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[Lesley49]

Good afternoon ladies

I am new to the forum and would like to share my story.

My periods stopped 5 years ago.  About 5 years before that I felt my hormones were changing dramatically and I ended up taking Fluoxetine for anxiety.  At that time I never even considered this to be peri menopause as I had been through a mentally abusive relationship and just thought it was the after effects of that that had made me panicky and anxious all of the time.  I had an awful few. On this but eventually came through that and after 3 months off work I went back and was Ok again.  Shortly after that I met my wonderful husband and we married 6 years ago.  I am really happy and content and was living life to the full

Then about 2 months ago I started to feel dizzy - like vertigo feelings - I then had what I now know to be a panic attack at work which really frightened me,  I went to see my GP who ordered blood tests to see if there was anything phyisically wrong.  These came back clear. 

Up to the dizzy feelings I had been doing everything, cycling to work part time, walking the dog straight after and then to the gym 4 times a week and then cooking tea befor eventually plonking myself down about 7 pm.  I never relaxed but didn't see this as a problem - until now!!  My father was then taken ill at my house and ended up in hospital for a week being tested for everything's!!  This was a shock as although he's 83 he's always been so fit and active.  Anyway I was ok through his illness and thankfully now he's fine again and back to his usual self.  About 2 weeks after this I started to feel anxious and have been feeling that way now for about 3 weeks.  I called my GP and I asked her whether HRT would help me.  She said maybe and proceeded to prescribe Kliovance over the telephone. 

I have now been taking HRT for 3 weeks but I still feel dreadful.  My GP is on holiday at the moment and I have an appointment to see her on 16 August.  In the meantime I have telephoned the surgery on 3 separate occasions as I have felt so awful. I was prescribed beta blockers by one make GP who advised me to "keep talking" to my husband and family. I have a wonderful husband and family and they listen to me and keep telling me I will be ok but I just feel like I'm always going to feel this way.  The anxiety is not as bad now as I am taking 10mg of propanol every few hours but I now feel "dead" inside.  I have really no feelings at all.  Then all of a sudden the feeling lifts and I feel ok again for a few hours - normally in the afternoon.  I am so tearful all of the time.

I have a telephone appointment with another female doctor booked for tomorrow and just really hope she will find me an appointment so I can actually go and sit and talk to her.  I feel lost at the moment.

Sorry to go on ladies but wondered if anyone can relate to any of my experience.  I am sure this is menopausal but do you all agree?   

[Dancinggirl]

I think Kliovance is a continuous HRT so you will be taking progesterone everyday alongside the oestrogen - continuous progesterone can be a problem for many women.  Putting up with a period every month may be a nuisance but many of us stick to a  sequential HRT regime so we don't have to take progesterone all the time. You may be particularly sensitive to synthetic progesterone so could do better on oestrogen as patch or gel and Utrogestan(micronised progesterone) taken for 12 days each month.
Have a look under TREATMENTS at the top of this page and browse around the site to get clued up.
DG

[Lesley49]

Thank you so much for your reply DG - that sounds like it could be what I need - I'll speak to my doc tomorrow - don't know whether she'll change it yet though as I've only been on this one 3 weeks - really can't put up with the symptoms for another month or so though 😩😩

[Taz2]

Hi Lesley - this does all sound very familiar!

I agree with Dancinggirl that continuous progesterone doesn't suit everyone (me included) and if you were on a sequential HRT then you would know whether it was the progesterone making you feel lower in mood and anxious as this is only added in to the last two weeks each month. Kliovance contains Norethisterone as the progesterone component and many women find that this gives rise to PMT type symptoms including depressed mood and tiredness.

There are other HRT's you can try - the advice to try a patch/gel plus utrogestan is really good unless you have a soya allergy/sensitivity as the capsules are soya based. Have a good look around at the different treatments available. It can take quite a few attempts to get the right HRT for you so don't feel despondent. Most of us hit on the right one eventually with the help of the lovely members on this site.

If your depression has got too well established it may be that you will need an anti depressant as well as the HRT to lift your mood. Lots of women on here are on both.

Taz x 

[Smokey]

Hi Lesley49

It does sound like menopause. I'm surprised your Doc prescribed Hrt over the phone, a lot of doctors don't like Hrt and are not clued up on it at all.

Now your on Kilovance hopefully things should start to improve, but it may take a bit longer than 3 weeks, I don't really know a lot about the Hrt Kilovance is it a tablet and do you take it every day?

I've been on Hrt for about 5 years now and I had lots of weird scary feelings and most have been alivated by the Hrt and to complicate things I also was diognosed with Ms and high calcium and underactive thyroid at the same time! And to be honest I didn't know if I was coming or going.

Was your Throid tested when you had your bloods done? This can go out of sink around the same time of menopause and you should keep an eye on it when starting Hrt too.

I was on Everol Seqiil patches for my Hrt which worked well for me if you suffer from headaches or migraines these are better for you as being transdermal they bypass the stomach,as some Hrt tabs can upset your
stomach.

You say you are 5 years post meno so not bleeding anymore does the Hrt your on make you have a withdrawal bleed?

I've just changed my Hrt I had the Mirena coil fitted as the progesterone part of Hrt and I have just started using the gel for the oestrogen part. I hope I won't have anymore periods as my ms is always worse when I do.

There is lots of ladies on this forum that are knowledgable and I expect some are on Kilovance and will probably be along to tell you how they are doing on it.

Anything you need to know just ask and someone will be able to help you.

How are you doing with the Fluoxetine ? Did you get many side effects?
I have been on Mitazapine which was good but swapped recently to Nortriptyline as it works for nerve damage which I have with my Ms.

Take care

Ann x

[Lesley49]

Ahh thank you so much ladies for your replies.  I don't feel so alone anymore  I was beginning to think I was the only one feeling so awful.  I feel like I'll never be back to normal but you have all given me a bit of hope.

Taz2 thank you for your reply.  I'm speaking to my doc tomorrow so will mention the progesterone to her.  I'm hoping she will see me face to face over the next few days - it's awful not being able to sit down and speak to a doctor - it's made me feel like I'm on my own with all of this and that I'll never get any answers.  I can't believe how much I've changed over the last few weeks!!

Smokey - thank you for your reply.  I really couldn't believe the doc prescribed something as huge as HRT over the phone - she was going on holiday the next day and I think she just wanted to get me off the phone!!  I agree it will take longer than 3 weeks but am afraid that if I wait much longer my depression will get worse and I really can't stand that - I go on holiday in 7 weeks,and am already fretting i'll still be feeling awful - I've also got to go back to work next week I've already had a week off thinking the rest would help me!

However I feel horrible complaining so much when you have so many other health problems bless you.  I hope you are ok.  My thyroid was tested when the blood tests were done and thankfully all my blood results were absolutely fine.  I'm sure now that all of my symptoms - dizziness, hot flushes, anxiety, panic attacks and lots of tearfulness are due to the menopause.  I was a little shocked however they all this started up 5 years since my last period!!  I did have 2 weeks of anxiety about 2 years ago but this went as soon as I went on holiday.  I can't believe it's all co e back again 

I think I may ask about the patches - I've read about quite a few ladies who have had the patches and seem fine on them.

In relation to the fluoxetine I took this,about 10 years ago for about a year - I had no problems on it at all as far as I can recall.  I think I was a bit scared of it to begin with as everyone told me I would feel worse for 2 weeks and I did think at that time how can this get any worse!! Anyway I got back to normal but never thought I'd be here again!!

Thank you so much again ladies you've made me feel much better.