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[janjan1962]

Hi there ladies..
my feelings of anxiety are scaring me. I have been feeling this for some months now where i'm just feeling so anxious its suffocating. Today I have been back to GP and am back on hrt. I came off of it 5 years ago and tootled along for ok for most of the past years but for god knows what and why its come back and hit me harder than before and now with anxiety. I do not want to take antidepressants so am hoping the hrt will help me chill the hell out and get me back to some normality.

is anyone else suffering with anxiety whilst post menopause and how are you dealing with it?

[CLKD]

HORMONES    - did the HRT help symptoms previously?  Maybe keep a mood/food/symptom diary so that you can chart progress?  Anxiety can be present during The Change .........

 

[Roseneath]

Hi Jan Jan. You are not alone with this although it mayb feel like it. Anxiety has been the worst thing for me since my period cycle went weird 18 months ago. Started off with health anxiety due to some of the peri symptoms; weird discharge mid cycle, tingling, round of panic at doctors, blood tests (So far I've had low iron, high sugar which turned out to be due to stress, insomnia for two weeks which cleared up (stressto I think). I would get a panic feeling just before my period for maybe 3-4 days..convinced I was going mad, feeling tearful, not wanting to go out. But by the time I went to docs 2 weeks later it had gone. Ended up on HRT and for first 6 weeks great. Last week have felt out of sorts 24/7, much worse than before. Almost embarrassed to go back to docs. Am going to try today to do more exercise and keep busy - awful feeling though. Let me know how you do.

[Taz2]

Hi JanJan - anxiety is so horrible. Do you have a particular reason not to take anti depressants? I appreciate that the side effects in the beginning can be difficult to manage but they do work on panic and anxiety for most people.  I've been on HRT for ten years but anxiety is not something it has helped with in my case. It's done wonders for all of the other symptoms though!

Which HRT are you using?

Taz x 

[Roseneath]

Hi Taz2. Can I ask which anti-anxiety med you take? The only pre-menopause symptoms I have are changing cycle lengths, brown gunk mid cycle and for the last 8 months anxiety which is very bad 2-3 days per month. I was put on HTR after developing insomnia but have never had my hormones tested. Atfer 8 weeks on Ellestre Duet my periods are so much heavier and I have had days when I am exhausted and feel like a depressed zombie. I worry that the HRT is actually making it worse and maybe my hormones just swin too high.  I am also on propananol 4mg. One doc recommended an SSRI but said it took 4 weeks to work and the side effects scared me. I am seeing my GP again (2 week waiting time!) but the anxiety is so bad this month ( mid cycle) that I am considering just giving up the HRT. Would appreciate your experience - I think HRT is sometimes just thrown at you as a cure all when the main symptom is anxiety.

[Taz2]

Hi Roseneath. I've tried Citolapram but the side effects were not good and I couldn't have time off work to get used to them and found it difficult to work and take the tablets. I've also tried Prozac (fluoxetine) and Sertraline but as these are all SSRI's the side effects were the same so I am trying to battle through it with Mindfulness (losing my Mindfulness more like!) and being kinder to myself. My son has had great success with Citolapram though and takes a low dose all of the time to combat panic disorder.

I notice that you are on Elleste Duet. This has Norethisterone as the progesterone element and it was this type of HRT which made my anxiety and panic much worse. Norethisterone can give some women PMT type symptoms and feelings of dread and doom. It could well be that a change in HRT may be helpful to you. Maybe a patch HRT - FemSeven doesn't contain Norethisterone - or a gel plus progesterone - although I don't know much about that regime but many others on here do so hopefully you will get some replies from them. You could always start a new topic in case your post gets missed?

Taz x

[Roseneath]

Thanks a mill Taz...that was the most useful bit of info I have had for weeks about the Northisterone...makes sense...you just know when something chemically does not agree with you.I was not told of any of these potential side effects. I wish Doctors would just spend more time talking us through the pros and con of different HRT rather than just give out a prescription. Much appreciated...will check it out.

[janjan1962]

Hi ladies
reason for not wanting to go on AD's is because I briefly tried them before and oh my, I felt like a zombie, I couldn't think straight and felt completely out of my comfort zone(not that there is much of a comfort zone going on) but in my job I need to be 100% quick thinking and on the ball AND I do not want my collegues knowing what is going on. I want to keep it private. my immediate boss knows but that's it. The HRT I have started since Monday and its a low dose being as I am completely in menopause, no period for some years now so what I am on is suited to that, so the GP informs me. The anxiety has lessened slightly but its still early. I know my job is a ton to do with stress but changing jobs at this moment in my life is not the cleverest option although clearly if it is going to continue to batter my health then yes I will have to make a choice.  Meantime I am hoping the HRT is going to calm me and give me some balance. I'm giving it some time.
Glad of this forum, it sure does help having others to speak to, outside of the GP and my therapist.
big hug ladies and any more advise will be greatly received xx

[Roseneath]

I am amazed there is no clear NHS strategy for anxiety in  peri / menopauseal women. It seems such a common theme and is so life crippling. It seems such a scattergun approach of try this and that. I am finding my HRT (Ellestre Duet) has con-incided in the last week with the worst anxiety I have every had; before that it was just ' worry' - recently after 8 weeks in I now have day long fog of anxiety. I have asked for a call back this  afternoon as I can't wait until my Friday appointment.

[Taz2]

I still think that it's the norethisterone making you feel worse. Try to get a change of HRT if possible even though you haven't quite completed the three month recommended period. Just my opinion and own experience of this type of progesterone.

This is from the patient information leaflet which should have been included with your HRT

"Common: feeling down, feeling anxious, mood changes, changes in sex drive, feeling dizzy, difficulty sleeping, feeling sick, bloating, diarrhoea, indigestion, stomach cramps, acne, rashes, itchiness, dry skin, back pain, pain in the extremities, breast enlargement, heavy periods, vaginal discharge, break-through bleeding, spasms (contractions) of the womb, vaginal infection, excessive thickening of the lining of the womb, pain, feeling of weakness, swelling of the ankles, feet or fingers, increase in weight"

Taz x

[Roseneath]

Just shows what a state with insommnia I was in when I decided to go on that stuff! I would have traded sleep for anything. I really think the holiday/change od scenery and propananol havs helped the sleep more than anything. But progress...GP phoned back told me to come off the Ellestre Duet straight away but stay on the nighttime propananol. So we shall see. I can't get much worse than this, I feel so down and can't think straight. Hugs to all.