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[Gingercatmom]

Hello I'm new here, hope I'm doing this right. I'm 48, still having regular but shorter, lighter periods. Had a mental breakdown last year which I believe now to be caused by severe anxiety and depression caused by the perimenopause. I'm currently on sertraline and it has helped but I still get these sudden feelings of utter dread, they terrify me. After hearing about HRT in the media a lot lately I thought this might help. I have been on oestrogel and utrogestan for 6 weeks and I must say I felt great at first. My family noticed a difference in my mood and even my skin looked better. I felt so good. I had my first bleed and felt a little down, which I've heard is normal. Then I suddenly started to feel very anxious and jittery, heart palpitations and nervous. I felt off balance  and generally unwell. I became scared and stopped the HRT a week ago now, but still feel very anxious. Do you think I took too much? I feel that I was overloaded if that makes sense. Hope I haven't gone on too much, sorry

[CLKD]

Hi! 6 weeks is early as the body may take a while to settle when hormones are added.     Some find that keeping a mood/food/symptom diary of use.

If your own hormones are joining in with the replacement therapy, you may well find that you feel jittery.  However, how is your diet overall?  Eating little and often may help, to keep blood sugar levels even. 

Sertraline can help a lot.  Peri-menopause anxiety can be difficult on top of hormone upheaval!

[Gingercatmom]

Hello thankyou for replying. I try to eat well, lots of veg, I gave up sugar last year and I try to avoid processed food as much as possible. I drink decaf coffee and tea. However lately my appetite has gone, I think it's the anxiety.

I think you could be right about my own hormones being in the background, I've just ovulated so that's an increase in oestogen isn't it?  How do women manage to ever get the dose right in peri? Xx

[CLKD]

It can take Trial and Error at a time when we want to feel well. 

Ginger can help digestion: in syrup, biscuits, chopped into soups/stews/curries.  It's a soother for the gut.  Eating little and often can ease that sudden energy dip which can cause more anxiety. 

[Gingercatmom]

I'm realising this could be a long road. I've only just caught on that my symptoms are menopausal. I've got A LOT to learn.

I watched the Lorraine Kelly and carol vorderman interviews and they made it sound so easy!

[Gnatty]

That's the trouble! I wonder how easy it really was for them. Also a lot of these celebs have now written Meno books. Becoming a bit of a bandwagon....

[Gingercatmom]

I agree. It's good that they've brought menopause out of the shadows,  but it can be a shocker to discover it's not as easy as jjust popping on a patch and feeling 20 again overnight. I wish.....