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[Hillbilly]

Hi all.

I was put on Femoston but the anxiety was so bad it was changed to Elleste Duet. I'm a week into my 2nd pack and the anxiety is back pretty bad. My heart's racing, my pulse is over 100 and I'm having trouble catching my breath.

I'm starting to wonder if I need to be on HRT, could the anxiety be too much estrogen? Is there any HRT that won't bring on anxiety or is it a case of keep trying until I get the right one? I'm so fed up with this. 

[CLKD]

Of course you are fed up.

Is the anxiety hormone-led, did you suffer previously?

I am sure that someone will be along with advice.  Personally, I take anti-anxiety medications ..............

[Mary G]

It sounds like the dreaded progesterone again.  You were on Femoston which contains a well tolerated form of progesterone and have switched to Ellesse which has a very strong and less well tolerated form of progesterone i.e. norethisterone.  This doesn't make a great deal of sense.

Have you ever taken oestrogen on its own and if so, how did you feel then?  Were you on Femoston conti or Femoston sequi?

In order to establish the cause, you need to take oestrogen only for a while and if you feel much better, then progesterone is the problem but if you feel anxious on oestrogen only HRT then you could be on the wrong dose or the anxiety might not be linked to hormones.

[racjen]

I don't think it's even that simple - I was fine on oestrogen alone for a couple of months, then when utrogestan was added it triggered huge morning anxiety, which stayed around regardless of whether I continued to take it or an alternative progestogen. Fast forward 7 months to a point where my oestrogen levels were a lot better, and suddenly I'm noticing that in the utrogestan phase of my cycle the anxiety is alleviated. Unfortunately I can't tolerate it at the standard dose for continuous use (100mg) as after about 5 days it starts to make me very depressed. So not sure what else I can do right now. All I can say is that a lot of this is at least as much about getting the balance right between oestrogen and progesterone (and also possibly testosterone) as it is about the exact form you use, and that can take an awful long time and a lot of trial and error. Sorry if that's not actually very helpful....good luck x

[Hillbilly]

Thank you for the replies!

I have suffered from depression and anxiety since childhood but haven't been on meds for a good few years, I've learned to deal with it myself. PMS brought it on but nothing major plus I've taken Starflower oil for years.

Part of my peri symptoms was feeling down and anxious but on Femoston (sequi) the white tablets made me feel great in the beginning. The grey ones brought on my anxiety and by the 3rd pack it was awful, it was like the grey tablets started to override the white ones?

I'm only a week into my 2nd pack of Elleste and I didn't feel the drop in mood when changing colour like I did on Femoston, it's been more gradual. This has made me wonder if it IS the progesterone after all, maybe this pack will tell me more. If the progesterone is stronger on these though, that would rain the anxiety attacks, I haven't had those in years.

I've never taken oestrogen on its own, I thought you couldn't unless you've had a hysterectomy?

Someone told me the patches or gel are easier on you, could this be an option? I'm worried about seeing my GP again, I feel like I'm failing at this 

[CLKD]

Do you keep a mood/symptom/food diary to chart where you are?

[aspie65]

Hulahoop I suffered with manageable anxiety until the menopause symptoms started.  HRT was not enough for me to contain it and I had to add cipralex and pregabalin to the mix.  I am a fan of HRT but I feel that sometimes there are things it can't fix as well as other drugs.