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[alltheleaves]

So I am on evorel sequi and on week six , been having anxiety and low mood swings , waking up early with anxiety sweating , off work with it , been given Venlafaxine but I am worried about taking it , I am had bad time coming off morphine in april , I have had chemo and radiation on pelvis , lots going on
Doctor thinks my hrt not causing the anxiety.
I don’t want to feel drugged , anyone tried it ?

[CLKD]

Yep.  I've been on various ADs since 1988.  Once I found one that didn't make me nauseous, I've been fine.

Morphine is an optiate and is nowt like ADs - who over saw your withdrawal ?  When I had to stop an AD many years ago my GP gave advice as to how and when.  It took 9 weeks . 

How was your anxiety prior to everything else that you've been through?  As hormones rise and fall anxiety can become problematic.  HRT may take 3-4 months to kick in.

[alltheleaves]

I was fine right through treatment, very positive happy even though i was bedridden and lost 2 stone in 6 weeks due to no appetite.
The low mood started when I started withdrawing from morphine, and it has stayed  , my anxiety is triggered when I think about how I don’t feel right in my head,  has been on and off for 3 months now , I have had hot flushes since first week of cancer treatment, so Not sure if it was hormones or the treatment can cause it .
I was just left to get on with the withdrawal, I think I came off it too quickly to be honest , I dropped from about 100mg a day in 3 weeks , not felt normal since been off it two months .

[Hurdity]

Hi alltheleaves

Sorry to hear about yout anxiety and mood swings. However anti-depressants should not be prescribed if the symptoms are due to menopause or the HRT.  To me the fact that you are waking sweating with anxiety points to a physiological cause - due to hormonal surges etc. Can you keep a diary to see whether there is a point in the cycle when this is occurring? Whereabouts are you in menopause? Maybe you need a different type of HRT or higher dose of oestrogen. Some women are sensitive to the progestogen in Evorel. Also have you had recent blood tests to rule out other causes? Personally I would try to sort out whether the HRT is right for you or not before taking the ADs unless you feel you can't cope, in which case they may help, though I have no experience of them. Even if you do start taking them I would still try to sort out your HRT if possible?

Hurdity x

[alltheleaves]

I am only on half a patch of evorel because when i was convinced the full one was making me worse.
before I started on it I was taking yam capsules and I was having less sweats and sleeping better, but my depression was worse I think , I was still having periods before cancer treatment at 51 and i haven’t had one since february now , husband thinks I am better than I was a few weeks ago .

[alltheleaves]

Any recommendations for a private assessment? I am up north cumbria 

[Hurdity]

You may be getting more sweats because you are further into menopause and in which case the half patch may well be insufficient. If you are able perhaps cut a bit less off the patch for a few weeks (say increase to 37.5 mcg ie 3/4 patch) and gradually work up to a whole one and see how you get on, but do wait a few weeks to allow your body to acclimatise each time before evaulating if you can

Glad your husband has seen an improvement and I hope that is a cause for optimism....great to have that support.

Hurdity x

[alltheleaves]

Thanks both , i agree about the ad but the doctor thinks it’s the trauma coming out and not my hormones, but i  wasn’t particularly traumatised throughout unless the morphine was masking it .
The fact that one day I can be dancing with the dog to it’s raining men , then the next feeling so down and anxious that I can’t get in the shower , suggests it’s hormones to me x

[CLKD]

Also U may well be in shock!   Were you given a dedicated Nurse to contact during your diagnosis and treatment?  After I left Hospital appts I had a very low few weeks as I had lost my support group and routine of travelling to/from radiation treatment on an area of the R breast.

It amazes me that patients are sent home with opiates without supervision.  Have U thought to contact your Surgeon to discuss? 

U could also look at the various support groups for drug withdrawal re the morphine to see whether depression is to be expected.  I would in your case use the Venlafaxine for 3-6 months as a back up - if symptoms of depression don't ease then discuss with your GP about weaning off to an HRT regime.

Let us know how you get on.  Keep posting!

[alltheleaves]

Also U may well be in shock!   Were you given a dedicated Nurse to contact during your diagnosis and treatment?  After I left Hospital appts I had a very low few weeks as I had lost my support group and routine of travelling to/from radiation treatment on an area of the R breast.

It amazes me that patients are sent home with opiates without supervision.  Have U thought to contact your Surgeon to discuss? 

U could also look at the various support groups for drug withdrawal re the morphine to see whether depression is to be expected.  I would in your case use the Venlafaxine for 3-6 months as a back up - if symptoms of depression don't ease then discuss with your GP about weaning off to an HRT regime.

Let us know how you get on.  Keep posting!

Sorry to hear you went through cancer too , I mentioned all to my consultant and earlier it was mentioned about help with menopause and mental health but it was before I was experiencing it , my last appointment lasted 5 minutes and I didn’t really get much time , I was in hrt and he said ok .
I feel like my sadness has improved on hrt but my anxiety has got worse, especially on morning , but doctors think it’s unlikely hrt causing because I am only on half patch , if I put on a full I get headaches and more anxiety but it could be all in my head .
I actually think I have got used to the way I feel , I am not interested in the future, little things like getting a freshly changed bed I used to love , I don’t have any care about , find putting makeup on and doing hair a chore , no interest in my hobbies either .
But It’s just blah, not as sad .
Have you tried the venlafaxine?
I am not sure if it’s going to benefit me and i don’t want to feel anything other than normal, and the withdrawal scares me 😟

[CLKD]

It certainly is 'not all in your head'!  Our feelings, experiences and symptoms are real. 

I have had no problems with the ADs since the early days. (1988). Withdrawal can be difficult for some: 4 me it was the worry that the effects wouldn't go = returning to medication.  And why stop if something works?  My GP advised dropping a dose every 3rd day, once I realised that bounce back anxiety didn't get worse or last more than 12 hours, I coped.  It took 9 weeks.

Then I was swapped to another AD which has worked well. I wouldn't worry again.

You have had huge upheaval!  Your body and brain are probably still processing what happened. 

Don't worried about your hobbies etc., this too will improve.  Have U been offered any after-surgery counselling?  I think that trying the AD may well lift your mood after a few weeks: little steps. 

My anxiety is always worse of a morning, partly surges due to cortisol.  As the day goes by and my commitments are less, my mood improves 

[Moog77]

Venlafaxine is very very difficult to taper off. If that is a worry for you then I'd rethink it.

From personal experience I wouldn't ever recommend anyone take this unless they feel there are no other options.

[AmandaJR]

I totally agree with Moog77. Venlafaxine took me 2 years to get off and I only took it for 4 months, even with amazing professional support. It was hell, I thought the emotional torment would never end. Was 100 times worse than quitting morphine abruptly taken for 8 months after a car accident.

Alltheleaves, you’ve had a super tough year and now in peri/meno. Well done for battling everything you’ve been through. Your symptoms sound like my drop of a cliff start to peri, HRT took 6 months to work properly for me and it wasn’t easy but so worth it. Can you see a different GP at your surgery or see a Menopause Specialist privately?

Good luck, sending big hugs, don’t give in. X

[CLKD]

I must point out that antidepressant medication and opiates are totally different to each other.  As well as each 1 of us reacting differently.

ADs are not addictive medications as opiates may turn out to be.  It is usually bounce back symptoms with AD withdrawal which is scary.  Moog77 and AmandaJR did U report your problems on the yellow card system, at the time I withdrew from Venlafaxine I wasn't aware such a system was avilable. 

[CLKD]

I have used 'valium' on an as-necessary basis with success as well as Propranolol 2 ease anxiety surges.