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[KarineT]

Traumatic/negative experience is unfortunate and, as Naz mentioned, it can definitely be exacerbated by the menopause & falling oestrogen. 
At times I wonder if the menopause can be the only reason for emotional turmoil in women who were brought in a nice & caring environment. 

Unlike with physical illness, you can't have a scan which is capable of determining whether you have an emotional issue due to the menopause or because of negative experience.
This is because our psyche is not tangible & therapists can only rely on what we are telling them.

.

[Stella2]

I also thought I will get to the other side naturally but sadly hot flushes were horrendous even 2 years after the last period. Now on HRT.

But just to add to the treatment discussion, I agree with Flossieteacake, maybe CBT is not the best treatment, counselling would be better as you would have a chance to talk about your past experience and work through it. I know many ladies find that HRT helps with mental health issues but I think that it is usually not sufficient. When we get older we gain more insight and become more aware of who we really are. We might have been functioning in the past but now we can really feel that something is blocking us from being whole, and these are usually past traumas. It's really good to get insight and counselling can help. Also we need to be kind to ourselves, listen to our bodies and nurture.

Unfortunately there is so much going on in the world around us, it's so sad to see the increase in anxiety and depression overall, and in children. I don't think we can assume that oestrogen can be a magic pill, but possibly, if we take more care about our wellbeing we might be able to make difference. Since I started meditating, stopped drinking alcohol, had counselling etc. I found some peace and I became a better person for those around me, so maybe that is a start.

[Flossieteacake]

I also thought I will get to the other side naturally but sadly hot flushes were horrendous even 2 years after the last period. Now on HRT.

But just to add to the treatment discussion, I agree with Flossieteacake, maybe CBT is not the best treatment, counselling would be better as you would have a chance to talk about your past experience and work through it. I know many ladies find that HRT helps with mental health issues but I think that it is usually not sufficient. When we get older we gain more insight and become more aware of who we really are. We might have been functioning in the past but now we can really feel that something is blocking us from being whole, and these are usually past traumas. It's really good to get insight and counselling can help. Also we need to be kind to ourselves, listen to our bodies and nurture.

Unfortunately there is so much going on in the world around us, it's so sad to see the increase in anxiety and depression overall, and in children. I don't think we can assume that oestrogen can be a magic pill, but possibly, if we take more care about our wellbeing we might be able to make difference. Since I started meditating, stopped drinking alcohol, had counselling etc. I found some peace and I became a better person for those around me, so maybe that is a start.

You make such good points. I am happy to hear you are feeling more at peace now.

[Kathleen]

Hello again ladies.

I have said before that when my GP mentioned the possibility of the menopause to me when I was 48 I had no idea what he was talking about. I then bought a book on the subject and went online to educate and prepare myself. I read about all the physical and emotional symptoms and I hadn't experienced any of them. Certainly I have had anxieties in the past and difficult times to deal with but so have most people.

Needless to say my menopause journey began eventually and I had my last period at age 54. A few years later the symptoms really ramped up and at 57 I started HRT.

I am 66 now and still trying to sort out what I hope is the last of my symptoms.

When I look back I realise that most  of the my present difficulties have been due to the menopause. I think that losing hormonal stability compounds any other problems and I hope that a symptom free future is possible for us all.

Wishing you all well ladies.

K.

[ange63]

for me the 'other side' would be when your emotional issues settle down and you can think clearly again.   I accept that physical changes may remain but I sincerely hope I can get my emotions and my head clear when it all settles. 

[KarineT]

ange63, I agree with you totally.  I do hope that the emotional roller coster is temporary as it's the most horrible menoppausal issue. I'm sure hot flushes can be horrendous but I believe they can be alleviated more easily than psychological problems.  Anything psychological is bloody hard to treat.

[Mary G]

I suppose some women go through the menopause and find their symptoms completely stop after a few years.  That would be defined as being the other side of the menopause.

For me personally, there is no other side and there never will be.   Don't panic, I'm probably an extremely rare case but I will never be able to stop using HRT and I'm fine with that.   

I have never had hot flushes or night sweats but I did have uncontrollable day time sweating.   I also started having silent migraines once menopausal and I managed to control them with hormones until recently but now I need hormones and amitripytline to control them.   This is due to low levels of serotonin which cause cortical spreading depression ie migraine aura.  Perhaps low levels of serotonin might explain some of the symptoms of anxiety and depression some women experience during the menopause?

I have completely stopped using HRT from time to time to get a baseline hormone blood test and each time I have felt myself slipping away and I have felt very creaky so it's not for me despite being 61 and many years post menopause.

Katrine, why don't you give HRT a try?  You have nothing to lose by trying it.

[Mary G]

Just thought I would add this to my previous post.   It goes some way to explain the link between oestrogen, low serotonin levels, migraines, depression and anxiety.

The reason I can never stop using HRT is because I rely on oestrogen for serotonin levels plus I now need the TCA to stop the serotonin reuptake thus making more available for the brain.  This in turn helps to prevent migraines.

https://www.webmd.com/women/guide/estrogen-and-womens-emotions#1