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[Hannah]

Hi just wondering if there is a difference in how menopause related anxiety presents itself as opposed to non menopause related anxiety?
Are there specific patterns, times  of the day when people feel anxious if it's menopause related? My anxiety come and goes but when it's gone i start to think about it and have this recurring thought that it will take over my mind and make me mentally ill in some way. I have worked hard on my anxiety through diet, breathing exercises, no alcohol or caffeine and reading up on it, apps  and self help books and acupuncture.  I am much improved but feel haunted by these recurring thoughts.  Any one else feel this way?

[Lynda07]

Hi Hannah

Although I have suffered from anxiety since childhood, it is, without doubt, worse now I am post menopause. Like you I have/do take steps to try and overcome it.

Mine seems to be worse at bedtime, if I wake in the middle of the night (not everynight) and bizarrely around 4/5 pm in the evening. I don't know if this is related to the menopause or not.

I also have the recurring thoughts that you have occasionally, I think for me this is where my long standing OCD creeps in as well.

I know this probably doesn't help you but at least you know you are not alone.

Lynda

[Hopeful]

hi Hannah
I don't know what the difference between Meno anxiety and non Meno is but I can relate to your thoughts of anxiety causing on going mental health issues.
when my anxiety is under control it frightens me to think how easily our unconscious mind can take over our lives and make you a totally different person. the Meno anxiety really does feel like a tangible illness that I can feel swamping me.
not much help I'm afraid but you are certainly not alone

[Gnatty]

Interesting, this anxiety about 4/5 pm. I get this too and I think it's  a dusk/twilight thing! I get this feeling of dread ( only in winter) as the light levels drop. I find I can override it if I draw the curtains early or become really engrossed in something before the light starts to dim. Goodness can you imagine what they would have done with us in Victorian times! Wouldn't have wanted to have been in a Wilkie Collins novel. They would definitely have locked me up!

[QueenofReds3]

 My anxiety started in peri menopause 4 years ago. I was put on HRT after being put on anti depressants which helped. In the last few months it has come back with a vengeance, worse than ever before . I wake up in the middle of the night with recurring thoughts. I find driving not enjoyable and plan my routes days in advance, if I have to go anywhere too busy or not known forget it.
I worry about things that have not happened but think the worst is going to happen. I try to meditate, and tell myself all is okay but finding that hard. I like to get everything done out the way and avoid going out after dark. I have started a new HRT regime and hoping this will help as I would like the old name back and so would my family.
Before meno I would get anxious about things like interviews etc, but that is normal. I think it is a meno thing. X

[CLKD]

4/5 p.m. is probably low blood sugar - how close to tea-time?  Eating something at around 3.00-3.30 will ease those feelings. 

[Lynda07]

Good point CLKD - it could well be that as I go light headed and dizzy too. But that, of course, makes me feel anxious.

[CLKD]

Yep.  That's what happens with low blood sugar, it gives anxiety surges  part of the fight/flight response. Apparently!

[sheila99]

I think it's different in each of us. Mine arrived with peri and went after 3 months on HRT so definitely oestrogen deficiency. Worst at night. Got to sleep fine then woke 2-3am and spent the rest of the night worrying about everything and anything. I'm sure the insomnia and anxiety made each other worse.

Queenofreds3 perhaps you need a higher dose? I've had to increase twice because anxiety and insomnia returned.

[QueenofReds3]

Sheila99, thank you,  You are probably right. Only started Oestrogel and Utrogestan this week. 2 pumps and 1 pill at night. I actually feel a little calmer, although have a couple of side effects but hope these will pass soon. I am constantly hungry CLKD so eat small meals and healthy snacks throughout the day.

[Dandelion]

Hi just wondering if there is a difference in how menopause related anxiety presents itself as opposed to non menopause related anxiety?
Are there specific patterns, times  of the day when people feel anxious if it's menopause related? My anxiety come and goes but when it's gone i start to think about it and have this recurring thought that it will take over my mind and make me mentally ill in some way. I have worked hard on my anxiety through diet, breathing exercises, no alcohol or caffeine and reading up on it, apps  and self help books and acupuncture.  I am much improved but feel haunted by these recurring thoughts.  Any one else feel this way?

My hormone related anxiety used to accost me waking on a morning/night/small hours, some times, just before I woke, not the recommended way to greet a new day.

I found it was worse if I went back to sleep after waking, that is to say, if I woke too early, and did not want to take breakfast by moonlight with the owls, I would go back to sleep, and wake up accosted by stronger anxious thoughts that seemed to come out of nowhere.

I knew the answer was to get-up-when-I-wake-up, however I did not understand why I was waking,  still tired, and it's a bugger to get me out of bed when still tired.
Cortisol is what woke me up too early.

To me, meno related anxiety was a time-of-day thing.

[Dandelion]

Hi just wondering if there is a difference in how menopause related anxiety presents itself as opposed to non menopause related anxiety?
Are there specific patterns, times  of the day when people feel anxious if it's menopause related? My anxiety come and goes but when it's gone i start to think about it and have this recurring thought that it will take over my mind and make me mentally ill in some way. I have worked hard on my anxiety through diet, breathing exercises, no alcohol or caffeine and reading up on it, apps  and self help books and acupuncture.  I am much improved but feel haunted by these recurring thoughts.  Any one else feel this way?

My hormone related anxiety used to accost me waking on a morning/night/small hours, some times, just before I woke, not the recommended way to greet a new day.

Naps are a bad idea for me as I wake up feeling doomed, however, sometimes, I just cannot keep my eyes open. I try to avoid naps, even now in post.

I found it was worse if I went back to sleep after waking, that is to say, if I woke too early, and did not want to take breakfast by moonlight with the owls, I would go back to sleep, and wake up accosted by stronger anxious thoughts that seemed to come out of nowhere.

I knew the answer was to get-up-when-I-wake-up, however I did not understand why I was waking,  still tired, and it's a bugger to get me out of bed when still tired.
Cortisol is what woke me up too early.

To me, meno related anxiety was a time-of-day thing.

[Dandelion]

Hi Hannah

Although I have suffered from anxiety since childhood, it is, without doubt, worse now I am post menopause. Like you I have/do take steps to try and overcome it.

Mine seems to be worse at bedtime, if I wake in the middle of the night (not everynight) and bizarrely around 4/5 pm in the evening. I don't know if this is related to the menopause or not.

I also have the recurring thoughts that you have occasionally, I think for me this is where my long standing OCD creeps in as well.

I know this probably doesn't help you but at least you know you are not alone.

Lynda

I think I am post meno, I am 55 so I guess I am, yet I still have the same anxiety as I had in peri which I find odd.
I do wonder I am worrying excessively about things though.
Maybe, now, mine is not meno related now after all.
Some of the first-thing-on-a-morning-thoughts prompt me to check for problems.
For instance, I got accosted by a thought I had wrong documentation.
I needed to check if I actually did have wrong documents, to put my mind at rest to check - I did find it was actually-factually wrong.
I'm sure it can be sorted though.
I think it is important, not to believe hormonal anxiety always points to factual problems.
For instance my toenails looked fungal, exactly like the images on google for fungal nails, my pharmacist also said a crack under my little toe was athletes foot.
I took this as factual evidence of badly fungal nails, yet the podiatrist assured me they were not fungal.
It can be convincing but not always true.

[Dandelion]

My anxiety started in peri menopause 4 years ago. I was put on HRT after being put on anti depressants which helped. In the last few months it has come back with a vengeance, worse than ever before . I wake up in the middle of the night with recurring thoughts. I find driving not enjoyable and plan my routes days in advance, if I have to go anywhere too busy or not known forget it.
I worry about things that have not happened but think the worst is going to happen. I try to meditate, and tell myself all is okay but finding that hard. I like to get everything done out the way and avoid going out after dark. I have started a new HRT regime and hoping this will help as I would like the old name back and so would my family.
Before meno I would get anxious about things like interviews etc, but that is normal. I think it is a meno thing. X

I also worry about things that have not happened. I also convince myself of problems because I find ""evidence", for instance, smells, visual triggers et cetera. I do hope your new HRT helps.

[Dandelion]

4/5 p.m. is probably low blood sugar - how close to tea-time?  Eating something at around 3.00-3.30 will ease those feelings.

Thanks for this, a cue for me to eat a bit before bed, not going to bed hungry.