1. Community
  2. Women's health
  3. HRT - Hormone Replacement Therapy

Please Help! Struggling with anxiety, crying and depression.

Posted , 8 users are following.

angela65121
angela65121

Hi i had happily been on Evorel Conti patches for 11 months when in january 17 i was hit with terrible anxiety and crying, mood swings, low mood, night sweats, hot flushes back. My doctor did try me on a couple of different hrt's but they didnt make any difference (have since been told i didnt stay on them long enough).

Few weeks ago crying on the phone to my doctor she decided it wasnt hormonal but depression and told me to increase my anti depressant. I didnt want to do this but was desperate felt like i was going mad!! It has taken away the really bad anxious feeling in my chest but i am still feeling anxious and still have crying on a daily basis.

Yesterday i attended an hrt clinic they have told me to double my patch for 8 weeks to see if it helps. I am so confused is it hormonal?, depression? So tired and sad of feeling like this, impacting greatly on my life and bringing up 2 small girls.

If anyone has any experience or suggestions it would be really appreciated.

Many thanks.

0 likes, 18 replies

18 Replies

Next
  • supemack39
    supemack39 angela65121

    Posted

    Hi Angela, I really understand how you are feeling. I was in the same situation a few months ago, and happened after I had been on evorel patches. After trying several different types of hrt, I was put back on one which I previously had no problem with. Long story, but to cut it short, my body was not producing the level of estrogen I had obviously had before. Yes, I was told to try wearing two patches initially,too. I managed to avoid anti depressants wick probably made my life more difficult, but there seemed to be so many side effects associated with them that I decided not to take them, or all the other meds the doctor prescribed.

    I would suggest that your own hormone levels have dropped and you need a higher dose. If you can, get your doctor to test your levels. Mine were only done a few weeks ago, after 6 months of anxiety, panic attacks, hot flushes and no sleep to name a few of the symptoms I had. The doctor agreed that I was not suffering from depression but my hormone levels were too low. He even suggested I should be on a higher level, although I am on the highest level that he can prescibe.

    I don't have young children, so you must really be struggling, and I really feel for you, because I know that there is no way I could have functioned as a mum when I was so bad. I hope you have help and an understanding partner. My adult children, while supportive, and they don't live near me, have said they "lost" their mum during the time and can now see me returning to normal. Don't wait in getting help, because you need to get back on an even keel as soon as you can. Please let me know how you get on? Take care and keep your chin up!

    • angela65121
      angela65121 supemack39

      Posted

      Hi supemack thank u so much for replying to me again, 2 different threads! It sounds like u had a truly dreadful time, im so glad for u that u are starting to feel better. You are so right not to go down the anti depressant route only because i was already on them then the dr suggested upping the dose. I dont agree with the dr that it is depression i firmly believe its all hormonal, it doesnt feel like any of the depression i have suffered from in the past. At this dose i feel they 'dumb me down' and i dont 'feel' the same which is hateful. When the anxious and crying episodes were at their worst i couldnt desl with it at all and took myself to bed as sleep was the only escape not a good thing to do though!

      Im assuming wearing 2 patches obvisiously didnt cut it for you?, im dreading the next 8 wks in case by the end of it i dont feel any better and have to start all over again on s'thing else, cant keep going like this. The girls (6 and7) have seen me crying, not right. Today ive had anxious feeling in my chest all day plus mood swings galore, again not fair on the girls. Unfortunately im a single mum with no big support. Couple of friends i can speak with briefly each day but thats it.

      I had hoped they would have done bloods at the hrt clinic but no. I dont know what to do for the best??, what would u suggest as u have been through it?, the supplements u suggested?

      Need to go i will message again, take care, Angela

    • angela65121
      angela65121 supemack39

      Posted

      Hi supemack, how r u doing?, i hope u r continuing to improve. Im on my 5th day of wearing 2 patches have still had anxiety, crying and low mood though not just as bad. If i may ask you, you said in the other thread about not feeling for anyone, i feel the same way, no feelings, dont really care. How did you manage to resolve this?, was it through the meds for anxiety that helped or was there something else?

      Would be great to hear back from you.

    • supemack39
      supemack39 angela65121

      Posted

      Hi Angela, sorry for not coming back to you sooner. I've been a bit busy with meeting up with some of my family at the weekend, for my birthday. My younger daughter said to me, as we were saying goodbye after a family day out at the beach (it was freezing, but the wee ones had a ball flying kites, so we all enjoyed it, cold or not, even the ice creams!)...."its nice to have you back, Mum."

      So, even though I still have the odd day feeling a bit"not right",like yesterday I had the collywobbles all day, I have more good days than not so good days. You asked how I dealt with the" not feeling" and basically, I've had feeling coming back gradually. I can even cry at sad things, and relax while sitting in the sun, something I have had to get to gradually, as it was as though my body had forgotten how to relax. Remember, I don't take any actual meds for relaxing, only the magnesium in the different forms. I do think the vit b12 helps as well. I only have mild symptoms left over, like slight burning mouth, restless legs at night, internal shakes occasionally and getting up during the night, at least once. I no longer have the andrenaline discomfort in my chest, the reflux, hot flushes,anxiety or panic. So things have vastly improved compared to how I was a few months ago. X

    • angela65121
      angela65121 supemack39

      Posted

      Hi, good to hear from you, so pleased for you everything is so mch better. It will be 2 wks tomorrow ive been wearing 2 patches, friday and saturday there were much better days but apart from that still getting the anxious feeling in my chest, crying, low mood, night sweats and hot flushes. I am taking vit b complex and vit d3 again. I am just hoping against hope that these patches will work as the thought of having to start something else in 6 wks, the change in treatment, waiting to see if it works just horrifies me!! I know u arent on meds all natural, im going to get the magnesium cell salts the next time i can get into town. Take care, x.
    • nicole00958
      nicole00958 supemack39

      Posted

      Hiya I was on evorel Conti and the progesterone cycle made me very depressed and anxious! Synthetic progesterones don’t agree with me: they were ok for the first couple of months but then I started getting awful side effects! Try bio identical progesterone caps utrogestan. Stay on the evorel 50 patch but use a better progesterone! You may notice a difference in your mood x
  • jerseygirl43
    jerseygirl43 angela65121

    Posted

    Hi Angela, if your symptoms feel like they did before you started HRT I would suggest it's hormonal and increasing the patch strength should work. I started patches about 18 months ago, I am 44 and was feeling irritable, anxious etc, hormone levels were low, they worked within 3 days and once they were working I realised that I had been feeling crap for ages. About 6 months ago I started to feel symptomatic again so got my patch doubled and again wasvfeeling better within the first week. Good luck, it is horrible but it's not you, it's the hormones

    • angela65121
      angela65121 jerseygirl43

      Posted

      Hi jerseygirl, i originally started the patches for hot flushes and night sweats i didnt have any of this anxiety, etc going on then. This is my 5th day of wearing 2 patches, still getting the anxiety, crying (tho not just as bad) and low mood, do u think it could take a bit longer for the 2nd patch to take effect? It worked pretty quick for u though from what u said.
  • Mars777
    Mars777 angela65121

    Posted

    Hi Angela, yes all your symptoms are deff hormonal. I was on HRT tabs had to stop them for 3 months. Symptoms came back after 9 weeks terrible same as yours anxiety night sweats & sweating awful ! Now bk on my HRT i'm so glad smile Hope you are feeling better ?

    • angela65121
      angela65121 Mars777

      Posted

      Hi glad ur back on ur hrt. Im nearly 2 wks in on wearing 2 patches ive had a couple of better days apart from that all the other symptoms are there, anxiety, low mood, crying, sweats and flushes. Im hoping they will work in the end???!!!
    • Mars777
      Mars777 angela65121

      Posted

      Hi yes, i'm the same as you a good day then maybe a anxious day. To be honest i can't remember how long it takes for the HRT to get back into your system before it gives you the feeling of being good again? Night sweats seem better its anxiety i hate ? sad

  • HRTaddict
    HRTaddict angela65121

    Posted

    Hi Angela,

    I am 53 and have had hormonal issues since my 20's. Hot flashed, night sweats (soaked), anxiety, depression, mood swings, water retention, muscle tension (also painful and tense cheeks)I have been on HRT since 1993. I was initially put on synthetic estradiol and progesterone for several years and felt better, however I believe I may had had blood pressure issues while on them. I tried to go without them with the help of accupuncture and herbs but financially could not keep up weekly treatments. I tried to go back on the same synthetic hormone regimen but could not tolerate them any longer. Even natural Progesterone orally did not work. If possible I felt even worse. I was switched to bio-identical compounded Bi-Est and progesterone creams. They worked great for many years, however what happend I believe is that my body/muscles got saturated and unable to absorb the hormones any longer. Next I went on oral bio-identical compounded Estriol (note: NOT Estradiol). When I tried natural oral Progesterone again I could not tolerate it, symptoms hot worse. Since I needed to get Progesterone too, I was left with no other options but to use vaginal and later rectal Bio-Identical Prog suppositories. I am using Prog every 2-3 months for the utrine lining. Now I am at a point again where I may need to switch back to bio-identical HRT creams again as I am having symptoms again. Very recently I tried oral Estrace, which is Estradiol, alone, then together with oral Estriol. I feel worse with added migraine headaches. It seems I cannot tolerate oral Estradiol but seem to be fine with Estriol. Estriol may also be safer option than Estradiol, however there are conflicting opinions about that. I believe your symptoms may very well be from low Estrogen. I would suggest trying compounded bio-identical Estriol and Progesterone. It will be easier to regulate the dosage and it is easier for the liver than oral HRT. I have not personally tried patches so unable to compare it unfortunately. When my HRT creams stopped working I got very anxious, mood swings, breasts got smaller. When I got angry, and easily would, my adrenaline? would not come down for a while and had very bad headaches sometimes days later. When my estrogen gets low I always get quite depressed. Maybe my experience helps a bit in your journey.

    • angela65121
      angela65121 HRTaddict

      Posted

      Hi thanks for ur reply. Unfortunately where i live (N Ireland) cannot get bio identicals here. At the moment im on the patch with both estrogen and progesterone-mood is very low, feel agitated, jittery at times with blocked sinuses. Still getting nite sweats, thinking the progesterone is too high? Waiting to see how i feel on the estrogen only patch the next 2 weeks then if both hormone patch is the same as now in wks 3 and 4 i i am going to ask to change. The only other option i have (apart from tablets which i dont want) is the mirena coil with separate estrogen. Thought the mirena might lessen the side effects of the progesterone?? If u had any thoughts that would be great.
    • HRTaddict
      HRTaddict angela65121

      Posted

      Hi Angela,

      Sorry for the late reply. I am sorry Bio-identical hormones are not available where you live. I assume the pharmacies there do not

      do compounded hormones. Is Estriol (E3) instead of Estradiol (E2) available. It would a safer option. I have never tried Mirena but I would suspect I would not feel well on it. Any synthetic hormone product seem to give me bad symptoms. Is there any natural hormones available there for you? Sometimes the symptoms are difficult to pinpoint if they are Estrogen excess or Progesterone excess or levels generally too low. I may not be the norm when it comes to the hormones. My problem has mostly been low Estrogen, however I believe many, if not most, women run out of Progesterone first and then Estrogen. So it is hard to say if you need more Estrogen or Progesterone. I personally would try to find as natural hormone therapy as possible. Not sure if I am of any help as I am not familiar with the products available to you. I am in Canada. I found a link to a clinic who uses bio-identical hormones, however they are in Dublin and not sure it that works for you.

      http://www.lookwellfeelwell.ie/bio-identical-hormones/

    • HRTaddict
      HRTaddict angela65121

      Posted

      Hi Angela,

      Just wanted to add in case it may not be hormonal... have you ever tried 5 - HP supplement? If you are taking antidepressants I would talk to your Doctor first before trying it as one should not take them together at least without your Doctor' ok.

    • HRTaddict
      HRTaddict

      Posted

      Sorry, typo...5-HTP
Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.