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[Jogawne]

Hi All
So I was put on antidepressants January 2018 due to an overwhelming anxiety, which I knew was down to perimenopause but the doctor wouldn’t talk to me about 🤷‍♀️
I reduced these after about a year, remaining on a low dose as they were keeping the anxiety in check as well as reducing hot flushes.
I had my last period in April 2019.
This summer flushes returned day and night, sleeping wasn’t good, brain fog, no concentration or motivation sent me to the Dr for HRT. Through summer I was reducing the antidepressants to taking them 2-3 times a week.
I got a prescription, from a phone call, for EstroGel and Utrogestan. I’m on 2 pumps and 100mg which I’m taking everyday
I’ve been on HRT for 4 weeks. I’m feeling a bit flat, very wound up and angry the last week and really sore breasts which I haven’t had for months.
After reading some posts I’m concerned the Utrogestan will bring me down? I’m taking it continuously as it’s easier than doing 25 days out of 28. Dr Louise Newson says this is okay
The EstroGel I’ve got is actually estrodose as well, should I been concerned?
It feels like a minefield. Am I overthinking it?

[Meg]

Dear Jogawane

May I enquire why you decided to go off the antidepressants? I am thinking of going down that route as I feel so low.  I am 66 and dont want HRT so was looking for help with depression and maybe these would help with flushes and anxiety which is awful.  Was it because of side effects that you came off?

Best wishes

Meg

[CherrySG]

If you have anxiety - based depression you may find Utrogestan calming.

It did that for me, but had to change to another progesterone as the acid reflux was too much.

Good luck, I hope it works for you 

[Jogawne]

Dear Jogawane

May I enquire why you decided to go off the antidepressants? I am thinking of going down that route as I feel so low.  I am 66 and dont want HRT so was looking for help with depression and maybe these would help with flushes and anxiety which is awful.  Was it because of side effects that you came off?

Best wishes

Meg

Hi meg, I just felt that I needed to treat all my symptoms and to be honest felt that the anxiety wasn’t an issue anymore. I still have times of anxiety but currently can just recognise it for what it is and go with it, knowing it will pass. I had no side effects while on them, but now I’m off them am feeling my feelings again, which I like.

[Meg]

Dear Jogawne

Thanks for your honest reply.  I have to pluck up courage to ask GP about treatment but I have so far resisted asking for antidepressant as scared of side-effects.

Take care
Meg

[sed]

Dear Jogawne

Thanks for your honest reply.  I have to pluck up courage to ask GP about treatment but I have so far resisted asking for antidepressant as scared of side-effects.

Take care
Meg

Ditto....I am so scared - I tried Escitalopram and hated the feeling.  Felt even more dizzy and light headed so came off them.  My GP then prescribed Sertraline which I still have in the packet 1 month later.  Just can’t cope with HRT side effects and that thrown in the mix too.  Still have the anxiety - some days are bad but trying to give the HRT the full 3 months trial before I revisit the ADs route.  I hope it works for you - please let me know.

[CLKD]

Anxiety is so bad for me that I wouldn't be here without medication, regardless of causation.  Depression is in general under control with medication. 

Why not take the anti-anxiety medication and once other symptoms are eased by HRT?  Then wean off the Anti-anxiety?  I have found Bachs rescue remedy mouth spray useful too.

[Hurdity]

Hi Jogawne

 

Sorry to hear about your symptoms. Your doc was completely going against guidelines prescribing you anti-depressants for Menopausal symptoms instead of HRT and I can understand your wanting to come off them. Far better to take what should have been prescribed first and tweak that rather than the ADs yes. So glad to hear this  "now I’m off them am feeling my feelings again, which I like."

You're right in thinking that the continuous utrogestan could be causing the flat feeling as well as sore breasts  - although increasing oestrogen after a long while without it can also cause this but in the case of oestrogen it should resolve. I have never taken progesterone continuously for this reason. I couldn't live with the permanent tiredness and foggy head! I still take it cyclically and have a withdrawal bleed ( ugh!) despite being in my 60's - unpleasant though this is - is the lesser of the evils in my view.

What not try taking it cyclically ie 12 days per month at 200 mg. Yoy can do it per calendar month which is slightly less often, as you are post-menopause and your own cycle has stopped. (you haven't said your age).

As for the Oestrodose - this is just another name for Oestrogel. It is estradiol gel 0.06 % - exactly the same ingredients at exactly the same proportions made by the same company - just a different name in different countries and different shaped bottle. Take no notice of the campaign going on elsewhere on the web by some celebrity women's health guru saying it's scandalous that a parallel import is being used. It is NOT a generic (or inferior) version of oestrogel. It will provide estradiol transdermally and if the dose you are prescribe is not doing the trick then you can tweak it slightly until it suits.

Good luck and let us know how you get on

Hurdity x

[Jogawne]

Thank you ladies for your replies, I hadn’t checked in.
I’m 48 @hurdity.
You have reassured me, I think there is tweaking needed, but I will wait another month before doing anything with my EstroGel dose. I am thinking about trying something slightly different with the Utrogestan.

Thanks again

[hrthelps68]

Have you considered the Mirena coil for the progesterone element of your HRT? The coil plus topical oestrogen is considered the gold standard when it comes to HRT. Some women are extremely sensitive to progesterone, which can cause depression. This way you get the minimum dose in the place where it's needed. You can whack up your oestrogen to counter any low mood the coil might cause until your hormones settle back down.
Also, there is most definitely a difference between Oestrodose and Oestrogel - insist on the latter and see whether you feel better on it. All you need to do is tell your pharmacist you need the UK version not the parallel import. It can just take a few days longer to get it in stock.
I'm quite bemused by the long-running and unhelpful campaign on here to try and persuade women there isn't a difference between the two. Just try Oestrogel for yourself and then you can make your own mind up according to what subsequently happens re your symptoms.