Finding it hard to cope

Hi Kate

Sorry to hear you are so down X I too suffer from depression, after my husband left 2 years ago, I have been very ill and on/off medication. I am 48 too and am suffering with menopause symptoms following major surgery 5 weeks ago, when both my ovaries were removed. My GP has put me on Citalopram 20 mg for the depression/anxiety and Clonidine 25 mg for the flushing/night sweats, which were keeping awake most of the night, not fun when you are trying to recover from a major op. So far so good, I went on the meds 5 days ago and I have had 3 nights with no night sweats! Still flushing a little, but not as bad as before. I am constantly tired and feel a little sick, but this may be as I am still recovering from the op, rather than the meds, as this has been the case for 5 weeks.

Anyway I thought I should share this with you as the Clonidine might help you too. Talk to your GP about how your feeling and how your symptoms are affecting your recovery. Don't feel alone, this is just a phase in your life, it will get better XX Concentrate on your beautiful children and surround yourself with love XX

Take care honey Jenny XX

Hello Kate,

I do feel for you as I started to have this feeling of change in Nov 12 and I have had various health checks as kept feeling that there was something more sinister go on inside. All results came back fine which in turn would help with my constant worries about my health for a short time.

Having been reading all of the threads on this site have now discovered this seems a very common factor that many of us seem to be going through. I have been trying to go down the route of holistic treatmentswhen in the end like you was put on Elleste Duet 1 mg. I had to start on the first day of my period which Idid and seemed quite up beat about everything and thinking that I was hopefully finally going to start feel like my old self again.

My normal periods seem to last no more than 5 days and 10 days on I am still loosing. They say in the side effects that you can encounter spotting or break through bleeding but I didn't expect it to happen that quickly. Like you I have felt low and again out of source and beginning to wonder if I have done the right thing (my fingers are crossed that things will start to settle down). The anxiety is the thing that I seem to suffer most along with other symptoms.

I was having sleepless nights which I seemed to be having anxious dreams and ending up waking up feeling something terrible was going to happen (which of course didn't). I found in Holland & Barrett atablet called "Melissa Dream" which you take 2 at night approx. 1 hour before going to bed and they relaxyour mind enabling you to switch off to have a restful nights sleep. I have only used these on two occasions and on both mornings I woke up feeling more like my old self and feeling more upbeat etc. Another tablet

which I found prior to starting with the HRT was "Menapol plus" which I bought from simply supplementsand if you go on the site and read the reviews you may find these help with the night sweats etc.

I am sure there will be positive effects to these HRT tablets but I am guessing our bodies are having to

adjust to the extra hormones going into our systems.

How are you taking the green tablets as I have read that some ladies don't do so well but as I haven't got

this far yet so I cant comment but am hoping that they wont have any adverts effects. Please keep in touch so that perhaps we can both support each other during this transition time of taking HRT.

Have a lovely day and thank you for sharing your feelings!

Joy xx

Thanks ladies for your quick response and words of support.

Jenny, life's full of health issues and emotional challenges, and I feel for you going through such an operation and then having to deal with the menopause symptoms on top. I hope you have a speedy recovery. Thanks for the tip on Clonodine, I'll mention it to my doctor. I was taking black cohosh a week prior to being put on the HRT, but stopped taking them as I thought it would be better to stop everything and see what impact the HRT would have on its own. I'm now taking them again, as of this morning, because I did have two nights without sweats and chills when I was on them, not sure if this was just a coincidence though.

I feel for my kids, as I am constantly apologising to them for my roller coaster emotional behaviour. The youngest is fine he's too young to notice but my eldest is always asking if I'm ok? I've explained the hormonal mess that comes with menopause to him and he's going to make a good partner to someone some day, so proud of him.

Joy, thanks for the advice, I am taking Bachs Rescue Remedy, from H&B. I really believe this can only be a trial and error process for all of us. I understand the negative issues surrounding HRT but I think I have been too focused on the quick fix that takes place for some women? I also looked at the Menopol but the pharmacist recommended I speak with my doctor first. Hence now being on HRT. I have started on the green pills today, I'll let you know how it goes. I'm guessing perseverance is going to be the theme for at least the next month for me as you say our bodies need time to adjust. A month seems like a very long time at this stage though. I just long to feel normal-ish again.

Thanks Kate xx

Hi Kate,

I went to my GP yesterday regarding this continued period (break through bleeding) and she was no help at all. I asked her about the Menopol plus and Melissa Dream to see if it would be ok to continue using them whilst my body is getting used to the HRT and his answer was I am not a herbalist so you will need to go back and ask them the question. Already feeling low and wondering whether I had done the right thing in starting the HRT I came away feeling worst than ever. Last night I took two of the Melissa Dream tablets one hour before bed and really can say that my mind truly switch off from all the over thinking and worrying, woke up feeling really refreshed and ready to face another day.

I decided to go and visit the Pharmacist today and ask them the same questions and this man was a real help as he did confirm that you could have a break through or extended period (as I have) and it wasn't un usual it happening this early on as our female hormones can be a little unpredictable. I also asked him the same question about the Menapol plus and Melissa Dream and he said that provided the ingredients being used you can eat then he saw no harm in using along side the HRT. Kate I can confirm that I have tried both since using the HRT and feel fine by doing so. As I am going to be taking day 11 tablet tonight and inaway looking forward to seeing there will be any improvements to anxiety as I only started this when myperiods were missed or very late or even shorter but whilst they were on time then I didn't tend to sit andworry about my health.

No one ever warned me what to expect during the peri menopause and most of my immediate friends don't seem to suffer as much I have so in away feeling a little a lone in my experiences so far, but I am really determine to get this sorted so that I can get some normality back into my life where I do worry constantlyabout things.

Good luck and I truly hope that you will start to feel the benefits from these HRT tablets, please keep in touch.

Massive hugs Kate, xxxx

Okay, finally one full nights sleep without sweats and chills! I managed through until 6.30am. I'm feeling refreshed and ready to - wait for it ...... enjoy the day ahead! No signs of low mood!

This is where it gets tricky. I don't know how its come about.

I took a black cohosh 1000mg yesterday morning and then one at 11pm before bed. I also took one gabapentin given to me from a friend (I know its not good to use prescribed meds from others) but I'm at the stage where i just need to feel normal again.

So the dilemma now is i don't know what has made the difference?

I took another black cohosh this morning and I am on the second green pill. I intend to take another cohosh before bed, but won't have the gabapentin. Will keep you posted on my progress, but for now I am off to enjoy my day.

Hope this is the postive HRT effect.

Take care ladies and I hope you are feeling a bit better today.

Big hugs {}

K

Hello Kate,

How are you feeling now with these HRT tablets and how are you feeling with the green tablets?

I had a really bad nights sleep last night and this was with taking two of the Melissa Dream tablets as well. I am still bleeding (only a small amount) and have a constant headache on my right hand side at the backwhich in turn is giving me an earache as well.

My husband has been really lovely and supportive and promises me that together we will get through thistransitional time and like you I had hoped that would start to see a positive change almost straight away.

Even though I have been told that break through bleeding is a common side effect, I still seem to feel thatperhaps something else is really happening. Until I started this HRT I had never really had troublesome or

long periods and had my smear etc last year and all was ok, so why am I am still worried that there is something else going on?

I guess if I could believe or truly understand that this isn't really unusual and will probably settle down then I am sure that my low mood would improve!

How are your low moods doing?

I hope that you are having another great day but would like to hear back you and anyone who may be suffering like this or has done so! I feel like I have had PMT for ages and want my old happy go lucky self back in action!

Love to you all,

Joy

xxxx