Hello, I'm new to the forum,, my story short version I had breast cancer 10 years ago, 

Double mastectomy followed by 1 year chemo and 8 weeks of radiotherapy.

The usual tablets followed (tamoxifen etc) but chemotherapy started menopause I was 43.

Menopause basically did me in lol - I wasn't allowed hrt etc because of the cancer and nothing worked, various tablets, antidepressants etc 10 years. Worth and nothing worked for me.

I couldn't sleep because I soaked everything from the moment I put clothing on, I ached so bad I had tramodol. I didn't just have brain fog I couldn't remember who I was, I couldn't remember my home address, I flushed so badly it looked like I was running water from a tap. I didn't know whether I was coming or going, my moods dropped so low I became depressed. I was either crying or screaming angry.

I couldn't cope and last year did the unimaginable - tried to take my own life. 

In stepped Oxleas House mental heath team- they saved my life - these people are the bees knees of help and I didn't know they existed. I didn't think there was anyone who could help me. They were able to help with medication that actually worked and they assisted me with a gynaecology appt so now I'm on hrt - 6 months.

This is the best I've felt in 10 years, I'm not all there yet, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel that I can now see, and that's because of the mental health team, I can't thank them enough. 

I'm still under their care and I have anxiety days where its difficult but nothing like it was - flushing cut by 95%/sleeping now, on the road to recovery and back at work, doing a job I love.

If like me you have cancer induce menopause and are suffering please seek help, my Gp couldn't give me Hrt but the Gynaecologist could and did. Each person is different we have similarities but everyone should be treated as an individual - there are risks to me having HRT and I have full knowledge that this could end with me having cancer again, but I want quality of life over quantity, everything is a choice.

If you have any tips on improving anxiety I would be very grateful sometimes it's overwhelming and comes on so fast I don't realise I'm in it until I'm in. 

Thank you for reading