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[warwick01]

Hi Ladies,

I am desperate for some advice.

I am 55 started on HRT at 51 as I was suffering with peri symptoms such as dizziness, flushes missed heart beats etc. Finally settled a little on estrogel and separate progesterone.

Although for about 6 months I feel terrible and my mind constantly is thinking about my sudden death i.e stroke or heart attack. The reason is because from waking up early with butterflies and the feeling of dumb. I then feel so tense, my shoulders are upto my chin, Im so tense which cause these missed beats. I am so scared I will dye!

I am so desperate I don't know what to do. I always feel better in the evening when I have a few glasses of wine. I can't go on like this. I am so pre occupied with my bodily feelings. I just want to be normal again!

By the way I take 125 Thyroxine per day. I just want to get rid of the tension as Im not coping with life or my job.

As anyone ever felt this bad and recovered??

W

[Shazzie]

Oh W

You sound very upset about this.  I have suffered quite a bit over the past few years but thankfully things seem to be settling now.  I have been on patches for the past few weeks and apart from palps the rest of the symptoms seem to be settling.  Fingers crossed the palps will slow up soon when the patches have got into my system.

Why don't you have a chat with your GP about how you are feeling as you shouldn't feel this way.  It is so hard when you are suffering as you are.

Just wanted to send you (((hugs))) and sorry I can't wave a magic wand to make it all disappear.  I know how you feel and I hope you can get an answer from your GP.

Shazzie xx

[CLKD]

Yes and yes!

HORMONES 

Do you feel better after the wine?  When anxiety struck me I usually felt better by evening because all my daily commitments were over.  I had to learn not to take on anything in the evening, otherwise anxiety would take over by morning 

I think as we age we face our mortality I think this is 'normal'.  I used to wake in deep dread …… but anti-depressant medication and betablockas to stop the anxiety surge helped me a lot.

Copy off your message to us and have a chat with your Practice Nurse or GP …..

[honeybun]

I get these feelings in the mornings and I too have health anxiety not only for me but hubby too as he has health problems.

The feeling a started for me after being on HRT for a couple of years. I tried changing HRTs but that made no difference. My GP sent me for CBT but I did not like the therapist. I then tried AD's and they made me very ill.

Now I take a Vit B supplement and St John's Wort although you are not supposed to when on HRT.
I have also been reading a Clair Weekes book called Self Help for your nerves.
She speaks about just letting the anxiety feeling float and flow over you. She asks the question....Have these feelings ever harmed you in any way. My answer in NO so now I have stopped fighting and I just go with it and it passes. Works for me but perhaps not for all.
I also take a low dose Beta blocker which helps a bit.

You are not alone in this and its very common.


Honeyb
x

[Trey]

Bets blockers!  I've written so much on how they work with normal adrenalin surges.   I used to feel like an anxiety attack might be coming on so I take my pulse and if over my norm I take a low dose beta blocker and get relief in about twenty minutes.  My pulse is usually around 65 and often in the morning it will pop to 88-100 and that when I take ten milligrams of propranolol.   

Once you know these feelings are normal and that you can work with them the additional anxiety lessens.  And yes, I skip beats a lot but not all the time during these episodes.

I was a cardiac nurse at a highly respected teaching hospital so I feel very comfortable in dealing with this nuisance.

[Dyan]

I understand how you are feeling warwick01.
Been there, got the t shirt and come out the other side.
I take a low dose AD for anxiety plus HRT.
Perhaps as CLKD suggested copy off your message and go see your nurse with it.
You are not alone in this. hug: X

[warwick01]

Thank you all for giving me such good advice.

Over the years I have tried to talk to my GP who really has no idea. She just gives me what I ask for re HRT.

Trey, I had a 24 hour ECG and eco test 3 years ago all normal apart from the PcP's (missed beats) but they scare the hell out of me when I get them esp when in work. Also I know the wine doesn't help. I've just got up because I woke with the heart thumping and flipping!! I drank a bottle of wine early evening.

Is it the tension/anxiety that cause me to feel so bad or the symptoms ie woozy head, can't concentrate that cause the anxiety?? surly feeling so bad every day can't be good for us??

Oh by the way don't seem to suffer when not working. As soon as I go in work all the symptoms start with tension /anxiety and my mind is pre occupied with feeling like im going to callapse. I once delivered presentations, now if I stand up in front of people I struggle to speak.

I really need help, but due to past experience with medication, not sure that's the road to go down

Thanks again for your kind words

W

[Trey]

Ww01,  I understand the issue with meds.  I'm allergic to an incredible amount and fearful of illness as can't take antibiotics.  Propranolol seems to be well tolerated and only a tiny dose is often effective. Stress sets my skipped beats off, but more often I get the early morning surge.  I never take my propranolol daily, but just take as needed.  Today I took it twice and I might not take any for weeks at a time.  I'm getting loads of missed beats and not sure what set them off.

I also take thyroid and had to reduce it a year ago due to getting very hyper.  Have you had a thorough thyroid check lately?

But, I must admit that when in my fifties I thought I was losing my mind and I think I took propranolol then as well.

Hope you find relief.  I really believe the fifties were my most difficult decade.  Have been on ERT since 41, many, many years!

[Suzyq]

That was me exactly! The only thing that stopped it was exercise or alcohol. I have finally settled on hrt - estradot with daily progesterone - maybe your hrt needs adjusting! I have terrible anxiety without daily progesterone!!

Xxx

[warwick01]

Hi Trey

My fifties have been a night mare and got worse lately, saying that I have had a lot of stress at work lately (new manager) who likes to delegate. That's another story I have another job to start in 3 weeks.

Susiq - I think there something in wot you say about the progesterone. How much do you take each day? I probably could tolerate a low dose. In fact my GP has given me Everol conti 50 but as I take between 3/4 pumps of Estrogel, not sure if the patch will be too low on estrogel. Just not got round to trying it yet!

I really appreciate  all your help. It's just not fair, I had such a tough life, married at 16 and suffered domestic vialance most of my life until I met my now wonderful husband 10 years ago. I have been suffering all this meno stuff for 8 years.

One more question, when I come off the HRT will It get worse???

W

[Kathleen]

Hello warwick01.
I've just read your first post and all the replies. I can't improve on the advice you've already been given but I wanted to say that this time last year I also wondered if I was having a breakdown due to all the menopausal anxiety. I found that HRT did address most of the problem and although I'm still struggling to find the right balance, I am much better than I was.

Take care, you are not alone.

K.

[Suzyq]

Warwick I take 100mg ultrogestan vaginally every day. It was hard at first - problems sleeping but working well now. I think the fact that you feel better after a drink definitely points to it being anxiety related! I know progesterone doesn't suit everyone but it dealt with the anxiety very effectively for me!! Again beta blockers may help you as others have said! Hope you feel better soon

[Trey]

Another thing that is good for irregular heartbeat is simple magnesium.  Good idea to ask GP if ok to add to daily routine.  Most cardiologists here suggest it.

[Rowan]

Totally agree with Trey about magnesium would not be without it.

[CLKD]

Alcohol is a depressant.  Can become a bad habit quite fast.  If you aren't eating but preferring the quick fix of a drink, then you will have more anxiety to deal with.  If the body is hungry it wants feeding  ……..

What have you decided to do?