Menopause blues - anxiety attacks, low mood, very emotional very quickly, mood swings

Hi, I'm new - I live in Cornwall, UK. I've been advised to join this thread, to get some input from anyone else who's experienced a total hysterectomy (with removal of both ovaries and tubes etc). I'm on HRT patches. I don't get hot flashes (thank you God!) but I do suffer from anxiety attacks, sleeplessness on occasion, low mood upon waking, very emotional (mood swings - i can be happy one morning, then by lunchtime, I feel something come over me, and before long I'm a crying, wobbly mess. I'm trying to keep fit by going swimming and gym, and taking well woman workout classes which I am enjoying. I can't think clearly under stress these days, and notice how much slower I am at most cognitive tasks. is this the menopause? Can anyone offer any advice about what supplements to take? For the past four months I've taken 1000 mg of st. John's Wort, but don't think it's done a lot for me.

I went thru the same symptoms as you last winter. Anxiety was HORRIBLE!! And I felt like I could just sleep all the time - I was so tired. My tests revealed that I was not only low in estrogen but also dominant. I was not balanced at all. I was put on progesterone cream and switched to compound biest. With the main amount being estradiol and not estriol. It took a while to get the dosage right but right now I'm feeling pretty darn good. Anxiety is gone although I still don't handle HIGH stress events that great but, MUCH better than last year. I don't completely fall apart and have an anxiety attack. So, for me, my levels needed to come up and also be balanced between estrogen and progesterone. My adrenals were stealing all of my available progesterone and that was making matters worse. I didn't have any reserves to be had.

I am 6 weeks post-op and I am having more frequent hot flashes and I started having mood swings almost a week ago. I started feeling horrible about just about everything. I became very sensitive and sometimes want to cry.

I went out and bought Black Cohosh and Soy Isoflavones (phytoestrogen) to help. I have read that they help, but I have only been taking them four 4 days. My doctor even recommended them as an alternative. They did not work for my mother but maybe they will work for me.

I am 6 weeks post op and started oestrogen 2mg tablet 10 days ago. I noticed a rapid improvement. The fushes have stopped but to be honest it was the anxiety and depression that worried me the most. I hope this one keeps working for me . although my mood is still lower than usual I think this is due to all the stress and treatments over past months, thank goodness ladies all over the world are up on here through the night!!

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Seablue I went thru the same symptoms as you last winter. Anxiety was HORRIBLE!! And I felt like I could just sleep all the time - I was so tired. My tests revealed that I was not only low in estrogen but also dominant. I was not balanced at all. I was put on progesterone cream and switched to compound biest. With the main amount being estradiol and not estriol. It took a while to get the dosage right but right now I'm feeling pretty darn good. Anxiety is gone although I still don't handle HIGH stress events that great but, MUCH better than last year. I don't completely fall apart and have an anxiety attack. So, for me, my levels needed to come up and also be balanced between estrogen and progesterone. My adrenals were stealing all of my available progesterone and that was making matters worse. I didn't have any reserves to be had.

SeaBlue,
This is interesting. Can you please share/elaborate on how you found your Estrogen levels to be both high AND low? I ask, as this is what I present, when just looking at symptoms relative to Progesterone. And, is your biest Estradiol and Estriol? Or Estradiol and Estrone?

Thanks a bunch!

My estradiol was only 62 but estrogen was all I was getting. I don't it doesn't make sense saying estrogen was low but I was estrogen dominant. I needed progesterone to balance out the estrogen is all - and my estrogen was too low for me. My biest is estradiol/estriol. You DONT want estrone - that is the cancer causing one.

Hi, so now I'm wondering if I can be on HRT patches and also try other progesterone types, eg soy isoflavones or Biest combinations? I live in the UK, so it's not easy to get hold of some of the combinations used by sisters in the States. I'm coming over in August though, so could stock up when I visit.
Do I need a prescription for the combinations? Also, my doctor here in the UK hasn't been very helpful and I don't feel that confident in talking to her. I usually end up in tears, and feel apologetic, horrible. then I feel angry toward myself when I get home after seeing the doctor, for the way I have been so emotional. I changed doctors already so there won't be that many options left for me as I live in a very small, rural area.
I am desperate to try and find out how balanced my estrogen/progersterone/testosterone levels are, but wouldn't know where to start here in rural Cornwall! Thanks Hystersisters, just being online at any time of day or night and knowing a woman somewhere is reading my thoughts and taking me seriously is so hugely comforting and has helped immensely. God bless, Sandyman. x

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Seablue I went thru the same symptoms as you last winter. Anxiety was HORRIBLE!! And I felt like I could just sleep all the time - I was so tired. My tests revealed that I was not only low in estrogen but also dominant. I was not balanced at all. I was put on progesterone cream and switched to compound biest. With the main amount being estradiol and not estriol. It took a while to get the dosage right but right now I'm feeling pretty darn good. Anxiety is gone although I still don't handle HIGH stress events that great but, MUCH better than last year. I don't completely fall apart and have an anxiety attack. So, for me, my levels needed to come up and also be balanced between estrogen and progesterone. My adrenals were stealing all of my available progesterone and that was making matters worse. I didn't have any reserves to be had.

Thanks! I've just looked at my HRT patches box. They give 40mgs of estradiol per day, transdermally. The reason for my hysterectomy op (total) was brought on by endemetriosis, and cysts. I'm wondering if I'm balanced now, some 2.5 yrs after the op, or if I might benefit from some other hormone treatment (like progesterone in some form) or from taking supplements such as soy isoflavones (bought in). I don't feel that confident about talking to my doctor about options, so I'm trying to find out more information to help me talk to her.

Hi Sandyman,

There is nothing wrong with obtaining as much information as you can. Don't forget that there is no one fix for us.

Make sure that you make an appointment with the Dr. that is long enough so that noone feels rushed and you can really talk. I would suggest even giving your Dr. the opportunity to refer you to another Dr. if she/he does not feel up to digging in and getting you feeling GREAT.

I am just about ready to start HRT and am working through similar issues, and yes it is a blessing to be able to come to this site and talk to people who care and understand.

Good Luck!

Hi /Sandyman,

I'm in the UK too and experiencing the same problems - are you on the estraderm patch? If so, what strength?

I was put on Premarin following the op but then switched to estrader 50. I found that too low a dose so was still experiencing insomnia, mood swings etc so went up to the 100 patch. I asked about progesterone and they say they wont give it to women without a uterus that it aggravates PMS type feelings.

From what I have found out, we can't buy it legally over the internet and will face a high customs charge at airports for any productus sold by the US
I also tried soy isoflavones, st johns wort but they can interfere with the HRT so check with a pharmacist 1st.

Due to seeing different doctors at surgery (you know how it is with the UK system) I have seen so many who want to take me off it completely due to high blood pressure. I have read a lot on this site which link low oestrogen to high bp - but UK doctors dont seem to get it.

I had a week in work in which I ended up crying - couldnt figure out what was wrong I knew it was my hormones) until I realised I had been taking antibiotics which could have affected my levels.

I am battling to get my bp down (taking meds) and once I do and can convince a doctor that Im okay I will switich to an oral bio-dentical hormone like Climaval because the patch is okay for the 1st day but I feel the levels dip too much and I want have more control.

Im glad you found this site and I imagine (like me and many of us) it is the lack of oestrogen causing the problem rather than anything else.

Let us know how you get on okay?