Is it normal to feel flat all the time ?

[Fidgety31]

I’m in peri menopause - aged 50. Periods still regular but are changing in duration and frequency at times .
But I feel utterly exhausted and flat - I have no motivation to do anything I enjoy anymore.
I get up, go to work , do what needs to be done at home . And then I go to bed. .i live alone so it isn’t affecting anyone else .
i don’t feel depressed. I can have a laugh on the phone if I chose to ring a friend occasionally.
But I’ve never felt so flat and just like I can’t be bothered to do anything . Is it normal at this age?

No. Not normal.

Common. But not normal. And it is fixable.

This was my main symptom; hrt fixed it.

Is HRT always the answer ? I am wary of taking it tbh

Normal for me. HRT takes the edge off but I still have flat days a lot. Exercise helps.

No it’s not normal.
Can you see your GP?

Why are you wary?

I totally get this. And most of my peri friends would say the same. Definitely hormonal. I don’t want to go on HRT and am trying to ride it out. I don’t look forward to things in a way I used to - even small things like looking forward to a nice meal or watching a favourite programme. No real advice, just solidarity. It’s crap being a woman. Things that help me are exercise, time on my own and getting out more (even though I just want to stay in!). My resilience feels low too - the smallest of stresses derail me these days.

I have a long standing benign breast tumour and don’t know if it would cause issues with that . Ie make it cancer
so I am wary of introducing any hormones

Is it a tumour or a cyst?

I'd take a guess you mean a cyst. Was it shown on a mammogram?
They are very common and HRT doesn't changes cysts to cancer but you need to consult a breast specialist as we don't know exactly what you have.

No it’s called a radial scar - it’s not a cyst. I’ve had those before too

Ah, ok, sorry! If you feel so low, it's worth seeing a breast consultant privately (NHS probably won't do much unless there is a problem) who knows about HRT and risks.

I definitely felt like this through menopause (now 2 years since my last period). I started HRT recently and can’t honestly say it’s made a massive difference but maybe I need to go higher with oestrogen. For me it’s very much been a situation of making myself get up and do things even when I don’t feel motivated at all. Once I do it I’m fine and enjoy it. So I have a routine of exercise everyday and go to the gym with a friend (having someone to go with motivated me to stick to it). A walk in the fresh air everyday, making mundane household tasks more bareable by listening to an audiobook or decent podcast while doing them.
I wouldn’t say it’s depression- because I still enjoy life and get a lot of enjoyment from life, seeing friends and family and having holidays etc but more a sense of complete inertia.

Also may be worth getting your thyroid function checked because it’s also how I was feeling 6 years ago in the lead up to when I was diagnosed as hypothyroid.

Go to the GP, I did and they did a blood test and I was low on vit d and B12, I had to have B12 injections.

I did also start HRT it hasn't helped a lot but the dose is maybe too low.

I feel exactly the same, have just stopped HRT after 2 years as it made no difference whatsoever to my flat mood, anxiety or rage, talk about a contradictory set of symptoms! I’m trying to work out what to try next

I'm on HRT and I feel flat and unmotivated and very irritable

@Remmy123 Go back to your GP and ask for an increase in estrogen.
If HRT isn't working you need the dose, type or both reviewing.