Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[julie46]

Hi I am a newbie on here , so don't know if I am posting this in the right place  Anyway here goes I am feeling so scared and so down at the moment , I am nearly 46 and been Peri menopausal since I was 42  , I have all symptoms but not all at the same time , I go about 4 months with no period and Don t feel too bad  then ,  but then I will have a period not heavy and only for three days but boy do I feel like I am dying , I have hotsweats , aching jaw , arms and back feel very anxious,very sick .Yesterday I rang 111 I thought I was going to have a heart attack  ,paramedic did test ecg and all ok , said it was a panic attack ,but I am still like it today so scared I an going to drop dead 

[countrybumpkin]

I can certalny sympathise with the anxiety and panic getting worse in meno plus the 101 physical symptoms that appear as well!!
I don't know how ill you really feel  and panic and anxiety will make things a million times worse but if you are seriously worried have you ring your GP surgery and explained you had ambulance yesterday but feel just as bad and could you have emergency appt today. NOT because I think you need one but the more you panic about your symptoms the worse they will get and your GP can offer reassurance.
I get alot of pain in chest/back etc and its due to inflammation where the ribs attach plus i have a bad back, the difference is that I have had this on and off for many many years so it no longer panics me.

[julie46]

Thanks for your reply  ,I think I hope I am having panic attacks and not an impending heart attack ,sorry if I sound so pathetic but I truly feel anxious ,I know your right about making myself worse and I keep trying to reason with myself but easier Said than done ,yes I made an appointment but can t be seen till 5 20  , I feel like a rabbit in headlights at the moment and know it my hormones  oh I din t know I hate going through this feel like I am losing ME  all these aches and pains feeling so tiered all the time so emotional blah blah blah x

[charliegirl]

Hi  Julie, it does sound lile a panic attack, hope the doc confirms this,anything to do with our heart will produce a thought about dying and then we react to the thought which makes it worse! There is lots of help on the internet for anxiety (GetSelf Help.org) Hop you feel better.
Love CharlieXX

[CLKD]

   how's your diet?  Getting on my soap box here, if you try eating all the day/night through you may ease those anxiety surges.  These can be caused by a sudden drop in blood sugar levels and I remember how ILL I felt when it happened.  I now carry packets of mixed, dried fruits and nuts and bananas with me.  Also Dextrose tablets can be really useful. 

HORMONES 

[Delilah]

Hi julie46

It does sound to me like you're suffering with anxiety.  Not your mild anxiety such as when you have an interview or exam etc. but much more extreme which a lot  of ladies experience during menopause.  Its very frightening and difficult to deal with when you're in the middle of it. You quite literally feel like you're going mad with erratic racing thoughts and rapid breathing and no ability to calm yourself down.  Does this sound familiar?

I experienced this myself. My gp initially gave me diazepam which helped but i realised i could not take these all the time long term. I now take hrt and an anti-depressant (mirtazapine) which is also prescribed for anxiety.  The AD helped calm me down straight away although over the last 2 years i've had some blips which have lasted a week or two but i'm now on a more even keel.

Not sure if you're taking any medication yet but let your gp know in no uncertain terms how bad you're feeling and keep going back if you're not feeling better after a reasonable time. A lot of trial and error is usually needed with any hrt or other meds.  You're in good company here as we're all experiencing nasty meno symptoms to some degree or other.

Please let us know how you get on at gp's and hopefully you'll start feeling better soon.

Delilah x

[Lucky Stone]

I can also relate to delilah's comments - my GP has me on HRT and SSRIs - mine are Sertraline - I've been on the latter for just over 3 months and have noticed the difference although, like delilah, I do get blips. She (the GP) has also referred me to a Clinical Psychologist and I am due to see her again next week to start some CBT. May also do some Mindfullness with me at some time in the future. I am doing it all with an open mind. I have no doubt that the meno has exacerbated the anxiety/panic I've had for most of my adult life as it does seem to fluctuate and I'm sure this is connected with hormone levels. So I would echo her suggestion that you go back and ask for some more help, it is there and there is no reason why you should not have access to it. The first time I went - some years ago - I was told to "pull myself together" by a male GP and that did put me off returning for a long time. (The psychologist was horrified when I told her this    ). Anyway, you are not alone. x

[CLKD]

As I tried to explain to DH last week: as a child I thought my anxiety was imagination; I was told 'you will be OK once you get there' but was never helped to deal with the anxiety in the between days/months.  So starting School at Sept. was HELL  . 

You are certainly not alone.  It doesn't take much to set off my anxiety ............ <sigh>.  Usually because I haven't eaten correctly 

[julie46]

Thank you so much you wonderful ladies ;)I went for my emergency appointment an had a male Dr from hell  :(he prescribed me indigestion tablets and I too was told to pull myself together Arrgh !!! Anyway I made a complaint and got an appointment to see my Dr today bless him  he reassured me and gave me diazepAm to take for a week to level ME out and he personally booked me in for next week , it s a nightmare to get an appointment through the receptionist , anyway I am already taking citalopram but cannot take HRT as got high blood pressure  , hopefully will start feeling a bit more in control and not so scared , thank you all fir your responses means slot discs

[Ju Ju]

Well done for complaining about the GP from hell! We have one of those, but have no problem in refusing an appointment with him having witnessed him tearing a strip off a member of staff in front of me. I suspect I'm not alone!

[Lucky Stone]

Shame on him Julie  And good for you in complaining, wish I had done the same. Hugs from here xx

[rosekay]

Hi Julie - panic attacks are just awful, I've had them for years, on and off.  I found Claire Weekes' book Self Help for Your Nerves really helpful and easy to read.  I hardly ever have them now (touch wood!) but the book is on the shelf, ready and waiting for when I need to remind myself what to do!  Hope it helps xx