A very thoughtful post Dazned. I have been thinking along the same lines too recently, and getting quite depressed and upset as a result. What if I have 'lost' myself and can never find 'me' again?
Before this perio menopause malarkey I was brimful of confidence. Often outspoken. Loved spontaneity and new things. I strode through life with my chin held high. I was fortunate to have had a great education and do a job I loved. I had a great marriage and lovely children.
But now I feel very reduced. Just a shadow of my former self. Now much of the time I just pretend to be 'me'. I am very familiar with the script so can do it, but it feels very forced and draining.
Through all my research I had been led to believe that an oestrogen patch had the magical properties to give me back 'myself' and almost overnight I would feel like the new 'old' me (if that makes sense?). Now having been on HRT for 3 weeks (with little sign of improvement) I am beginning to wonder.
The again, the only other time I have felt so low and reduced and lacking confidence was when I had PND years ago. So I KNOW this is just being caused by my hormones again. But whether I can find the ideal HRT regime to help me recover 100% I don't know? I recovered 100% from PND but I was only in my early 30s then.
It would help so much if more women posted on here, who felt HRT 'had' helped them recover 100%. And if we had posts from more women who had gone through menopause and were now thoroughly enjoying life on the other side.
But I don't think they would come here because they would have no need to. I am guilty of that. A couple of months ago, when I had a 'proper' period for the first time in over a year I felt so much better for nearly 5 weeks. Just like my old self. And it never occurred to me to even come back on here because I felt so well