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[debra217]

Hi - does anyone know if you can take Hrt and fluoxetine together. I came off fluoxetine 2 months ago but my mood is so low - back to crying all the time an smoking again! I just started on hrt last week but wonder if I could take fluoxetine again to help with mood until hrt has a chance to possibly work?

Does anyone have any experience of this? And does hrt help with moods as much as the fluoxetine did?

[Taz2]

Yes you can take anti depressants while on HRT.

I've never found HRT to help with my mood apart from getting more sleep which did help me feel better at coping with things.

Taz x 

[debra217]

Thanks Taz - that's a shame - I was really hoping the hrt would help with mood so I could take the fluoxetine again until hrt started working.  Maybe I will have to stay on both...........

[Taz2]

That's only my experience. It could be very different for you. I do think, though, that mood and anxiety are among the later things to change. Hot flushes usually improve first.

Taz x

[Hurdity]

Hi debra217

It also partly depends what type of hRT you are on and what formulation. For example if you are on continuous combined HRT ( no-bleed) this can affect mood ( ie the progestogens in the HRT). Also some women find that a much higher dose of oestrogen is needed to help with mood - as reported on here. So - if you were on Femoston 1/10 for example you could try increasing to 2/10 for a few months to see if this made a differnece. If you are on a combi patch like Evorel conti ( no bleed) you could try the Evorel sequi and see if you felt better on the oestrogen only patches. Or - you could try taking oestrogen separately from the progestogen so you could increase the oestrogen dose to the level you want to see if this improves mood. Some women have a Mirena coil so they can then use quite high doses of oestrogen without worrying about the womb lining over-thickening.

So - you can see that there are also different HRT options you could try before going back on the ADs. If you take fluoxetine as well while still experimenting with HRT then it may welll be difficult to know which one is suiting you?

If you need any help with this any of us on here can advise...

Hope you find something to suit and your mood improves

Hurdity x

[Dancing Queen]

I found hrt (femseven sequi patches) have really helped with my depression, the Dr told me I needed ADs because hrt was only for hot flushes (no!) But I pushed for hrt and it worked. Different for everyone but it worked for me.

[debra217]

Thank you. I am on Femoston 2/10.  I will give them both 3 months and see how mood is then and then if better try to come off the Fluoxetine once again and fingers Xd I can get off it this time.

Thanks for all the good advice on this site!