Where has the joy gone? Is this brain fog?

[Asabat]

..or age?

I used to be so sharp and possibly hyper-vigilant. These days I am forgetful of people and things, and concentration has all but gone, but the thing that worries me more is that I don't really care, I can't finish anything, I am bored and can't be bothered. I am persistently tired and my capacity for enthusiasm has gone. It takes a massive effort of energy and will to be really coherant and perform at work.

Yesterday I travelled for four hours for work, did a workshop and then a presentation, then travelled back for 3.5 hrs - a long day yes, but today i feel like I have been run over by a bus, physically and mentally. The joy has gone, previously the positive feed back and enthusiasm (which I got) would have buoyed me up and a day in bed wouldn't have been needed. This time I just feel - meh, too much effort, no real point.

Why can't I cope/function better? What's going on? I feel like resigning. I am too tired with no inspiration or enthusiasm for anything much any more. What can I do to make it better? (I am on HRT Everol 50, 100 Progesterone for 12 days and have been on various doses (too high and too low) for three years). Sitting in bed, doom scrolling and dozing are my prefered life choices these days. And everything aches.

How do I get my oompf and sharpness and joy back?

For me a tiny dose of testosterone on top of my other HRT worked like magic. On the down side it took a very, very long time to get it prescribed and apparently it only works for 50% of women. But worth a try. Best of luck!

I feel just the same OP. I have lost enthusiasm for most things. Even when I'm out with friends and family I'm sometimes thinking when can I go home.

I had a private prescription for testosterone but @heathspeedwell was too scared to use it as it was part of a pattern of overprescription from the clinic. My GP is hopeless so unlikely to recommend - she seems to get her HRT knowledge from the Telegraph. I want some one to tell me chia seeds or something will solve this...

Yes getting hrt was a struggle enough!
I keep wondering if its a menopause thing or just a midlife dissatisfaction thing.

Honestly I could have written your post.

I have an HRT appointment next week and am hoping that helps

Hugs to all who are living through this - it's just crappy isn't it?. This dip is relatively recent, but was properly down in the Autumn. i don't want/think it's just middle age - it feels odd and partly physical - like my brain no longer works properly.

I guess it's time to battle with GP and fiddle with dose again.

I could have written the post too. I just feel so... flat.

I can empathise, but I am also on antidepressants as well as hrt. Everything takes longer to recover from, and I sometimes have to rest before a busy day to be able to cope. I manage my job fine, but I do only work part time. On my non working days if I'm up and dressed by 10 it is a minor miracle. The ADs help me live well with depression, and the hrt helps with the aches, sweats and to some extent the brain fog, but a lot of the time I feel flat.

Good luck OP

I could have written this so following with interest. I was off work last week on annual leave first week back and I am knackered again already
It took so long and was a battle to get HRT so I haven’t gone back to look into different dosages as it has helped with some of the symptoms but will look into it

So most of the advice is eat better, exercise and don't drink. Trying this means thinking about food all time, which bores me rigid, though we are making changes (no discernible difference to weight though) and sucks the pleasure out of cooking and eating. Any exercise that would make a difference is really exhausting and no alcohol, fine but disappointing.

Testosterone!! Give it a go.

I had this. No pleasure in life, everything pointless, feeling useless. Upping my HRT - specifically oestrogen - fixed it.

I was already on a low dose of HRT and approached my GP asking for testosterone (also had zero libido) but she wanted me to start with more oestrogen and it absolutely sorted my meh-mood. Then I added testosterone and that sharpened me up and gave me back a libido.

I’m afraid HRT was definitely the answer for me, and they will have to prise it out of my cold dead hands before I stop taking it.

I'm 53 and have been on HRT since I was 51 it took a year to get to the right side as each time I increased it I was told to give it 3 months to see if it was helping. I'm now on the max dose of HRT big I forget a day I can tell as the following day symptoms start to come back I'm obviously that sensitive to it. Persevere with you gp and get HRT it has really helped me but it's important to find the correct dosage for you.

This was me! Yesterday. Exactly the same. I went to bed at 2130. was wiped out and had lost the will. That was after what should have been considered a successful albeit full-on day workshop presenting.
My doc says I don’t need HRT as I still have regular periods, but I’m nearly 51. Something is o
on, and it must be the menopause troll!