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[Lesley49]

Good morning ladies

I'm 52 and been post menopausal for around 7 years now. Is there anyone out there at all like me still suffering after all of this time?  I'm on HRTand I unfortunately also anti depressants but still every few weeks I get the awful anxiety back again.  I can go weeks now and be fine but then it'll appear again and make me feel dreadful again for a few days at a time. 

I was just wondering whether any ladies had tried CBT and whether it worked for you.

[JaneinPen]

Interested too.  Have read lots of reports that people with chronic pains have been able to reduce their medication to virtually zero which I would love to do. Never sure if the reports are real though so haven't tried it yet

[snappy]

I'd also be interested. I'm also about 7 years post meno. After a nasty chest infection I've been experiencing all the nasty symptoms I thought I'd done with years ago. My anxiety is off the scale. Never used HRT but, at 61, willing to consider going down this route.

I feel your pain.

[Dancinggirl]

Hi Lesley49

Its good you are on HRT but antidepressants don't always help in the way the medical profession believes.  I personally think that it is a range of strategies that help control anxiety and allow mood - so CBT would definitely be a good idea.


I do Mindfulness a great deal and find it helps but it's well worth trying a variety of things that will get you over the difficult times. DG x

[Roseneath]

Yes I have started CTB on the NHS (in Scotland) and have had six sessions. I have had anxiety (mostly health ) since Peri off and on and have tried everything except ADs (HRT didn't suit). I would certainly recommend it but it is not a magic bullet.  When the anxiety is in check I find the tools helpful however I have just had a huge anxiety melt down in the last week and during couldn't calm down enough to put any of the practises into place. The CTB involves learning the physical side of anxiety, talking about the reasons why it started and a few simple practises.  My councillor is excellent which helps. I am on the verge of trying an AD (Sertraline) however because I feel now that it is zapping all the happiness out of my life. The only way I got through Christmas was alcohol (I am not a drinker at all ) but it was the only thing that would take the edge off the continual raw fear and get me through the social side of Christmas.

[Tc]

Hiya. I have had CBT twice in the past and found it very helpful. It's not a passive therapy but I found that the more I committed to it the more I got from it.
I am on the list for another course due to symptoms re-emerging post surgical meno. I am in England and the waiting list is quite long in my borough so I would say the sooner you get on the list the better.

The first time i was on AD'S  I was with a GP  who thought it was ok to leave me on prozac for years just upping the dose and never offering any therapy  it wasn't until I changed GP that I got referred. My new doc  believed that short term courses I.e a few months work alone for some ppl but in longer term use  therapy should be offered alongside. Indeed it was instrumental in me eventually being able to come off the AD'S and have several realy good years  mental health wise.
I had to go back on and have more therapy years later due to an eating disorder and then again 3 years ago when my wife died but I was offered bereavement counselling then.
Hope this helps. Of course it's only my experience but I don't feel scared of having CBT again cos I know it has helped me get better in the past.
As a side thoughtt  i find it an interesting question as to whether past mental health issues made me more susceptible to the Mh probs of meno. Might be an interesting new topic.
Wishing you wellx