Please inspire me with how lifestyle changes have helped your mood swings

[Jasminedes]

OK, I keep bursting into tears and it happened at work last week. I need to sort this out.

I have searched old threads, and I do logically believe this will be helpful and the right approach (already on Oestradiol). BUT, and this is a big BUT, how exactly is drinking less alcohol and coffee and cutting out sugar going to make me LESS moody.

The exercise should be OK, I have some plans and started last week.

Please tell me it will be worth it

If your moods are caused by erratic hormones, then HRT is really the main treatment. What dose and how long have you been on it?

I don't think there is any evidence that cutting out sugar, booze and caffeine stop hormone-related mood swings, but reducing them a lot will get your body healthier and on an even keel without the highs and lows of stimulants and depressive food and drink.

Alcohol is a depressant and also a poison. Your liver has to work harder to get rid of it. It depresses your brain (though the initial effect is to make you relax.) It affects sleep- negatively. if you want to read the science, have a google.

Sugar spikes your blood sugar. Your pancreas has to work hard to get rid of it in your blood stream by secreting insulin. You get a sugar 'high' then a low once your blood sugar is low again. If you continue to have these highs and lows, your pancreas gets fed up with all the work to control them, you become insulin resistant and that means you will be a diabetic.

Caffeine is a stimulant. it's not terrible but too much can stop you sleeping.

HRT was the really cool thing - finding the right one at the right dose.

I found alcohol started to have a much more pronounced effect on me - longer hangovers and a more depressive effect. So avoiding it more often than not does help - also helps with night sweats in my case too. (this could also just be age).

Buying a wool duvet (I bang on about this) meant I stopped waking up soaking wet in the middle of the night and cold from the sweats.

Eating more veg and stuff helps with mood generally. Getting out and exercising also.

Agnus Castus for The Rage.

Stopping the sugar highs and lows I think does generally help with overall fitness - but I haven't given up sugar - just a bit more aware of it.

HRT - I am 45, 5 years post partial hysterectomy, kept my ovaries, so on 2 pumps daily oestrogen gel. I have experimented with a week of increasing to three pumps, but apart from making my boobs very prominent and sore, I am not sure it helped. Maybe I didn't try it for long enough? Any thoughts on dose would interest me. I am also back on St John's Wort (only since the crying fits). I hadn't had any hot flushes since starting HRT, but did notice some last week - so maybe something has changed? I am getting these weird occasional cramps - like part of my tummy goes numb/hard, takes my breath away (a bit like a contraction). They are infrequent, like I get a few, then nothing for a few weeks.

I go through phases with sweet stuff - I mostly avoid routine cakes/biscuits/puddings/juices anyway, but do buy chocolate or sweets 4-5 times per week maybe. Job is really stressful, not helping anything. I know that after a few days the cravings disappear, so that's OK. I drink a lot of coffee but mostly all first thing in the morning, so that may be making me crash. But good points about it not changing the hormones. I know nothing about Agnus castus, but will look it up now, thanks.

My first thoughts are you could try increasing the gel- maybe to 2.5 pumps for a week or two then up to 3?
I've been on 2 pumps since I was 52 and even now in my 60s I use 2 pumps. At 45 you are likely to need more.

You really need to cut out the sweets. No more than 1 square of 70-80% cocoa choc a day.

Exercise? Are you getting 30 minutes to make you breathless and sweaty 5 days a week? Do try- will really help.

I would go back to the doctor and see what they say I have been on 4 pumps for some time with good results. I was on a lower dose initially.

Sorry mean to add that walking the dog every day really helps me too.

Ah, OK, I have not been back to ask about dose at all, didn't realise it was common to need more. Think I will try upping it gradually then.

I got breathless and sweaty on the spin bike earlier, 20 minutes, and had an active weekend. I do need to make sure I keep it up. Thanks, any more advice welcome.