Does hrt help anxiety?

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Im at the end of my tether. I have propranolol which works but doesn't stop my brain. I tried setraline, which caused abnormal bleeding and months waiting for investigations which caused me more anxiety.

Im not depressed. I was always a worrier but menopause seems to have increased it so much. I cant calm down from it when I'm worrying, its like i go inside my head and can't come out. I cant think straight. CBT and talking therapies didnt touch the sides. I cant talk to dh anymore, he keeps saying i need to see someone. He doesn't worry at all.
So ,please can anyone tell me, does hrt help with anxiety?
Thank you.

Hi
Didn't want to read and run! I haven't had lots of experience with anxiety throughout my life but since being peri menopausal have seen my anxiety levels rocket. For me, HRT has helped, I think the simple fact of being able to sleep through the night has made a big difference. It hasn't gone completely and I find situations where I would normally be fairly calm and matter of fact, send my stomach plummeting and I start catastrophising, but on a day to day basis, things are much better. I have a Mirena so just have a Evorel 50 patch at the moment.

Thanks for replying. Im sleeping ok. Its being awake thats the problem. I too catastrophize, i cant watch the news just now, it spirals me. Im on otherwise but anxiety is awful.

Yes it does.

Sorry posted too soon.

I have mirena and oestrogel and it's helped a lot.

HRT helped me a lot. I’d never been an anxious person but started anxiety and panic attacks-very scary as I had no idea what was happening. Especially in the middle of driving. Within days of HRT, they went away and never came back. Interestingly, some of my friends have stopped driving/worry about driving and this started in middle age. I had no idea this was a thing until I experienced it. HRT made me feel like I used to.

OP I can identify with what you are saying. I’ve always been a worrier. Been on antidepressants but they didn’t agree with me. I too get something into my head and I go into orbit with it. It’s all consuming.

The answer to your question is HRT might help if it’s the hormone imbalance causing the increased anxiety. I was reluctant to go on this as I had barely any other symptoms with the menopause. It might be worth a try but bear in mind it might take months before you feel any benefit. Speak to your gp.
I hope you can get things sorted and feel some relief.

Yes HRT can help with anxiety.
It's a horrendous symptom and I almost quit driving due to extreme anxiety . It was awful!

Give HRT a go. It might help...

Torque and Ramsay.
How do you get on with the Mirena?
I am planning on getting one soon, due to persistent bleeding on HRT.
I have high hopes for work!

Thanks.

Following as in exactly the same boat OP. Got drs appointment this week and have been reading Dr Louise Newson's book 'preparing for the perimenopause and menopause'. I would recommend it as it demystifies things. That said, she seems pretty pro HRT and although her book claims to be evidence based, I have found conflicting studies/info online about the safety of HRT.

I've always suffered from anxiety and been on antidepressants for it. Am going through a lot of life changes at the moment (parent dying of cancer, children growing up etc). I've suddenly been hit with low mood over the last two weeks. Tearful and very anxious and sad. It started suddenly with PMT and I've not bounced back. I've had a lot of perimenopausal symptoms since I turned 40. Cycle is every three weeks and much much heavier, have migraines and bad headaches that last for several days each month and palpitations (have had to have ECGs) and brain fog. No hot flashes though. It's hard to know whether my low mood is as a result of everything going on or is primarily hormone related. I'm approaching 46. I'm still wary of the risks of HRT, but don't know how to proceed and whether increasing my antidepressants will help (I'm only on a low dose). I can't carry on as I am though because the last couple of weeks have been dreadful. I don't feel like myself and it's not like me to feel tearful or depressed.

No issues at all. No periods since the first one went in, in 2016. Bit of discomfort while it was being put in, which was no worse than period pain, (which is subjective anyway) for a few minutes.

My only menopause symptom was anxiety / poor sleeping and the HRT is amazing for that .

Simple answer - yes!

Thanks torque,
I really want it to work.
Is your mood okay on it? No highs and lows?

I sympathise hugely as a bit over a year ago I got off the scale anxiety out of nowhere too. Unbelievably awful. Life just stops and is shit. HRT has helped a little for me . For some people it works totally so it’s definitely worth a try. The thing that is beginning to help me is meditation. There are lots of online groups if you don’t have much time. I’m not there yet but it gives you a way to cope with really unpleasant feelings! My husband similarly very unable to listen. It is such a lonely experience. That’s why if you do try meditation I would suggest an online group. Good luck with it all. A lot of women get this so you aren’t alone and many people get through it! I found listening to how the writer Marian Keyes recovered from depression very heartening. Sending you love and understanding 🌸🎄

Yep mood is fine. I haven't noticed any highs or lows.

Great, thanks for sharing.

Just to add that I have recently started yoga once a week. I do grounding vinyasa flow. I have no idea about the different types of yoga or what it means. But it is definitely the most relaxing one that I have tried.

It's honestly the best thing I've ever done, I wish I done it in my 30s. I always suffered from my periods but peri menopausal symptoms meant that I bled heavily for 8 weeks and was very anaemic. The Mirena sorted all of that, I'm on my second now. The fitting isn't the most pleasant, take some paracetamol before going, but for me, it's definitely worth it!

Exactly same. Within a couple of days I was sleeping 8 hours and not waking with a racing heart, drenched in sweat, and anxious as hell.

Thank you all.
The bleeding thing worries me, i know hrt can cause bleeding. Aftet not having a period for years i tried setraline and it caused me to bleed. As i have health anxiety over cancer, this bleeding terrified me. I was referred to gynecologist and waited 7 months for appointment. I couldn't even tell anyone i was so scared. I cant go through that again. Thats enough to put me off hrt, i cant cope with it.
I don't know whats up with me. But i identify with so many posts here. It is lonely. I feel ive no one to tell so i keep it in. And its just lonely.

Ah Ramsay, you have given me hope!
You see, the 75 patch suits me well, but boy the frequent bleeding is a headache. Utrogestan doesn't do its job, so I'm hoping a Mirena will sort it all and I can then continue with my patch and be happily on my merry way!

I've tried other HRT types, but they don't work as well for me, as the patch.

OP, try not to worry, there are many HRT preparations which you can trial, all starting at very low doses. If one doesn't suit, another is bound to. There is no need to suffer, treatment options are available.

OP, is anxiety your only symptom?

Hi op, I also had very bad anxiety and sleep issues. If you haven't had a period for over a year, you can use gel / patches and take utrogestan (progesterone) as a tablet every day (not two weeks on/off). This is what finally worked for me - no more periods, much better sleep (take the tablet in the evening) and also, after a couple of months way less anxiety especially on waking. I had to do my own research and then go to my GP with it - don't assume GPs are well educated on HRT - often they really aren't sadly.

Yes i think anxiety is my only symptom. My bladder isnt great but im starting new medication for that. I sleep well, dont have night sweats either.