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[T’oldlass]

Hi. It’s my first post and sorry about the length of it!

I’ve been on HRT for 2 years now - I use. Oestrogel and utrogestan. I’ve complained about feeling anxious for a couple of years and it was anxiety that sent me off to the GP in the first place. Some days I’d just stare at the wall crying, and feeling totally flat and wishing I wasn’t here. Anyhoo, last May I had the mother of all panic attacks. I didn’t know that’s what it was and I ended up in A&E having ECGs and blood tests, all of which were ok. I went to the GP the following day, talked about my anxiety levels and was prescribed citalopram 10mg. My home life can be a bit meh and I’m a social worker and team manager, so you can imagine that can come with a high level of stress.

I’ve not been too bad since until recently. I’d notice that I tended to plummet a bit and feel anxious after I’d stopped the utrogestan after day 26 but then I’d pick back up again. But I can’t pick back up this time. I have had the jitters constantly for 2 weeks and convinced myself I have a heart problem or I’m about to have a stroke! I get four hours sleep if I’m lucky…I drop off no problem but I will wake up during the night. Every night between 2 and 4. And then I’m awake for the rest of the night with these jitters and feelings of dread. It’s 9.27pm now and the jitters have eased off but I know that it’s only temporary. And I must stop obsessing with my heart rate on the iwatch!

 I also have what I think is a type of tinnitus- a whooshing in my ears when get up or turn too fast which also makes me think there’s something going on that isn’t related to hormones and the most dreadful headaches. The whooshing started a few months after I went on to hrt and that seems to be worse at the moment too. It was more sporadic before. It’s a bit like when you were a kid and if you held a big shell to your ear, you could hear the sea. Liars.

Has anyone not been able to shake off the physical symptoms of anxiety mainly the chest discomfort? And what the hell is the whooshing about?  am going to the GP in the morning but wanted to reach out and see what your experiences are. Everyone is different but I honestly feel like I’m going bonkers and the more I worry the more jittery I get and the more jittery I am the more I worry! And then the whooshing. Christ on a bike, I’m praying this is all down to bloody hormones.

Any comments gratefully received!

[FelicityJane]

Have a look at Lara Briden, tinnitus type sounds can apparently have caused by high levels of histamine which can be caused by high estrogen. I am experiencing this at the moment, feel like there is a hum in between my ears, like my head is on charge... Sleep has been really hit and miss too...

[T’oldlass]

Cheers for your reply. I’ll look at her work.

 

[Betsy123]

Hi. It’s my first post and sorry about the length of it!

I’ve been on HRT for 2 years now - I use. Oestrogel and utrogestan. I’ve complained about feeling anxious for a couple of years and it was anxiety that sent me off to the GP in the first place. Some days I’d just stare at the wall crying, and feeling totally flat and wishing I wasn’t here. Anyhoo, last May I had the mother of all panic attacks. I didn’t know that’s what it was and I ended up in A&E having ECGs and blood tests, all of which were ok. I went to the GP the following day, talked about my anxiety levels and was prescribed citalopram 10mg. My home life can be a bit meh and I’m a social worker and team manager, so you can imagine that can come with a high level of stress.

I’ve not been too bad since until recently. I’d notice that I tended to plummet a bit and feel anxious after I’d stopped the utrogestan after day 26 but then I’d pick back up again. But I can’t pick back up this time. I have had the jitters constantly for 2 weeks and convinced myself I have a heart problem or I’m about to have a stroke! I get four hours sleep if I’m lucky…I drop off no problem but I will wake up during the night. Every night between 2 and 4. And then I’m awake for the rest of the night with these jitters and feelings of dread. It’s 9.27pm now and the jitters have eased off but I know that it’s only temporary. And I must stop obsessing with my heart rate on the iwatch!

 I also have what I think is a type of tinnitus- a whooshing in my ears when get up or turn too fast which also makes me think there’s something going on that isn’t related to hormones and the most dreadful headaches. The whooshing started a few months after I went on to hrt and that seems to be worse at the moment too. It was more sporadic before. It’s a bit like when you were a kid and if you held a big shell to your ear, you could hear the sea. Liars.

Has anyone not been able to shake off the physical symptoms of anxiety mainly the chest discomfort? And what the hell is the whooshing about?  am going to the GP in the morning but wanted to reach out and see what your experiences are. Everyone is different but I honestly feel like I’m going bonkers and the more I worry the more jittery I get and the more jittery I am the more I worry! And then the whooshing. Christ on a bike, I’m praying this is all down to bloody hormones.

Any comments gratefully received!

You sound exactly like me. I started with the same issue at 47 and a couple of years on hrt I felt better. Sadly this didn't last and lots of combinations later I am off of hrt altogether at the minute.  I currently take a mild beta blocker for an ectopic benign heartbeat I developed through a drop in oestragon during menapause. Ensure to have this checked as the panic attacks are controlled even though the anxiety is still there at certain times. Can I ask do you find them worse when stressing and are you a worrier as I know I can be and makes the anxiety worse. Try to incorporate time for yourself and don't feel bad about it. Try yoga as I find this really helps also walking with a good podcast or audible can help. I listen to Joshua Fletcher who has some great tips on managing anxiety, has a panic attack emergency talk down and helps you make sense of it all.  I keep hoping mine will eventually go away but no luck so far. Try not to worry as mine spiralled to having health worries and a feeling I was going to die. I still get the death dreads now and am convinced it is due to hormonal change even though my doctor keeps saying its just anxiety. I don't know about you but I remember feeling anxious around the ages of 17 to 20 also. I have always been active and looked for challenges in life but the change in character has been awful and can get you down.  I hope you feel better knowing you are not alone in this. Try to speak to your doctor again. So many women suffer anxiety through menapause however they just don't take it seriously enough. Take care.
 

[CLKD]

Which dose of citalopram have you been prescribed and when do U take it?

[sheila99]

I think you might benefit from an increase in oestrogen. Not sure about tinnitus but the others can all be symptoms. Your sleep patterns and anxiety sound just like my symptoms.

[T’oldlass]

Which dose of citalopram have you been prescribed and when do U take it?

Hi I take 10mg of citalopram in a morning.

[Autumnwalks]

How is your blood pressure? The whooshing could be high blood pressure related.

[T’oldlass]

So I’ve been ok for the last couple of weeks…no jitters or whooshing. Changed my schedule for the oestrogel to morning and reduced the number of pumps.

Had my BP checked last Thursday and it was higher than it should be. I’ve been on ramipril for a year but my BP was stable up to last week but I’m now on amlodipine (or something spelt similar).

Two days ago, I finished the course of utrogestan. I have had the most horrendous night of jitters again with a bit of whooshing and I haven’t slept since 1.30. I’ve just got this awful knot in my chest and feeling of dread this morning. I’ve gone back 3 or 4 weeks and now I feel like poo. Haven’t had a withdrawal bleed yet so wondering if that’s something to do with it. It’s totally rubbish. TFI Friday.

[sooper_cooper]

Hi, sorry you’re going through this. The same happened to me. On Boxing Day I felt sick, panicky, and it lasted a month.
My dr increased my hrt from 50 to 75 patches which helped for a week then I was back to waking early hours panicky and sick. There seems to be a monthly cycle to mine. I am on mirtrazapine which helps with sleep. But the final piece of the puzzle seems to be the type of progesterone. Utrigestan didn’t agree with me and an increase in it had a direct effect on my symptoms.
Now I am on a different type, Medroxyprogesterone, and I have stabilised. I still feel groggy in the morning but it could be the anti depressant and compared to the sickness and anxiety it’s nothing.
I hope you find your balance soon. But I’m sure you will. It’s just so hard having to go through trial and error.

[CLKD]

Do be aware ladies that blood pressure levels may not registered true in a surgery, so don't be in too much hurry to take medication.  A GP should suggest that a patient buys a BP machine to use at home for 3 months, taking the best of 3 readings twice a day: B4 eating in the morning and in the evening.  White Coat Syndrome is common and the readings usually relax at home.

DH used to measure his readings at breakfast time: on our machine I don't register at all 

[T’oldlass]

My gp did actually suggest a home BP machine and advised me to monitor it for a two week period with the amlodipine. Whether I’m checking it at home or the surgery, my BP is normal now.

[CLKD]

That's good.  How do U feel overall, I read your response in another thread. 

[T’oldlass]

That's good.  How do U feel overall, I read your response in another thread. 

For the last week I’ve had about 5 nights where I’ve woken up several times feeling panicky, dizzy and had palpatations. Yesterday I got up for work after a week’s leave and burst into tears - you might think it was the thought of work but I felt like that while ii’ve been off. I haven’t had a withdrawal bleed this month either and I’m sure that’s something to do with it. I feel all over the place again and trying to function like a normal person is bloomin’ hard when all i want to do bury myself in the duvet till the room stops spinning!

Thank you for asking. Although anyone being nice to me sets me off again    lolz