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[Maxi-T]

Hello all this is my first ever post, and I’m hoping someone can help.

Some time over December, in my infinite wisdom (not) I decided to abruptly stop my HRT regime (1 pump of Estrogel and 100mg tablet Utrogestan) as I was worried that HRT may be raising my blood pressure.

Well, I stopped taking it overnight for about 4 weeks and I gradually descended into a chronic state of anxiety and depression, I never knew it was possible to feel this bad.

After about 4 weeks off it, I resumed my HRT again (1 pump estrogel and 100mg Utrogestan), and recently booked into a private menopause clinic to try and get some advice and reassurance. I was advised to increase my estrogel to 2 pumps as 1 pump was apparently very ineffectual and had little benefit. I have been on 2 pumps for 3 days now (I know, it’s early days).

However I am now feeling nauseous and finding it difficult to eat. This may be a side effect of the increased dose? If so I hope it settles down.

I was told to increase the dose to 3 or even 4 pumps in a month’s time, if 2 pumps wasn’t making any difference.

I should add that when I first went on HRT for my hot flushes at around age 48, I was on Evorel Conti 50 patches, which I believe is equivalent to 2 pumps of estrogel, and that suited me fine for years, however after a bout of post menopausal bleeding 18 months ago  (which turned out to be a polyp) I was taken off the patches and put on 1 pump of estrogel and 100mg Utrogestan.

I am age 56, and have never suffered from anxiety or depression before, so this is like a bolt out of the blue for me.

The menopause specialist has told me that she thought it unlikely that stopping HRT abruptly had caused this crash in my mood, as I had only been on 1 pump of estrogel which is extremely low. However I also stopped the Utrogestan abruptly so surely that would have had a contributory effect?

I have now been back on my HRT for around 3 weeks (resuming on 1 pump to begin with and then 2 pumps as from 3 days ago), so why don’t I feel any better?

Does my body need to build back up on estrogen and progesterone and does this take a while?

Any advice would be very much appreciated as I’m in a horrible place right now    thank you ladies 

[sheila99]

My anxiety took 3 months to go so 3 weeks is early days. It's also possible that utrogeston doesn't suit you if you're getting symptoms you didn't have before you started. If evorel conti suited you perhaps it might be better to use it again?

[Maxi-T]

Thank you for replying Sheila, and yes that is a good suggestion about possibly going back to the patches  - I will give it a bit longer and if no improvement I will ask to be put back onto the conti patches. Hope all is well with you x 

[PennyD]

Hi Maxi-T, I could have written your post myself! I stopped HRT abruptly for 2 weeks as advised by a menopause specialist GP and have never felt worse. I went straight back on, now on my 2nd week, and my estrogen levels must be spiking as I felt instantly better and then settled into a pattern of anxiety and depression again. How are you feeling now, did it sort itself out? xx

[eileenbeattie]

Hi I'm 49 and started on everol patches and came off them quote sudden 2 months later. My anxiety is awful and I have a fear of dying etc which I never used to have. My nurse advised me to go back on them so hopefully I'll start to feel bit better. I hope you start to feel better soon too. Its horrible going through the menopause as it's one symptom after another. Take care x

[Penguin]

Hi I'm 49 and started on everol patches and came off them quote sudden 2 months later. My anxiety is awful and I have a fear of dying etc which I never used to have. My nurse advised me to go back on them so hopefully I'll start to feel bit better. I hope you start to feel better soon too. Its horrible going through the menopause as it's one symptom after another. Take care x

That is the same fear I have, also only started in perimenopause! I'm better than I was, but at my worst I wouldn't even book days out or theatre tickets as I was worried I'd be diagnosed with something and not be able to go as I'd be undergoing treatment. It is a horrible fear to have x

[eileenbeattie]

I have the same symptoms as you I even panic going anywhere nowadays which I never used to. I get a weird woozy feeling in my head then the anxiety kicks off. I'm hoping the patches will settle me down as it's so terrible suffering these horrible symptoms it takes over your life 😢

[PennyD]

I just wanted to jump on to our recent convo ladies and say that I am feeling lots better, the depression has lifted, and I am becoming me again. I wouldn’t wish any of this on my worst enemies. For all of you in the thick of it just now, you are doing just great, hang in there, this too shall pass, hormones balance themselves eventually, you have absolutely got this. Xxx