Menopause

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'Menopause isn't really that bad'...said no woman ever.

For those who are approaching or experiencing 'the change' (think reverse puberty), a time where hormone levels decline either through the aging process or by medical/surgical means.

Menopause and Perimenopause (the transitional time before Menopause) are unique to every person, and while there's no one-size fits all, we support each other on this roller coaster ride of wacked out hormones, absurd mood swings and random sweaty hot flashes.

Be kind. Be respectful. We are all in this together!

Menopause Wiki

RULES

1. All genders can post We are all here to learn about menopause and how to help anyone experiencing menopause, so be supportive and respectful.

2. Don't be a bully, creep, jerk or troll This means no personal attacks, no misogyny, no misandry, ageism, racism, or otherwise hateful or disrespectful commentary.

3. Read the Wiki and use the search tool before posting a new question

4. No selling products or services You can recommend products/methods that work for you, but soliciting clients or patients is not allowed. No advertising or self-promotions, including using this sub to drive traffic elsewhere.

5. Research surveys/studies are allowed ONLY after contacting the mods with details of the survey (purpose of survey, academic associations, how will the data be used, privacy/confidentiality policy) Mods will determine whether to approve the post or not. Those choosing to participate in surveys, must do so at their own risk.

6. No posting lab results We are not a substitute for medical advice. Questions about your lab results should be directed to your medical professional. Hormonal tests are not an accurate diagnosing tool for perimenopause.

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Talk to me about HRT and mental health (self.menopause)

submitted 1 year ago by knitapease to c/menopause

3 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Good morning friends. I'm not under the care of any kind of mental health practitioner but I recognize I probably should be. My ability to cope is a roller coaster even though the situational stressors in my life have been pretty much all the same for many years now (money issues, relationship issues). From time to time I'll go to my insurance website and look for a therapist then chicken out. Yesterday was a VERY low point and I almost made a therapist appointment but remembered that I have an appointment to get HRT on August 1.

So I'd really appreciate if anyone could speak to how HRT helped your ability to be resilient with life's challenges, and how long you were on HRT before the benefits (if any) started to be evident. I truly believe my hormones have been whackadoodle since my mid twenties when I started taking Depo Provera and have never stabilized since. I don't want to get my hopes up for a miracle but I sure would love an improvement. I'm not ruling out therapy but I'd like to see what HRT does first.

Thank you!

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I know that other people's experiences have been different, but for me, I'd say that HRT hasn't really directly helped with my mental health, but it probably has indirectly. I see both a therapist and psychiatrist and have been dealing with various mental health issues pretty much my whole life. I've found HRT to be quite helpful with brain fog, and I'm pretty sure the brain fog exacerbates my anxiety.

So, this might not be a super helpful answer, but that's been my experience so far. I'm on the estradiol patch and periodic progesterone.

[–] knitapease 3 points 1 year ago

Quite helpful, thank you so much. I need to regulate my expectations so it's good to hear the reality.

[–] unexplaineditem 3 points 1 year ago

HRT helped my mental health immensely. I was in a really really dark place and going on HRT (with no other life changes) improved things within a week.