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[Kelly]

Hi cheeky girl I am having hypnotherapy and hypno analysis ( where you talk back during hypnosis)  and finding it helpful just to talk but I am paying for it. If  I waited for help from my surgery it was a phone call consultation sometime late in August. This can't be good enough can it? My employer also offered counselling but I had to travel a bit to get it so didnt bother. A lot of employers do sonthatbmight be something you could look into.
Anxiety is the hardest thing I have ever had to cope with and my heart goes out to you.   I tried all the alterntives reflexology etc but in the end I have started citalopram simply as I felt my family deserved me to get back on track a bit quicker.
It's still the first week so I am a bit sicky but hoping I will see a change soon.  Have you emailed dr currie about the tremors she is a great help
Sending you lots of hugs xxxxxxx

[cheekygal]

Hi Kelly, I did consider hypnotherapy but can't really afford it and employers councelling isn't an option I'm afraid.  I will just have to wait for NHS CBT.

No I haven't emailed Dr Currie as yet, as I'm not sure the tremors are a meno symptom, not many others seem to suffer it.  Lately it seems to have been more in my feet and legs, especially at night when I go to bed.

Hope the AD's help you, I just can't tolerate them, tried many over the years.

[Kelly]

Well I feel so sick on them this first week I am beginning to wonder if they agree with me !  Hope you get your appointment soon. Pester them a bit !!
Love Kelly xx

[cheekygal]

Think the first few weeks are the worst on any AD, you should know by about 4 weeks if they are going to suit you.  I am back at GP on 25th so if not heard anything by then will ask him to push it on x

[cheekygal]

Sorry to be a pain, I just feel this is the only place I can come where people understand. 

I am still having the shaking thing going on, I had really hoped it was down to withdrawal of the AD's, but it's been almost 4 weeks now since stopping so can't think that would still be the case.  Woke up this morning and it was that bad, I felt that I had been on a week long alcohol bender!  Still only taking the 2 diazepams per day, however there were a couple of days I only took one, maybe I need to stick to the 2 x daily and not mess around with the dose as did have one or 2 not so bad days last week.  The pills are helping with the anxiety but I still feel the shaking and muscle twitching. 

I have considered emailing Dr Currie for advice but thought I would give it another week or so just to see how things go as I can't really afford the fee.   I am still getting periods but very erratic, been 2 months since last one.  Joint and muscle pain is another newish symptom, especially in my left shoulder blade and under left boob and arm (think I mentioned this in the acid reflux thread).

Like the rest of you ladies, all I want is to feel like myself again.  It's little things that most people take for granted, like popping into town, going out for tea, cinema etc.  For many of us that is either so much effort or not at all.   

[nelliedee]

alot of my tremors and muscle twitching were caused by my 'out of control' anxiety. My head would flick/jerk quite violently and it scared the pants out of me which added to my anxiety. Here is how I see things, the anxiety is built up adrenalin caused by worry and the adrenalin causes the tremors ect... If we get rid of some of the anxiety by exercising our symptoms ease up. In a nut shell we need to do whatever we can, starjumps, aerobic step, running on the spot, dancing (firm favourite of mine) and all these can be done indoors. If you can muster the strength then you could go out for a 30 min walk, every day when its bad and reduce to 3-4 times a week after a few weeks. Dont sit and dwell on these tremors, dont fear them as your mind sounds very tired and it needs some calm. The diazipam is your crutch but you need to balance it by trying to shake off (quite literally) this dreaded anxiety which is trying to cripple you.
Do you read? xxx

[cheekygal]

I used to read, but don't seem to have the patience at the moment, and the only things I have been reading is the dreaded google which is probably fueling my anxiety.  Admittedly, I do tend to dwell on symptoms, I am so fed up of wakening up feeling like I have drank a bottle of vodka the night before.  Part of me does believe it's anxiety, but another part is saying something else, ie meno symptoms or still a bit of AD withdrawal.  My head tremor was worse when it first started, but has remained fairly stable over the last 15 years despite having many stressful situations to deal with.  It's the whole body inner tremors on top of this that is getting me down.  Being out of the house does help, but unable to walk far due to oesteoarthritis in my foot, which I have had for 26 years. 

Thanks for your reply, not many others seem to have this symptom, so I guess I have to accept it's not meno, oh dear I do seem to be going round in circles, sorry to moan so much.  I shall try to be more positive.  Would you believe I used to be a counselor for people with anxiety disorders, lol!  Not always easy to practice what we preach though 

[nelliedee]

When you get a chance try and get a copy of 'the chimp paradox' by steve peters as its a superb book on mind management especially anxiety.
Have you been doing too much over the past year? as you sound tired. I think menopause is a time to delegate and look after yourself alot more. In my opinion your internal tremors sound like another anxiety symptom probably fuelled by peri meno and AD withdrawal and they can be worked off slowly. I am sure you probably already know that dwelling on things just keeps you in the anxiety circle so this habit needs to be broken by doing something else everytime you notice you are dwelling again. Only you can do all of these things.
My head tremor is going to be with me for the rest of my life according to my neuro and I can now accept that. When it first appeared and I discovered it was related to AD'S I wasted a year fretting and refusing to accept this nodding headed woman  I was so angry.
Keep posting as its a great help xx

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies.

I thought I'd add a bit more to this thread about how hormones contribute to internal tremors/jittery sensations.
I've quoted Dr Miriam Stoppard's book before and here is what she has to say on the subject:
"For many women, menopausal mood changes resemble a roller coaster ride. Women describe subtle sensations such as trembling, fluttering, unease and discomfort. More severe feelings of anxiety or panic can arise with little provocation. Tasks that you used to be able to tackle can leave you in total disarray. Mood swings from elation to despondency are common. Your patience is easily exhausted. The future may look hopeless, your self-esteem is precipitous and you may feel truly depressed.
The centres in the brain that control a sense of well-being, a positive state of mind and a feeling of control and tranquillity are affected be the absence of oestrogen. Taking oestrogen supplements in the form of HRT can cause a dramatic return to normality."

Throughout the book she champions the use of HRT, saying it is unfair to expect modern women to live so much of their lives in a hormone depleted state.  I think she is in her late sixties now and when I saw a photo of her a while ago it is clear from her appearance that she is up to her ears in the stuff and why not? 

I accept that other factors can contribute to these feelings but I am convinced my jitters are caused by hormones and I must say there is absolutely nothing subtle about them.

Hope this information of help ladies. Wishing you all well.

K.

[Taz2]

It certainly makes a difference to me and one year after stopping it I am still suffering all the meno symptoms I was seven years ago when I started HRT. Hoping my doc will let me have a low dose patch especially now that I don't need progesterone following the hyster.

On her site Dr Stoppard has this to say about HRT - nothing about whether she uses it herself though 

"Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
 
The single most effective tool available is HRT. This can replace the oestrogen deficiency so that the symptoms disappear.
 
HRT is more than 90 percent effective. If you feel your doctor isn't being very helpful or sympathetic, or won't let you try hormone replacement therapy, seek an opinion from another doctor.
 
What's a natural menopause?
 
Not all women should take HRT, nor do all women want to. My main contention about the menopause is that all women have the right to the menopause they want.
 
In other words they should be free to exercise all the options available and that includes foods, vitamins, herbs, yoga, aromatherapy, exercise – in fact anything which helps to make them feel good"

Taz x

[Rowan]

Not sure she is up to her eyes in the stuff, she had hers eyes done and mini facelift which she has written about

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2252011/Can-believe-Im-75-Shes-eye-lifts-strict-year-diet-For-time-life-agony-aunt-Miriam-Stoppards-happy-looks.html

Her book on menopause was written in 2001 it may have been updated. She is along time advocate of HRT and has taken it but have not found  any info as to whether she is still on it.

You can get her HRT: Hormone Replacement Therapy by Dr. Miriam Stoppard  on amazon for pennies.

[catlady]

Hi cheekygal.
The only thing I can advise on is the diazepam.  Keep on a stable dose every day.
Try to take as little as possible.  It's an awful drug to get off, the ashton method
is too harsh for many people,  you may need to cut down slower , they can in fact
make you more depressed.

Ann x

[nelliedee]

Miriam Stoppards explanation of meno is very good and I so wish I could take HRT but sadly I cant which is why I have put my heart and soul into trying the natural route. When I am exercising (mainly walking) and making sure I'm eating well I feel very much like my old self but if I let it all slip then I slide back down again. I do hit 'down days' but they lift and I recognize its my hormonal devil at play, it is like a rollercoaster. Diazipam has a place in all this for some of us who hit the bottom and cannot get back up, it can be a life-saver but only short term in my opinion as it is extremely difficult to wean off.
I hope your a little better today Cheekygal xx

[cheekygal]

Thanks for all your replies.  I have read so many conflicting stories about diazepam, it is in fact the mildest out of all benzodiazepines, many people take it long term with no problems and while I don't like taking it, I feel it's been a life safer for now by keeping the anxiety down enough to enable me to go out, though I can't say it's doing much for the tremors, which are now 24/7, that's the main thing that's getting me down, I feel them all over from the soles of my feet, arms, chest you name it and it biuzzes/vibrates and twitches!  Kathleen is that how you would describe them?  I agree they are not subtle, very distracting and irritating.  I am currently taking 2 x 5mg per day, don't want to take any more.  I am not going down the AD route again, that was awful.  So for now I will continue with the diazepam and will reduce slowly when I feel I can.

Everyone's mum, have you ever been offered botox for head tremor?  I was years ago but decided it wasn't bad enough for that.  I could always ask again and ask them to stick a bit in other areas accidently, haha!

[nelliedee]

I was offered botox but have decided against it for the moment. My main problem with my head tremor is when I go out for a meal as its the eating/sitting in a restaurant thats a pain and sets it off but I manage.
When I took AD'S 21 yrs ago for postnatal depression I had that internal shaking/fizzing throughout my whole body. I learnt to ignore it and used to sit on my hands when watching tv in order to block it out xx