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[Jaymacleod]

Hello. Thanks for adding me. I have recently had blood test done and told the results came back as "post menapausal" I find this hard to stomach. My Doctor said she is treating me as menapausal. She advised me to join this site and get some ideas what may be suitable for me. So here goes.. I'm 47 have two children aged 7 and 9. Recently my mood has been like a roller coaster.. sometimes I could literally kill someone, I have no patience and then the guilt sets in and I get a real knot in my tummy. Anxiety has been high and when I get comfy in bed, I get so warm that if hubby comes near me I push him away. So long and short, my doc doesn't want to give me hrt (which I  happy about) but said she wants me to think about a low dose of anti depressants. These mood swings are just awful plus I must admit there is a bit of depression going on. I have no worries so god knows what is going on!  I have always been a anxious person and am svared of talking tablets. Please help 😇

[Tinkerbell]

Recent guidelines say that HRT should be offered before anti depressants unless there is a proper diagnosis of depression.

What are your periods like and do you have any other symptoms?

Blood tests are unreliable in the peri stage, my surgery go on symptoms.

If your periods have stopped and you are post menopausal ( one year of no periods) you should be offered HRT until you 50.

[Ljp]

Hi Jay, welcome to the forum, and to the roller coaster journey that is peri/menopause.😘

I am post menopausal and now 51, I suffered big time through perimenopause, but was terrified of HRT, as most of us are/were.  I used St Johns wort which did help my depression a bit I think.

I am now using transdermal oestrogel and have a mirena coil for progestin and I can honestly say it's the best I've felt in years, I've got me back. The anxiety and depression were horrendous, and now I feel so much better.
 I found myself emotional that I had denied myself feeling better, for fear of HRT and the now antiquated guidelines.

The other thing I have now got my head around is ALL medication, whatever is it, even natural remedies etc, can cause side effects and other health issues.

It is very much a personal choice, but there is help available, and I'm sure some of the highly experienced and respected ladies on here will be able to offer you further advice

Read the latest NICE guidelines which all health care professionals should be using.

[Trufflecat]

Another vote for reading the NICE guidelines ( on this site).  Taking antidepressants can be seen as treating a symptom rather than the cause. Some GPs are still reluctant to give HRT despite the research of 5 years ago now being discounted and transdermal HRT now being available.

[Jaymacleod]

Thankyou for the replies. My periods are so random at the moment. I can go 3 to 6 months.. nothing and the have two back to back ie a few days apart. I do feel I need some help as the anxiety symptoms and being down is just awful. Really in a pickle as even the thought of anti depressants makes me nervous. Isn't being a woman fun 😢

[Ljp]

My periods were exactly the same during last couple of years of peri Jay 😟

Link to NICE guidelines on menopause that all health care professionals should be following!
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23

[Jaymacleod]

 ;DThankyou For Your Replies.  I need to go away and have a good think what is best for me. Just so happy I found this site and all us poor ladies going through this. You know men get a good deal... 😡

[Mary G]

Jaymacleod, sorry to tag onto this one late but ADs should not be the first line of defence for the menopause.  You should be trying HRT first and then if that doesn't deal with the depression, ADs are adviseable along with HRT.  Why doesn't your doctor want to prescribe HRT?  The guidelines have been changed recently and "the right type" of HRT is no longer considered to be risky.  It is better to use trandermal bio identical forms like Oestrogel as opposed to the old school, oral variety that contain synthetic hormones - these are not as effective for symptom control either.

Please consider HRT because nothing else is really going to cut it for menopause symptoms or protect you from the long term damage that oestrogen deprivation causes. 

[Dorothy]

I'd ask your GP WHY she doesn't want to give you HRT because unless there is a good reason for not taking it, it would be good to be on it till 50 at least.  I'm 41, and on BCP which has really helped.