Can’t believe it’s been 9 weeks since I last wrote an update on my HRT journey. A journey is exactly one of the words I’d use to describe it. There’s so much in the media at the moment about the use of hormone replacement therapy, and often strong opinions both for and against. I’d say for me, I’m still pretty on the fence.

So what are the three words I’d use to describe this most recent cycle? Improved, unusual, and you guessed it (a) journey.

Improved. Because, for the first time since commencing treatment I felt a really significant improvement in psychiatric PMDD symptoms last month. The level of anxiety was what I consider bearable (no anxiety is nice, but when you’ve felt close to the edge every month for decades, bearable is considered good!)

Unusual. This one is a weird one. I can’t work out why my symptoms were reduced. I’ve been using ovulation strips when I think I’m ovulating to confirm that I’m still cycling, and unfortunately- I am. So it’s not as if there was some kind of ovarian wipe out that can be thanked for the minimal mental turmoil. But we celebrate small wins here. And it’s nice to report feeling less tormented, for once.

The Journey is ongoing. In fact, I’m certain it always will be. Whether that be post op – or continuing with my reproductive system ‘in tact.’ I know this, because trauma and our experiences of it never really leave, so even in the absence of horrific PMDD my mind is still naturally searching for worse case scenarios. It can pluck them so easily from seemingly thin air!

Observations

I feel I need less oestrogen around ovulation and more straight after it. A steady dose of high supplementation is not always the missing jigsaw piece. I am not medical in any way, but I know my body, probably better than I know anything. If I have too much on the lead up to ovulation, I become anxious in follicular. This is less than ideal because this should be my ‘good’ week. So I am going to talk to my gynaecologist about tweaking dose and admission around this time, and see if it results in a positive change.

I’ve started planning my life around PMDD again. I used to do this around my period specifically, but now I focus solely on my moods and when they’re likely to turn. It’s not ideal, but it is necessary to get the best out of my days.

I’m about to ovulate again any day now and my usual body aches, shingles pain and mouth ulcers are creeping back in, as they do every month around this time. So it’ll be after next week that I’ll tell if I had a one off better cycle last month, or if HRT can indeed finally be thanked for the decrease in negative mood fluctuations. It’s a rollercoaster that’s for sure, but anything, any scrap of positivity is better than PMDD itself. So like with most minor improvements in my life, I cling to them with fervour and hope for the best.

Because in the end, despite science and medical intervention, hope is what keeps me going. ❤️