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Author Topic: Any Advice Would be Welcome  (Read 3535 times)

toffeecushion

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Any Advice Would be Welcome
« on: November 09, 2013, 07:18:57 AM »

I am 47 years old and need some advice please.

I suffered with anxiety for the best part of 20 years and for some of that time I was agoraphobic, I found every day a struggle but somehow managed to recover enough to be able to go back to work but over the past year the anxiety has been creeping back in, for no reason.  I started to believe it was related to the menopause.  I have lost so much in the past because of anxiety and am scared it will take away my quality of life again.  I am already taking days off work.

I have only missed one period but I think I have been perimenopausal for while without realising it.  About 5 years ago I started getting palpitations and SVT and thought I was just stressed, the doctor couldn't find the cause and did question if my periods where regular and although I was still getting them every month they were getting closer together, but nothing more was said.  I do have other symptoms that could be related to the menopause.  I went to my GP a couple of months back because I started to feel faint, although she did a hormone blood test she didn't think it was anything to do with the menopause.  The blood tests came back fine. 

I am sure it is the menopause causing my anxiety, despite what the doctor said and I am worried about what lies ahead for me.  I don't like the idea of HRT but if anyone has any natural or nutritional advice I would be so grateful.

Thanks for listening.
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bev567901

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Re: Any Advice Would be Welcome
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2013, 08:15:22 AM »

Hi Toffee Cushion, I am sorry you are feeling like this & well done on beating the anxiety & getting back to work. I am in a similar situation at 50 yrs my blood tests came back fine & I have all the signs & it is only by joining this site that I have discovered GP's should go on symptoms as the blood tests could vary from day to day even minute by minute.  You do sound like you could be in peri & sadly it does cause anxiety. I am not very up on natural remedies but I am sure someone will be along very soon to answer that. Do you take any meds for your anxiety? Did you always get more anxious before your period even before peri started?  My anxiety has come on  full this year too & I understand how frigtening this is especially as you have beaten it once & never thought it would ever come back. Hormones have a lot to answer to :-\ Bev x
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toffeecushion

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Re: Any Advice Would be Welcome
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2013, 10:04:06 AM »

Thanks for your reply.

My anxiety did get worse as my period was due but I seem to be anxious most of the time now, I am also getting tearful but not sure if that is a symptom of menopause or is just because the anxiety is getting me down.

I used to welcome the menopause and no more periods to worry about, but I am not looking forward to 10 years of this.
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Tabbycat

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Re: Any Advice Would be Welcome
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2013, 10:17:14 AM »

I too had anxiety and depression in the past, and the perimenopause/menopause increased my anxiety a lot - not so much the depression, which meant that ADs didn't help. :(  HRT has helped, however, but I understand why you might not want to go down that route.

Have you tried 5HTP or St Johns Wort? I've tried both and they do help. You need to take it for a few weeks/months and then have a break, rather than continuously, otherwise it just stops working!
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bev567901

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Re: Any Advice Would be Welcome
« Reply #4 on: November 09, 2013, 10:21:27 AM »

The reason I asked is that my anxiety would rocket just before a period but it was manageable until this year.
I was crying at everything too. I went on an AD & benzo's in September, I would prefer to be on some sort of hormones too but I am willing to try anything to be honest I was in a bad way in a black hole.   I too was looking forward to the meno, I thought you might get heavy periods or light ones, get a bit hot & then no more. This is nothing like what I expected but I always said I would take HRT, funny that I cannot get it!! I am going to try hard on Monday at my next docs appt.
I am really trying to accept my symptoms & not fight them but the nausea I get is just so overwhelming. I am keeping a journal too its been really helpful in charting stuff & now I have a few weeks to look back on I can see how much progress I have made. For example this weekend I know I will be having a period so can look back to my last one & say well I felt like this last time it is hormones that is all.  :diablo: :diablo:!!! xx
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Londongirl

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Re: Any Advice Would be Welcome
« Reply #5 on: November 10, 2013, 09:37:34 PM »

Hi there

Sorry to hear you are suffering like this. 

I am on HRT but am getting down and I feel it's all down to fluctuating hormones as it's particularly worse prior to a monthly bleed (although I shouldn't even be getting them as am post meno!). 

I get down around two weeks before a period !  It''s horrendous.

I don't know why you can't take HRT but I would advise reading here as much as possible as there is so much helpful advice here and sadly with a lot of us it's a case of trial and error and finding what works best for us as individuals.......

Good luck. 

Anna
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Rose

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Re: Any Advice Would be Welcome
« Reply #6 on: November 10, 2013, 09:50:26 PM »

Hi toffeecushion, I was peri even though doc said differently. Having already suffered acrophobia ages ago, I didn't want to go back to that. I hounded my GP until I got HRT but can understand if you don't want to go down that route. Counselling may also help esp CBT but it's finding the right 'fit' with a counsellor. There is a way out but it's finding it. Interestingly bev, I also thought of myself as being 'down a hole' while the rest of the world was doing fine up there somewhere. I am sure someone with more technical knowledge will be along but just remember that you can and will get past this.
Rose x
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Hurdity

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Re: Any Advice Would be Welcome
« Reply #7 on: November 12, 2013, 05:43:44 PM »

Hi toffeecushion

Sorry to hear you are feeling rough - yes the hormonal fluctuations we experience in peri do increase worry, anxiety and/or depression in some women, and make it more difficult to cope with.

Taking HRT while you are still having fairly regular periods can be quite tricky, but I would definitely consider it later (or earlier!) if there is no medical reason why you should not do so.  There are many different types of HRT and most of the oestrogen types are "natural" in that the oestrogen is identical to that found in our bodies. There is also "natural" progesterone - again one that is identical to our own.

Some women like to try plant derived "natural" products (I was one of these when I was early peri-meno!) but all of them have to be manufactured, and some of them, like Black Cohosh, can cause serious side effects if used long term, so although natural they are alien to our bodies.

Personally at this stage, I would concentrate on making sure you are in as good health as you can be - do you need to make any dietary changes? For example eat plenty of freshly prepared food ( if you can), lots of fruit and vegetables, cut down on fat. Give up smoking, limit alcohol, take regular exercise, especially in the open air and sunlight if possible, and lose some weight if necessary to put yourself into the healthy BMI weight range. These measures alone will give you something to work towards and help to make you feel better.

I agree with Rose - are you able to see someone re counselling in the meantime, rather than meds? If it is hormonal then AD meds can create a dependency it is difficult to break from.

Re being tearful - that is most definitely a symptoms of fluctuating hormones - I burst into tears at seemingly trivial things and sobbed - something I only previously did just before my period.

Hope you feel better soon. Don't worry about what lies ahead - it may not be so bad for you- just do what you can at the moment and make yourself as well as you can, and keep posting if you need to!

Hurdity x

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