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[SMD]

Hello, where do I start? I've just spent the last 2 hrs ìn absolute floods of tears. My husband is at a loss as to what to do or say. My anxiety and health anxiety are off the scale. Some days I feel absolutely fine and normal. Others I wake up and can feel myself sinking almost straight away. I've had anxiety issues over the years but this is off the scale. Could this really be down to my hormones? I really don't know where to turn  I'm 47, my periods have gone crazy but no hot flushes yet.

[Taz2]

Hi SMD. I'm so sorry to read that you were feeling so distressed last night and do hope that you are feeling less anxious this morning. Yes hormones can be responsible for these feelings. It sounds as if you are in perimenopause when hormones fluctuate wildly. Have you considered hrt at all?

Taz 

[SMD]

Hi Taz, I'm considering hrt but I'm scared of it tbh.  I can also see from reading the forum that it's not a quick easy fix either. Last night was awful. I just get so so anxious and lose all ability to be rational. My periods are every 3 weeks these days and last about 10 days, which I've had checked out. There's nothing 'wrong' so they say it must be perimenopause. I see a pattern where I get really anxious just before I start my period. But now I've just finished it and I've lost the plot too. So so confused 

[SMD]

Hi, I'm actually on 20mg of AD as standard and it doesn't seem to be touching it. Mornings are normally worst as you say and last night I was really tired because I'd had a bad night of sleep previously.  its like a feeling of apprehension and then my mind goes looking for a problem or crisis to get completely worried about. I'd quiet like to sleep for the next year!

[CLKD]

Morning.  Which AD have you been prescribed?  If your anxiety is so bad, mayB ask for Propranolol, a betablocka that helped ease the early morning surges that woke me.  Taken regularly for several years along with an anti-anxiety medication 'as necessary' kept me upright.

[SMD]

I've taken propranolol occasionally in the past for big presentations at work but didn't know it could be taken more frequently.  I'll ask my gp so thanks. Which anti anxiety medication did you take also?

[SMD]

Should have added, currently on fluoxetine

[CLKD]

Initially I was prescribed the BB at 80mg 3 times a day, dropped to 40mg twice after 3 weeks.  Then 40mg at night, halved that after a few years = 20 morning/night.  In March 2020 I stopped.  It really did help.

I used 'valium' with success throughout the 1990s, initially 3 x 5mg daily for 3 weeks, then on an 'as necessary' basis because I knew it worked when required.  The night B4 an event that I couldn't escape from, I took 5mg knowing that I could take another during the following day, which I never required.  It did make me sleepy  which helped ease the anxiety.

Now I have an emergency 'when required' drug.

[Taz2]

Hi Taz, I'm considering hrt but I'm scared of it tbh.  I can also see from reading the forum that it's not a quick easy fix either. Last night was awful. I just get so so anxious and lose all ability to be rational. My periods are every 3 weeks these days and last about 10 days, which I've had checked out. There's nothing 'wrong' so they say it must be perimenopause. I see a pattern where I get really anxious just before I start my period. But now I've just finished it and I've lost the plot too. So so confused 

I know what you mean about being scared to try it but if it doesn't suit you then you could always stop it. You are also in a good position re any risks as you are under 50. This means that you are merely replacing the oestrogen your body should be making naturally up to the more usual age of menopause which is deemed to be 50 or 51 years of age. Oestrogen is necessary to protect both your heart and bones. I appreciate that HRT doesn't always sort out anxiety but it does give a lift to mood for quite a few women as it can make us feel better in an overall way and then the anxiety may be more manageable.

Are you back at work now or still signed off?

Taz x

[sheila99]

If you use transdermal hrt there is a small additional risk but it's less than if you drink, smoke or are overweight. You can mitigate it by keeping a healthy lifestyle. Don't take too much notice of this forum with regards to problems with hrt, the thousands for whom it works first time carry on with their life, it's the few who have problems who post on here.
Absolutely peri can cause your problems, many of us have had a similar experience. My main symptoms were anxiety and insomnia and it ruins your life, no hot flushes. Both have gone with hrt but it did take 3 months. I decided quality of life was far more important to me than the small risk from taking hrt.

[sophielee]

I also get terrible health anxiety and have suffered from it for over 15 years. The symptoms from perimenopause has taken it to a whole new level though.

It is terrible and I feel for all of us going through the mental treadmill of this condition. I've tried getting counseling but that wasn't helpful. I've been resistant to taking drugs to help although as time goes on, I wonder if suffering is worse than any possible downside to the drugs.

[Gnatty]

I would say absolutely yes! You don't need to live like that, anxiety is an awful awful thing to cope with. This is a good place to talk through your fears and hopefully we will be able to reassure you. Maybe tell us a bit more about yourself too, where you are on your menopause journey etc.

[CLKD]

My anxiety is bubbling and I haven't booked the Hotel yet   

[Vicky81]

SMD - Try Sertraline AD. My first AD was Fluoxetine (did nothing) then i tried Duloxetine (nothing) then i went on Citalopram - was ok actually but 7 weeks later,, still social anxiety. A psychiatrist where i work advised me to start Sertraline AD as its the number one for anxiety. I am over 3 weeks so far, still the same - but i am not as bad as my Fluoxetine days. I was EXACTLY like you. Even 2 days ago i was sat on bed crying for nothing. I have just started HRT - FEMOSTON 2/10 tablets so i dont know how i will get on .....really hope it all lifts.

Please keep in touch on here, let me know how you are getting on and vise versa.

Vicky xx

[Songbird]

Hi SMD
I have suffered with social and health anxiety all of my life (different circumstances and time periods over the years have determined whether I can cope without ADs.)    Believe me, I know how bad it can get!
Right now, being post menopausal for 5 years, and not on HRT at the moment (my GP is looking at putting me on patches for other symptoms), my anxiety has ramped up once again.
Like Vicki, I was on fluoxetine for anxiety but it did nothing.  I have been on sertraline for the last 4 weeks.  I feel so different.  Not now overthinking, fretting about things that “might happen”.  For example, I attended a routine breast screening appointment last week.  I would normally be in bits b4 attending.  No problems at all this time.  In short, i feel my thought processes have been “calmed down” with this AD. 
There is no doubt that uncontrolled anxiety can cause disturbing physical and emotional symptoms.  As my GP said, if you had persistent high BP, you wouldn’t hesitate to have it controlled by medication. Why should anxiety be any different..