 pump of oestrogel at night in December 2022. Within a week I was sleeping through the night which was a big result, however there has been less of an impact on my anxiety levels which is affecting my day to day life quite significantly.

Should I be asking my doctor to change the HRT I’m taking? Or should I just hang in there with the medication I have.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.
Title: Re: Anxiety and HRT
Post by: Dotty on March 09, 2023, 07:41:38 PM
You can increase the Oestrogel x
Title: Re: Anxiety and HRT
Post by: Charlie1970 on March 09, 2023, 08:32:05 PM
You can increase the Oestrogel x

I tried that for a week but that made it worse unfortunately 😕
Title: Re: Anxiety and HRT
Post by: Flossieteacake on March 09, 2023, 09:21:30 PM
Hello Charlie and welcome to the forum. Is it possible to try one and a half pumps of Oestrogel? Perhaps your body needs to slowly get used to it. If this is not an option then you could try an oestrogen patch along with the ultrogestan.

Anxiety is such a horrid thing to have and one thing I have noticed is, it seems to take quite a while to improve once on HRT. Some people find therapy or anxiety medication can help along side the HRT.
Title: Re: Anxiety and HRT
Post by: Charlie1970 on March 10, 2023, 01:30:30 PM
Thanks Flossieteacake. I've been referred for CBT therapy this week but the doctor wouldn't prescribe any anxiety medication as I have low blood pressure .... before starting hrt should I have had blood tests as the doctor didn't do this?
Title: Re: Anxiety and HRT
Post by: sheila99 on March 10, 2023, 02:52:05 PM
It would be trying an extra half pump to see what happens but bear in mind that usually (not always) the dose that controls flushes is likely to be the optimum for you. Did you anxiety come with meno or is it a long standing problem? Obviously meno isn't the only cause and some women need ads too. My anxiety took a good 3 months on HRT to resolve.
Title: Re: Anxiety and HRT
Post by: Flossieteacake on March 10, 2023, 02:54:42 PM
Thanks Flossieteacake. I've been referred for CBT therapy this week but the doctor wouldn't prescribe any anxiety medication as I have low blood pressure .... before starting hrt should I have had blood tests as the doctor didn't do this?

Often GPs go on symptoms as blood tests can be unreliable. I hope the CBT helps. :)
Title: Re: Anxiety and HRT
Post by: Law on March 10, 2023, 09:17:22 PM
I’m on Evorel Sequi patches & I was getting really bad medical anxiety from the breast pain I was having. The dr gave me a prescription for an anxiety medication. It’s helped me so much & I feel so much better for it. Maybe try that.
Title: Re: Anxiety and HRT
Post by: Jan1976 on March 10, 2023, 10:17:16 PM
Hi I am the same, started in dec 2022 on HRT with my anxiety under control for over a year taking one propranolol  a day fast forward and gone through the roof, pains in chest, feeling odd so have reduced my HRT which has helped abit but feel it’s so hard to get to the right dose of HRT  :(
Title: Re: Anxiety and HRT
Post by: Charlie1970 on March 12, 2023, 10:18:33 AM
It would be trying an extra half pump to see what happens but bear in mind that usually (not always) the dose that controls flushes is likely to be the optimum for you. Did you anxiety come with meno or is it a long standing problem? Obviously meno isn't the only cause and some women need ads too. My anxiety took a good 3 months on HRT to resolve.

There are a number of areas in my life causing low level anxiety (ill hubby, teenagers and elderly parents) but it has been manageable until recently due to the menopause.... I have been on hrt for 3 months now and haven't seen any improvement which is really hard 😕 😫...
Title: Re: Anxiety and HRT
Post by: discogirl on March 12, 2023, 01:52:28 PM
hi charlie 1970

like others my anxiety took a long while to settle. i needed more estrogen initially but had to reduce it by one pump as i was on too much.

every time i increase or decrease my gel i get anxious.

have you tried ashwaghanda thats supposed to be good for anxiety.

but you have my sympathy cos anxiety is horrible xxx