Anxiety and HRT - anyone experiencing this?

[KittB]

Hi All

Just wondering if anyone has experience of this and how it worked out for you...

I recently started HRT, I am 43 and the doctor was reluctant but I felt my cyclical anxiety and uncontrollable rage were the result of peri. I have been on SSRIs in the past for anxiety but had successfully weaned myself off with a lot of lifestyle changes and natural remedies. However over the past 2 years it was creeping back but only around my cycle and was becoming increasingly unmanageable. That teamed with anger/rage and generally awful PMT that would last for 2 weeks I thought HRT may help.

I am 1.5 months in on treatment. Initially the first 2 weeks of using the Estro gel (1 pump) were life changing, I felt amazing. Like a light switch came on. Then came the 2 weeks of using Utrogestan (vaginally as I read it was good for side effects) and I still felt ok although rather teary. but not anxious or angry. Finished the 2 weeks of Utro and now just using the gel again (currently on day 9 of cycle) but now my anxiety and low mood is back with a vengeance and has been since maybe day 2/3 of my cycle. I usually feel ok at this point in my cycle. Its especially worse when I wake up in the morning.

So my question is, is this a settling in period? I worry HRT is maybe not what I need and its going to make me worse. I am very reluctant to go back on to SSRIs although they were life saving for me in the past the side effects sucked. I have never really used hormonal birth control (not since my teens/early 20s) as it made me feel so bad so maybe i am sensitive to hormones. So confused on what to do and my GP is not very helpful.

Anyone had a similar experience? Did you stick with the HRT and it eventually righted itself?

Thanks if you have made it this far xx

there will be a settling in period, I think it is usually stated to give it 3 months till it kicks in properly. However 1 pump of Oestrogel is a very low dose you could try upping to 2 pumps to see if this helps. I started on 2 pumps around a year ago (plus 2 x utro 12 days) which was great for the first six months, but recently tried upping to 3 pumps as early morning anxiety and (cold!) sweats returned. I apply 2 pumps before bed and the extra pump in the morning and this seems to help. I don’t always apply the extra pump - only if I wake early feeling hot cold or anxious. I also take utro vaginally and find I now tolerate it well.