For those who are in withdrawal during and after the menopausal transition, it is possible that your symptoms coincide with or are amplified by each condition. Night sweats and panic awakening are common in both, for example. Fatigue and rage, mood swings etc. This is because both conditions impact brain chemistry. 

 

It may be worthwhile to consult your GP to discuss HRT. Sometimes adding HRT may help. 

Oral micronized progesterone has  metabolite that is called allopregnanolone that impacts GABA receptors (does not bind to them in my reading so it is not the same as benzos) and can have a calming effect that can help you fall asleep. Estrogen can impact life zest. 

 

Beware: 

Progestins - artificial progesterone-like molecules often found in birth control pills may cause psych issues in many women. 
A smaller percentage of women are also sensitive to bio-identical progesterone - their own and the one taken in pill form - they may have paradoxical reactions (increased anxiety) or they may have enhanced reactions - too sleepy/too tired which can bleed into depressed/fatigued. 

 

There is more information on https://menopausewiki.ca/ 

 

This is not medical advice. Please do your own research and listen to your own body. 

I started my Lexapro taper in 2017, and would you believe that in my very first month of tapering, I went through menopause?  I was 56 years old.  I wasn't aware of hyperbolic tapering, so I was tapering too fast per the doctors advice.  I didn't find out the proper way to taper until 2019, when I found survivingantidepressants.org.  

This is something I’ve been pondering, so thank you for starting this topic.

Im post menopausal and have been prescribed bio identical HRT but as I’m tapering and currently holding for 3.5 months due to withdrawal flooring me from a too fast taper I haven’t started the HRT for fear of making things worse. My nervous system is so sensitised from the prolonged withdrawal I’m not sure what it would make of a sudden influx of oestrogen and progesterone after not having any for several years.

I consulted with my gynecologist about this but she says it's too early even though I'm approaching 51!!

It is something I might consider when I get off the drug completely, I'll also have to stop or significantly reduce smoking, in the meantime I'm trying to survive the brutal symptoms and don't want to add potential fuel to the fire.

Thanks a lot for the info.

Edited March 2Mar 2 by Fullhealing

8 hours ago, Emsy said:

This is something I’ve been pondering, so thank you for starting this topic.

Im post menopausal and have been prescribed bio identical HRT but as I’m tapering and currently holding for 3.5 months due to withdrawal flooring me from a too fast taper I haven’t started the HRT for fear of making things worse. My nervous system is so sensitised from the prolonged withdrawal I’m not sure what it would make of a sudden influx of oestrogen and progesterone after not having any for several years.

I totally understand @Emsy. 

What I learned is that when estrogen gets low during perimenopause it slows the production of serotonin and dopamine and increases the sensitivity of receptors. When we take SSRIs, we keep serotonin active constantly and this causes the sensitivity of the receptors to become dulled. So when we take away serotonin during withdarwal and combine that with dulled sensitivity to the tiny bit that exists AND less production overall during menopause/perimenopause, it becomes much worse. So, I think the addition of estrogen would in general soften the blow from withdrawal. The theory is that basically what we are suffering is the period during which the sensitivity of the receptors is restored. But once in withdrawal lots of systems are impacted as they are all interconnected so it is hard to say what would happen in each individual case and it has to be trial and error. 

 

One thing is that oral progesterone can have serious negative effects on a select group of people. But it also calms the rest of the people. It is similar to a benzo in its effects - both calming and depressing. 

 

In general all these go out of the system very quickly so  a trial should not be that dangerous but we also know that it is easy to topple the cart in withdrawal so I do not want to give advice. You will know if and when you are ready to try. 

 

I have started mine and had for the first time in 7 years a week of being productive and happy as in actually wanting to live (not just surviving) - out of the 4 weeks that I used them so far. It went away after week 3  and I have heard that this is not uncommon as my own hormones are still all over the place in perimenopause and I am on a very low dose. I think I need a higher dose but due to other health issues will need to keep at a low dose for now. But rage has gone down, ability to start tasks has become better (I wanted to clean the kitchen!), night sweats have become better. I wish I had known about this before. 

 

Would love to hear your experience if/when you decide to get on them as well. 

 

PS. Also wanted to add that you can start at a very low dose 0.025mcg/day patch of oestrogen instead of having the full dose influx. That is what I started with. Most post-menopausal women get 0.075/day or 0.1mcg/day so it may be low enough. I would start with rectal or vaginal progesterone (less brain effects). Note that progesterone is necessary if you are taking estrogen and still have a uterus. Veginal/rectal progesterone is not officially approved for menopause but is well absorbed and theoretically should be enough to protect the uterus. 

 

 

Edited March 2Mar 2 by Onmyway

2 hours ago, Fullhealing said:

I consulted with my gynecologist about this but she says it's too early even though I'm approaching 51!!

It is something I might consider when I get off the drug completely, I'll also have to stop or significantly reduce smoking, in the meantime I'm trying to survive the brutal symptoms and don't want to add potential fuel to the fire.

Thanks a lot for the info.

So many gynecologists fail women. If you are in the US, you can work with specialist online providers - the most popular one I know is called Midi. 50 is the average age of menopause so this person is wrong. 

 

But I do know also that smoking increases risks of blood clots esp when combined with HRT (they are similar to birth control pills) so may be more reason to stop. But I also understand how little capacity we have for more challenges in this state and quitting smoking is a challenge. Hope you find some respite soon. 

On 2/12/2026 at 10:49 PM, getofflex said:

I started my Lexapro taper in 2017, and would you believe that in my very first month of tapering, I went through menopause?  I was 56 years old.  I wasn't aware of hyperbolic tapering, so I was tapering too fast per the doctors advice.  I didn't find out the proper way to taper until 2019, when I found survivingantidepressants.org.  

This is insane. My first symptoms from WD were similar to what lots of women describe as menopause symptoms - rage/night sweats/brain fog etc. so I do think the systems are strongly interrelated. It is such a shame that these drugs are prescribed like candy when their effects are so severe on all body systems!

11 hours ago, Onmyway said:

I totally understand @Emsy. 

What I learned is that when estrogen gets low during perimenopause it slows the production of serotonin and dopamine and increases the sensitivity of receptors. When we take SSRIs, we keep serotonin active constantly and this causes the sensitivity of the receptors to become dulled. So when we take away serotonin during withdarwal and combine that with dulled sensitivity to the tiny bit that exists AND less production overall during menopause/perimenopause, it becomes much worse. So, I think the addition of estrogen would in general soften the blow from withdrawal. The theory is that basically what we are suffering is the period during which the sensitivity of the receptors is restored. But once in withdrawal lots of systems are impacted as they are all interconnected so it is hard to say what would happen in each individual case and it has to be trial and error. 

 

One thing is that oral progesterone can have serious negative effects on a select group of people. But it also calms the rest of the people. It is similar to a benzo in its effects - both calming and depressing. 

 

In general all these go out of the system very quickly so  a trial should not be that dangerous but we also know that it is easy to topple the cart in withdrawal so I do not want to give advice. You will know if and when you are ready to try. 

 

I have started mine and had for the first time in 7 years a week of being productive and happy as in actually wanting to live (not just surviving) - out of the 4 weeks that I used them so far. It went away after week 3  and I have heard that this is not uncommon as my own hormones are still all over the place in perimenopause and I am on a very low dose. I think I need a higher dose but due to other health issues will need to keep at a low dose for now. But rage has gone down, ability to start tasks has become better (I wanted to clean the kitchen!), night sweats have become better. I wish I had known about this before. 

 

Would love to hear your experience if/when you decide to get on them as well. 

 

PS. Also wanted to add that you can start at a very low dose 0.025mcg/day patch of oestrogen instead of having the full dose influx. That is what I started with. Most post-menopausal women get 0.075/day or 0.1mcg/day so it may be low enough. I would start with rectal or vaginal progesterone (less brain effects). Note that progesterone is necessary if you are taking estrogen and still have a uterus. Veginal/rectal progesterone is not officially approved for menopause but is well absorbed and theoretically should be enough to protect the uterus. 

 

 

This is great info @Onmyway thank you.
I did try it for 5 weeks before I started mirtazapine using the gel pump, 1 pump and 100mg progesterone but it didn’t have an effect on my sleep or my anxiety it just gave me very tender and swollen breasts so I stopped it as I was scared it was adding to the anxiety.

It’s hard to really say as I was going through some health anxiety at the time and perhaps I should have stuck with it a little longer as my anxiety escalated in any case hence the mirtazapine. 
I’d be wary of taking it while I’m still so unstable in my withdrawal wave but may be brave enough to try it if/when I stabilise on my current dose.

Keep us updated on how you’re getting on.

I just wanted to write a quick update on the HRT trial. Update to history - I am now 7 years past first taper and reinstatement. In Feb 2019, I came off of citalopram after going 30-20-20-5-0mg over five months with severe WD symptoms. Reinstated at 2.5mg within a month and then had a difficult slow taper from that 2.5mg which I concluded in 2025 (1 year ago exactly). To say that the year since has been challenging in terms of external issues is a strong understatement. I was diagnosed with ADHD and autism (severe sensory issues). I started cyclical progesterone in July last year but estrogen only in February. I started with 0.25mcg which had an good effect initially but it went away within a few weeks and have have now increased estrogen to 0.50mcg (patch) equivalent to 2pumps gel and have to say that it has had a huge impact on my life. I prefer gel to patch personally but different forms work differently for diff people. My cortisol mornings and night sweats have improved a lot, anger issues have improved. I am in a toxic work environment and will likely lose my job in a few months which has thrown a wrench in things but overall, I wish I had started these much earlier because they have helped me survive these challenges. .

Note that oral progesterone made me drowsy/sleepy next day so I am on rectal progesterone which does not go through the liver and does not have the sleep help from breaking down into allopregnanolone (which has some effects on GABA). Some people are too sensitive to oral progesterone so take that with caution. But if you take estrogen you need to take it with progesterone at least for 12 days a month so I am doing that in the rectal form. Estrogen has helped me actually get out of bed.

YMMV as they say and I started this AFTER finishing taper from ADs (jumped at 0.1mg of citalopram because I kept forgetting to take it).

I am curious if anyone has had similar success increasing foods that are rich in phytoestrogens.

A quick search on AI:

Menopausal women cannot increase their actual circulating levels of human estrogen through food, as plants do not produce human hormones. However, certain foods contain phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) that mimic estrogen in the body and can effectively relieve symptoms like hot flashes and vaginal dryness. [1, 2, 3]

Eating foods rich in phytoestrogens acts as a natural way to support hormone balance and ease menopause discomfort, although the effect is much weaker than medical [Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)]. [1, 2]

Top phytoestrogen-rich foods to incorporate into your diet include:

• Soy Products: Tofu, tempeh, edamame, and soy milk contain isoflavones, which are highly effective at reducing menopause symptoms. [1, 2]

• Flaxseeds: These contain lignans that your body converts into phytoestrogens. Flaxseeds are also great for managing cardiovascular health. []

• Legumes: Chickpeas, lentils, and red kidney beans can be used to activate estrogen receptor sites to alleviate symptoms. [1]

• Seeds and Nuts: Sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and almonds are excellent additions. [1]

• Fruits and Vegetables: Berries, peaches, cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli and kale), and dried apricots provide mild estrogenic support along with essential vitamins. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

How effectively your body utilizes these foods often depends on your gut microbiome, as intestinal bacteria are needed to break down and metabolize phytoestrogens.

Edited July 13Jul 13 by LostinCanada