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[Tempest]

I have this. It's HIDEOUS! I literally feel like I'm either going to throw up, go mad, jump off a bridge or pass out. I know its a spike in adrenaline - but frankly I don't care that I know what it is, I just can't take it any more!

It started after my first 'migraine aura' - and that started after I was given Sertraline to help my 'low moods' instead of help finding the right HRT, which is what I wanted and needed. I think that little experiment properly buggered everything up, and I've never truly recovered from it.

I've been dealing with it for a year now, staying quiet and hoping it would get better but i'm sick of trying to suck it up and trying to be optimistic. So - i'm 'out of the closet' now, just in case you thought things were getting better!

Do any of you have it THIS BAD? I know my fellow surgical (chemo) menopause sister Racjen has hideous anxiety too, and Kathleen as well but I just wanted to see if anyone else relates, please.

Thank you, lovelies. xxxx

[Kathleen]

Hello Tempest.

I simply had to respond but there will be others I'm sure! I was only thinking earlier today that my adrenaline surges are nothing like as intense as they once were so there is hope for you and all other sufferers. I know other ladies have described their flushes as more like waves of dread  followed by some sweating so I assume our experiences are another variant on the standard hot flush.

I know you are science minded and enjoy doing your research ( for which we are all grateful incidentally ) but I agree that sometimes we couldn't care less about the cause and just want it fixed!

Hopefully other responders will have some practical advice for you including tips on how to ride out these horrible surges. From my perspective I can assure you that they do pass.

Wishing you well.

K.

[CLKD]

I think that Taz was aware prior to a flush.  Perhaps she will confirm ......

[Conolly]

Hello Tempest,


I used to get the impending doom feelings before a hot flush whilst in peri. Thank goodness it's gone now. Interestingly, now that I have this awful peripheral neuropathy, literally burning in hell, the hot flushes are not perceived as bad as they were before. My neurologist said that this has a central nervous system component and it's what they call chronic pain syndrome, hence the pregabalin/duloxetine/chrolobenzaprine prescription. I haven't tried them, though. The burning feeling comes and goes, mainly triggered by heat and sunlight.


I understand that each brain reacts differently to the hormonal withdrawal challenge and imbalance but the neuronal pathways are similar. That's why mindfulness sometimes works because you can shift the brain learned response to different thoughts/neuronal pathways. I'm trying to visualise snow to make the burning go 


I know that my fluctuating oestrogen levels were the culprit and if you are too sensitive to oestrogen due to your surgical menopause, maybe the adrenal surge can have the same effect, after all steroids have similar structures, receptors and actions. Have you been tested for estradiol levels recently?


Sending hugs and hoping you find some relief soon. 


Conolly X

[Taz2]

Yes I had these feelings. Total panic. Wanted to run away, just leave the room I was in, felt sick and also not sure if I would need the loo urgently. Heart rate through the roof..feeling weak and so tired..then the sweat would begin. I had them every 20 minutes and they would last for 5 minutes from the first feeling of panic until the sweat subsided and the heart returned to normal.

The first few weeks were very difficult as I work in a class as support for one child but as time went on I managed to reassure myself that it would pass as it had other times. I did find that being able to drink water at the time it was building did help me stay calmer. In the end I chose to begin HRT as I was exhausted from the effort required in just keeping going through each day and also the lack of sleep at night. It's hard to describe how trapped it makes you feel.

Taz x 

[CLKD]

  Taz

[Taz2]

You've got a good memory CLKD! 😊

Taz x

[Tempest]

Thank you so very much for all your kind words, ladies! Oh, I do wish this would get better Kathleen! You've given me some hope.❤❤

Taz, I had no idea that you'd experienced this too! It truly drives you to the edge of madness, doesn't it? I also scared myself today as I found an old DM article about a lady who suffered the very same intensity of feelings, and was still experiencing flushes as bad as these 20 YEARS LATER! I was thinking - please God, no!!! This is undoubtedly what HRT is meant for (amongst many other things) - I just hope I can find something that I can tolerate/that works this time!

I don't want to take the beta blockers particularly that my GP has prescribed unless I really have to - I'm not really sure my current GP knows what they are doing with this anyway as i'm an anaphylaxis sufferer and have to carry epipens - and bb's block the pen's effectiveness of course. That could be very dangerous, or even fatal! I definitely think (like I was saying on another thread earlier) that now all my long battery of tests are over that it's time to get another GP.  xxxx

[Shadyglade]

I was prescribed sertraline three years ago and only took one. Had a horrible reaction. Initially extremely euphoric for about an hour then plunged into the worst panic attack ever. My doctor said it was a high sensitivity reaction. Well you can say that again.

I don't think enough attention is paid to adverse reactions like this. Especially when the effects are long lasting. I know the general advice is to perceiver until the medication has a chance to work. I wonder if this really is the right advice.

[Shadyglade]

I would add that for me a hot flush and a panic attack are very different. I never had feelings of anxiety with a hot flush. Panic attacks were in a different league completely. Very scary, long lasting and feeling hot without sweating.

[Annie0710]

My once confident, career driven daughter went to her gp as she was having palpitations and nausea after she found out her ‘good' friend was using her in a cruel way

Gp gave her sertraline, within 4 days she suffered her first ever panic attack, followed by 3 more in the same day

She stopped the tablets but the cruelty of her reaction to them carried on.  At her worst she couldn't leave her bedroom, was dependant on diazepam and was frantically searching the net for a hospital to take her in, she felt suicidal

It's been a horrific year (feels like 5 years) she's tried counselling, the weight literally fell off her usual size 12, 8s were hanging off her. 

Just over a year on she's being investigated for a gastro problem and has been given anti nausea pills (this is what she originally asked for) and within 20 mins of taking the anti nausea pill she hadn't felt sick since.  She ate her first proper meal that night and text me with such excitement

She's still having swallowing issues which limits what she can eat but I pray they find out the cause and she can start living her life again x

[Shadyglade]

Good grief. I glad I only took one of the damn things.

Best wishes to your daughter Annie.

[Honey]

Yes, Tempest, I can completely relate to everything you say.  I have been having these for 10 years and they are still quite ferocious.
I first get a low level feeling of anxiety, then feel myself heating up, face, neck and chest turn red. I have urgent need to pee along with a feeling of wanting to cry and feeling sick and shaky. Then I sweat on my upper lip, forehead and back. I have been known to steam up my glasses.  I then cool down gradually.  It helps if I relax and fan myself but often you can't do that. 
I find that when I eat healthily (low sugar) then the flushes are less.  In the past I was on fluoxetine which helped a bit, at least it certainly helped my mood. I came off it last year as I was having pituitary surgery.  The other day my Endocrinologist suggested I discuss with my GP the possibility of HRT. I am 60 and have been reluctant to try this for fear of side affects but I would love some respite now.
Thinking about you Tempest and hope you find a way to improve things. They do decrease with time. xxxx

[CLKD]

Taz - you stuck in my brain with that one, as well as not liking the Summer 

There is an NHS yellow card system for reactions to drugs but I have never been offered one.  They are given to the drug Companies.  Apparently 

[Cazikins]

I don't think they are "given" to the drug companies or "offered" to patients as such CLKD  , however there is a website here that encourages people to report a problem/issue whilst taking medicines. I also think that there is a link to the website in the patient leaflet advice which is with all meds:

https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/