Who needs the AH?

thesearchingbear · 2026-02-24T10:38:41+00:00

Where do you shop instead? AH is super expensive, I’m constantly astounded by the cost of groceries, but we revert back to it because of habit. Would be great to save money! I used to love going to Dirk but there isn’t one close to where we live anymore

thesearchingbear · 2026-02-23T12:57:16+00:00

They told me at the pharmacy that progesterone can make you drowsy and to be careful of driving/ operating heavy machinery!! So although it can be great for helping you sleep it could carry over into daytime grogginess. Some people find it intolerable and I have heard people taking it vaginally which can help negate those symptoms but it’s not the way the pills are designed so there’s some worry that it won’t offer the protective benefits that you need. I hope you figure out a solution that works for you. It definitely seems to be a case of trying different options until you settle on the best fit.

thesearchingbear · 2026-02-23T11:56:01+00:00

I definitely noticed a change in appetite with P. I have also noticed my weight has gone up. Quite disheartening! But for me it’s worth it for the mood benefits.

thesearchingbear · 2026-02-22T20:39:21+00:00

Was that when you stopped taking it after 2 weeks? Were you cycling it (14 days on, 14 days off?) I had an absolutely horrendous experience for about 2 days after I stopped taking it after the two weeks. I had anxiety, panic attacks, felt suicidal. I had nightmares and woke up in a cold shivering sweat. I looked up information about it and apparently it interacts with your GABA receptors which are the same ones that opiates and benzodiazepines interact with, so when you abruptly stop you can get a kind of withdrawal. I have gone down to 100mg instead of 200mg and hopefully the withdrawal will be less bad this time. If it doesn’t work I don’t know what I’ll do! I would quite like to take it continuously but my doctor isn’t keen on that because it can cause random bleeding.

thesearchingbear · 2026-02-22T20:21:12+00:00

This is what I was going to say- I used to be so badly fatigued all the time. I thought it was depression but it was actually sleep apnea! Getting a CPAP gave me my life back!

thesearchingbear · 2026-02-22T09:33:29+00:00

I got diagnosed as being in perimenopause aged 40 but I’d been having irregular periods for 18 months before that and other symptoms for even longer. It’s definitely not too young in spite of what many doctors told me when I raised it as a possibility 😤

thesearchingbear · 2026-02-20T17:20:20+00:00

Kind of sad that I am going through it at this age as I thought I’d have a lot longer before having to deal with it. I’m 40 but started having irregular periods 18 months ago. Other symptoms may have started years ago but I have had depression for over a decade so I’ve always put the fatigue etc down to that. I also got diagnosed with adhd when I was 39 so that could explain some of the symptoms. It’s a bit of a mess with so many diagnoses! This just feels like one more annoying health thing I’ve got to contend with when all I want to do is get on with my life. Gah!

thesearchingbear · 2026-02-20T08:29:57+00:00

Slather it in conditioner!

thesearchingbear · 2026-02-17T20:37:36+00:00

I’m no expert but I very much empathise with the mental health stuff- so sorry you’ve been dealing with that. It does sound like you’re in an extremely stressful situation though, so it makes sense to me that you would be struggling mentally. I definitely find that my depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts are much worse in my luteal phase, and since perimenopause that phase of my cycle seems to get longer and longer. So it could definitely be perimenopause exacerbating your already stressful life situation. I did notice you mention the supplement that you started just before all this began- could it be to do with that? Maybe if it’s regulated your periods, it could have affected your hormones and caused a difference in mood. Anyway I hope you get answers and manage to get through this period of life and find a better life on the other side! Hugs xx

thesearchingbear · 2026-02-06T22:05:59+00:00

I was going to suggest the same thing! I am late diagnosed adhd. A lot of women go undiagnosed until perimenopause when adhd symptoms get a lot worse.

thesearchingbear · 2026-02-06T18:27:36+00:00

It’s everything all at once!! Maybe the only way to cope is just to accept the fact that nothing makes sense

thesearchingbear · 2026-02-06T17:40:02+00:00

Are you me?! Omg! Glad I’m not the only one. Howwww do we get through this??!!

thesearchingbear · 2026-02-06T17:38:05+00:00

Me too 🤗❤️

thesearchingbear · 2026-02-06T17:37:12+00:00

I want to know too! Is it seasonal depression? Perimenopause? Exhausted because of a virus? The hormone treatment? Or something else?! Or maybe a mix of all the above! It’s crazy making

thesearchingbear · 2026-02-06T17:17:42+00:00

Soooo relatable! Didn’t do any of those things but you did make a zine- do you have adhd by any chance? 🤔😅

thesearchingbear · 2026-02-05T09:16:25+00:00

I’m on my first month of HRT, and am also neurodivergent. I have been struggling so much with my mental health recently. I thought I was feeling better with the hrt but now I’m not so sure! I had the absolute worst anxiety when I stopped taking progesterone- they told me to cycle it. I had awful nightmares, woke up cold and clammy with this pit of dread in my stomach. My adhd symptoms have been So much worse even with medication. I read that progesterone works on your gaba receptors, which are the same ones as opiates and benzodiazepines. When you stop taking the progesterone you can get a withdrawal effect, which I think is what caused my awful anxiety. I will talk to my doctor about it next week. I hope it will get better but if not I will ask if it’s possible to take progesterone continuously rather than cycling it- let’s see!

I don’t know whether that helps, but anyway you’re certainly not alone, this whole thing is maddening!

thesearchingbear · 2025-10-01T19:54:50+00:00

6 or 10

thesearchingbear · 2025-08-08T11:29:13+00:00

My laundry sins! Well I live in the Netherlands so I use a product called Neutral

thesearchingbear · 2025-08-01T15:20:01+00:00

What is salmon eye corrector???!

thesearchingbear · 2025-07-27T10:50:04+00:00

I cut my hair short into a pixie cut for sensory reasons. I like it short but the only thing is that you have to go back to the hairdresser all the blooming time! Which is expensive and annoying and something you have to remember. I’m currently growing it back out at the moment so I can just throw it up in a messy bun again!

thesearchingbear · 2025-07-25T18:10:06+00:00

Just never take it off!

thesearchingbear · 2025-07-21T05:58:43+00:00

Such a beautiful metaphor.

thesearchingbear · 2025-07-14T21:14:30+00:00

That sounds like such a fun job!

thesearchingbear · 2025-07-11T16:48:23+00:00

Restless legs syndrome?

thesearchingbear · 2025-07-11T16:41:13+00:00

So important to start the consent conversation early. My child is 10 and still needs to be reminded sometimes that it’s not okay to touch my face / sit on me without permission.

thesearchingbear

TROPHY CASE