Does my HRT need increasing?

[Ledkr]

I had a surgical and very sudden menopause at 47 (ovaries out due to brca2) I was actually ok physically but an emotional wreck. Depressed, very anxious and unable to cope with stress particularly work. I felt muddled and just on edge all the time.

I had HRT in the end at the recommendation of a specialist due to the sudden onset which she felt could lead to problems further down the line.
So fast forward 2 years and I'm symptom free apart from a rumbling low level depression and just an inability to feel very joyous about anything.
I get very tired but I work part time in a very stressful job and have a 15 and 6 year old so not surprising really.
My biggest issue is I'm so irritated by pit dh!
He is really lovely and helps out loads, I have no reason to feel like this.
Sometimes I just can't bear him near me and every little thing he does irritates me
I love his company and we still get on really well but I can't see that this can go on forever!
I'm now thinking maybe I'm not in the right drug or dosage.
Anyone have any advice or exierience if this.

Have you looked at the Menopause Matters site Ledkr? If you can't find the answers there - and there are loads of very knowledgeable members - you might get tips for what questions to ask your GP.
Good luck.

My GP is absolutely rubbish at HRT and I basically research on here and Menopause Matters and tell him what I want. Even my gynae consultant does a fair bit of shrugging.

I'm trying out Evorel (estradiol) 25, but I feel a bit down so will go back up to 50 and compare.

Did you have a hysterectomy? If not you will be using a combined patch I assume. If you did it will be estrogen only.

Did you start on 25mcgs or did you start on 50 and have gone back to 25?

25 is a very low dose especially if you have no estrogen at all of your own.

If your specialist gave you the HRT , and they are not helping you now, can you see another specialist who is more clued up?

I echo the old menopause matters website recommendation. Wonderful website. Go and have a read. It may be that fiddling with ur HRT dose or type will help. Maybe going on an antidepressant ( very good for menopausal symptoms!!) If u don’t find one particular GP good is there another at the practice u can see? They all have their own little area of interest so the one you have seen might be great at treating prostates but not so much at HRT!! Ask around

Thanks all.
I didn't have a hysterectomy no. I've had 4 sections so they thought it might be complicated by scar tissue.
Think they were cautious as i had breast cancer at 26
I'm going to try gp bed see how I get on then maybe get a referral again.
I just want to feel myself again

You will! Have faith!!

Thanks betsy I need to believe that.

You need some specialist advice.
The most likely answer is a higher dose but not a higher dose of the progestogen in the patch. It's that which can cause feelings of being low. I'm struggling to understand why you are on 25mcg patch when you are so young and without ovaries, unless it's due to the BC (sorry about that.) You could consider estrogen gel or an estrogen patch with Utrogestan (micronised progesterone.) My consultant says they know breast surgeons who think highly of this regime because Utrogestan appears to be low / no risk for BC.

polly sorry. It's 2.5 tablet of tibelone not the patch
A couple of friends have gone from tabs to a patch with good results
I've had a bi lateral mastectomy so risk is fairly low but yes I think still having my uterus is a factor.
So confusing isn't it