Work and menopause brain

[CheeryLemonHare]

I work in a busy booking office that relies on me being able to multitask. I can’t concentrate be in the middle of changing an appointment then the phone will ring so I will have to come out of what I was doing then start again.
I used to be able to do this without even thinking about it. Now I can’t cope. Every day I end up in tears. My stress is showing on the phone to the customers and I feel I should quit my job. I know it would be the right thing to do for my health but it upsets me more to think I have to do this.
when I log on in the morning I struggle to concentrate and process what I am doing. It takes me a good while to wake my brain up but by this time I have become so frustrated and upset that it spoils the rest of my day.
I am on HRT and antidepressants and have been for years. I am 53 and this is just something that has started in the last year.
I have an apt with my gp soon but she can’t tell me if I need to leave my job.
has anybody else left there job due to meno fog brain?

I don't have any answers but your brain sounds like it's struggling in the exact same way as mine. It really affects my confidence at work.

Edited to add: I actually like my job despite the struggle so I am keeping going for a few more years. But if the balance tips to the negative overall, I will leave.

You shouldn’t have to leave your job. You should speak with your boss and tell them this, they should make arrangements for you at work, you shouldn’t be feeling like this every day.
Menopause awareness is a lot better these days than it used to be.
also, speak with your doctor, you may need your HRT dose adjusting. I am 53 this year and sometimes struggle, it’s more common than you think.
don’t beat yourself up about it, it’s hard!
sending a hug to you 💕

Thankyou for your advice. It means a lot. My work have been really good and I have reduced my hours. One thing at work we can’t control is staff sickness and when you work in a team that has a lot of this it puts a lot of pressure on you and my brain just can’t cope with it.

First suggestion is to reassess your HRT dose. What are you on?

There are also doctors who say that using antidepressants at the same time as HRT isn't a good idea because you can't tell if your HRT is working (and what dose is needed.)

Long term antidepressants are not recommended any more and GPs are supposed to try to get patients off them and offer other things like CBT and counselling. Too many women are given ADs in early peri when what they should have had was HRT.

It may be that what you needed all along was HRT and you (possibly) haven't got the right dose or type.

Have you tried weaning yourself off ADs or had a chat with your dr about why you're still on them?

Just as a comparison I was prescribed sertraline about a year before the doctor gave me HRT. I then saw a woman doctor and she said she would have prescribed HRT sooner (typical!) but I weened off the sertraline and was prescribed a 50mg patch and a daily tablet. I still didn’t feel great and this was upped to a 75mg patch snd daily tablet but then I started having light periods after a year or so of nothing so I had a scan and they advised the lining of my womb was too thick so was advised to get a coil fitted and stop the tablet, which I did. I do generally feel better in myself these days and dare to think what I would be like without the HRT!!!

Go get your hormone levels tested by your GP. My HRT was working ok but My testosterone was on the floor. I’m now on testosterone and my brain is back to normal.

Of all the years I’ve been on HRT I can honestly say I dont think I’ve ever had my hormone levels checked!

I was told it doesn’t help as the hormones fluctuate so never get a proper reading

@CheeryLemonHare if that’s true then how do women get prescribed testosterone?