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[wuzzie]

Does anyone experience anxiety on waking?  i’m not talking about ‘worrying’ about something which we all do at times, I’m talking about physical anxiety which is felt in the body.  Every morning immediately on waking I experience this kind of surge of anxiety which gradually wears off during the day.  I know cortisol is highest in the morning but I never experienced this prior to my menopause.  Currently on 2 pumps estradiol, 100 mg Utrogestan every day.  Interested what others have experienced and how they deal with it.  I do all the right things, good diet, not too much alcohol, don’t smoke, breathing techniques so it’s definitely not my lifestyle.  I’m 65 by the way so well past the menopause.

[CLKD]

I would wake.  Terrified.  Anytime after 3.00 a.m.  GP prescribed propranolol, to take every night, which eased the surges.  I would have to get out of bed immediately.

[wuzzie]

Yes, it’s very strange.  Just hoping someone here has some miracle solution 

[wuzzie]

I would wake.  Terrified.  Anytime after 3.00 a.m.  GP prescribed propranolol, to take every night, which eased the surges.  I would have to get out of bed immediately.

It’s horrible it really is.  I do have some propranolol just not on repeat prescription.  Probably need to get into the routine of taking it every night.

[Dierdre]

Feeling like a surge of energy and all jittery. Deep breathing for a bit, don't fight it just relax through it and it goes.

[CLKD]

Propranolol should be taken every night to ease that cortisol surge or at breakfast to ease us into the day.  I can't understand it being prescribed for 'as necessary' because Valium does a better job! 

Any1 know what the 'shelf life' of betablockas might be in the blood stream?

[bombsh3ll]

I'm actually going to post separately about this but I just discovered by doing a continuous glucose monitor that I was spending the second half of every night profoundly hypoglycemic.

This may not be relevant to you but can certainly cause waking with physical anxiety like symptoms with no obvious reason.

You could look into hypoglycemia and see if you think it fits.

I believe this probably affects far more people than realise it with all the advice about not eating late at night for metabolic health, plus all those taking oral progesterone going to bed hungry due to instructions to take before bed on an empty stomach.

The first one applied to me, and now supper is back!

[ElkWarning]

I'm actually going to post separately about this but I just discovered by doing a continuous glucose monitor that I was spending the second half of every night profoundly hypoglycemic.

This may not be relevant to you but can certainly cause waking with physical anxiety like symptoms with no obvious reason.

You could look into hypoglycemia and see if you think it fits.

I believe this probably affects far more people than realise it with all the advice about not eating late at night for metabolic health, plus all those taking oral progesterone going to bed hungry due to instructions to take before bed on an empty stomach.

The first one applied to me, and now supper is back!

This is interesting.  When I was peri and working in psychiatry one of the researchers told me to eat supper to avoid morning anxiety.  I never knew it was linked to hypoglycemia

[Bluebell]

Hi bombsh3ll, that sounds really interesting.
 I never eat after 8pm and I wake some mornings with anxiety and sometimes a feeling of doom.

I’m not on HRT, 11 years post menopause and 71 years old and still having day flushes and night sweats.

[Asher]

Propranolol should be taken every night to ease that cortisol surge or at breakfast to ease us into the day.  I can't understand it being prescribed for 'as necessary' because Valium does a better job! 

Any1 know what the 'shelf life' of betablockas might be in the blood stream?

CLKD
Depends which beta blockers you take , some are extended release which is a once daily tablet that lasts 24hrs and the other is called standard release which is designed to take two ways either has and when needed because it works within 30 minutes and lasts for 4 hours before it wears off mostly used for situational anxiety to give fast relief of physical symptoms or it’s prescribed to take multiple times a day to keep a steady dose in the blood stream.
I had the the standard release at 40mg 3x day and it worked very well for anxiety especially that jittery feeling, but I used to have to take it 30 minutes before getting up otherwise I’d be a jittery shaky mess when I got up I also had tachycardia due to anxiety , my GP wouldn’t give me Valium he said it’s not something they prescribe much anymore .

Wuzzie , don’t have a miracle cure for you unfortunately but I do have a a lot of empathy I know just how awful that morning anxiety is, I was on hrt and it did nothing to ease it , the propranolol worked extremely well and stopped it all together I eventually weaned off it and so far fingers crossed the morning anxiety hasn’t come back and it’s been a year since I got off propranolol.
Good luck I hope you find relief very soon x

[CassieGA]

Yes! This is me every morning. Blood tests showed hypoglycemia. Also experience achy legs and extreme fatigue. I’ve been to so many doctors and had so many tests. I’m not sure what to do. I’m in the States, and it’s such an industry. I’m post meno since 2018. Never been on HRT. Thank you!

[CLKD]

Tnx Asher that had never been explained.  It was propranolol, initially 80mg 3 times a day, then after 3 months 40mg twice, then 40mg at night then cut to 20mg at night.  Worked well for about 8 years.

My anxiety is bubbling, although I've eaten 'well' I seem to have missed some bulk in the last 2/days  .  It wouldn't be a problem but we are away from the house this afternoon .   . I often have supper after my bath which could be as late as 10.30, a banana/ice cream/cream crackers with butter and when DH has baked a loaf, a slice of that with butter 

[Asher]

Tnx Asher that had never been explained.  It was propranolol, initially 80mg 3 times a day, then after 3 months 40mg twice, then 40mg at night then cut to 20mg at night.  Worked well for about 8 years.

My anxiety is bubbling, although I've eaten 'well' I seem to have missed some bulk in the last 2/days  .  It wouldn't be a problem but we are away from the house this afternoon .   . I often have supper after my bath which could be as late as 10.30, a banana/ice cream/cream crackers with butter and when DH has baked a loaf, a slice of that with butter 

You are welcome CLKD , my doctor was good at explaining how beta blockers worked , during a bad crisis once I wanted diazepam/valium but he refused point blank .
The propranolol worked excellent for me too.
Hope your anxiety is settling down, i too today have had that feeling I hate the feeling so much and start worrying I’m heading for a long run of it ☹️
I wonder if we are ever completely free from anxiety once we’ve had it .
Wishing you an anxiety free evening x

[CLKD]

   Asher  ......... once I got to the venue and realised that my anxious bowel wasn't going to B problematic I caught up with yesterday's papers 

GPs are so worried about patients becoming reliant on Valium  without which I wouldn't be here!  My GP supported me by allowing me enough pills to last until the next weekly appt., once we agreed that I wasn't over using, he gave me a prescription.  I used 5mg the night B4 an Event that I was unable to get out of, knowing that I could swallow another pill mid-the following day: never required it!

Wuzzie - how have U been?

[CLKD]

In the 1990s I was advised by The National Association for Pre-menstrual Syndrome [NAPS] to eat every 3 hours, 24/7 to avoid the dip in blood sugar.  Since then I've more or less stuck to the 3 hours, trying to eat B4 my body needs energy = less nausea which is the trigger for my anxiety.  I also have an emergency pill for when anxiety floors me.