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[Gilla999]

Yes I've spent much of the last two weeks staring in silence out of the window feeling unable to do anything at all. It's not something I've ever experienced before and very overwhelming. So glad that you're not in the place anymore CLKD xx

[CLKD]

So am I.  Medication helped a lot.  It's awful as well as being difficult to explain.  Be kind to yourself!

[Pippa52]

Gilla999 - Hi Gilla, firstly I am so very sorry to hear just how much you are suffering.  Depression (and anxiety) is really awful.  I hear you I really do.  I had post natal depression both times after my two children were born and it was utter hell.  Waking in the morning and dreading the day ahead and how to cope and the tears and sadness that went along with it.  It is truly horrible and I so hope you going up on the patch will help you and also not cause the side effects you have had previously.  I am ridiculously sensitive to dose changes or anything and certainly with oestrogen levels.  This is why I have been going up so very slowly.  My reading of 143 was on just over a 50 patch so as I have since gone up to 62 and then 68 and soon 75 I am hoping very much that I will be absorbing better.  You are right I am clearly not a great absorber which is why the Meno consultant advised me to go up to a 75 (which actually would equate pretty much to the 25 plus years I was on Oestrogel as I was on 3 pumps worth then).  Anyway time will tell and I will remain on the 75 patch till the check up in May but she did say I may need to go up to the 100 but I am hoping not.  More importantly I really really hope the 50 patch will help you to start to feel better.  I was put on Evorel by my GP during the shortages but it made me really ill with the worst migraines I have ever had literally every day but Estradot seems to suit me much better and they stay stuck on too.  My daughter in law on the other hand is on Evorel and it suits her so it really is such an individual thing.  Sending love and empathy xx

[Mary G]

From what I have read and experienced myself, low oestrogen leads to low serotonin levels which lead to depression and in some people, migraines.

Low progesterone (which tanks well before oestrogen in perimenopause) is associated with anxiety, panic attacks, suddenly developing new phobias and insomnia.

The challenge is getting the HRT dose right in perimenopause and then getting the maintenance dose right for the many post menopause years which are usually far more stable.   Quite often, other medication like ADs are needed too.

[CLKD]

   that's informative as I often wondered which hormone dropped off first.

[Gilla999]

Thanks Pippa for that info, it's very helpful! Can I ask how you are managing to get such specific patch doses? As that's something that I think would be good for me too (and was one huge benefit of Lenzetto).

I feel SO much better mentally since increasing to a 50mg patch.... the depression has lifted, but as expected it then triggered off all of my autoimmune/allergy issues last night. Bright red flushed skin and then my skin on my face started peeling (!). I couldn't get to sleep without valium as I knew would be the case, because when the flares happen I also get a surge of adrenaline (which is apparently par for the course with severe allergic type reactions).

I just find it so baffling and can't find anyone, anywhere on the internet talking about having an autoimmune condition related to their own Estrogen!

Mary G yes, I'm aware of the Estrogen/Serotonin link and think it perhaps answers why I am so sensitive to Estrogen drops - I also have to taper my antidepressants ridiculously slowly or I get horrendous withdrawal, and I always used to get terrible PMT which they also think is related to the serotonin drop.

[Pippa52]

Hi Gilla - I use a tape measure and mark a 1/4 off the patch to get my 3/4 of a 25 patch as accurate as I can.  I do intend to go onto a 75 patch which will make life a bit easier not having to cut up patches every time but I have found this method worked well and enabled me to increase my dose slowly.  I was so sorry to hear that the 50 patch caused your other problems to come back.  Do those symptoms calm down when you level out at all? xx