Hello meno friends
It's been a while since I've posted, but I'm still lurking. Five years this has been going on now peri/meno and tbh I've had enough. No periods for over a year so I guess I'm actually in menopause now. Stupidly, I thought that would be the end of it, but it seems not. Over the last 6 months have managed to come off propranolol for adrenaline surges (they did not return) and escitalopam for anxiety ... hmm, not so sure. I have been better at keeping the health anxiety (HA) under control with various CBT techniques, meditation and yoga but it is back, big time. Only other symptom I have is night sweats still. I currently don't take any medication or supplements except B12.
I am going to go to the doctors, but just need rant with like-minded folks. I have suffered a few episodes of costochondritis - rib inflammation due, I believe to my bad posture and excessive work computer use. I do work on avoiding this but difficult. Just had a month when I worked three times more than usual, then went on holiday. Not surprising had attack of costo while away, which has almost resolved. However, then developed pain to left of belly button when bending forward in certain way. Not all the time, not when immobile, not when lying down, only certain moves e.g a forward bend in yoga, bending down to put dog's lead on. Rational mind said it was a pulled muscle ... it continued, so HA mind then decided to start prodding about stomach area and found a little swelling. Or did I, because it is not there all the time it seems (this I crazy know) and did not hurt to touch. The prodding has bruised the area so made it worse. Of course, the HA mind has decided it is cancerous tumour and I will dead before the month is out. This health anxiety is just so exhausting. It is like having a constant loop of negative thoughts going round and round.
Although I try not to google (one of my combat tactics) I did have a little look and came up with hernias (plus lots of bad stuff, too). I do have some wind/burping/occasional slight heartburn/burning feeling throat at the moment too, which fits. I was also born with some sort of hernia which was operated on when I was 7 but I don't know any more than that, no one left to ask. I read somewhere that 50% of women over 50 have a HH so it seems feasible/ rational to think it could be that.
Sorry for rambling on. Just needed get it off my chest as I am driving OH round the bend with it.