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Menopause

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Original poster

Anxiety and insomnia

10 replies

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 20/06/2024 02:56

So… I like to think I cope ok with menopause, take HRT patches, Tescos menopause supplements and magnesium for sleep.

Yet this year and last autumn I’ve had crippling anxiety. Something I didn’t have really and last had it when I was 21/22.

Luckily last autumn I took some unplanned time off work and after 2 months and no meds but a bit of talking one off to a medical support service and to doctors it went. But now it’s back. And things like noise and light sensitivity which is usually controlled is back.

Anyone got any ideas what to do?

My old things which I used to do like yoga I’ve stopped. So zero exercise bar 30 mins round park.

OP posts:
DustyLee123 · 20/06/2024 06:50

Are you taking HRT now?

CourtenayDevon · 20/06/2024 07:10

Amitriptyline, 10mg each night has helped immensely with my meno anxiety . However it was originally prescribed for my insomnia. It's not like a sleeping tablet but if I wake up in the night- usually around 3am - it just helps to settle me back to sleep easily.

JinglingSpringbells · 20/06/2024 07:36

Not clear if you've stopped hrt when you say you're off your meds.

Talking therapies?

Have you tried CBT?

I'd suggest you find a good practitioner who can help give you the tools for working through your anxiety.

There's also a best selling book Mind over Mood which helps with analysing your mind/mood and taking back control.

Meds aren't the only answer. If yoga and talking about it before helped, why not restart those?

Original poster
Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 20/06/2024 09:08

CourtenayDevon · 20/06/2024 07:10

Amitriptyline, 10mg each night has helped immensely with my meno anxiety . However it was originally prescribed for my insomnia. It's not like a sleeping tablet but if I wake up in the night- usually around 3am - it just helps to settle me back to sleep easily.

Oh sounds good. Is it addictive?

OP posts:
Original poster
Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 20/06/2024 09:09

JinglingSpringbells · 20/06/2024 07:36

Not clear if you've stopped hrt when you say you're off your meds.

Talking therapies?

Have you tried CBT?

I'd suggest you find a good practitioner who can help give you the tools for working through your anxiety.

There's also a best selling book Mind over Mood which helps with analysing your mind/mood and taking back control.

Meds aren't the only answer. If yoga and talking about it before helped, why not restart those?

Edited

A practitioner might be good but I don't think I have the headspace to do it now. Might just restart the yoga.

OP posts:
JinglingSpringbells · 20/06/2024 09:14

but I don't think I have the headspace

You said it- Headspace- what about the Headspace app?

Also, the charity MIND has a lot of self-help ideas on their website and a helpline.

Something no one has mentioned and I forget too, is have you had your HRT dose adjusted?

Without knowing how old you are and how far into peri/ menopause you could need your estrogen dose increasing.

This is the first step when on HRT if you feel it's not working any more.

Your patch should be at least 50mcgs.
If you are still in peri you could go up to 75 or 100mcgs patch.

Has this ever been suggested?

NICE advice is to adjust HRT before considering other options for psychological issues.

CourtenayDevon · 20/06/2024 10:14

@Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain Hmm I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'is it addictive'. However, I've been on it around 8years now. I did try to wean off it a couple of years ago, just reduced intake over two weeks, but then I had terrible insomnia again and was still getting pangs of quite bad anxiety, so went back on it again, but I still had other menopause symptoms and still do, so I know that's not over yet. I'm going to wait until if/when those decline I may try and stop again.

Original poster
Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 20/06/2024 11:14

JinglingSpringbells · 20/06/2024 09:14

but I don't think I have the headspace

You said it- Headspace- what about the Headspace app?

Also, the charity MIND has a lot of self-help ideas on their website and a helpline.

Something no one has mentioned and I forget too, is have you had your HRT dose adjusted?

Without knowing how old you are and how far into peri/ menopause you could need your estrogen dose increasing.

This is the first step when on HRT if you feel it's not working any more.

Your patch should be at least 50mcgs.
If you are still in peri you could go up to 75 or 100mcgs patch.

Has this ever been suggested?

NICE advice is to adjust HRT before considering other options for psychological issues.

Not in peri, at least don't think so, at 52 in menopause or sort of. On 50mg of Evorel Conti.

Actually no the GP (male!) never suggested increasing the dose, so will ask him. There's a lovely female doctor who's older who's into menopause issues so will ask to see her or the other female one.

I'll look up Headspace thanks. And look at MIND website too.

I did start a course of counselling over lockdown but the person I was with, it became obvious pretty quickly that I wasn't comfortable with her, didn't trust her and I don't think even liked her! So for me, unless it's someone I really clicked with, I don't have time/energy to deal with that.

I forgot to mention... I'm currently a witness for someone I witnessed at work over lockdown, I've been in touch with the person bringing the case and the union/work rep but I've found it quite emotionally taxing (as lots has been brought up by me but also about my ex colleagues) and I don't think this has helped my anxiety at all, probably contributed to it.

OP posts:
Original poster
Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 20/06/2024 11:16

CourtenayDevon · 20/06/2024 10:14

@Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain Hmm I'm not quite sure what you mean by 'is it addictive'. However, I've been on it around 8years now. I did try to wean off it a couple of years ago, just reduced intake over two weeks, but then I had terrible insomnia again and was still getting pangs of quite bad anxiety, so went back on it again, but I still had other menopause symptoms and still do, so I know that's not over yet. I'm going to wait until if/when those decline I may try and stop again.

Actually, it probably is addictive but what helps you helps you.

I get terrible brain fog and sometimes mood swings so the HRT helps me but it's not for everyone.

I am the sort of person who likes to be 'in control' and I had bloody awful anxiety/depression/insomnia on and off in my teens until the BCP evened my hormones out.

OP posts:
Original poster
Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 20/06/2024 12:01

@JinglingSpringbells coming back to what you said re HRT doses, I wish I'd actually mentioned this to the women GP's I saw (different subject, I think?) as when I saw the male ones, they weren't great - typical wanting to put me on prescription tablets. Didn't mention anything about HRT or any other hormone stuff to try...

OP posts:
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