HRT and depression

[RobinEllacotStrike]

Several years ago I suffered from a low grade unshakable depression - nothing I did changed anything. Then I had a penny drop moment, realised it might be the Mirena coil, had it removed and within days I started to feel much better.

Fast forward several years - I've gone onto HRT for the usual symptoms and it has been hugely effective - no more hot flashes, brain fog etc and I sleep much better.

But this depression is back. Its not like usual depression - this is like walking in a big gray suffocating cloud. No matter what else is going on, the cloud is there slowing me down, affecting everything, makeing me feel dreadful. It is unshakable. I am finding it difficult to get up in the morning. My work is affected.

The penny just dropped this morning that this is exactly like the depression I had on the Mirena coil.

Good luck to me getting a doctors appointment!

Has anyone else had this and are there alternative HRT options that don't affect you this way?

I'm on the Oestrogel 2 pumps, and Utrogestan tablets

It's likely to be the Utrogestan.

You have a couple of options -

1 Use it vaginally (you insert 2 capsules at bedtime as high as you can go.
This is off-licence, in the UK but not in other countries. This bypasses the nervous system and should reduce the low mood.

2 Consider using it on a 3-month cycle, once every 12 weeks. (So 10 weeks of only gel.) This is allowed for women who are intolerant of progesterone. It's in the NICE prescribing guidance and there is a link to it in a thread I started a while ago ( a search should find it.)

thanks @JinglingSpringbells that is very interesting.

I agree its likely to be the Utrogestan - I take tablets. Interesting about taking it vaginally - I didn't know that was an option. Though I had similar response (horrible depression) to the Mirena coil years ago so not sure if switching to pesseries will help.

RE only taking it sporadically, I will look into that. Docs have said I must take it daily to avoid thickening of womb etc. I will look into the NICE guidelines and search out your thread so I am up to speed before I talk to my doctor.

thank you - so appreciated. Its really horrible feeling like this.

I agree it's the utrogestan. It contains the same kind of progesterone as the Mirena coil. I stopped my utrogestan for exactly this reason and felt better after just 48 hours.
Other forms of progesterone hrt are available if you want to keep going with the hrt.

"felt better after just 48 hours."
this is reassuring thank you.

It was about 8 years ago I came off the Mirena and I do recall coming "right" fairly quickly.

OP i felt the same on Utro.

However I switched to the mirena WITH high does oestrogen (100) plus testogel and although I had a brief dip when the coil went in, I feel a million dollars now.

I was absolutely suicidal until I got that oestrogen level right, so you might need to increase that.

its such an awful feeling isn't it? Its great to hear you are feeling better @Droolylabradors

I WFH and I'm really having trouble getting up & getting going in the morning & basic functions seem so difficult. Every moring brushing my teeth feels like a mountain to climb. I haven't made my kids a packed lunch for months.

I'm a sea swimmer and even the mega doses of good hormones you get after a very cold winter swim aren't even touching the sides of this horrible apathy. Pre HRT I would be feeling absolutely wonderful all day after a swim.

I tell you OP, my testosterone absolutely made the most massive difference to my get up and go.

I started taking joy in birds and smells of nature and sunny school runs and that sort of thing again.

I started taking joy in birds and smells of nature and sunny school runs and that sort of thing again.

Yes I remember feeling like that! It wasn't that long ago this was my normal day status. Now I feel like a very tired grinch.

@RobinEllacotStrike There is not just one way to use HRT.
I have mine from an excellent consultant gynae and have been advised of all the ways to use it.

The advice of taking it daily is ONE way but that's for women post menopause as an option.

The other way- 12 days per month- is for women in peri or post meno.

The other option of taking it once every 3rd month is also licensed.

The lining of the womb only builds up (and can become cancerous) if someone takes estrogen-only for months and months with no progesterone at all.

If you don't feel better and can afford to see a private specialist the difference is amazing as they will listen and use their expertise to find a regimen that works for you.

I'll give the GP another go and then might need to go private if things don't work out.

Busy couple of days & I didn't have chance to contact gp yet.

I have dreadful IBS recently too (after a few years of not much issue with it) & I'm just realising this is probably connected to hrt too. I also had it badly around the time I was on Mirena. I'd not linked it to taking hormones before. Now I've seen possible connection I can't shake it off.

What a mess 😳