Feeling depressed with HRT is this normal?

[Meltinthemiddle]

I've been on it for nearly 2 months and taking 1 pumps a day. But my mood had massively dipped to the point I'm emotional, indecisive, lonely and like I don't want to be here. My anxiety is through the roof. I'm not sure if is should stop it or increase it. I can't even remember what the doctor said if I'm honest and and get get through them. I also have the mirena coli.

I felt similar to you. Had a long chat with the GP about it (was in with him half an hour) and said I thought I needed antidepressants because I was just so down, nothing was fun, I was all over the place at work and hermit like. He said he'd be happy to give me them but I should increase my oestrogel dose first then come back in 6 weeks if I still felt the same.
Upshot is I increased from 2 pumps a day to 4 (his recommendation) and am feeling so much better. I guess the recent sunshine and moving to BST so the evenings are lighter may have had an effect too. I'd been on 2 pumps/day for 3 months when I increased.
How long have you had the Mirena? Only I had one years ago and it gave me the rage. Permanent PMT. Had it out after maybe 6 months and in a few weeks went back to normal.

See if you can get a blood test to check your oestrogen levels - it's quite possible that you may need more gel, but it may be the opposite. I had similar symptoms to you, tried increasing my dose and felt even worse. I was so jittery I could barely leave the house. Eventually had a blood test and my oestrogen was through the roof - about three times the level it should have been. I'm currently off the HRT, (been about a week or so now), and feel much better already. I'm waiting to see if my peri symptoms return and then will decide what to do for the best.

Ok thank you will get my bloods checked. I've not felt this low in a long time.😔

1 pump is a very low dose.
The normal starting dose is 2 pumps (sometimes it's fine to use 1 pump for a few weeks to allow your body to adjust but it sounds as if you need more.)

I wouldn't bother seeing the dr yet- just increase to 2pumps and see how you feel in 4-6 weeks.

Thank you I will try and increase it as it does say 1-2 pumps but I couldn't remember what the doctor said about when to an increase it.

If it says 1-2 pumps definitely try the two and give it at least 3 or 4 weeks

HRT made me depressed - oestrogen only as I don't need progesterone due to having had a hysterectomy.

I keep hearing about how it transforms people's lives and would dearly love to be able to take it for my bones and skin etc. I keep umming and aahing about trying it again. I was initially on 50mg patches, then 25mg patches but my mood dipped severely on both.

Hi, I found that - in line with the advice to give it three months - my mood stabilised and my energy lifted after 11 weeks and I felt great. But I was at the point of thinking “fuck it I’m stopping this!” I had been feeling tearful and very anxious, but then it was like the skies clearing.

And yes try two pumps. Give it time.

(However utrogestan affected me so horribly I gave it a week but that actively made me feel v ill, like a zombie. On patches now).

There is no 'rule' about when to increase it.
It's entirely up to you.

Some women feel fine on one pump. If they don't, the advice is to increase it up to a mx of 4 pumps a day, over a timescale of around 3 months.

@balconylife They are both tiny/low doses. 25mcg is the lowest dose of patch.

I know women who are late 60s and very much post-meno who are on higher doses than 50mcg.
You possibly weren't using enough to get any benefit.
You could have tried 75mcgs.

I'd say blood tests were pretty pointless. They are not recommended for women in menopause or peri-menopause as your levels go up and down and a one off test is not informative.

I have used both patches and gel and found that my anxiety went through the roof on gel too. I have spoken to other women who found the same, and yet more women who find gel suits them really well, and don't get on with patches.

Is it worth having a chat with a GP and asking whether you can switch your 2 pumps of gel a day to a 50mcg patch which is about the same dose? I'd be tempted to try that first rather than upping the dose.

iwas progesterone intolerant and the mirena coul made me very depressed

I’ve been on HRT a while and had regimen tweaks. I still go through cycles of depression. I’m having a bout now. I do believe HRT helps and getting the dose right is part of that but I think it’s only part of a jigsaw. I think I’m prone to depression as a response from childhood struggles so for me HRT has helped but hasn’t magically transformed me. To try and unpick whatever is happening for you upping your HRT seems like a good starting point.