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[panda123]

Hi Everyone. I ve just come across this website and after reading several of the posts I felt I had to sign up and talk to people who know what I m going through. I am nearly 52 and have been suffering terrifyingly with anxiety, panic and extremely low mood every 2 weeks AFTER my period.  I have been to the doc several times and now in addition to my citalopram (which I ve been on for 10 years or more) they have put me on Femoston 1/10.  I still have regular periods and the blood tests they did said I was not even peri-menopausal which I feel can t be right at my age and with the symptoms I m having. However no sweats or any other symptoms apart from I feel like I m going mad and sometimes life doesn t seem worth living.  Please could anyone help with advice?

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome to MM
Pleased to hear your GP is on the ball.  Blood tests are not reliable and he/she is prescribing HRT based on your symptoms which is the right thing to do. It's worth trying the HRT - Femoston is a good one to try first as it has the kinder progesterone. You never know Femoston could just help you through this nasty peri meno phase. It does sound as though your fluctuating hormones are playing havoc with your mind which can be a typical symptom of peri meno.
Also, I would certainly suggest doing some CBT or Mindful Meditation to help with the terrible anxiety as it can be so crippling and I've found the regular practise of some Mindful Meditation to be very effective for me. You don't necessarily need to see a counsellor (although this can be a good idea), there are some really good books out there and even sessions on Youtube.
Keep us posted.  DG xxx

[panda123]

Thank you so much for your reply DG.  I practise mindfulness every day and I have found it to be an absolute lifesaver.  I just get so frightened knowing what is coming when my period finishes as the next 2 weeks are absolute hell.  Do you think the Femoston will even things out over time?  I am losing weight and becoming frightened to go out and as I am a single Mum I cannot let myself fall to pieces. Sorry I m ranting but I feel so relieved to have someone to talk to who can maybe give me some hope!

[Dancinggirl]

We're here to support you and, as I said, the HRT may well help - it should stabilise your hormones so they don't effect you so badly. It can take at least 3 months to settle so do be patient. At least you have a good GP who is doing the right things to help you.  Keep posting.  Dg x

[Hurdity]

Hi panda123

  from me too

If you are still having regular periods but getting these symptoms it is likely to be the last stage of your reproductive phase as it is called just before peri-menopause - and as Dancinggirl says at this time hormones start to go out of whack and pms gets much worse. The hormones dip higher and lower. How frequent are your periods and how long do they last?

There is an article here on this site about the peri-menopause and what's happening to your body which you might find helpful http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/article-perils-of-the-perimenopause.php

Because you are taking Citalopram then this could explain the lack of flushes and sweats as this is sometimes (wrongly) prescribed for this reason, instead of HRT, to newly peri-menopausal women who are suffering from anxiety as well as flushes and sweats.

Hopefully the low dose Femoston will help but sometimes women are prescribed the CCP at this stage because it also stabilises hormones without your own hormones breaking through. There is a fairly new one available called Qlaira which contains the same oestrogen as Femoston and therefore is better for menopausal women but a stronger progestogen.

Try the Femoston for the time being and then if you are still getting the ups and downs perhaps consider this one?

Hope you feel better soon

Hurdity x

[panda123]

Hi Hurdity
Thank you for replying.  My periods are still coming every month but down to 1 heavy day and 2 or 3 very sketchy ones.  What seems to be unusual is that it s the 2 weeks after my period when the anxiety and mood crash happens.  The doc told me to start the Femoston 1/10 straight away last Friday and I then had a very light period on Sunday and Monday.  Today the anxiety has kicked in again with a vengeance as usual after my period.  I read on most posts that the 14 days on the white pills are usually the best mood days for most people and then they suffer anxiety and other symptoms on the grey pills.  I am so worried that I will carry on having my usual 2 post-period nightmare weeks and then go on to the grey pills and crash even further for another 2 weeks.  The anxiety is so bad that I don t think I could cope if it went on for longer and got worse.
 
I didn t realise that the citalopram could stop sweats and flushes.  Please could you tell me what CCP is - excuse my ignorance.  I am willing to try anything that will help me.

Thank you very much for your help.

[Tinkerbell]

CCP......combined contraceptive pill

[Hurdity]

Oh - did you start the Femoston on the first day of your bleed? If your periods are regular the usual advice  is to try to sync with your own cycle and in fact it says in the product info to start 5 days after the start of your period http://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/2493/spc
If you started it at a different point in your cycle and your own hormones were doing their own thing cycle-wise then your bleed would be out of sync!

Also I think I'm wrong about the CCP (thanks Tinkerbell!) - I don't think it can be started over 50 from what I read on another thread but I don't know much about it. Qlaira is very like HRT in that it the oestrogen is mostly approx the same dose as the tablet oestrogen part of HRT, but the doses of the two hormones are such that it controls the cycle and suppresses ovulation.

Hurdity x

[panda123]

Hi Hurdity.  The doctor said to start the pills even though I told him a period was due so I did.  My usual after period anxiety has kicked in big time and I m feeling extremely anxious, low and hopeless.  I was so hoping that the pills would start working straight away but I knew that wasn t very likely.  Will keep going with the Femoston and keep everything crossed that I see an improvement in the next 3 months.  Thanks for your help, it makes such a difference having someone to talk to who understands.