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[CB73]

Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum, but from reading your experiences I think I'm in the right place.

I'm 50, almost 51 and I've been taking escitalopram SSRI for almost 20 years now for anxiety and OCD. A couple of times I've tried to come off them believing I was fine and didn't need them.
They were the two worst moments of my life! Whether it was withdrawal or relapse I don't know.. but I really suffered! The anxiety was intense, my OCD was out of control and I had to take 3 months off work on each occasion. I made the decision to never try that again and just accept that my brain needed them and I would be on them for life.
Two weeks ago, I was suddenly hit by intense anxiety and panic again despite continuing to take 15mg of escitalopram, as I have done for the last 6 years! Old OCD thoughts that I'd challenged and seen off years ago are now swimming round in my head, just as dark and fearsome as they ever were. I just don't understand why... has my SSRI just suddenly stopped working? I've never felt like this whilst taking them.

Five days ago, on the advice of my GP I increased to 20mg, obviously there's no effect as yet, but I'm starting to think that this could all be menopause related and so just wanted to put it out there... has anyone else had a similar breakthrough of anxiety whilst taking SSRIs?

I'm not sure where I am in the whole perimenopause/menopause timeline as I haven't had periods for approx. 3 years due to ablation, but being almost 51 it surely must be a factor.
I haven't had many other symptoms, but I do suffer night sweats and hot flashes, more so now the anxiety is so high. Naively, I hoped I'd sailed through the change with the help of my ADs but a recent hysteroscopy confirmed that my womb is still premenopausal.
Do you think it could be a sudden fluctuation/drop in oestrogen that's triggered the anxiety and panic?

Sorry for the garbled post with lots of questions, I'm just so distressed at the moment.

[sheila99]

IMO probably meno. I'm a bit different as I never had anxiety before peri but it's definitely a symptom and for me was cured completely by hrt. You're suffering other oestrogen deficiency symptoms too so perhaps you could trial hrt and see if you get back on an even keel again? You have my sympathy, anxiety is the absolute pits. It took 3 months for molina to go completely so suggest you try it for at least that length of time.

[CB73]

Thank you sheila99, I am going to speak to my Dr about Hrt, it just seems to be a bit of a minefield. I suppose I need to accept it will time to resolve. 

[CLKD]

The brain may become used to a fixed dose of anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medication.  Mine pooped out several times so I either upped the dose or changed to a different regime.  Why stop if they work?

U R certainly welcome - browse round, make notes.  Anxiety can be triggered by fluctuating hormone levels.

My OCD takes the form of hand washing more than I ought to be doing so I make a list of when I must wash ...... then stand back at other times.  In my opinion DH does't go to the tap often enough  and I try not to nag but OH!    . U should notice a difference in your mind set within about 7 days, when I wake feeling lower than I am comfortable with, if this continues for 3 mornings I up my escitalopram for as long as necessary: usually no more than 5 mornings: I take 10mg at night and 5 in the morning, adding the extra 5 at breakfast. 


Almost 51 - does that mean we get to share  ? ;-).

[CB73]

Thank you CLKD
Escitalopram have worked really well for me until now, so I’m really hoping the increased dose helps me get back on track!
It’s also been a really stressful year for me which also hasn’t helped, so along with menopause, it’s a perfect storm!

[CLKD]

....... and breath 

[bombsh3ll]

There's a saying "if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it's probably a duck"!

You are early 50's with hot flushes, night sweats and a flare up of previously controlled anxiety.

I'd treat this as menopause rather than adding in more psychiatric medication that doesn't have any of the long term health benefits of estrogen.

[Mariab]

Hi there,
I use hrt and antidepressants for anxiety due to peri....it's mostly under control...
It is safe to use both at once and hrt worth a try if you hav not tried it yet.

[alltheleaves]

IMO probably meno. I'm a bit different as I never had anxiety before peri but it's definitely a symptom and for me was cured completely by hrt. You're suffering other oestrogen deficiency symptoms too so perhaps you could trial hrt and see if you get back on an even keel again? You have my sympathy, anxiety is the absolute pits. It took 3 months for molina to go completely so suggest you try it for at least that length of time.

Do you mind me asking your hrt you take thanks

[Helen57]

Oh my. ...I could of written this myself! I really feel for you as I'm exactly where you are now. I was dealing with my OCD and hadn't had much issue with it for 10 years!  I managed on Venlafaxine  (ssri), then in April this year, all hell broke loose. My OCD came back with a vengeance with a theme I last suffered from over 15 years ago and thought I'd dealt with all those thoughts and were behind me. Along with that comes the crippling anxiety that the thoughts cause and the rumination that is my compulsion. This time around the anxiety is having a lot more physical symptoms that I never had before, so I knew something was different. I'm having the hot sweats (not all the time)  stomach issues, internal tremors and so on. The anti-d's just aren't working like they did before and I'm on the same dose that worked for years. After a couple of trips to the doctors and I told them I think I'm perimenopausal, they gave me hrt. I'm only 3 days in, so not sure yet if it's going to make a difference, although I do already feel a little better. Also my ocd and anxiety gets a lot worse around my cycle and for about a week afterwards, but it's always there, some days I'm just able to implement the techniques to sit with the thoughts, other times it's impossible. I did have a nervous breakdown in April/May, after the return of OCD, and was completely non functioning for weeks. I do think this is down to hormones this time around, so yours definitely could be too..in fact more than likely is! I would speak to your gp about hrt, it's worth a try to not feel like we do. OCD and anxiety is the worst feeling ever. Hope this helps. You are not alone and I'm here if you ever need to talk as someone who knows exactly what you're going through. Xx

[bombsh3ll]

Morphine patches - WTAF???!!!

In what universe is that safer than hormone therapy?

That just makes me so sad and angry to read.

It has never been either evidence or guideline based to make women wait for 12 months after their last period to get hormone therapy.

That's simply egregiously poor practice.

Being told what we're "allowed" to have is really patronising to adult women who should be afforded the autonomy to make their own healthcare decisions.

If anyone else is in this position, know that it is not OK and seek out another doctor.

[kittydaydream]

I experienced this starting 3 years ago when peri started, I’m on 2 different anxiety meds and it was like they completely stopped working, social anxiety I’d been able to manage before completely took over and I stopped seeing anyone, I’m on hrt which helped a lot but the anxiety simmers just under the surface and due to a change in regime I’m struggling with it again. Dr recently switched around my ssri doses but it’s only been three weeks.
Thinking if you though it’s so horrible

[CLKD]

Merrygoround - I take multi vitamins as advised by my GP and allevia for the itching which is a side effect from so many meds.


Why would meds cause itching whereas it is known that low oestrogen levels can cause low grade or intense itchiness.  As the levels drop the skin may become dry : inside and out  ....... deep in the ears, skin, vagina, between my toes, scalp ......


Reading a dermatologist recently: of course have thrown the article and can't remember his name: who told readers that no one should take multi vets if they have a full healthy varied diet unless other diseases have been excluded.  There is a thought that as we age we don't absorb food stuffs in the same way as when younger and certainly some ladies do develop sensitivity to foods/alcohol.  Not allergies because that would be an instant reaction.


Patients shouldn't in this Century be begging for treatments in any speciality.  It does seem though that specialists tend to keep within their own fields these days rather than sharing symptoms with colleagues on a 'would you know' basis  .

Anxiety was relieved for me with appropriate medication and now I have a go-to pill for when anxiety floors me.

[CLKD]

I wonder too whether not having a regular GP/family doctor means that patients in many specialities get prescribed what each GP thinks might work? So tablets are piled on top of others without a) allowing them to work and b) not taking the patient off B4 adding another.  How else would we know what is/not working?

A friend who was taking a LOT of medication moved near to me and left her meds behind.  Our GP spent ages going through her medical history and what she really required.  It would seem that she had over the course of 14 or so years been prescribed medications to ease side effects of others!  Once she was on the necessary 2 life saving medications she felt less muddled and had more energy 

[CLKD]

Merrygoround: My joint pains got worse again so at age 51 they prescribed morphine patches, they are for the rest of my life. I still wasn't allowed to try HRT, I was still having periods.


Who has suggested that you require patches 'for Life'?  Who oversees your medication?  They R not the usual treatment for joint pains ......... my course of action would be to ask for a referral to a rheumatoid specialist who can give up2date advice or what you actually require to ease joint pains.  Years ago Gold injections were given for RA but became too expensive.  Even though they worked well for many patients 

Let us know how you get on?  I would make a list of what I am taking; when; for how long; good/back results in the way of controlling pain; and get myself off to an appropropirate specialist ...... pity I can't spell  .