But Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) with oestrogen (plus a progestogen for women who still have their wombs), normally prescribed for menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and vaginal dryness, can be highly effective in treating younger women with cyclical depression and is safer and more effective than anti- ...
Depressive and anxiety symptoms also improved with HRT, which is safer and more effective than antidepressants.
NICE guidance clearly states that for most women HRT should be considered as first line treatment for menopause symptoms – including anxiety and low mood. However, for women avoiding hormonal therapies, antidepressants from the family of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) can be very useful.
Antidepressants, such as citalopram or venlafaxine in low doses, are sometimes prescribed to help with hot flushes and night sweats for women who cannot take HRT as a first line treatment.
In fact, some studies have shown that HRT might improve and even prevent women's depression symptoms during menopause. Future, larger studies are needed to confirm these potential benefits of HRT for depression.
Taking the right type of oestrogen can really help improve this low mood and other symptoms related to the menopause. Many women find that they feel calmer, have more energy, are more motivated and generally much happier when they take HRT.
Benefits of HRT
Hot flushes or night sweats often improve within a few weeks. Other symptoms like mood changes and vaginal dryness can take a few months to improve.
'Too old', 'too young', 'you have migraines', 'you've had a clot' – these are just some of the reason women are given by their doctor as justification for not prescribing hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to treat menopause symptoms.
swelling in other parts of the body. headaches or migraines. mood swings. depression.
Using antidepressants to help hot flushes and night sweats
Antidepressants, such as citalopram or venlafaxine in low doses, are sometimes prescribed to help with hot flushes and night sweats for women who cannot take HRT as a firstline treatment.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is medicine used to treat the symptoms of the menopause. It is common to have side effects in the first few months of taking HRT. These usually settle on their own within 6 to 8 weeks. Side effects include weight gain, irregular bleeding, feeling sick (nausea) and skin irritation.
SSRIs escitalopram and paroxetine ER and SNRI venlafaxine XR were shown to be the most effective. Although less effective than HRT, SSRIs/SNRIs are demonstrated to reduce hot flashes and may be recommended for women who wish to avoid the risks of HRT.
The new study found that transgender people who began hormone treatment in adolescence had fewer thoughts of suicide, were less likely to experience major mental health disorders and had fewer problems with substance abuse than those who started hormones in adulthood.
HRT with Estrogen May Lower Fear Response & Anxiety
They found that estrogen may have a calming effect on the fear response, including for women suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Therefore, there is some evidence that increasing estrogen may reduce anxiety-like symptoms.
The progestogen part of HRT is often the one that can give side effects. It can cause premenstrual type symptoms (low mood, irritability, bloating, acne, fatigue, headaches).
Hormone therapy helps to feel and express those emotions and stop suppressing them as they did in the past. Some have even started to feel more positive emotions than before, feeling happier and more emotional.
“Falling estrogen and progesterone levels can trigger mood swings that make you less able to cope with things you'd normally let roll off your back,” says Payne. “For some women, these hormonal dips can set off a depressive episode, especially for those who've gone through major depression in the past.”
Starting HRT after the age of 60 does not lower the risk of heart disease but it is not thought that it increases it either. Starting HRT over the age of 70 may have more risks than benefits. When to Stop HRT? There is no arbitrary age to stop HRT.
There is no specific age cut-off for starting HRT.
While many people notice improvements in sleep or mood within weeks of starting HRT, changes like improved muscle mass or fat loss can take at least three to six months.
Whilst nothing can reverse the process of ageing, hormone balancing can help reduce some of the most signs of ageing and can help delay the process, keeping you looking and feeling younger for longer.
You can usually begin HRT as soon as you start experiencing menopausal symptoms and will not usually need to have any tests first. However, a blood test to measure your hormone levels may be carried out if you're aged 40 to 45.
A recent study of postmenopausal women, ages 50 to 80, found that those who took hormones had significantly lower levels of belly fat than women who did not take hormones.