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[Mindfulmoomins]

Hi everyone,

My thyroid blood tests came back normal today which was great.

I promised myself (during another night of waking up with my heart beating) that if the results were normal I would see a Menopause specialist.

I felt like my GP was really trying to help but I couldn't go on trialling things without knowing the person prescribing understood my history and what to prescribe as a result.

Briefly my history includes Pms (mild and then terrible in peri), low mood in pregnancy which lifted after the birth, ad's (maintenance dose) and a life I loved until peri hit two years ago.

The specialist (not sure if it is ok to name her) said that what I was describing (acute anxiety and moments of despair and depression) was not unusual and that she was confident it was hormonally based.

She said my GP was on the right track with Estrogel and ultrogestan but that one pump of Estrogel was too low and lower than I was on when I took Evorel Sequi. So, I'm to up it to three pumps and see her in 6 weeks. She said it may take 3 months to see a real difference.

She looked at me squarely and said I needed to be ‘confident and patient'.

Of course I cried and hugged her.

I still feel anxious and down but then I would do as my experience has a hormonal base and won't change immediately.

So I will carry on with my mindfulness, exercise, cbt worry diary, seeing friends and medications for sleep.

The advice and info I received on here helped me find my way to this point.

A few posts have gone unanswered which was a bit difficult but I realise people are busy and that those who did answer my posts gave their time and experience very generously.








So I rang this morning and they had an appointment a hour later.

[Dotty]

That's good that you got an appointment so quickly and it seems that the specialist was very good. I have been told 3 months too to make a difference x

[Annie0710]

GOod luck with your new regime.  I usually only offer advice based on my own experiences and that might apply to many other members too so if a member asks specific questions that I have no knowledge/experience of I wouldn't reply to save confusion .  Hopefully you're on the right track now to feeling better xx

[GypsyRoseLee]

Phew, that's very good news indeed.

I echo your specialist in saying that your one pump will have been neither use nor ornament really. GPs really are quite blind in this area.

But it sounds like you're now on the right track. Remember that oestrogen isn't like aspirin, and it will take weeks to properly start working fully. You might still get nasty dips and set backs but ultimately I am confident you will see a steady improvement overall.

Did she alter your Utrogestan dose?

[Mindfulmoomins]

Thank you everyone.

No she didn't alter the utrogestan dose. I am two days into it and she said to carry on taking it orally 200 mg at night.

Annie - thank you. That makes sense.

[Mary G]

Mindfulmoomins, it's good that you have seen a menopause specialist and I hope your new regime works out for you but you will have to give it time.

From what I have read on here, it would seem that women with hormonal anxiety and depression really do need a high dose of oestrogen to get relief.  I hope you get on with the Utrogestan but if not, you might need to ask to take a lower dose or at least start using half the dose vaginally. 

I don't suffer with hormonal depression but when my oestrogen dose was too low, it left me in no man's land, I felt half baked and I didn't get any relief at all - this can be very soul destroying. 

Good luck!

[Mindfulmoomins]

Thank you Mary,

I did ask the specialist if I could take less and vaginally but she said no. I imagine she wants to see how I get on with it.

If I don't get on with it how would I know? With norehistine it was a slow decent into lack of confidence, feeling weird and buzzy and acute anxiety. I'd really like to be more prepared this time (whilst hoping I am ok with it). I've had three doses now at night orally (200 mg).

[JJ65]

Hello there hope it works had thyroid test results on monday mine normal too been on hrt for just over 2 yrs elleste duet then femoston 1/10 then femoston 2/10 then nothing for 4 mths now back on femoston 2/10 fourth month i know why i stopped taking them ! This week has been awful hardly slept anxiety so bad ! Had a few drinks last night and let my partner have both barrels ( poor thing) woke up feeling so bad about myself cos not a nasty person nearly drove to a & e this morning to beg for something to make me feel better havent taken tablet today have got period aches maybe explains terrible mood ! Am starting patches on monday but cant go on like this maybe should see specialist too x

[Mindfulmoomins]

Jj65 sorry to hear things have been difficult. I personally haven't been able to handle even a few drinks since being peri as it's so awful the next day.

So do you think your anxiety is due to a build up of Femston 2/10 after 4 months? What was it like when you were on them before? Did you have anxiety?

Take care x

[JJ65]

Mindfulmoomins yes have had anxiety for so long have to keep stopping myself from hunching shoulders up all the time  so tense. When i took them before used to get relief for the 2 weeks of progesterone only and was worse on oestrogen but neither seams to suit this time oestrogen slightly better last month was so bad on progesterone i stopped after day 9 ! This month day 6 i also have hormonal eczema on scalp and groin just want to scratch all over driving me mad ! Have no sex drive partner says i run away from him ! Cant seem to stand any physical contact just typing this has made me start to cry feel like id be better off on my own. My god sorry used to be a happy person.

[Mindfulmoomins]

Oh it's horrible isn't it.

I am no expert on this journey but as a fellow traveller I empathise and know how you feel.

Have you posted on the forum as a new topic? There are some quite knowledgable ladies out there who have some great suggestions about what might be causing issues for you. Xx

[JJ65]

Sorry have only realised there is more than one page have wondered why i wasnt getting replies think ive been in a state and forgot ! Havent posted as new topic think ive just needed to hear from someone thanks for replying have had period since saturday hoping that ill get some release from it put first evorel sequi patch yesterday so havent had anything since last thursday cos felt so awful got to pull myself together