Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Miss piggy]

Due to burnout less than 2 years ago I have been placed on medication. Currently taking:
Mirtazapine 15mg
Imipramine 75mg
Diazepam 11.5mg (was reducing)
Temazepam 10mg
(Before burnout I never took any meds)

Been on pop (cerezette) for 10+ years

GP placed me on HRT - Evorel Sequi - based on slightly raised FSH level and to try to address low mood - but I had no other menopausal symptoms in April 2021.

This means I am taking 2 weeks estrogen and 2 weeks progesterone by patch.

I see and feel no difference in taking the patches but at the end of each cycle of progesterone I appear to be having increased anxiety and/or a dip in mood.

I have read that benzos and progesterone affect the same gaba receptors in your brain and that progesterone is cross tolerant with benzos.

I feel like I would like to stop the patches.
I believe however that stopping the patches completely could create an effect similar to a benzo withdrawal due to my other medications.

What would be the safest way to proceed?

[CLKD]

Hi!  that's a right mixture - does it help?  Any withdrawal of these needs support from your GP - it took me 9 weeks to get off one AD.  OK after !

Many ladies have problems with the progesterone part of HRT - essential if one has a womb.  How long have you been on the HRT as it can take a few months to feel benefit.

I have taken ADs since 1988 - initially 'valium' 3 times a day then as necessary: I took it the night B4 events that I was unable to get out of.  Now I have an anti-anxiety emergency medication on an as necessary basis.

I found that beta-blocks helped the anxiety surges. I had 40mg at night from 2002 until 2020.  I take 10mg of Escitalopram at night and 5mg in the mornings.  If my mood is low for more than 3 mornings I add 5mg in the morning.

Some find that keeping a mood/food/symptom diary of use.  Let us know how you get on.    browse round. Make notes ;-). 

[Miss piggy]

Thank you! What do you mean by problems with the progesterone? Been on since April 2021.
Clearly noticing a pattern at the end of the 2 week block of the patches. I would like to get off them but very scared and hopefully someone here can help me out. It has just dawned on me recently there is a dip in my mood at this point.

The next plan is to get rid of the benzos.

It is a right mess and really stressing me out.

[CLKD]

....... and breath!  The body doesn't usually get where it is in a hurry - we all want to feel better yesterday  . 

Progesterone can cause mood dip as you describe.  How much does it bother you, do you recover quite quickly? 

At this time of year, I would stick to the regime - there are enough stressors between now and mid-January to hassle the best of us!  MayB keep a diary to chart progress so that you can make an informed decision.  Nature won't be rushed    ....... what scares you ?

[Limpy]

Thank you! What do you mean by problems with the progesterone? Been on since April 2021.
Clearly noticing a pattern at the end of the 2 week block of the patches. I would like to get off them but very scared and hopefully someone here can help me out. It has just dawned on me recently there is a dip in my mood at this point.

The next plan is to get rid of the benzos.

It is a right mess and really stressing me out.

The progesterone in Evorel patches is Norethisterone which can take a while to get used to. It made me feel very crabby, I am reliably informed by my OH that I was downright aggressive - I just felt annoyed 

[Miss piggy]

Did you remain on it? I am thinking of just coming off it.

Thank you both

[Limpy]

I have remained on the Evorel Conti patches  BUT that is only because I'd met Norethisterone  before. A while back I used the Loestrin 20 combined contraceptive pill, I remained ratty for a good 6 months but it did settle down. By the time I came to try the Evorel conti the Norethisterone was much less of a problem.

[Miss piggy]

Bump.

Anyone stop evorel sequi patches while on a benzo? Any kickback? X

[Gilla999]

Can't help with your original question but what I would say is that the withdrawal of Progesterone itself can cause the symptoms you describe (the steep decline in Progesterone before your period is often what causes PMS). I'm not sure if you're still ovulating? I am and found that if I ended my Utrogestan too soon (for example 3 or 4 days) before my period I would have all the symptoms you mention. I only don't have them when I stop the Utro a day before my period arrives. I realise this is all only easy to do if you're still regular like me but just mentioning in case it's a strategy you could try to ease the problems.

I believe if you come off the Progesterone patch that you would also need to come off the Estrogen patch (though I don't know much about your particular brand of HRT). Could switching to something with the natural form of Progesterone (Utrogestan) be an option to try?

[Miss piggy]

Can't help with your original question but what I would say is that the withdrawal of Progesterone itself can cause the symptoms you describe (the steep decline in Progesterone before your period is often what causes PMS). I'm not sure if you're still ovulating? I am and found that if I ended my Utrogestan too soon (for example 3 or 4 days) before my period I would have all the symptoms you mention. I only don't have them when I stop the Utro a day before my period arrives. I realise this is all only easy to do if you're still regular like me but just mentioning in case it's a strategy you could try to ease the problems.

I believe if you come off the Progesterone patch that you would also need to come off the Estrogen patch (though I don't know much about your particular brand of HRT). Could switching to something with the natural form of Progesterone (Utrogestan) be an option to try?

Thank you Gilla999
The GP put me on the patches for low mood and slightly raised FSH. No other symptoms.  She also left me on the pop pill so I have no periods so cannot tell. It is a bit of a mess really! I would be keen to stop it but I am apprehensive about what may happen due to the benzos.
Sending smiles x

[CLKD]

??   why two questions ??

[sheila99]

Both cezarette or evorel are designed as stand alone products so by combining them I'm not surprised you have problems. On the combined patch you and cezarette you will have far too much progesterone and it could be that that's giving you the symptoms. You could ask for zoelly or qlaira which are contraceptive pills with added oestrogen and can be useful in early peri. The other option would be to take oestrogen only patch or gel and replace cezarette with a mirena which will provide both the progesterone required for hrt and contraception.
If your only symptom is low word it may not be meno related anyway.
Sorry, not helpful for your question. Have you tried putting it in the search box?

[Gilla999]

I would emphasise what Sheila has said.... I know from personal experience that mixing too many things at once is never usually a beneficial thing and particularly when it comes to hormones it makes it impossible to know what symptoms are from one thing or another. I've not heard of anyone taking HRT and the contraceptive pill (doesn't mean it doesn't happen, just I personally haven't heard of it) but my first thought is that's an awful lot of synthetic Progesterone for your system!

I have not heard anything about Benzo and Progesterone interactions so wouldn't want to comment - but what has led you to think there is an interaction there?

If you are on two (?) Benzos I would tackle those as the last thing and try to first streamline the hormonal situation. If it were me I would do as Sheila has suggested and either
(a) come off the pill, stop the progesterone patch of evorel and have a Mirena coil fitted (if you still need contraception)
(b) come off the pill, stop the evorel and move onto HRT with natural Progesterone (Utrogestan) (if you don't need contraception)

It may be a bit bumpy getting there because of the conflicting hormones you've been putting into your body, but that doesn't mean it's anything to do with benzos (though as I said, I've got no knowledge on that aspect). The other choice is you come off HRT altogether and keep the pill, but just be aware if you've been putting Estrogen into your body and then remove it, it can be a bit bumpy until your body adjusts (again, nothing to do with benzos).

Not sure if any of this helps at all, but sending you lots of good luck and good vibes x

[Miss piggy]

Thank you both for you messages and input.

Seemingly benzos and progesterone works on the same gaba in the brain so if you were to withdraw progesterone you may something that is like a benzo withdrawal. The pharmacist has confirmed this but I hoped that someone on here may have experienced it and shared it with me. I do want to come off and feel the GP has left me in a bit of a mess but want to do it carefully and cautiously.

Thank you again xx

[CLKD]

Do U have a Nurse Practitioner at your practice who could give advice and supervise?