What helped your mental health during perimenopause/menopause?

[Teaandtoastfortwo]

What has helped your mental health symptoms during perimenopause?

I’ve been struggling with peri symptoms for the past couple of years and I’m 40. I had my HRT regime changed about 5 months ago because although it was helping with the physical symptoms, it wasn’t really helping with the mental health side of things.
I’m now on Utrogestan continuously taken vaginally and a 75mcg Everol patch, but I’m still really struggling with feeling lost and flat. I have no motivation and just feel like a shadow of my former self. I don’t recognise myself anymore.

It’s started to affect my relationship with my partner too. I constantly question whether he loves me or wants to be with me, even though he’s amazing and has done absolutely nothing to make me feel this way. I know these thoughts aren’t really me, but I can’t seem to switch them off. I just miss who I used to be.

I feel like I’m doing everything I possibly can. I walk for an hour every day, do a weights class twice a week, eat well and avoid UPFs, don’t smoke or drink, take vitamins, read the books and listen to the podcasts… and yet I still feel like this.
Has anyone found the magic dose/type of HRT that finally made a difference to their mental health symptoms? Or is there anything else that has genuinely helped you?
I’d really love to hear from anyone who has been through this and come out the other side, because right now I’m struggling to see how I get back to feeling like myself again.

I don’t want to take SSRIs so that’s not an option and I’ve had counselling and CBT.

That sounds wonderful! I dream of doing dance classes when I retire. I currently already pay for 2 weight classes a week and can’t afford any extra hobbies at the moment 😞 single parent and struggle with childcare on top of the costs. Saving up for private menopause care doesn’t help 🤣🤣 but my GP has been useless.

Im so glad you found something that worked for you.

Sorry that you are struggling but I’m in the same boat!
These replies have been really helpful.

Although there isn't many of them, it's lovely to hear stories of those who one day feel like themselves again. Something I hope for.

I can only comment on Oestrogen as I don't have a womb, but this was me. Up the Oestrogen. I actually need more than the licensed dose, which is another story - but you can up to 100 Evoral.

Once I got my Oestrogen dose right I got myself back again, the flatness & anxiety completely went & haven't come back. As you go through peri you're own Oestrogen continues to decrease so you often need to top it up.

Raging anxiety and low mood. I need to take citalopram as well as hrt

More Oestrogen worked for me for flat mood specifically.

It really is such an isolating feeling that it’s been good to get other peoples perspective and realise I’m not alone with feeling like this.

I think you hear such wonderful stories about HRT being a panacea to the awfulness of symptoms and then when it doesn’t work that way for you, you become so disheartened.

I desperately want to feel like myself again.

Progesterone made me feel paranoid and extremely low. Any progesterone did this and I felt the same during pregnancy. I decided to stop taking HRT and although I have other symptoms (insomnia) my mental health is much better and other symptoms like joint pain passed in time.

Honestly? I ended my marriage. Found someone who loves me, loves sex and treats me. Went to the other side of the planet to shake me out of my ennui.

And HRT. I still have periods but I take it continuously, with 3 pumps of oestrogel, because sequential makes my knee joints hurt so fuck it I take it all the time.

I spent 18 months telling my doctors I felt awful after a hysterectomy and being on the Everol 100mcg patch. Eventually, as my doctors would not test my hormone levels, they said they fluctuate even though I said I had had my ovaries removed so presumably most of my estrogen was coming from the patch. I had a blood test done privately (Medicheck well woman one) which showed my estrogen levels to be very low - I sent it to my Doctor who finally agreed to try me on the gel - I do absorb that. In short, just because you’re applying an estrogen patch, it does not mean your body is absorbing it.

Switching over to micronised progesterone and starting testogel have helped me. I get my testogel privately from Superdrug

I’m starting to wonder if it’s since I upped the estrogen patch. When my utrogestan dose was changed to continuous vaginally, I was told to wait six weeks before upping the patch to 75. I recall feeling better for a while before I upped the patch in the middle of May and began feeling bad in June.

This thread has been so helpful, thank you OP!

Menopausal for about 18 months, I’m 52, and I’ve got anxiety on top of my anxiety. I feel isolated. Frustrated. Bloated. Ugly. I love the sound of the dance lessons and I can really relate to revisiting the city. I too can see before & after, that helps. I also wonder if I divorced my husband in a perimenopause fog of anger.

Not on any HRT but things that have helped me: new clothes, going with the insomnia and sweats rather than battling against, I take a magnesium supplement sometimes and vista kin D & calcium. My joints do feel a bit better for that. A daily, long walk definitely helps, and my mood is best when I eat “clean”.

Have been reading about vaginal oestrogen. I’m not particularly dry, amazingly, but wonder if I should go on it now to prevent anything, and if it might help with the anger. I’m scared to take HRT as I’ve already gained 2 stone. Must shift it!

It really helped a lot of my symptoms! I had terrible joint pain, brain fog, itching, night sweats etc and they all improved when starting HRT. I use vaginal estrogen too as when I was examined I was told I had vaginal atrophy. I had no idea! I was also getting repeated utis and it helps prevent these too.

I feel for you OP, I’m currently signed off work with stress and although I’ve had some significant things going on I’ve always coped in the past - menopause has turned me into someone I don’t recognise. I’m anxious, tearful, low and angry all at once and it was bursting into tears during a meeting that made me realise I couldn’t keep up the act at work any more. My GP seems fairly good and they’ve reviewed my HRT so I’m just hoping it makes a difference as I can’t afford to stay off much longer 🙁

Thanks for reply @Teaandtoastfortwo!

If it wasn’t for the anxiety and the weight gain I’d be sailing through menopause. I don’t have brain fog (I don’t think), just the anxiety and intense anger. Not that much joint pain, the walks help (and lying around doesn’t!). Vaginal stuff is fine, too. I sometimes get the odd bladder leak, lovely, I know! Nothing unmanageable. It makes me wonder about HRT as I don’t want to need prescriptions, GP, etc. but if it helps with the dreadful anxiety, I will def try it.

Have a look at the Balance Menopause website or app. Loads of brilliant info, factsheets & podcasts with all the latest research & evidence.

The risk isn't in taking HRT, it's in NOT taking HRT. Plus it's body-identical & transdermal now, so just like the protective hormones your body has been making all it's life.

It sorted out my my mental & physical health issues which i developed and I know my healthspan will be better because of it. We wouldn't NOT replace any other hormones, such as Thyroxine or Insulin.

See also my previous response. Sorted my anxiety out at the right dose of HRT.

For bladder leaks, add in vaginal oestrogen & see a good pelvic health physio - again has sorted my bladder leak issues that were only getting worse.

Well I’ve just had an online follow up appointment with a doctor at menopause care. She suggested going back to taking the Utrogestan orally to help with the anxiety and sleep issues, but 100 continuously instead of 200 sequentially which is what I used to take. Keeping the patch at 75 for now. If no better then I’m to try Slynd in 3 months.

Sorry, I should also add that when I first went on to HRT, pre hysterectomy, I was definitely absorbing, it was privately prescribed so blood tests were allowed and my estrogen levels were too high (735) at that point, so the patch was reduced. So even though the patches have worked for you in the past, they may not be doing so now.

I don’t have much advice sorry as I’m just starting HRT.

I find myself on the one hand not giving a fuck what anyone thinks anymore and in the other hand full of anxiety all the time, waking up drenched in sweat, pain in my body all the time. I’m 43.

I’ve started 5-19 mins of meditation using Dr Mark Williams meditation tracks which can be found either on Spotify or soundcloud for free. I’ve found that when I do this in the day it does help me mentally. I’m just working in trying to be consistent with it!

Have you had your iron levels checked. Low iron can make you feel awful, flat and totally unmotivated.

Ok I’ll give this a try! Thank you.

Yes it was normal.

Hi op. I felt like you do when I was taking utrogestan. It's the work of the devil in my opinion!

I switched to the following regime and I'm very happy:

100mcg oestrogen patches
Mirena coil
Testosterone.

If I had to take my mirena out tomorrow, I would have to stop HRT, I feel so violently against utrogestan. All I did was cry when I was taking it. Within two days of it being in my system and then for a week after stopping it. I tried vaginally too.