How long before HRT balances my mood?

Posted , 5 users are following.

I have been peri menopausal for just over a year. My symptoms are all psychological. Very low mood, anxiety and insomnia. Generally I get a couple if good weeks per month but then I am very up and down with mood swings until after my period finishes. It's so miserable.

I have been taking HRT for 5 weeks now. Very up and down from the start. Pattern of symptoms still the same. Very low during withdrawal bleed followed by 2 good weeks then awful mood swings and low level anxiety.

I started on Estradot 25mg patch with seperate progesterone. But my consultant has just increased my dose to 50mg patch as she thinks I am too young (only 44) to get by with just 25mg.

I am feeling on edge with under lying anxiety. Been on increased dose for 2 days. I am not taking the progesterone this month to avoid a withdrawal bleed when we go away next week. My consultant suggested I do this. She said to just start the Utro when we get back.

So I am on day 21 of my cycle just wearing a higher dose patch but feeling far from 'right' inside.

I am so fed up of this rollercoaster. When will my mood stabilise on HRT?

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • Posted

    I was put on the Esteridiol n it gave me increased anxiety n nausea felt like morning sickness awful feeling

    Taken off it n given citalompram 1 drop per day but just increased it to 3 in a glass of juice I do feel slightly better in my self just struggling with joint pain in my knee n just had arthoroscopy on my left 1 which is extremely painful at the min n I'm hoping it helps with the discomfort I've been having n I can get bk to work ASAP I've been off since early Dec sad

  • Posted

    Your moods will not stabilize with HRT it increases alot of anxieties and moods in some people at least thats what I have read. 

    You should try another approach instead of HRT like a low dose of an antidepressant and an antianxiety medication to help with your symptoms 

    Maybe the HRT is just not for you, because HRT is not for everyone talk to your doctor about it and see if she can recomend something else

    Hope things work out for you feel better

    • Posted

      Actually Susan I have done a lot of research and seen a consultant gynaecologist and it is HRT that I need. Oestrogen governs your feelings of well being etc.

      There is currently a lot of concern amongst gynaecologists at how ADs are being given to women who are actually suffering with hormonal depression and anxiety.

      I feel perfectly well for half the month. I tried ADs for 7 months last year and my symptoms still broke through every month.

    • Posted

      I was on AD's for years then went on HRT to try and help my peri symptoms and hot sweats.  It didn't help the sweats much but my mood lifted so much I came off the ADs and my husband said I was like a different woman.  Happy and bubbly personality back again and the 'feel good' factor was wonderful.

      Unfortunately I had to come off HRT in Jan of this year as I have fibroids.,  Today I had my first consultation with a gyne and she reckons I'm NOT even in peri!!  Can't believe it to be honest.  I just know my mood is rock bottom again, hot sweats are horrendous and even though I still have a regular periods I have noticed changes with them too.  And she says I'm NOT peri!!  I lost weight without trying on HRT and now I've put it back on besides more!

      God give me strength and bring back the HRT is my opinion!!!!

    • Posted

      You should try the HRTs but it does not help moods that much. ADs help better with moods than HRTs because with adding more hormones to your body you can have your moods up and down and have anxieties with it. 

      Go back to the doctor and ask her about Natural HRTs or go back on ADs for your moods

      Thats all I have to say hope you feel better

    • Posted

      Do you think Progesterone the natarual ones will help my moods and palpitations because I am thinking about going on progesterone the natural ones made eith out of yams or soy what do you think
    • Posted

      Actually all HRT compounds (apart from the out dated Prempack and Premarin) nowadays are 'natural'. They are created from plants, mainly soya.

      The reason women's moods start to fluctuate and anxieties start to rise is because their oestrogen levels are decreasing. By taking HRT you are just topping up your depleted oestrogen level to the level it 'should' be.

      You wouldn't expect a car engine to run smoothly without enough oil in it would you? Exactly the same with a woman's body without enough oestrogen. When it starts to run low, you get problems, so you top it up.

    • Posted

      Thank you for the advise i am going to talk to my doctor about progesterone pills to take thank you
  • Posted

    Hi Liz,

    Wish I could give you an answer as I'm still trying to figure out the exact same thing. I am 41 but started peri a few years ago (at least 3 I know for sure as FSH was high then and skipped periods for 3-4 months).

    I have been on AD's for years, for anxiety but started to get PMS which I never had about 6 years ago and as you figured, the mood and these symptoms still gotten trough even with AD's in those 10 days with me. I was off the AD's June last year until January this year as I figured in June that the AD's did absolutley nothing for me, my symptoms gotten to start worst from June last year onwards (the estrogen gone rapidly down whereas before it just declined partially but the progesterone was gone to only 1)

    So come January this year I figured holly dolly its my estrogen thats gone now or really dropped to postmenopausal level (In November) so hence AD's didnt work alone anymore. So started HRT AND a new AD. Started start of February with Tablets and am now since 3 weeks on patches.

    I do feel better since about 4 weeks BUT I still get hick ups, and I figure that is because our own hormones still fluctuate...so you may have enough and you feel good and then not enough and you feel not as good etc. - Its no way as bad anymore as it used to be but saying all is always now happy chappy level is not true either.

    I think you might try the HRT and and AD. Both have effects on seretonin, but because your levels still fluctuate (as mine) HRT alone might not be enough so thats where the AD comes in. Another way would be Birthcontrol which basically overrides your circle and hence stabilises your hormones on an even level.

    xox

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