Menopause question were you prescribed anti depressants during the menopause?

were you depressed? or was it just a case that depression is a symptom of the menopause?

There are as many symptoms or ramifications of menopause as there are for periods, none of which are good and of which depression is but one. Others include chronic insomnia, hot flushes, hair loss, vaginal dryness, amorphia (extreme skin itchiness because you feel like you've got ants crawling all over you), memory retention problems, panic attacks, severe mood swings and extreme anger/agression, etc. etc.

I deeply envy those fortunate women who breeze through menopause without a single problem.

Many women do suffer from severe depression during menopause and there's certainly nothing wrong with properly prescribed anti-depressants to get you through the worst. The problem with these though is that they can literally become a habit that you simply can't live without, even when menopause if over (they don't call them "happy pills" for nothing!).

Instead of anti-depressants, HRT (hormone replacement therapy) is worth serious consideration (unless of course you are simply not able to take this because of breast cancer, etc.).

Is there any reason why you don't take HRT? Have you talked to your doctor about this, and in particular, canvassed with him or her the possible benefits to you of HRT? A lot of doctors (particularly males ... funny thing that!) simply don't believe or really accept that menopause symptoms can be so severe and debilitating that they take over your life and make you crazy (after all, having even only a couple of the symptoms listed above is enough to make you chronically depressed!). Hence, many don't believe in the value of HRT and won't prescribe it. They also tend to give you lots of scary statistics about increased risks of breast/cervical cancer, heart attack, stroke, etc. to put you off wanting it.

Whilst it's true that taking HRT does VERY SLIGHTLY increase these types of risks, the value you may get from it in terms of getting the quality of your life back can make it very worthwhile despite the risks.

How do I know all this? Because I've been there and done that (and I mean every single one of those nasty symptoms listed above - yes, I had all of them!). HRT gave me back my life and continues to do so because I'm still on it. I even went off it once last year but within a week, all the symptoms started to return, so I very quickly went back to my doctor and told her I just had to have it back. She agreed - thank God!

If HRT interests you, do some research before you visit your doctor to discuss it so that you can present a truly informed front to him/her. If you don't get a sympathetic hearing, find yourself another doctor.

The bottom line here is that for 98% of women, there is absolutely no reason these days why they should have to suffer through menopause when there are therapies out there to help.

Whatever you do, hope it works well for you.

all women are different...i've just had a hysterectomy & am not having many symptoms of anything...a couple of hot sweats - but nothing that bothers me.

i would have thought your doctor could put you on HRT - rather than the drastic step of anti depressants...why not ask about that.

Ring NHS direct on 08454647. They will give you professional, helpful and fully confidential advice.
Best wishes J