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[karenja]

Hi how's everybody coping with anxiety? I still get it good and bad days yesterday v bad, I haven't been sleeping worrying about somebody breaking in as there have been a few incidents around by me I'm getting v v stressed at night tight chest awful, work v busy too I'm
Behind and also made a mistake yesterday so by lunchtime my chest was awful tight I felt lightheaded and just really terrible I went and had food then camomile tea but for me it was a v bad day v scary I feared I would have a stroke or similar I was that wound up xx

[CLKD]

Sorry to hear that you are suffering.  Incidents in the area won't help, have you good security all round, if not ask the Police and Fire Service to visit to give advice.

[Essexragdoll]

Hi karen, I was the same as you over Christmas and the New year, in fact I suffered with dreadful anxiety constantly for 3 months. I had horrendous palpitations and panic attacks especially in the mornings and developed awful health anxiety. I had never experienced anything like it before,and I too became forgetful and lightheaded. The Dr gaveme beta blockers for the palps which helped a little and put me on HRT. This helped me with all my physical menopause symptons like the hot flushes, dry skin and sore joints, ( which weren't really causing me a problem) but I still suffered from the crippling anxiety. In the end I decided to come off the HRT as I felt it was making the low moods and anxiety much worse, especially before a bleed, and went on a low dose anti depression. I have got to say, that over the last month I have felt so much better. I am back to my happy self, no longer worrying that I have some deadly disease and my lightheadedness has also gone.( this is apparently a symptom of anxiety) I have always been against taking tablets especially AD's but that was before I suffered from menopausal anxiety, now I believe they have saved my sanity. I don't want to be on them forever but they are a cushion to get my through this difficulty stage in my life.

[CLKD]

I can feel light headed when anxious. 

[karenja]

thanks for your replies, Ive arranged for a policewoman to call this weekend to give me advice on security and hopefully provide some reassurance.

Essexragdoll, I came off hrt too as didn't agree with me, what ad's are you on? glad they are helping you x

[Essexragdoll]

I am on Fluoxetine. It took about 6 weeks for it to really kick in and I did have to put up with a few side effects ( nausea, dizziness) to begin with, but they have all gone now, and I feel back to my normal self. I understand when you say you are scared at night, especially if there have been break in in your area, when I was at my worse I could not be in the house on my own, even during the day and I would be on edge if anyone knocked on the door or even posted something through the letter box.  Anyone that knows me cannot believe I could be like that, it is the complete opposite of the happy, confident, fun loving person I really am, and if it means taking a little blue and white pill every morning for a little while, then so be it !

[Rhubarb]

I've also felt lightheaded while anxious. Had chest tightness today, worried I'd have a stroke for part of the day, then realized it must just be anxiety. Extra emotional today too, but I am expecting my period any day now. Glad you've found something to help you Essexragdoll!

[Greenfields]

One thing I've realised since all my menopausal stuff exploded is how, in the run up to it happening, I neglected to exercise.  I used to swim a lot and it was a great stress reliever but I stopped because I got ill with a cold/cough virus that took forever to go away (2 months) and I found the swimming also aggravated my sinuses (I had a sinus infection a couple of years back and they've not been the same since).

Anyway, this is all by way of saying, if you have the time and the financial resources, it might be worth trying to fit in some exercise because that would definitely help with the anxiety - it would give the extra adrenaline in your system a chance to work itself off.  When I had panic attacks in my twenties and thirties the swimming was such a life saver - it made an enormous difference to my health and well being. 

I'm feeling a lot better today and have just been looking up aqua aerobic classes to see whether I can try them without my sinuses flaring up as I've never been much of a runner and I really need to find something that requires me to exert myself physically in order to release stress hormones.

Sending hugs xx

[Daniella]

I'm going to second the last comment, any time I feel anxious, the best thing for it ( unless it's in the middle of the night which is another story) is to exercise which somehow seems to exorcise it, for me anyway.

[Greenfields]

Here's a link explaining the link between physical activity and mental health:

http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax

And here's a key point from it:

"The mental benefits of aerobic exercise have a neurochemical basis. Exercise reduces levels of the body's stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. It also stimulates the production of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that are the body's natural painkillers and mood elevators. Endorphins are responsible for the “runner's high” and for the feelings of relaxation and optimism that accompany many hard workouts — or, at least, the hot shower after your exercise is over."

Since I last posted I've found out that the aqua aerobics class isn't running on Monday because it's a Bank Holiday but I definitely intend to get myself to a class next week as soon as they are running again (and keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't aggravate my sinuses).

The other thing to try is differential relaxation exercises - I did those twice a day (morning and evening) in my late twenties and early thirties until I got into yoga and meditation - they are so great for getting rid of panic attacks and stress - they completely got rid of mine then. 

Basically you just tense and relax all the muscles of the body in turn - do each movement 3 times.  E.g. turn your toes up towards your face and tense your leg.  Repeat 3 times.  Do it with every single body bit you can (there are lots of guidelines online). It teaches the body to physically learn the difference between tension and relaxation.  When you do it regularly, regardless of how you feel, it reduces your overall stress levels so you're not as stressed to begin with (if you follow me). This is something else I should have done prior to my menopause hormones exploding ... but sometimes we don't realise we need something until after the event has happened 

[Sphere27]

Hi thanks for your post. I have taken myself of my hrt as my anxiety and headaches seemed to be
Getting worse. Only been 5 days. My headaches def bit better. Anxiety! Well still bubbling away. Think I will go down AD Route if no improvement. Always said no but needs must.
Good luck everyone x

[dazned]

I always said never to ADs too ! But like you decided needs must ! 

They are not just used for depressions as I thought but for anxiety,palps,etc. I did try beta blockers but didn't get on with them had previously tried many ADS but didn't suit me,I dont do well with many meds actually,but in desperation one day said to gp there must be something else I haven't tried and she suggested another one and its been a godsend ,straightaway all the anxiety went within a day ! It did make me very sleepy to start with but that went anf if that's what it takes so be it.

[Greenfields]

Just to say that since my last post, I've been well enough to exercise. Yesterday I did a 1 hour walk in woodland. Today I half jogged, half walked twice around a large track and then walked all around it the third time.

One thing I noticed from yesterday is that although I've been experiencing some sleeplessness from the Utrogestan, last night I got off to sleep quite quickly and when I woke this morning, I felt better - as if I'd slept better (although now I am feeling better I am worrying more about my future but that's a whole other thing!).

I'm hoping that the exercise I did today will help with sleep tonight. So I'd really recommend trying it to see if it helps. Tomorrow I hope to do some aqua fit and keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't aggravate my sinuses (as I really miss swimming and had to give it up for that reason).

[Dandelion]

Anxiety, sigh!! it's awful isn't, especially when your breathing goes.
I use CBT breathing tool, which does help, if I remember to use it, which I am starting to now.
About worrying about other stuff, it's tempting to worry about other non meno stuff with meno anxiety. I thought i owed the council £20,000+ in back dated council tax, and was too scared to go with my paperwork because I didn't want to face 'the bill' and the wait for it.
Turns out, I owed about £20.00+
I'm worrying about being homeless and losing my ESA, as I cannot work.
I'm now trying to tell myself that these worries are exacerbated and exaggerated by meno.
As for Anti depressants, I have drug and drink issues, and they just made me want to get stoned, and since i have come off them, my cannabis intake has plummeted, thankfully.
I'm prescribed beta blockers, which are great, and also, promethazine, which is also good, but tolerance kicks in quickly, and they give me a dry mouth, so i am forever drinking water and weeing, but if they help my anxiety, all the better.
I also have 5htp for depression, but it interferes with sleep a bit, so i think i will have to take it with a fat dose of valerian.
I hope something in this post helps you Karenja.
Maybe you just got the wrong hrt.
I was on the wrong stuff for a year, and I was just too downhearted to persevere and get different stuff. In the end I did, as the depression, anxiety and ibs were just too much for me to cope with.
It was a hassle but now I am on the right stuff.
With hrt, what is great for one woman, might be a problem for others.
Norethisterone is badly coped with by some women, so they take utrogestan, but other women don't cope very well with utrogestan and do cope with norethisterone.
It's a big trial and error thing, and there is not enough budget and resources or choice of hrt for women, hopefully they will get this right eventually.

[GypsyRoseLee]

Dazned, is it Amitriptyline you take. I tried it last year for my anxiety (before I realised it was hormonal) and it worked very well. Did make me feel sleepy and quite dreamy too, though.