Anyone else take HRT for hellish peri menopausal symptoms?

Women's health
1

There is a history if early menopause in my close family, and I have suffered with PMS all my life. Also suffered severe PND after my first child was born.

I'm now 44, and noticed last year my cycle was changing. Much lighter flow and my PMS lasting longer. Although when I ovulated I suddenly started feeling almost euphoric with happiness. Noticed I was sweatier than normal, too.

Then one month by PMS never went away. It stayed. And I started feeling very anxious all the time. I couldn't take any pleasure in anything. Just awful.

My GP put me on ADs. But after a long dialogue he agreed to refer me to a menopause clinic. Even though my blood tests have all come back normal, my gynaecologist believes my anxiety and depression are being caused by my hormones - because of my history with PMS and PND.

I'm to start HRT next month, and she promises the added oestrogens will make me feel so much better and I won't need ADs.

Would love to hear from anyone whose had a similar experience, and if it worked for them?

2

The supposed "dangers" of HRT have been terrably overstated. All in all you will be MUCH better off on HRT than on antidepressants which are really a hiding to nowhare. You are lucy to have found a sympathetic gynaecologist who understands hormone related mood swings. I think she is spot on and that you will do very well. Good luck.

3

Thank you for replying. I really don't want to be on ADs when actually they're just masking problems caused by my hormones. Really hopeful that HRT will give me back that inner contentment and ability to take pleasure in things. My ADs manage to do this for me too, but make me feel slightly spaced out and drowsy which I don't like.

Also if the problem is my hormones, then ADs are never going to cure me, because the minute I stop them my hormones will be back cresting havoc.

4

Hi Liz,

All I can say is that yes, I did take HRT.  I was on a low dose of a drug that started with an A...can't recall the drug.  It hasn't been that long but when I do think of it I'll re-post and let you know.

Anyway, I was taken off if because the studies were showing that HRT "could" cause blood clots.  My friends went on a natural "hormone" and seemed to do well for about 9-10 years.  They did end up on HRT for a few years after the "natural" hormone. (at a natural store)

Not sure if this helps much but if I can recall any more, I'll check back.

Wishing you luck

Frustrated

5

Hi Liz. I was just saying to another lady on this forum that she should visit the menopause forum and I think you could benefit from it too, if you haven't visited it already. I'm 48 and am in peri menopause and have found the meno forum to be a great source of information, advice, comfort and reassurance. Hopefully see you on there x

6

HI liz ~

While it's been years since having children, I believe I suffered the same affliction as you.  I had my first child at age 24, and between the my age of 20-24, I had an etopic pregnancy, three miscarriages and a intrauterine death at 7mths. then a pregnancy of my second child at age 30 , both pregnancies w/child were premature by 5-7 weeks;  and two years later had a complete hysterectomy.

I was quite young to have had a complete hysterectomy and it did change the hormones.  I went into a downhill spiral with my hormones.  I was happy, then sad, then angry and yes, mostly agitated with anxiety. My gynaecologist put me on a HRT. The mood swings but most important that awful feeling of anxiety subsided and I started to feel somewhat "normal".  I can't say normal again because throughtout the years of ovulating, I suffered awful PMS which was nothing but a nightmare so I wasn't quite sure of what my normal was.  This problem also ran/runs in the family.  All the Aunts and female cousins and now daughters in our family had experineced the severe signs of PMS and early hysterectomy, although my daughters and my cousins daughters are entering into that age where we all had hysterectomies.  Hopefully, and so far, our girls haven't had the extreme PMS symptoms as we did, perhaps the cycle has changed...I'm wondering why?  Guess that's another thread I can check into or perhaps start 

 

I have to say HRT did help for approx. 10 years; then at age 41, I was told I was postmenopausal.  I was pretty much in shock.  The gynaecologist explained that after a hysterectomy, one tends to jump start on the premature menopause cycle. I had noticed that I had a few (three, maybe) of nightsweats but didn't think much about it because I just thought maybe I was having dreams causing anxiety.

 

Speaking with my doctor about this, she said that I was experiencing all signs of menopause.  I was delighted that all I had was maybe three nighttime sweats and that was it!  The doctor increased my HRT by a few mgs...it eliminated the night sweats. 

Liz, hope you get the treatment you desire and you're able to settle down and live.  It's like we have a wonderful family, great kids, a husband that loves me and I was depressed?   Why? This isn't making sense.  When explained how the body operates w/o the proper hormones, all came to fruition. 

I hope  you decide what's best for you and your family and you're able to move out of this part of your life and enter into a healthy wonderful life. Not sure this helps but it is my experience and thought you'd like to know, many do understand you.

Warm regards,

Frustrated