Menopause and mental health shit show

[OneKookyShark]

I am 52 and on HRT (evorel 75 and Utrogestan)

But I am finding menopause to be completely upending my mental health in so many ways- I feel full on angst like a reverse teenager, constantly questioning everything and everyone in my life. I suddenly don’t really like a lot of people and it’s awful- I am normally sociable. I am questioning my personality, whether I am a good likeable person, wanting to quit my job and move to the countryside. I feel like I barely function at certain points in the month - menopause has triggered PMDD too which has been awful (I do see menopause specialist for this)

Is it me? I genuinely feel unhinged most days- my poor teenagers 😢

Its a total shit show and I am shocked sometimes at how bad I feel.

Anyone got any suggestions?

I can't help, but have come along to sympathise. I'm 55 and until recently thought menopause wasn't too bad. Disrupted sleep which was fixed quickly with HRT.

The last few months have been horrendous, just as you describe.

I have realised that a change in lifestyle/routine since DC grew up means I don't have the regular sleep, meals and healthy diet that used to help manage my PMS, so I'm wondering if more effort there might help. I used to make sure never to go more than 3 hours without food (carried nuts everywhere) and was really strict about refined sugar, and it definitely helped then.

I felt very similar. An ADHD diagnosis really helped. I’ve seen some bits and pieces about HRT not being great if you’re neurodivergent. If that’s not a possibility then ignore, but if it is, look into it!

I have been questioning ADHD for sure. Why is HRT not good? That’s interesting

Hmm. I keep seeing ADHD things and wondering too. I don't think I had it when young, I was very focused, but lots of the symptoms definitely apply now.

How do you go about getting a diagnosis and how does that help?

At least you've recognised that it's a menopause thing. Don't worry, you'll return to normal. Then the aches and pains and health issues will come along

I went through all that angst oblivious to the fact it might be perimenopause and it wasn't until my periods stopped the penny dropped. By then I'd alienated myself from good people by being such a cow.

Did things get better once your periods stopped?

You could try going up to 100 patch. My symptoms didn't go until.I did this.

Is it constant throughout the month OP? I find it far worse during the progesterone phase.

Deffo worse in the progesterone phase- menopause consultant diagnosed PMDD and i take utrogestan vaginally to minimise impact but it’s not great. I don’t want a mirena as I can’t tolerate the synthetic progesterone even more than the utrogestan - the evorel sequi patches made me suicidal. So it’s tricky!!

I'm taking uteogestan orally, have an appointment with GP to see of there are other options, so taking the same drug vaginally might help? Do you know why that is?

Yabu

It’s because it bypasses the liver. But it’s off licence in the U.K. (it’s not in Europe) so doctors won’t recommend it often. It’s only because I saw a specialist consultant on referral from my GP that I was allowed to do it. But it’s quite a common approach - it’s more tolerable. There’s a good Facebook group called The menopause support network that write a lot about it!

What? are you just a troll?

36 and premature perimenopause here, it isn't just you, it's horrible. If the PMDD isn't improving after HRT and any adjustments have had time to work, then maybe query if you could try an SSRI.

Sorry you are going through it too.

Have SSRI’s helped? The consultant did mention it as a common treatment for PMDD

I'm holding off at the moment as I was on a very low dose of estrogen, since upping it, my two cycles since I have had only very mild feelings of low mood, nowhere near the 'if it wasn't for my children I would throw myself off a bridge' feeling I had previously leading up to my period.

It was suggested by my specialist to try if the increase didn't work and I know NICE guidelines mention it too, even taking one just part of the cycle (although it does state may be less effective)

I haven’t looked into the why. Saving that for when I have some focus 😂 It all improved massively for me when my periods stopped btw. But I’m nowhere near as focused as when I was young.

If you're taking progesterone for part of the month, how do you know when your periods have stopped?

I’m not. I don’t take HRT.

Have a listen to this

Yes, I've mellowed a bit and don't hate the world as much. Or maybe I've got new aches and pains to distract me. I'm not on any HRT as (and this is my personal opinion) I think artificially meddling with hormones that are declining as nature intended just prolongs it all.

Or I may just be shortening my life with that approach

I was constantly hot (not flushes, just felt hot all the time), had insomnia, couldn't remember anything, struggling to find the rest of my sentences and extreme anxiety. It was awful. I haven't had a period for a year now, and I feel much more normal. The temperature thing has settled, I'm sleeping well and the anxiety has gone way down. I used herbs and natural things as that's what I'm into but wouldn't have ruled out HRT if it continued, I felt like I couldn't live that way much longer. As another poster said, I do have some aches and pains and have put on weight but generally feeling more normal.

I think you need to try more Oestrogen. Move up to a 100 patch, or cut up a 75 to give yourself an extra 25 for a few weeks and see if it helps before moving to antidepressants.
When i finally staircased to the "right" dose of patches for me, i felt suddenly better - it was a revelation.