Anxiety

[MapleSyrupSweet]

I've been on hrt for 18 months
Currently on 75 patches, testosterone and the vaginal oestrogen cream.

The benefits I would say are that my mood swings have reduced & I feel less rage. Also my joints ache slightly less& sex is better

But, my anxiety & palpitations are worse than ever. I've put on weight increasingly since starting hrt, which is stressing me out too.

I'm struggling. I have a senior role at the organisation I work in and feel imposter syndrome, despite having worked here for years with various promotions.
I'm also recently bereaved.

I don't know what to do. Should I stop taking the hrt? How do I make the palpitations stop?!

Is the anxiety a new thing or is it a ramping up of a existing problem?

I don't know if if helps or not, but I went through a terrible loss of confidence when I was in the thick of the menopause, and I wasn't on HRT - so I'm not sure stopping it will resolve that aspect.

HRT manages my anxiety. Menopause causes anxiety, not HRT. I have the gel and up it for a few day is anxiety returns, always works.

I am so sorry you feel so rough.

There is new evidence that things like CBT can help.
It's being suggested for hot flushes and certainly things like anxiety.

You could find a local CBT practitioner, or there are 'courses' online (free) or try one of the books on it- eg CBT for Dummies.

Also, yoga is based around listening to your breathing and this is calming.

It's new. Well since the hrt. It's a feeling like a jittery heartbeat.

Yes yoga helps when I am doing it.
And not drinking any alcohol helps too.
I can't spend my whole life in downward dog though. I'm wondering if the hrt could be too high.
Testosterone is at 20.25mg (one pump) applied to the skin twice a week. Does that sound high?

I can't comment on the HRT (thankfully I'm well past the menopause - there is light at the end of that tunnel!) but the anxiety could be more to do with your work situation and bereavement than the treatment.

The key to any mental health issue is understanding why you're thinking and feeling the way you do because only then can you change it. CBT is one route as previously mentioned, as is remedial hypnosis which can allow you to find out what's happening at a subconscious level.

@MapleSyrupSweet I'm laughing at a permanent downward dog position! Oh dear...!

I don't know about testosterone.

You could increase the patch to 100, but maybe it's more to do with the emotional upsets you have had lately. (Sorry for your loss.)

Do you feel you might benefit from some counselling for grief, or even just someone to listen to your 'imposter syndrome'? I'm just thinking that if you offload to a professional, it may help.

@Eyesopenwideawake Menopause is a life long state, as it mean 'no more periods'. We never get the estrogen back. I'm 15 years post-meno and using hrt as when I stop, symptoms come back. Some women don't get symptoms for long but others can, for life ( consultant's comments.)

@JinglingSpringbells many thanks for womansplaining the menopause to me 😂

Thanks @JinglingSpringbells 💛

I'm sorry if you saw it that way @Eyesopenwideawake . I thought that when you wrote this I can't comment on the HRT (thankfully I'm well past the menopause - there is light at the end of that tunnel!) you meant that all women would eventually come out of the tunnel, as you have (and that the OP only had to wait X years and it would get better.)

@JinglingSpringbells - in my, admittedly limited, experience I only know of only one woman who took HRT throughout her life. Some people sail through the menopause, some suffer terribly; all part of the lottery of life. It's not unreasonable to say that "this too will pass" because for a significant percentage of women it is true.

@Eyesopenwideawake

British Menopause Society info on menopause.

As referred to above, whilst most women attribute hot flushes and night sweats to the menopause, many do not associate other symptoms such as tiredness, low mood, anxiety, poor memory and concentration or sensation of brain fog to the menopause.

As a result, women may fail to understand why they are experiencing them. Menopausal symptoms affect more than 75% of women.

So, whilst not all women going through the menopause will experience menopausal symptoms, the majority will and over 25% describe severe symptoms.

Menopausal symptoms may last for a long time with an average duration of 7 years, and 1 in 3 women experience symptoms beyond the 7 years.

No one knows if they will be one of the 30% who have symptoms for years and years.

I have tried HRT twice, both times the progesterone gave me intense anxiety, restlessness and activation. When I stopped HRT it went.
I have tried progesterone orally and vaginally but I still get the anxiety.

if you need to stay on the HRT you could ask your GP about propanolol, a beta blocker which limits adrenaline and can help with the physical symptoms.

if your anxiety is prompted by stress, work, unresolved issues of feeling unsafe in the past, then CBT or psychotherapy may be really helpful.

if it is prompted by a chemical/ hormonal issue than these therapies won’t make a significant difference, and something needs adjusting biologically. An SSRI may help to counter the effects of the HRT.

Hi. I can sympathise. I was the same as you. Initially given patches and my anxiety was horrendous and imposter syndrome. I simply needed a bigger dose and it changed my life - especially the palpitations and feeling unable to do my job. I run a clinic and was shaking so much with the fear I was useless and going to muck up a treatment I had to stop. I work in the medical profession and became unable to treat patients . Now I take Femostin 2/10 mg and have no problems for the first part of the month with he above symptoms. maybe ask for the tablets - you can start on 1/10 mg then take the progesterone tablets second 2 weeks of the month.