Am I normal or is this a Dr. Visit?

[letssayyesthencancel]

I feel like I’m going mad.

I’m 47, been on hrt for 3 yrs. 2 progesterones and 1.5 mg of gel daily.

My anxiety is hideous, and has got worse. I have ocd so have always suffered, but I got myself off sertraline oct 24. I’m in therapy which helps, but more because it’s me time!

I’m so irritable and down some days I’m considering restarting the drugs, but am I going crazy with anxiety or is this menopause.
Please share some life experience with me… please?

No period since July, prior to that was sketchy and very light.

My head feels like cotton wool, I forget what I’m doing and saying all the time, I can’t get work done swiftly, which winds me up, as it takes longer meaning more time to forget. If anyone interrupts my train of thought, I can’t get it back.

I have no motivation, I over think, I’m losing confidence, and beat myself up over shoulda woulds coulda’s daily.

I have no patience with my family. I’m usually the go to organiser, but I just cba. I can’t deal with their constant questions about things they can work out themselves!

Time is flying at 100mph and I feel so lost.

I don’t watch the news, tend to look at Apple News if anything, but this world is self destructing. Negativity and unbelievable political decisions that make me feel hopeless for the future. I worry about money, I worry about my child, even if there will be a future!!!

Now add in Christmas on top of my despair, and I feel like I’m losing the plot.

I desperately want to stay off the pills, but I’m losing myself and I don’t know what’s causing it, which means I don’t know where to fix it!

is anyone else in the same boat? Any words of wisdom to help?

Thank you, if you got this far.

From what you've said it sounds like a combination of your longstanding anxiety plus peri/menopause. I feel a bit concerned that you are seeing therapy just as 'me time'. It doesn't sound like you have the right therapist if you don't have increased feelings of safety and security and are not developing insight into your deeper issues. I'd look at that plus have a chat with the HRT specialist in your GP practice for starters.

Hi sorry you’re having a terrible time. I totally sympathise.
sounds to me like your HRT needs tweaking,
increase dose or different combination perhaps.
I recommend the Dr Louise Newson Balance App it’s very informative and has every thing you need to know regarding peri/menopause symptoms with a community in which you can share and read to other women’s using the site I find it invaluable for my menopause and have learned so much from this site .
Balance app , check it out .

Thank you,

me as in me time to talk about my concerns. I do feel safer and lighter when I leave.

Can you whack up the gel? I'd also ask if they will check your oestrogen levels to make sure you are absorbing it properly.

I know that generally this isn't the done thing, but if you have been on HRT for that amount of time, your oestrogen levels should not be super low. For example, I had my bloods tested by consultant gynae (private) and my oestrogen was 630, which is a very healthy level (consultant was trying to work out why I was still having night sweats on 100mcg patch after being on HRT for 18months).

This might help you.

I also had counselling/therapy for over a year to get through some surgery issues plus the fallout from many years of what I know now are peri-meno symptoms. I found therapy was horrible, I struggled to think of what to say before I went and then usually ended up leaving feeling horrible too! Counselling was easier and more of a place to dump my feelings.

But after a year I definitely feel better.

How long have you been having therapy for? Is it possible that changing therapists might freshen things up?

@letssayyesthencancel

Are you using 200mgs Utrogestan a day.
Are you post menopausal at 47? Have you used 200mgs daily for 3 years since age 44? Sorry if I've misunderstood but that's how it's written.

If so that's not correct, unless your GP has specified why. The usual dose is 200mgs x 12 days a calendar month.

I use Utrogestan on a cycle and it's real slog to get through 12 days. (I've used it for years and even using it vaginally gives me side effects.)

If you're already using it on a 12 day cycle, you might think about the dose of estrogen - 2 pumps- which is low-medium.

The medical advice (NICE) is to tweak HRT doses before adding any other drugs like SSRIs which often don't work. It sounds like you have never had a review of your HRT or discussed your symptoms - which are all very classic menopause symptoms, not necessarily your mental health getting worse.

2 pumps a day is possibly too low for someone young like you so you should try 3 pumps. The max per day is 4 pumps.

Hello,

Thank you for your reply, I very much appreciate it.

I had a menopause review in January and was told to carry on on the same dose. I am taking 200mg Progesterone every day, and 1.5g estradiol daily from the sachets not a pump. I started on 100mg and 1mg, 3 years ago, and this was changed to the current dose 18 months ago.

I've never had a blood test, they prescribed HRT due to symptoms.

I don't know if I'm peri or post - I think if I stopped taking drugs I would have periods.

I spoke with my doctor Monday and only discussed my anxiety, which he then prescribed sertraline again. They never have time to have a full discussion and I'm on speaker so it echo's and with a heavy accent I can't fully understand what's being said, I don't feel listened to.

I think I will seek a specialist and get some specific advice.

Thank you

In it sounds as if your dr hasn't a clue. Sorry. (For context, I've used HRT for over 15 years with one of the UK's top meno gynaecologists , who trains other drs about menopause.) I get annoyed when GPs appear to know nothing and women suffer.

You don't need daily Utrogestan - that's for women who are post menopause and it's 100mgs a day. Not 200. It's no wonder you feel dreadful. That amount of Utrogestan each day on a low-ish dose of estrogen is probably 'zapping' all the benefits of estrogen.

The only reason to use 200mcg daily of Utrogestan is with HIGH doses of estrogen ) 100mcg patch or 4 pumps of gel) and if you're post menopause.
At 47, that's unlikely.

I suggest you see a different GP OR if you can afford it, you pay to see a dr privately, either a GP who is trained in menopause or a consultant.

However, you could also manage this yourself by using your current HRT at the correct doses.

This is a table written by a consultant gynae and it shows doses.

https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/perimeno.php

Scroll right down and you will see Utrogestan, 12 days x 200mgs.

This is also a great site and the basics are here

https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/knowledge/perimenopause-menopause-and-hrt-everything-you-need-to-know