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[weasle]

Hi everyone, looking through all of the support and advice on here is so helpful. I'm new to the group but not new to HRT. Really hoping that someone can offer words of wisdom.
I'm 49 and had been happily bowling along on HRT for over 2 years (evorel 50 for a while, then after 18 months up to 75, 2 weeks on/off utrogestan as I still have periods - though my cycle had changed to more frequent and heavier).  I was amazed at the difference, having believed myself to be depressed.  You might laugh, but I was clueless about peri until the doctor suggested that might be my problem.
Had a couple of minor issues around 5 weeks ago, was tired and run down, so made an appointment. The Dr suggested switching to gel from patches (3 pumps) and increasing utrogestan to 3 capsules for 2 weeks of my cycle, then to come in 2 weeks later for a face to face appointment. Following that, had full bloodwork done - all fine except vitamin D, which I have started taking a supplement for. But I stressed massively about the results coming and IBS symptoms started to kick in to the point where I could not eat properly.
3 weeks of misery -  mood swings, heightened anxiety, panic attacks - and night sweats, which I had never had before. This resulted in me having to be signed off from the last weeks of term. I hate letting my family down and I love my job even though it's stressful. The doctor gave me sertraline - I reacted very badly (too much serotonin I think?) , to the point where A&E seemed a likely outcome. Stopped taking it after 2 days.
8 days ago I decided to switch back to patches. 48 hours ago I swapped my 75 patch for a 50 patch.
Last night - no night sweat. This morning - practically zero anxiety or adrenaline spikes. Does anyone else have experience of this? I worry whether I have done the right thing - but today I feel better than I have for 3 weeks. All thoughts and advice welcome.

[CLKD]

If U feel better you have done the 'right' thing!  It is your body after all.

   it's a bit trial and error due to our own hormones rising and falling. 

I suspect, as your GP should have done rather than altering a regime that was working . was that your VitD levels were low. 

Some find that keeping a mood/food/symptom diary of use to chart progress and remember the better days ;-).  Let us know how you get on.  Stick with what works for a while.

Also do read the threads about vaginal atrophy: 4warned is 4armed ;-).  U may not get symptoms, sometimes though GPs don't recognise symptoms of repeated urine infection-type feelings and prescribe antibiotic therapy.  Appropriate treatment does work.

[weasle]

Thanks for the reply CLKD.
Yes - I should have added - I know that blood tests for estradiol are next to useless, but mine was >700 (2 days before my period/bleed). At that point I would have been on the gel for 3 weeks and had started feeling rubbish. I initially put it down to end-of-year stress and the fact that both my daughters had a vom bug ... but looking back, maybe a combination of things. Still ok today....