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[SarahT]

Getting a bit nervous. Am seeing my g.p tomorrow as hrt is not helping as much as it should.
I have increase estradot to 75 over the last couple of months, and have mirena coil for the progesterone. I am 56 and peri.

I seem to be getting worse in a lot of respects, but not every day! Joint pain is a lot worse, some days completely exhausted, brainy fog worse too. But the absolute worse thing is some for quite a few days each month my moods just hit rock bottom. I am crying, I feel surges of (hormone?) waves that leave me in bits. It is seriously bad. Last week I was crying and literally getting my poor husband to help, to just make it all stop.... It was terrifying for him to see me like this.

And this week I am a lot more stable. It is not depression, as I know what that is like.

This happens every month, and I assume it is my own cycle gearing up for a period and flooding my body with extra estrogen?? So cyclical?

Does anyone else feel like this. I can't continue like this, it truly is the worse I have ever felt throughout my life.

Have made a few simple notes to go to g.p with. Anyone any suggestions as to what the help is happening or what I could do, or ask g.p??

Thanks x

[Nas]

Hey Sarah,
Sorry things continue to be rubbish for you. It is a truly crap experience, this menopause
lark!

These mood swings, must be linked to your own hormones taking charge.

Blood tests are pointless in peri, so I wouldn’t bother asking for those. I’m not sure increasing the patch would be beneficial
either, what do you think?

Things may not stabilise until your last period. It’s a tough one to fathom out during peri I think, largely because your hormones are fluctuating so wildly.

Have you tried any other remedies to help you through the monthly storm? Ashwangandha? CBD oil? Would you consider any meds to try and balance you out a bit?

Sorry I have no definitive answer Sarah, except remember THINGS CAN ONLY GET BETTER!  🍫💕🌷

Hugs
Nas x

[SarahT]

Hiya Nas,

Love the chocolate emoji....and always the hugs.

Am not sure upping dose would work either. More oestrogen while my body is still on seemingly high 'natural' oestrogen with my body refusing to give up cycles would prob make things worse.

Am wondering if maybe going onto using gel rather than patches may work. But, having got the anxiety a bit more under control, the thought of starting a new regime and needing at least a 3 month trial to settle, well that scares me a bit.

Seems I  to work out which is worse, serious mood dips vs anxiety vs physical symptoms. I am never expecting hrt to be a cure, but it has to be better than this.

I haven't gone down the natural supplements much, daily vits and minerals, extra vit d with calcium. Eve primrose I used for years for breast tenderness, but my boobs (albeit 2 sizes  bigger now) are at least ok now.

Not sure which way to turn. Hope g.p has a better clue that me!

Thanks as always Nas. Am still hummingbird that  tune x

[SarahT]

Well. G.p appt later today. Dreading it really. I know any new regime can take some time to settle and I can't Keep having these seemingly cyclical dips. There are so so bad.
Hope g.p can come up with something and I just don't ramble on...

Anyone else peri getting cyclical seriously bad mood swings?

[Losingtheplot]

Well. G.p appt later today. Dreading it really. I know any new regime can take some time to settle and I can't Keep having these seemingly cyclical dips. There are so so bad.
Hope g.p can come up with something and I just don't ramble on...

Anyone else peri getting cyclical seriously bad mood swings?

Big hugs hunni xxxxxx
I suffer similar symptoms with the waves of the anxiety and bad moods etc so I know how you feel    Just want you to know you are not alone feeling like this and things will improve xxxxx  I am also peri.

I was on Evorel Sequi which seemed to help control these symptoms but side effects were too much.

I literally feel like I am going mad when these surges of mood swings and crippling anxiety/panic attacks come out of the blue and it sounds like the same happens to you x

Could you maybe discuss with your GP if they could prescribe an anti anxiety med to take for when these surges come on? On an as and when basis?  And continue with your current HRT if that is helping control other symptoms? Sorry I don't know what to suggest about the mood swings as I struggle myself to control those. 

It is scary when these awful attacks come on and I find that if I take one of the anti anxiety meds it calms my physical symptoms down which then calms my mental symptoms.  Like you I know the difference between Depression and anxiety I really feel for you and when these attacks and mood swings come on they are intermittent whereas when I have suffered depression it is there all the time like a black cloud.

I have also been taking an Ashgwagandha capsule daily for 3 weeks so I think it is now helping calming me down and de stressing me too.

A friend has mentioned MSM capsules that contain Sulphur and have been known to help with skin, nails, hair and joint pain - this can be purchased in the purest form with no nasties added and reviews from people that have used this do say that joint pain has decreased or gone completely - I have some on order so can't confirm all this from personal experience as yet.

It is scary trying out new HRT as I am also currently on my 1st week of a new regime (gel and Utrogestan - which I hope I can tolerate)  and things do seem to be improving for me I think albeit slowly - panic attacks not as intense. 


Is there a meno clinic close to you that your GP can refer you too possibly if you feel the GP is at a loss at what advice/treatment to offer you just as a final option?

Please let us know how the GP appointment goes.  I really wish I could make you feel better xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[SarahT]

Thanks so much sweetie,
I know how much you have been through lately.

I hadn't considered an anti anxiety med on a need to use basis. I am a bit reluctant to go on a permanent anxiety medication, because as you also understand, it is waves of surges of this crippling feeling, not all the time. And anxiety not the black cloud of depression.

I feel so supported as you seem to know how this feels. That helps me so much.

I will ask her about anti anxiety mess for a as needed basis, also about a meno  clinic referral. I do feel the hrt I am on is pretty good, just this cyclical surges break me each month.

I will see how it goes, what she suggests and look into alternative supplements too. don't want to crowd my body with too much all at once.

Thanks, your reply means a lot
Xx

[DottyD68]

Hi Sarah,

Low dosage Beta blockers are prescribed to manage the physical symptoms of panic/anxiety on an "As and when" basis rather than being on another medication permanently. Maybe you could give these a try or just knowing that you've got them in your bag may help you?

Hope it goes well today.  Write down what you want to talk about and make sure you are "happy" with responses before the appt end. Don't feel rushed. Good luck x

[SarahT]

Thanks Dotty,

Never needed anxiety meds, so I will discuss with g.p luckily she takes an interest in she is health, and has run a Zoom meeting for peri\meno, so should be able finalists and discuss.

Have my simple notes of what I want to cover, and hoping to stay calm (ish)

Thanks Dotty, will let you know how it goes. X

[Losingtheplot]

Thanks so much sweetie,
I know how much you have been through lately.

I hadn't considered an anti anxiety med on a need to use basis. I am a bit reluctant to go on a permanent anxiety medication, because as you also understand, it is waves of surges of this crippling feeling, not all the time. And anxiety not the black cloud of depression.

I feel so supported as you seem to know how this feels. That helps me so much.

I will ask her about anti anxiety mess for a as needed basis, also about a meno  clinic referral. I do feel the hrt I am on is pretty good, just this cyclical surges break me each month.

I will see how it goes, what she suggests and look into alternative supplements too. don't want to crowd my body with too much all at once.

Thanks, your reply means a lot
Xx

Yes I totally understand  and sometimes it is best to try one thing at a time so maybe stick to your HRT if this is helping you and trial an additional med/supplement one at a a time to see if they help for a set period.

I completely understand your  concerns about permanent anti anxiety meds as I also feel the same as it is then the weaning off this medication that can be difficult - that said everyone has there own preference and permanent or as and when basis is a personal choice - my GP prescribed Propananol and did stress to me that they are not addictive.

It sounds like you have most symptoms under control for what you suffer but the anxiety/mood swings seems to be what a lot of woman can suffer with even on HRT - I really hope you find something that helps xxxx

[ToriiJ]

Hi Sarah

I hope your appointment goes well today, if you haven’t had it already. I just wanted to let you know you’re not alone. I too seem to get a cyclical surge of something every few weeks, sometimes less, which totally floors me. I am on Anti Ds already but these surges send me to rock bottom, sometimes for a few days, sometimes a week, sometimes more.

I did play around with my hrt, probably shouldn’t have but I was on Evorel 75 patch and was adding a pump of oestrogel too, I just ended up feeling more depressed. Anyway I have ditched the patches for now and have put myself on a really low dose of 1 pump of oestrogel daily plus Utrogestan. I have been feeling better after this, but I don’t know if another surge will come and floor me again, it’s just all trial and error it seems.

Fingers crossed for a positive appointment today x

[Emzib0b]

Hi Sarah,

I don’t have any suggestions but I just wanted to reach out and send a virtual hug. I hope that’s not too weird coming from a complete stranger! I can relate to so much of what you’ve written. I get the surges too and cry a lot - it’s like a huge upwelling of horrible emotions that build up and overflow! It can go on for days or weeks. I can be fine one day and in a terrible place the next. It makes me so sad whenever I hear of others going through this, too.

I hope your appointment goes well today.

[Penguin]

Hi Sarah
I really hope your appointment goes well today and the doctor can help you work out a way forward.
I am in peri but was having massive cylical mood swings, they'd start with anxiety and then I'd be so exhausted with the anxiety I'd switch to being tearful and down,  like a total crash, which would last days. I am using estrogel and what I've found most helpful is adjusting my dose accordinfpy. I'm not sure if you're meant to do that (my gp didnt seem bothered either way and my prescriptions says 1-4 pumps) or not but there are days when I feel so jittery and sore breasts that I just know my estrogen is too high amd I'll do one pump of gel, then once I start the utrogestan stage on day 15 and am a few days in I can tell by my achey fingers and dryness everywhere (eyelids sticking to eyes at night kind of thing) that I know I've dipped and add more estrogel back in. For me it has helped the massive fluctuations that come with peri. I can't cope with either one pump all month or two pumps all month, but the good thing about the gel is you can adjust it xx

[SarahT]

Bit of an update. 
Had appt this afternoon with a gp who has an interest in women's health, particularly menopause. She had to wait a bit until  I stopped crying.... But the gist of things is she agrees my deep moods are cyclical. Basically whilst in peri, it is known some women, especially those who have always had had pms (that's me a 40+ year veteran of that) can find the pms significantly worsens.

So for me, the idea is to up My hrt patch from 75 to 100 (and I could go to 125 if needed) to 'trick' my body into not going into its natural cycle and ovulating. Hopefully ending the mad mood dips that affect me so badly each month - getting a bit of stability would be my goal.

She would like me to try this for a couple of months, but she is willing to add an anti anxiety tablet on prescription to use just for the week\10 days which is just prior to my current 'natural cycle'.

I feel so relieved that she recognises just how bad this is. I know from your replies some of you also seem to have this horrendous mood swing. I would recommend you keep a note of dates as to how bad you feel to see if it is cyclical for you too, a bit of ammunition if you like to put forward to your own gp's.
I thought hrt would be enough to cope with peri symptoms,  and yes,it does indeed support them, BUT like me, you may also be having worse pms as part of the hormonal changes too. Not something I really considered at first.

Check severe pmt or pmdd to see if this rings true with you. Extra help may be needed along with hrt. Pmdd seems likely for me. Distressing to read but
emphasises how severe we can feel. Some nasty thoughts can circulate on this mood spiralling down.

Please don't suffer unnecessarily . Obviously we are all different and a gp may decide a different route for individuals, but this distressing part of peri can be helped.

Without sounding like an Oscar speech, I really thank you all for your advice and support.

Emz, hugs giving freely and accepted by me. Always. X
Penguin, thanks for your honesty, seems tweak of her helps. X
ToriiJ maybe this may apply to you?? X
Losingtheplot,  thanks hun, especially after your own week.x

Hugs to all, sorry for lengthy message. X

[Losingtheplot]

Bit of an update. 
Had appt this afternoon with a gp who has an interest in women's health, particularly menopause. She had to wait a bit until  I stopped crying.... But the gist of things is she agrees my deep moods are cyclical. Basically whilst in peri, it is known some women, especially those who have always had had pms (that's me a 40+ year veteran of that) can find the pms significantly worsens.

So for me, the idea is to up My hrt patch from 75 to 100 (and I could go to 125 if needed) to 'trick' my body into not going into its natural cycle and ovulating. Hopefully ending the mad mood dips that affect me so badly each month - getting a bit of stability would be my goal.

She would like me to try this for a couple of months, but she is willing to add an anti anxiety tablet on prescription to use just for the week\10 days which is just prior to my current 'natural cycle'.

I feel so relieved that she recognises just how bad this is. I know from your replies some of you also seem to have this horrendous mood swing. I would recommend you keep a note of dates as to how bad you feel to see if it is cyclical for you too, a bit of ammunition if you like to put forward to your own gp's.
I thought hrt would be enough to cope with peri symptoms,  and yes,it does indeed support them, BUT like me, you may also be having worse pms as part of the hormonal changes too. Not something I really considered at first.

Check severe pmt or pmdd to see if this rings true with you. Extra help may be needed along with hrt. Pmdd seems likely for me. Distressing to read but
emphasises how severe we can feel. Some nasty thoughts can circulate on this mood spiralling down.

Please don't suffer unnecessarily . Obviously we are all different and a gp may decide a different route for individuals, but this distressing part of peri can be helped.

Without sounding like an Oscar speech, I really thank you all for your advice and support.

Emz, hugs giving freely and accepted by me. Always. X
Penguin, thanks for your honesty, seems tweak of her helps. X
ToriiJ maybe this may apply to you?? X
Losingtheplot,  thanks hun, especially after your own week.x

Hugs to all, sorry for lengthy message. X

Oh I am so pleased your Gp has been able to offer you some solutions and big hugs for you breaking down sounds like you have just been dealing with so much and your Gp has clearly taken how you are feeling seriously and most importantly listened.

You have been there for me when I needed some advice and assurance and helping each other is what this forum is all about  I really hope things settle for you.  I suffered terrible PMS so what your GP has said resonates with me too. Take Care hunni and please reach out whenever you need too we are all here to help xxxx

[SarahT]

Made me cry again there Losingtheplot! But for good reasons. 😍
So much support from everyone on this forum, you are so right. Sometimes we need practical advice, sometimes just some understanding and a virtual hug. What we give out to others comes back to us when we need it too. Thanks sweetie.x