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[Peri2022]

Hello, as some of you know, I’m 3 weeks into HRT with varying success day to day, but I’m still consistently finding it tough to deal with morning anxiety. As soon as I wake, my heart is racing and my mind starts whirring a mile a minute. I try to busy myself with breakfast, dog walking, chores etc but it takes a few hours to settle down and is so annoying! I know this is a common symptom of peri/meno. I already try breathing exercises on the Calm app and try to get out for a run if I can manage it but just wondering if you wise women have any other suggestions?

[Winter]

I've also had a resurgence of this in the last few days - sometimes I'm ok, sometimes not. I'm bleeding at the moment - it does seem worse. I listen to a meditation before I get up. Only thing I know is not to act on my anxious feelings - have conversations I'm worried about, react in any way, until at least 10am! It's so awful. You have my sympathy.

[CLKD]

It is awful.  These cortisol surges would wake me at around 3.30 a.m. and I would be terrified, prehensile deep fear.  My GP gave me betablockas which eased the early morning surges. 

[Peri2022]

Thanks for your replies. It really is the worst kind of fear and tension, isn’t it? You are absolutely right about not making any big decisions or actions til 10am - it’s now 1020 and I’ve been for a swim and am only just starting to engage with rational thought! Also about the beta blockers…my GP gave me propranolol 10mg which I haven’t touched since starting HRT as I just wanted to do one thing at a time but maybe now it’s time to start dabbling again. I only ever took it a handful of times, and usually bit off a bit so it was only about 7.5mg, which seemed to work well to calm the physical sensations after an hour or two. I have heard of other people feeling totally whacked on higher doses…it’s so hard to know how to tweak everything to work perfectly! Just want to feel normal again.

[discogirl]

Hi Peri2022

I am post meno and started HRT end of August.

I suffer too with crippling anxiety and cortisol surges and they are horrible.

I take some magnesium bisglycinate which seems to help calm me as well meditation but as CLKD says I'm not ruling out the fact that I may need betablockers.

Just to reassure you, you're not alone, it is awful.

Take care xxx

[Winter]

What's the difference between beta blockers and propranolol?

I'm only just starting to have rational thoughts too and it's almost 1030! I find if I can settle to a project, and let that stop the racing thoughts, without trying to stop them intentionally, then that helps.

What's the rationale between taking an anxiety medication like the above, or taking an anti-depressant? I may need something at some point - HRT isn't helping the mental symptoms at all really. Just the physical ones. I've tried AD's once and it has made me v phobic - had an awful time.

[Peri2022]

Hello there. Propranolol is just one of many drugs classed as beta blockers. I think basically they act on your adrenaline receptors so you don’t feel the physical effects of panic and anxiety like racing heart, sweaty palms etc. Antidepressants are more for the cognitive side of things. I tried citalopram once years ago and had a bad experience although I know some others love it.

I’ve just necked half a propranolol and made an appointment with a nurse at the Newson Clinic tomorrow (where my treatment was prescribed) so fingers all crossed.

[Peri2022]

Hi Peri2022

I am post meno and started HRT end of August.

I suffer too with crippling anxiety and cortisol surges and they are horrible.

I take some magnesium bisglycinate which seems to help calm me as well meditation but as CLKD says I'm not ruling out the fact that I may need betablockers.

Just to reassure you, you're not alone, it is awful.

Take care xxx

Oh, I have a bottle of magnesium glycinate but again wasn’t sure about starting it! How much do you take and when?

[Winter]

Peri - that's so interesting. I tried Citalopram too - it was a disaster - I'm a single parent and can't risk doing that again. A few years ago they offered me Venlafaxine instead - but would it really be any different?

If you are only three weeks in, that is very soon - it took a while for me to see changes.

[Peri2022]

Peri - that's so interesting. I tried Citalopram too - it was a disaster - I'm a single parent and can't risk doing that again. A few years ago they offered me Venlafaxine instead - but would it really be any different?

If you are only three weeks in, that is very soon - it took a while for me to see changes.

Hi Winter. Gosh, I can’t even imagine being a single parent on top of all this. Huge respect to you for even getting through the day!

The last three weeks have been a roller coaster. I’ve had some days where I felt pretty good, but also recently on patch-change days I have felt incredibly agitated, jittery and wired to the moon for about 18-24 hours until it settles and I only really feel good a day or two later, then it’s time to start all over again. I think my body over-absorbs the patch initially, apparently it’s a known thing called oestrogen dumping?? I’m trying half a patch today for the first time.

I feel like a walking science experiment! As do we all.

[CLKD]

Propranolol at night eased the symptoms 4 me.

Anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medications are different though some ADs do help with anxiety.  Peri - could you use half a patch at change over?

[discogirl]

Hi Peri2022,

I take the bisglycinate form, it just means it is absorbed easier.

The recommended dosage is 4 capsules to give 303mg of glycinate but I just take two before bed at night.

If I feel really anxious during the day I may take an extra one.

xxx

[Peri2022]

Thanks CLKD and discogirl. Fortunately my propranolol kicked in beautifully after about an hour this morning and I’ve felt much better this afternoon. I think I might just start taking 5mg twice a day until the HRT starts doing its thing. I put half an Estradot patch on this morning (25mcg) and so far not having the horrible wired feeling I had with a new 50mcg patch. We will see if it’s beneficial at all.

I will try taking two of the magnesium tabs tonight. It’s so weird, a few weeks ago I was the kind of person who hardly took any medicines and now I’m on oestrogen, progesterone, propranolol and a million different supplements…I guess this is just how it has to be for now. Peri/meno really challenges our perceptions of ourselves on every level, doesn’t it?

[CLKD]

Whoa!   How will you know what is working 

To go from 25 - 50 - 75 is a huge jump for any body to process.  No wonder women feel wired etc.  !

I took my Propranolol at night to ease early morning surges: 80mg for 3 weeks initially then 40mg down to 20mg for 3 years.

I would stick with the 25mcg patch for a few nights and see how you feel over all.  I wouldn't add magnesium for at least 5 days. 

[Peri2022]

Thanks CLKD for your suggestion. I guess it’s just tempting to try everything now in the hope of feeling better, but of course, that does make it harder to tell what’s working. The science experiment of my perimenopause continues…

Love to everyone who is coping with the same things. It is so hard but the support on here means the world.