Peri and can't have HRT, so... Prozac???

[hidethetoaster]

My peri symptoms are bad and getting worse, I can't function for about 10 days of every month due to brain fog and fatigue, as well as having a long list of other symptoms (night sweats, panic attacks, etc).
GP is being helpful, but apparently I can't have HRT due to double-sided migraines with aura, and due to family history of strokes and high blood pressure (although my blood pressure is and has always been normal/on the low side).
GP suggested Fluoxetine (Prozac) instead. I'm doing my research, but can anyone tell me:

• did Prozac actually help you with brain fog and fatigue?


• did Prozac make you feel different? Did you still feel your full range of emotions?


• How easy or hard was it to come off Prozac?

Thanks 💐

Just wanted to come back here with an update in case anyone is watching the thread.

I saw a private meno specialist today through a scheme at work ('Peppy', i think a lot of big employers have bought into it) and it was excellent.

Working from current NICE and British Meno Society guidance.
HRT is not contraindicated for migraine. GP is getting muddled up with contraceptive pill, where combined pill is definitely contraidicated for migraine with aura (I was on it for years, and felt unwell the whole time!). But the hormone preparation is differnet, eg HRT won't stop you getting pregnant, so it's not the same clinical guidnce for HRT vs pill.

The stroke and high blood pressure risk needs to be considered however the initial prescription would be transdermal HRT, which entails no increase to your baseline risk of stroke. If you have a risk, it isn't made worse by transdermal HRT, it just stays the same.

Prozac can be used for anyone who is completely contraindicated for HRT. It will only help with night sweats, not other symptoms. It will leave you feeling blank emotionally. Obviously it's an amazing drug which helps people every day, but this isn't the way to use it. I read on google it can actually have adverse effects and change brain structures in undesirable ways for non-depressed patients. Depressed patients also get changes in brain structures, but they are different changes - ie different areas grow/shrink in depressed people rather than not-depressed people. How weird is that?

So I'm getting a report and will go back to GP armed with the info and will be asking for Everol sequential patches. They are out of stock everywhere so I'll just have to join the bun fight. In the meantime will be looking at upping my phytooestrogens in my diet, and taking isoflavone supplements. Apparently Promensil has a bit more scientific underpinning than other brands, but each to their own.

Hope this is helpful, gang.

Pleased to read your update @hidethetoaster

What is really worrying is that your GP- supposed to be a menopause specialist- is completely confused and wrong on so many accounts. She doesn't even know the basics like the Pill and HRT being different. Nor is she aware of the Nice guidance on the use of ADs.

If she is 'trained' in menopause she ought to have been on at least ONE of the many courses provided by the British Menopause Society that are CPD courses for HCP. I doubt she has been.

What is scary is that had you not come to the forum here, you'd have possibly taken Prozac and carried on feeling unwell.

I do hope you will feed back to her so at least other women are not given such misinformation and incorrect treatment.