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[JoannFran]

Hi everyone

Wondered if anyone could offer any advice?  I've posted on here before about the awful anxiety I've now been having for 6 months.  It's literally ruining my life.  I've had so many tests done as heart rate is high/palpitations (all heart tests ok), headaches (head scan), full abdominal MRI as they thought I could possibly have something wrong with the adrenal glands (which thankfully I don't).

Anyway dr has said it's perimenopausal but when I had blood tests done all of my hormones were within the recommended range.  She did say that this wasn't a true indication because they can change hourly but I also paid for some medichecks tests and they were also within range.

My symptoms (anxiety) are much much worse after ovulation during the luteal phase.I actually have some days during my period when I feel like my old self.  I've been researching and think that my progesterone/estrogen balance is out.   Could this be a thing even though the levels were within normal range?  I have breast cysts, ovary cysts and fibroids (which would indicate estrogen dominance)?  I tried estrogel but it made my anxiety worse (I probably didn't give it long enough to work but I couldn't cope with any more anxiety).  I don't really have any low estrogen symptoms.  No night sweats, no hot flushes, no vaginal dryness.  Is my progesterone too low?  I've read so many conflicting articles on progesterone being the first hormone to reduce and causing the problems in peri.  When I mentioned this to my dr she brushed it aside and said to up the estrogen.

I have an appointment with my dr next week so hoping to go armed with lots of info.  She has suggested anti-depressants, which I'm not against but would rather figure out why this is happening when I've never had this before in my life.

Sorry this is so long.  Any advice would be appreciate.  Thank you! xx

[CLKD]

Not anti-depressants but anti-anxiety medication would suit you better.  My GP prescribed Propranolol to ease anxiety surges in the early hours: which really worked well.  I"ve tried 'valium' as necessary.  My GP gave me 5mg 3 times a day under supervision then 5mg for a week then as I required it; usually the night B4 an event that I was unable to get out of.

Some ADs do help anxiety ........

Regardless of what is causing your anxiety, taking appropriate medication will help.  Some find that they also require HRT.

Hormone blood tests are reliably unreliable 

[JoannFran]

Thanks CLKD - I hope you are well :-). Thank you for your reply.

I'm already on beta blockers for the palpitations and heart rate.  they're not doing anything for the anxiety unfortunately.

I really don't want to take an anxiety medication without finding out the reason why this has just started happening to me.  If I'd always been prone to anxiety then I would accept that I require some help but this has come out of the blue and floored me, literally happening overnight, therefore there must be a reason for it? I need to find the root cause rather than masking the symptoms.  I'm not against medication at all, I'm just the type of person that needs to find out the reason first. 

I'm doing everything I can to improve it.  Reflexology, acupuncture, changed my diet/working with a nutritionist, taking lots of supplements to support my system.  I've cut out sugar, caffeine, alcohol, I exercise 4 times per week.   And yet this continues to plague me 

I have a nice life, a wonderful husband, great kids, I'm so sad at what this is doing to me x

[Marchlove]

Hi JoannFran

Could well be low progesterone. High estrogen = anxiety, so would need progesterone to balance it out. Not too much progesterone though, as you don’t want to feel depressed, so it’s getting the balance right.
Can’t tell from blood tests if within ranges, as you rightly say they fluctuate too much.

You could start with magnesium whilst you figure out what to do. If your most anxious in the morning take it then and again at lunchtime. If it’s evening take it then. A good high dose will be needed. xx

[CrispyChick]

I'm currently being treated for low progesterone. I'm 45 and been suffering this peri hell for 4 years.

My treatment has not helped so far. It's been 3 months, I've only been on very low dose, - so expecting to up it after my next consult.

My prog level was 3. 5 on a day 21 blood test. That shows I didn't ovulate that month. Without ovulation - you don't produce much prog... I believe this becomes common in peri.

Yes, blood tests are unreliable, but they use the day 21 test to check prog levels in woman failing to get pregnant - so the prog test can't be that unreliable!

Unfortunately in the UK the NHS only support estrogen supplementation, prog is only there to protect the uterus. Yet again, they will give prog to woman trying to conceive with low levels.

So, I'm now going through the BHRT route.

Like i say, not working yet, so I cannot recommend at present. But just wanted to say there are other options to explore...

[JoannFran]

Thank you for your replies.

Marchlove - thank you, i think you could be right.  I've got some progesterone so I'm going to start experimenting. Scared but I feel I have nothing to lose at this point.  I take a good quality magnesium at night with dinner and it definitely calms me.  Wonder if I can take a couple in the morning too.

CrispyChick - Do you mind me asking what your symptoms of low progesterone are?  I've also got some progesterone cream and I know it's not approved but I'm seriously thinking I have nothing to lose by trying it.  Could I still be low on progesterone if my levels are within normal range or may I just be low for me?  Hope you get some improvement soon.

This is all such a guessing game isn't it (sigh) xx

[Marchlove]

Sounds good to me! Have a play with the progesterone cream, you’ve got nothing to lose!
Yes play around with the magnesium too. I only recently switched from taking at at night for two year, to taking it in the morning when I actually felt anxious. Good decision, one of few, but getting there.

[CrispyChick]

Hey, lots of symptoms. My main ones, and initial ones, are vertigo, dizziness, extreme nausea, brain fog/vagueness, mood swings and generally feeling very ill.

Lots of others along the way - random achiness, indigestion (resolved now), sinus flair ups, fkuey feeling, anxiety off and on.

You name it, I've had it of got it. .. Except sweats and hot flushes!!!!

I've read a lot on this - mostly from the states. They follow the low prog protocol in early peri.

How strong is your cream??? I don't think over the counter ones are particularly strong. I'm using compounded cream and I'm now up to 100mg per day...

There is a lot of info (in the states) about how low dose prog can antagonise the estrogen receptors and you actually experience more estrogenic symptoms until you get through that... I think that's what has happened to me. My initial horrific symptoms have been triggered.

However... I'm plodding on. I'm definitely absorbing as it is controlling my period. If I stop the cream - day 4 my period arrives. But how much I'm absorbing, I'm not sure yet.

Do you have your blood results??? I was told my bloods were normal under NHS. But turns out my estrogen is very normal - not high, just normal, but my prog is non existent.