Right after wallowing in misery for the best part of a year I am turning over a new leaf: does anyone want to join me?

[KatyMac]

I have been miserable for months and I think my HRT is settling down so I am changing my life

I am restarting my self employed sewing business, started applying for jobs, I have had my hair cut & styled, I am starting a health eating plan (not a diet!!) and my exercise HAS to increase!

Does anyone have any goals they want to achieve? Can we be a team?

Hi. I’ve not posted for a couple of weeks. How are you doing katy ?
It’s four weeks today since I stopped HRT, so far I’m feeling loads better without it, hope it lasts. Night sweats came back within days of stopping the tablets but they aren’t as bad as they used to be. I’ve had some headaches but they’ve cleared quicker too. My mood has definitely improved, I now feel much more even tempered, although we did have a row on Friday but to be honest DP has had a lot of work stress the last two weeks, he’s been full of cold and we were clearing furniture out of a room, ready for new carpet and curtains.
This is an improvement, while on hrt I was feeling rubbish for around two weeks, incredibly angry, migraines, irritable and generally unhappy.

My commment about GP being young and handsome was relevant because I found it a bit embarrassing discussing my menopausal symptoms although I needn’t have been as he was totally lovely 😊

I think it's horrific that a doctor can get a medical degree and know nothing about something HALF THE WORLD suffers!
Grrr.

When I first saw a gp about hrt, she admitted she knew very little about the menopause, she said it was something they only looked at briefly.

I feel exactly the same Emerald13, I've had days where I wished I was dead. The menopause completely changed my entire life and turned it to shit.
That sounds absurd but it's so true. My life ended at the menopause.
It creeps up on you and just when you think you are over the worst and might possibly be getting back to some kind of normal it creeps up on you with a baseball bat.
I simply have no interest in anything any more. i go to work but couldn't give a crap about it.
I had a menopause divorce as I couldn't stand the sight of him. Three years after divorce he's asking if it's safe to come back home, I'm not sure yet, maybe.
Increasing my dose of HRT has helped me feel a lot better recently.
I've had 12 years of this.
Everyone is different, I think I am probably a worst case scenario but eager to get better and do something with my life this year.

I am middling thanks

HRT is wrong but OKish

But I slept on my hand or hurt my wrist doing 10 mins of gardening - and my whole right hand side is hurting (thumb up to shoulder and down to wrist) - Ow!!

Still very miserable tho

Oh bugger katy that’s not good about your hand
Hope it improves soon. Are you sticking with the same hrt or going to try a different type?
I only ever had tablets, elleste 1mg and femoston 1&2mg, felt dreadful on the 2mg. I’m coping with the night sweats, could do without them but generally I really do feel much better without. I’m hoping it lasts but only time will tell

I started on menopace plus just under 2 weeks ago and I actually feel like me for the first time in ages!! Aches and pains have lessened, I'm sleeping better but most importantly the horrible dark cloud has lifted.
I'm 47 and haven't had a period for 5 years due to a hysterectomy but as I've retained my ovaries I still have a cycle and obviously can't judge where I am with it all as I don't have periods!! It's hard

I’m glad you’re feeling better maxine I tried the normal tablets when I first started with night sweats, didn’t make any difference to me but I might give the plus ones a try. I’m lucky that I don’t have the bad aches that many others have mentioned.
I’ve no idea of my cycle if I’m honest. I’m nearly 52 . I took the mini pill for years and periods were more miss than hit, I went years without. I stopped taking it a few months before starting hrt but didn’t bleed until I started on hrt. I’ve no idea if or when my periods will start now I’ve given up the hrt.

Hugs to matcatlady - it does sound like you've had it particularly bad and it's good to hear you being determined to get things more positive this year.

I just wish I had some clue about how to address the low moods. This morning I was extremely tense about going to work, sat in the car wishing I didn't have to go into the office, had such a rising sense of dread. And then at lunchtime suddenly I felt as right as rain.

Might have been just as well as I had my annual appraisal just after lunch and my boss would certainly have been at the sharp end if I'd been in a moody, tearful frame of mind . I did take a deep breath and tell him that my hormones are affecting my mental health, so if I'm being cranky he should bear that in mind and potentially give me a kick so I don't drag the whole team down. They are young and keen, and don't need me to undermine their enthusiasm!