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[CLKD]

 

[Peana]

Hi Peri2022. Sorry to hear that you are suffering, but you're not alone and I'm sure you'll find lots of good advice here.

Have you tried EFT (tapping)?  It was recommended on the forum recently and I've found it really helpful.  I think you can still do a free trial on the Tapping Solution app (I found it so helpful I have taken out a years subscription).  I know that I have some deep seated issues that I need to address and plan to find a therapist to work through them with (rather than just an app), but if I'm in a total state some of the exercises help calm me enough to get through the day (although I might need to do them a few times).  There are also loads of videos on Youtube to get you started. 

Another recommendation from the forum I've found useful is the 'Therapy in a nutshell' channel on youtube.  There are some excellent practical videos on dealing with stress, anxiety, panic attacks, emotional distress, etc..  Finally, another free app recommended here recently is Insight Timer - Jennifer Piercy has some excellent meditations for helping with sleep - I find getting a good night's sleep is a massive help. 

After many years of living in flats, I'm lucky enough to have a garden now, and spending time outside is something that helps ground me a bit, even when the weather is grotty.  It is frustrating that it takes so long to find the right balance of solutions, but hopefully things will start to improve for you.  Good luck.

[2cats]

I too have what I presume are cortisol/ adrenaline surges in the morning which leave me feeling irrational, scared and overwhelmed. If I’m going to work then I manage but on days off, I end up in floods of tears and extremely emotional. The dr suggested 40mg propranolol in the morning but bits been 2 weeks and I’m not sure it’s having any effect. Most days the anxiety and uncomfortable feeling wears off by about 1pm but it can hang around all day.  If it’s really bad I just go back to bed and sleep it off. I’ve lost count of the hours I’ve now lost to this over the last couple of years. I’ve tried a/d and Citalopram did work but gave me awful neck and jaw pain so I had to stop taking it. 5 different ones pretty much all affected me badly. All the mindfulness, yoga, magnesium etc seem to make no difference.
Im on 4 pumps of gel, utrogestan, and testogel (10 weeks) but don’t feel this is working for me. Meno nurse has agreed I can try femseven conti so waiting to speak to my gp.
There doesn’t seem to be anything else out there to counteract early morning surges. It’s so debilitating.

[Stella2]

I don't know if this could work for you, but when I was going through therapy for anxiety I was told to try to stay with the feeling rather than avoiding it because avoidance creates more anxiety. I somehow managed to do so - when I woke up in dread I would say 'hello dread' and tried to feel it kind of exploring it with interest rather than being afraid of it. It would dissipate eventually, as if it only needed to be noticed.

[2cats]

That’s really interesting Stella . I will give it a go!

[Kathleen]

Hello 2cats

I am in a similar position and also trying to find a way of managing it all.

I am interested in what you say about sleeping off these horrible feelings.  I find that if I can relax enough to sleep I cope much better. I am wondering if our brains need more time to rest and rewire when we are Menopausal? Perhaps a week of early nights would be of benefit?

Take care and wishing you well.

K.

[2cats]

Hi Kathleen, I’m going to bed between half nine and ten as most days I have to get up pretty early. Nothing seems to have made the difference yet except for citalopram antidepressant but it gave me daily headaches and awful neck and jaw pain so couldn’t continue.

[discogirl]

I don't know if this could work for you, but when I was going through therapy for anxiety I was told to try to stay with the feeling rather than avoiding it because avoidance creates more anxiety. I somehow managed to do so - when I woke up in dread I would say 'hello dread' and tried to feel it kind of exploring it with interest rather than being afraid of it. It would dissipate eventually, as if it only needed to be noticed.

HI Stella2

Just reading what your therapist told you to do for anxiety, that's so interesting as our initial instinct is to avoid it, by whatever means, it may work in other areas I struggle with, I will give it a go, thank you xx

[Marchlove]

That worked for me Stella!

Not straight away but with practice it became better and better.
Embrace it, welcome it, laugh at it even 

[MIS71MUM]

I think with Mindfulness, they would advise you to turn towards your fears, pain, etc rather than avoid.
Not saying it’s easy but maybe with practice you could change the relationship that you have with anxiety.

[Stella2]

so glad to hear that Merchlove!

[Minusminnie]

I’ve always found John Kabat Zinn body scan helpful (& often his voice alone).

[Alice]

Hi Peri2022,
My anxiety goes up and down, depending on how well HRT is working (whether I'm on the right type and dose) and external stress.
Like you, I find exercise helps a bit.
I also did a short course of CBT on the NHS, I was able to self refer and see someone surprisingly quickly. The techniques that she used were keeping a diary of what I was worrying about and then later scheduling "worry time" basically you put aside a bit of time in the early evening to worry about things and as worrying thoughts come up, you put them in a notebook to worry about later during worry time.
The act of writing down the worries means that you've acknowledged them and your mind doesn't have to turn them over quite so much.
Before I did the course, I thought my anxiety was purely caused by hormones, but it turns out the mind is also involved.
Other things that I think have helped me:
Cutting right back on caffeine
Meditation
Doing puzzles on my phone in the morning, instead of looking at emails etc.
Saying no to avoidable things that will stress me out and letting my family know they can't expect so much of me.
Doing things that are relaxing or absorbing, time with friends, outdoors etc.
Remembering that it's a phase that will pass.
I think that HRT has played the biggest role for me in how normal I feel, but it's not enough in it's own.
I hope you start to see light at the end of the tunnel soon x