What help you with menopause?

[Whathelp]

Having teens and going through menopause isn’t a great combination. DD2 and I are both sensitive people who takes things to heart. I know I am the parent and should know better. But every little thing affects me deeply.

I wish I had my children earlier but not point of dwelling about the past.

What help you with menopause anxiety, overthinking and resilience? And didn’t give you any side effects? How do I remain strong to support DC16 through this difficult phase.

I got it prescribed at 42 after a couple of years of hell - no blood tests.

The micronised/bio identical progesterone was the game changer for me. Better sleep, better mood.

I can pinpoint it because they switched me to a synthetic progesterone for a bit (birth control) and within a month I was struggling again. Went back on the micronised progesterone, everything better within a week. It was that dramatic.

HRT really isn’t a last resort. It is the most effective option if you can take it.

Exercise, diet, vitamins can help a little bit but nothing will work as well as replacing the oestrogen you are losing.

Lots of people say HRT helps enormously, but for me it was a disaster, especially withbregard to relationships with others!

I'd always suffered with PMS son haven't haven't always been pleasant to live with but the progesterone on HRT gave me PMS on steroids. The rages were awful. People will say they a different kind of progesterone, but GP changed it once and it made no difference and I couldn't put family (or me) through it any longer.

I saw the Nutrition geeks meno support bundle was getting good reviews. I'm generally a skeptic for these things, but it wasn't expensive and worth a try.

I'd say the improvement in anxiety levels happened almost instantly and brain fog lifted within a week or two.

I have used this too and saw an improvement almost immediately. I must order more.

But HRT isn't prescribed on blood tests. These are unreliable in peri meno.

HRT is prescribed and adjusted based on symptoms.

Your GP should know this. You can ask to trial HRT.

I already had a good diet and exercised regularly but the menopause made me so anxious that I was getting scared to leave the house. I had very few other symptoms and had no idea that this could happen. HRT has reduced that anxiety by about 80% and everything just feels more manageable.

It's not easy but if you have a very busy life and teenagers who demand a lot it can really help to carve out a bit of time and space just for you. Even one yoga class a week can make you feel a bit more human and your kids are old enough to understand that you have the right to some time for yourself.

Like someone else said as you get older you have to prioritise your health and well-being a bit more and it took me a long time to realise that it's not selfish to do that.

Following for advice

I feel you. I’m peri at 45 and DD is 13 so we both have hormonal clashes. I take ashwaghanda, magnesium, hrt and sertraline and I try and stay calm. Anxiety sufferer as well so not easy

HRT changed my life OP.

I was anxious, depressed, had poor sleep and awful knee and back pain. I had a great diet, plenty of exercise and all the right supplements but nothing really touched the sides.

I work as a naturopathic nutritionist so I was really resistant to hormone replacement and had all the knowledge on how to support the body naturally through perimenopause, but nothing changed until I started HRT. The change was practically overnight. I can sleep, my joint pain has improved and my anxiety and depression are so so much better. It’s been a huge revelation to me after trying all the natural alternatives for years. I really recommend giving it a go.

Also just to add, all of my blood tests were coming back in normal range, but that range clearly isn’t normal for me!

Why are you reluctant to go onto HRT?

I like hrt but plenty of friends on it still whine on about chilli making them hot etc so I don't think it's a cure-all

Don't be fat

Don't sit around all day or all night

Do interesting stuff

Also hrt, sure

Nothing, literally nothing as bleeding for 11 days has the effect of inducing absolute fucking rage as I'm so sick of it.
To top this off I rang the Dr's to ask to discuss my HRT with the Dr that runs a clinic specifically for this to be told she has no appointments but I can speak to a male Dr.
Errr no thanks as I couldn't give two shits if he has a degree in medicine, until he can bleed for 11 days like someone has turned on a fucking tap I've got zero interest in anything he has to say.

Hrt, magnesium, coq10, b vits, b12. Evening primrose oil.