I just need to say 'THANK YOU' for this thread. My gosh, just so wonderful to read everyone's experience.
I started having anxiety about 4 months ago. I remember the week and all the events. I was on BCP at the time, it was a menstrual week and ever since I get it, especially bad (one ER visit) during that menstrual week, almost like clockwork. Then it takes me a couple of weeks to completely come down off it but I can tell when the intense anxiety stage starts to pass. This anxiety does include panic attacks but much less now that I know what is happening. For me, it's mostly physical. I get the tight throat, like a choking sensation. It can get pretty intense like almost being strangled, but I can breathe fine, swallow fine. It's like wearing too tight of a shirt collar and someone tightens up when I get more stressed. When it starts to go away, I get a sore throat for a couple of days. Everything is exaggerated like pain, and the muscle tension is insane. I also have major health anxiety now as well. I question everything I take, vitamins and supplements, meds...even things I have taken before in the past with no side-effects. Every pain, twinge or weird sensation makes me wonder what is wrong...what's going to kill me this time?
I tried talking to the first doctor about this and the timing but he said it was a coincidence. Same thing I've heard from others...or my favorite is that "I'm too young". Everything I have going on is "because of anxiety" and I just need to take an anti-depressant, which doesn't feel right to me at all!
Off BCP now, 2 months....bad anxiety this last cycle. I've had 3 cycles since stopping it and they've all been different. Giving it 3 months than hoping to go back to my GYN from 7 years ago than helped me find my hormonal problems before (ovaries not functioning correctly). He didn't think I was too young but I couldn't afford to keep seeing him.