Does HRT help low mood and energy?

[Blossom4538]

I’m feeling really low. I don’t think I’m quite in peri yet but could be. I have heavy night sweats. HRT prev suggested but I was reluctant.

I am in Citalopram for depression and anxiety but am very low and anxious and have been for a while. I am going to speak to GP about poss changing medication (I am on max dosage for citalopram) or perhaps actually trying HRT.

Did HRT help your low mood and energy levels? What side effects were there?
Does anyone have success with SSRI other than citalopram? I suppose changing and going into HRT at the same time
is not a good idea. Prob need to decide which route to take and discuss with the Dr.

Any experiences greatly appreciated! Also, had anyone followed NHS Steps to Wellbeing?

Thanks

I take vitamin B complex for energy. And yes, HRT does help.
And if you’re having sweats with no other cause, you’re peri.

I take iron and B12 but also HRT including testosterone. You dont say how old you are but as per pp, I would assume you are perimenopausal. This covers 10 years before your periods stop. You can still be very much perimenopausal whilst having regular periods.

It is recognised that many perimenopausal women end up with anti depressants when they should be on HRT as yes this does help with low mood and energy (especially testosterone for energy and stamina). Not saying that is the case here but definitely something to look into.

Thanks! Any noticeable bad side effects to HRT?

HRT made me feel like myself again and made me realise just how bad I had felt before I started talking it. No side effects at all. I use the combined patches.

Absolutely does for me. Other people apparently also! Some side effects for me - sometimes anxiety if I'm on too much estrogen, but it's handle-able and soooo much better than peri before HRT where I was a wreck washed up against the rocks of fatigue.

Get your B and D vitamin levels sorted too, if they're not good. It helps.

If you are having heavy night sweats... you are having disturbed poor quality sleep so that would impact energy levels and mood?!

I only went on HRT due to the bloody night sweats. Urgh. It was obviously impacting my sleep quality which was impacting energy and mood. I'm now 6 months into HRT. Sleep is awesome, mood awesome, energy awesome and I've lost nearly a stone (without really trying). It sounds like you have a lot to unpick. But low mood is not always merely depression. Prev posters have also made good suggestions.

I forgot to add I don't have night sweats. I started on patches, but now swapped to patch for oestrogen and tablets for progesterone. I haven't had a horror story with trying to get the HRT right like some do. I was prepared to persevere and knew it'd be trial and error.

Thank u. They said it would likely be a cream for me, but alongside merina coil…I’m reluctant about the coil side of things.