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[J0J076]

 Morning 😊 I hope today is a good day for everyone. I’ve just joined the forum and I don’t feel so alone🥰 I’m getting used to feeling really crappy on a morning but I’m finding the pre-menopause experience  extremely scary. I’m 46 and have just started the HRT patches on Monday, I’m also taking propranolol to ease my racing heart as Im having regular panic attacks. My chest is extremely tight and I’m having some awful pains in my arms and shoulders. I think this is due to anxiety which has completely taken over my body. My throat gets tight and I feel like my heart is going to come out of my chest - then I start shaking uncontrollably, then the tinnitus starts. I’ve had my heart checked out at the hospital a few days ago and I’ve been reassured that it’s not my heart but the pain I feel around my left breast and chest during these attacks is very real and leaves me in pain and discomfort for hours following them. I’ve lost 6lbs this week as my appetite has changed and I don’t sleep much on a night. Im trying my best to get through each day but these daily (1-2 per day) panic attacks are crippling me. Is anyone else having these awful chest pains?

[J0J076]

Thank you for your reply 🙏🏻 It’s good to know there’s hope. Im doing everything I can to ease the anxiety but unfortunately it’s taken over 😕 I can’t get out of bed today as my chest is so tight and Im worried it’ll bring the palpitations on if I move - which will cause the panic attacks. I’ll see how I get on with these patches 👍 it’s only early days. I need to remind myself that this will pass and that my heart is fine, deep breathe but all that goes out of the window when they start! Thanks again x

[CLKD]

Anxiety can at times over whelm me.  Go down to your toes and stretch them: hold then relax.  Work up the whole body muscle groups: stretch, hold, relax. 

Then : draw a deep breath in through the nose, hold for 10 counts, then release as slowly as possible through the mouth.  It can take a while to count to 10!  Because anxiety causes us to breathe in a shallow way, the body doesn't get enough oxygen = panic.  Do U sing?

I was supposed to practice!  Even though I know it's the flight/fight response, it doesn't help when anxiety hits.

[CLKD]

Where does it start with you, it's around my belly button always.  A sudden nausea = panic.  In the 1990s my GP prescribed Valium - 10 mg 3 times a day for two days then 10mg at night.  Once I found out that it worked I used it the night B4 an event that I was unable to get out of: 5mg then knowing that I could take 5mg the next day which I never required.  It did make me sleepy mid-afternoon  which MinL hated when I dropped off ;-).

When do you take the Propranolol?  I took it at night to ease the early morning surges caused by cortisol as jaypo mentioned.  The waking hormone  . Huh!

[RebJT]

Hiya

Bless you!

Not to over complicate matters do you know whether you are iron deficient, or have a thyroid issue.  These on their own can cause all sorts of whacky symptoms including anxiety, panic, racing heart, skipping beats, pounding heart etc, and shoulder and arm pain.  Propranolol will affect your thyroid levels, as will introducting oestrogen.

Are any of these symptoms worse since you added the oestrogen?  As some of them sound also like a histamine response (one way to check would be to take an OTC anti histamine and see if that helps), including anxiety, tightening throat and tinnitus.

A fair few of us ladies discovered around peri menopause that we had some other issues that were making the transition onto HRT really tricky, but with a bit of unpicking we were able to find a way to make it work.  In my own case, going onto HRt massively triggered histamine overload and I had to come off, get the histamine under control, and try again.  I also have long term issues with iron deficiency and correcting this also made a massive difference.

Reb
x

[J0J076]

Thank you everyone 💕 I’ve downloaded a good app to help with the anxiety. I’ve had my thyroid and my iron checked and have been told both fine..as well as heart checks were fine … I should’ve felt reassured but I didn’t. My dad died at 40 years old (1991) with a heart attack and my brother died when he was 43 (2017) with vasculitis so it’s possible that I’m over worrying when the panic sets in. Deep breathes and lots of prayers that this passes soon x

[CLKD]

However: GPs seem to think that if a thyroid function test is 'within normal limits' that no treatment is required, even when a patient continues to express symptoms!  I'm sure that someone will be along with advice on that one.

[Pippa52]

Hi and welcome.  So sorry to see that you are suffering so much with the panic attacks.  I really really feel for you as they hit me like a sledge hammer too - they are horrible and so scary.  Very glad you have had your heart checked out and that all is well there but I totally understand that the panic attacks are causing you such distress.  I have a mantra I say when I get one now ' It is what it is and it will pass and I am safe'.  It probably sounds crazy but I keep repeating that and it does help  me.  I also meditate which helps as well. I have found that getting the HRT levels right is also a huge help in lessening the attacks and also anxiety. My Father also died suddenly literally overnight aged 60 when I was 14  so I understand so much about how your Sister's heart attack has affected you. Hope so much you start to feel better soon.  Sending love and empathy xx

[J0J076]

I’m going to try meditation and yoga and see if I can get a good balance with my body and mind 🙏 The thoughts do get worse due to family history and reading all comments, this happens to others too.

I think I’ll ring the GP tomorrow and ask if I can have my thyroid tested again for peace of mind.

I appreciate all of your comments and don’t feel alone with this 💕 x

[Honeybee2]

Anxiety feeling in my body with palpitations shaking sweating and feeling very overwhelmed took over me I felt like I was in a constant state trying to cope I was  waking up in the early hours sweating and feeling very strange this ruled my life for so long it was horrible  .my brain kept telling me this is not normal to feel so Ill
I started HRT and kept having to up my oestrogen dose until it settled to a point where I wasn’t thinking about how my body felt and how fast my heart was beating .
I had a mountain of tests done and all normal but I didn’t feel normal. I would rush down to the doctors iin desperation crying in the reception area  feeling like a vulnerable child but didn’t care what people thought sometimes even rushing up A&E I really thought I was dying
Today I am sitting here typing with sadness that women are experiencing these horrific symptoms and for me felt like I was slowly losing my mind ….BUT things have greatly improved for me some days not great but having more good than bad lately I smile more and can sleep.and morning are easier as I don’t feel like I am waking with a fast heartbeat and need to rush out of bed
Unfortunately it has effected my mental health and has given me health anxiety but waiting for councilling
I hope you can find reassurance from my words as I so needed reassurance on bad days .I wanted someone to tell me you are ok this will settle with the right HRT dosage ,but all the reading up and talking to people just didn’t get through to my brain because I suppose I couldn’t believe that my body could feel this bad with a so called natural process of menopause ……
I send you hope and hope things settle for you, x

[Booroo]

Anxiety feeling in my body with palpitations shaking sweating and feeling very overwhelmed took over me I felt like I was in a constant state trying to cope I was  waking up in the early hours sweating and feeling very strange this ruled my life for so long it was horrible  .my brain kept telling me this is not normal to feel so Ill
I started HRT and kept having to up my oestrogen dose until it settled to a point where I wasn’t thinking about how my body felt and how fast my heart was beating .
I had a mountain of tests done and all normal but I didn’t feel normal. I would rush down to the doctors iin desperation crying in the reception area  feeling like a vulnerable child but didn’t care what people thought sometimes even rushing up A&E I really thought I was dying
Today I am sitting here typing with safeness that women are experiencing these horrific symptoms and for me felt like I was slowly losing my mind ….BUT things have greatly improved for me some days not great but having more good than bad lately I smile more and can sleep.and morning are easier as I don’t feel like I am waking with a fast heartbeat and need to rush out of bed
Unfortunately it has effected my mental health and has given me health anxiety but waiting for councilling
I hope you can find reassurance from my words as I so needed reassurance on bad days .I wanted someone to tell me you are ok this will settle with the right HRT dosage ,but all the reading up and talking to people just didn’t get through to my brain because I suppose I couldn’t believe that my body could feel this bad with a so called natural process of menopause ……
I send you hope and hope things settle for you, x

Sounds like me last night! I posted literally in the night been on hrt just over a month upped it once and miles better but still think when I speak next week will have to tweak a bit more. Glad to read u ok and it gets better xx

[Honeybee2]

Booroo sorry to read you are struggling
HRT is a process it definitely takes time and can’t be rushed .I started on a very low dose I pump of oestrogel and continuous Utrogestran with a 3 day break.with no effect I wasn’t bleeding on the break so…..
Changed after a few months later to continuous utrogestran with no break and 1 and half pumps but still felt bad ….
Then changed to Evorel 50 patch again a few months later still not completely there but I think my turning point was when I applied an extra pump in the morning  to top up the patch,Which seems to have settled things down particularly my fast heartbeat panic attacks /sleep/night sweats and foggy brain
This is no easy ride and personally feel I was on a too small amount of oestrogen . I was extremely nervous about putting too much on.
Hope your day gets easier the way I felt would improve as the day went on x

[J0J076]

Mornings and night times are difficult -  It’s good to know that things do settle down eventually but the process is scary 😟 I was in A&E last week and all was ok, but at the time, I thought that was it for me! You do feel very vulnerable and no matter how much you tell yourself ‘I’m ok and not going to die’ the overwhelming feeling of dread takes over as the panic feeling is so strong. I’m constantly reading about how I can combat mornings and feel less anxious on an evening - this forum has really helped 💕 At first I felt hopeless and completely overwhelmed with it all - Were all in it together 🫶🏻 x

[Booroo]

Booroo sorry to read you are struggling
HRT is a process it definitely takes time and can’t be rushed .I started on a very low dose I pump of oestrogel and continuous Utrogestran with a 3 day break.with no effect I wasn’t bleeding on the break so…..
Changed after a few months later to continuous utrogestran with no break and 1 and half pumps but still felt bad ….
Then changed to Evorel 50 patch again a few months later still not completely there but I think my turning point was when I applied an extra pump in the morning  to top up the patch,Which seems to have settled things down particularly my fast heartbeat panic attacks /sleep/night sweats and foggy brain
This is no easy ride and personally feel I was on a too small amount of oestrogen . I was extremely nervous about putting too much on.
Hope your day gets easier the way I felt would improve as the day went on x

Yes was looking forward to getting up and putting on the gel!

[Honeybee2]

Yes jojo76 we sound very similar .
What HRT are you on ? What dosage ?
It’s just terrible that it gets to a point where you sit up A&E in desperation !, I have certainly been there .I literally couldn’t work for months BUT back to work now and feel more settled in my body.
It’s really hard trying to explain how you feel to someone aswell you feel lost lonely and scared .please take reassurance from my journey I really didn’t think I was ever going to feel myself again . I would be woken up most nights it was like a switch …woke up ..that dreaded feeling sweating and pulse racing my body literally felt so weird almost wired and had been drinking red bull or something ..it was impossible to get back into sleep mode… would get up feeling muzzled in my head like I couldn’t think properly and sometimes felt dizzy and a tight feeling in my chest .it wouldn’t matter what time I went to bed I just seemed to wake up at any time between 3 or 4 .I was sleep deprived .it really traumatised me I almost dreaded going to bed .
I am trying to explain how I felt to let you know I have lived it and really empathetic to the way you are feeling xxxx