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[Annie0710]

Hi ladies

I'm sure I've read on here a few times about an emergency anxiety pill that is prescribed by gps, is that right?

I'm interested.  Although my testosterone added in has helped take the edge off social anxiety , it's still there as I found out last night on my works do.  Alcohol helps but obviously I don't want to start downing Bacardi before I even get out to an event and I'm always mindful to not overdrink in the early part of the evening as being a lightweight I then peak too early

Am I a candidate for being prescribed something that I can take prior to going out but that I can have some drinks with later ?

This is 100% hormone related but after 4 years of suffering and continuous hrt I've had enough

Funny how different people perceive you, I got complimented last night how friendly and outgoing I am! I said are you joking me? I sit in the background not uttering a word until the Bacardi gives me some confidence, he said it's not how I come across

Anyway, may have mentioned it before but my dear mum took to alcohol during her menopause, drank quite a lot every evening at home (because of those memories it's something I will never do myself) and she never ever apart from one time for a throat infection, visited a GP.  I'm convinced now my sweet mum suffered menopausal anxiety.  The times growing up I'd take her home from a function because she'd got plastered early on it's the only part of my childhood I don't have lovely memories of

So, is there likely to be a magic pill for me ?

Thanks x

[CLKD]

Not if you intend to drink!  Alcohol is a depressive.  It also interacts badly with many types of medication, prescribed or otherwise.

Fortunately I never took to alcohol.  My friend did, resulting in his death 12 months ago by his own hand  .

In the 1990s I was prescribed Valium as necessary in order to get through events.  I would take 5mg the night B4 and another at breakfast if required.  That was enough to sustain me for about 3 days, bliss.

I had a couple of bad reactions to it so my GP gave me another 'emergency' pill which knocks me out completely.  Can't remember the name though 

[dazned]

I have diazepam 2mgs always with me just incase 
Thankfully dont need to use it much now...... however one never knows.

[bramble]

Perhaps something like Kalms or Bachs remedy would help. My surgery has stopped prescribing benzos like Diazepam etc now.

Bramble

[Tempest]

We're two peas in a pod, Annie! Had a spectacularly bad couple of days with anxiety - it's the biggest beast of this whole meno. business for me and I KNOW it's only appeared since this all started despite what I keep getting told about having suddenly developed an 'anxiety disorder'.

My Mum was crazy from it too - she was fine before she had her TAH/BSO. I remember her losing the plot with her oncologist and insisting 'I'M NOT CRAZY'!!! He tried to tell her exactly what I'm being told now nearly 30 years later, so we haven't moved on that much have we?

I also have the 2mg diazepam to use up to 3 times per day as a 'rescue' but to be honest it's not wonderful.

Sending you biggest hugs Annie !

[Annie0710]

Thankyou Tempest !
Wow I was going to say are we sisters by different mothers ? Maybe our mums were related ?!!

I hate this too !
I was prescribed Valium twice before: once for a flight (hadn't been on a plane for years) and another time for a particular dental visit .  Neither experiences with it seemed help me


I don't want to be zonked out by medication , I just need something to take away the fear factor when I'm out socialising , for this reason I'm not out very much.

X

[walking the dog]

The problem with diazepam if you take it you shouldn't drive, plus its addictive.

What are the other as and when anti anxiety pills people take called ? My anxiety has gone of the scale since peri menopause started 😐

[Tempest]

I think we may very well be, Annie!

I hate having to use the diazepam - it's not great and like WTD says it is addictive, so they keep tight tabs on it when prescribing it too.

I am practically a recluse these days - I do push myself when I can but like you it comes at a high price with greatly increased anxiety when in a social setting (if you can even call dragging a trolley around Tesco a 'social setting')! I also freak if anyone pops round to visit unannounced - i was never like this before!

The damn jittering after anything like this has even been known to take a couple of days to subside - it's crazy! And what's weird is that I was actually doing MORE this time last year off HRT than I am now with less anxiety so just MAYBE it has now morphed for me into a full blown disorder too (but the origins are still very much 100% hormonal - I'm sticking to my guns on that one)!

[walking the dog]

I agree tempest it is hormones I'm really bad I couldn't leave the house last Thursday and sometimes I cant leave the bedroom. I have always been anxious but I worked did two degrees had a social life but peri menopause has robbed me of it.
I'm also told by medical professionals its a mental health issue. I tell them yes my mental health is suffering because of my hormones, I dont think anyone apart from my GP believes me

[crazydaisy]

Hi, My GP lets me have 14, 1mg of Lorazepam ( Ativan), this is a tranquiliser that really knocks my anxiety on the head without knocking me out, it really relaxes me.

 I cant drink or drive whilst I have one though. I am only allowed a prescription every 6 months or so. They are very addictive but give me a sense of security knowing they are there.

[Annie0710]

Yes Tempest !
At my worst I'd:


Freak if my kids popped in.  I remember a couple of Mother's Day ago, all 3 came over at once, I was beside myself, nausea, heart racing, near out of body experiences, and just wishing they'd go (I hate myself for admitting that)

Shopping : huge no-no, thought I was going to pass out so many times at our Tesco, I blamed the lighting, OH taking too long down each aisle, people we know keep standing chatting to us, queues too long at checkout

Socialising: we stopped, I said I felt faint too often, and palpitations

Visiting my kids/grandchildren: I limited it to when I had to 😢 because a roomful of people panicked me

Work: kept my head down but also am now on my 3rd job since meno started.  I always used to average 5-7 years at jobs !

Things are definitely improved (even before T)
Shopping:after a long time of Internet shopping we now go to other towns where no one will stop us to chat.  We scan and shop to avoid the queues, my kids can visit 😁, I've kept my job so far for 2 years

But I HATE these social events ! I was such a party animal pre meno, someone only had to suggest a night out and I was in the shower getting ready lol

And the worst part is .. why do I think people are staring at me ? Why do I think they'll think I'm boring (I might be actually) why do I think they'll think I've let myself go ? (Well actually as my body/skin changed I did look it to be fair) but lately I've looked different and certainly getting compliments again (from both sexes and all ages) , so why does all this bother me ? I read anxiety is when you care too much, well they weren't wrong there !!!!!!

The scary part is not knowing whether this will go one day or not

Xx

[Annie0710]

Hi, My GP lets me have 14, 1mg of Lorazepam ( Ativan), this is a tranquiliser that really knocks my anxiety on the head without knocking me out, it really relaxes me.

 I cant drink or drive whilst I have one though. I am only allowed a prescription every 6 months or so. They are very addictive but give me a sense of security knowing they are there.

Aw bless you, I'm glad your GP is helping you xxx

[CLKD]

If Valium doesn't 'work' then ask the GP for something else?  I have used Rescue Remedy mouth spray with some success too.  It does depend on what dose you've been prescribed, 5mg is very low and if usually prescribed to be taken 3 times a day.

I can't remember which drug I have on hand - is your Ativan a blue pill, it was used as a pre-med for many years.

[Tempest]

WTD, I'm with you and sending you so much love and hugs. I can totally relate!

Annie, ALL OF THOSE THINGS!!!!! Blimey, I really hope it does get better and I'm encouraged that it has for you a wee bit at least. It also gives me hope! Damn, I KNEW I shouldn't have stayed away from this special place so much recently as there are so many wonderful ladies here who reassure me that I'm not alone and bonkers, besides what the GP  is having me believe right now!

I've fell down a dark hole, to be sure. Part of this I think is that I've let my thoroughly rotten GP force this whole idea of me being crazy on me. I took my MIL with me the other day to the surgery for support as I get in such a state when I go (God love her - she's a godsend)! But having to take her with me made me feel like a needy child!  I tried to address some real physical issues with the GP (not least the pelvic pain I am experiencing recently - i'm sure it's more adhesions. After over 20 pelvic surgeries over the last 28 years, it's a mess in there). I did manage to get her to examine me (and I've phoned my old Gynae. to request a clinic appointment), but it took less than 2 minutes before she fished up 'my mental health issues'. I'm SICK of it, and I'm pretty sure this is why I'm now down that blessed dark hole and an anxiety wracked wreck!

Yes, I had hormonal anxiety before but now it's like 'here comes the 'crazy' every time I walk through the consulting room door. I swear I could walk in there with my flamin' head hanging off and they would say 'oh, we'll need to write to your psychiatrist about that'! It's the stock response to everything nowadays. I just see the psychiatrist and he's not exactly bombing me with diagnosis or force feeding me medication or threatening me with a section. He's a pretty reasonable guy actually who totally GETS that a lot of my problems are hormonal (and trauma from what's happened in the last 19 months).

Anyway, I ramble! Yes, Annie - I too fear more than anything that I might be stuck like this forever. I find  myself searching for stories (mainly over at Hystersisters) of women who are doing ok years later. There are a few, but then again I try to put this in perspective and hope, HOPE that in fact there are a whole lot doing ok who because they are, don't bother hanging out on those forums anymore.

http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/showthread.php't=416637

The above ladie's story above any I've found gives me hope...I thought I would share it here (I hope this is ok with forum rules).

[Annie0710]

You're right Tempest... it MUST get better. Generally members of any medical-like forum will stay whilst they are recovering, I guess it's very usual once they've recovered they fly and enjoy their renewed life, I can't blame them but if I ever get the magic formula to this hell I would stay but try not to dictate 'it worked for me, it can work for you ' but tell my story


Let me say Tempest.  Back in 2012 when this started for me I'd have moments where I thought my mum was still alive and go to phone her.  They were really scary days and only this week I admitted that to my OH.  I thought I was going crazy

When I joined here in 2015 I couldn't believe members were having a laugh, for me, my hormone hell was giving me NOTHING to laugh about.  I vaguely remember one of the first times here I found things funny, it really lifted me that my humour was coming back.   

X