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[Clairebear587]

Hi Ladies
I'm reaching out for help as not in a great place 
So I'm 44 & not noticed much on the peri front up until maybe now?
So I noticed i was getting an increase in anxiety the last couple of months.
Around 7 weeks ago out of nowhere I had a adrenaline surge just watching tv, followed by waves of them all night and pins & needles..
Saw a nurse next day. Had all the tests including a mini ecg & bloods but nothing wrong.
2 weeks on these feelings everyday, very awful & scary & fuelling my anxiety even more..
After 2 weeks upon going to sleep my body woke up to this awful feeling of faintness with waves of adrenaline/ pins & needles, ears ringing, literally awful. I even called 111 & contemplated A&E. This episode lasted all night. Next day bk to the on & off head surges. Next night 4am wake up to another I believe panic attack but much worse, I thought I was going to have a stroke. Heart wasn't racing to bad I think about 115bpm but my head was gone, rushes, dry mouth etc & feeling faint. I saw 2 doctors who hadn't a clue. They just said all my vital checks & bloods fine. Things persisted pretty bad that week and again no major help from doctors. I booked myself in for a private MRI as couldn't believe how bad I was getting. I had some sort of a panic attack there too. Results came back normal. I paid for more advanced bloods but again showed up nothing. I tried hrt 3 times now but find the estrogen even on a very small dose gives me stronger surges & jitters..
I'm very low right now, have no idea if this is Peri or what? No answers from doctors & tests all clear. I feel consistent anxiety. I feel adrenaline surges through my head daily. My brain just feels awful. Pins and needles, almost like not enough blood to the head feeling. Sleep very on & off and find the nights the hardest & mornings with these feelings..
Please Please Help if you've experienced anything like this or similar and the outcome, help or medication
I haven't even been out the house except for dog walks ..

[Minnie Mouse]

You are not alone. I think anxiety attacks and adrenaline surges are a very common symptom.
It was my first sign that something was up.
I would wake up every night at 2.00am thinking that I was dying, or that the world was dying.
I developed a whole system of podcasts & TV in other 'escape' rooms to distract me enough to calm down and eventually drop off.
HRT definitely helped me, although it's been a rocky road tweaking to get it right.
Daylight walks, self-care, healthy food, all helpful.
However, the most helpful has been the realisation that my long list of weird symptoms, including night-time freak-outs, have all come & gone.
Keeping a symptom diary also very useful 

[Clairebear587]

Thank you Minnie for the reply 
It's awful isn't it!
Did you find it was worse when period arrived or just non stop..
I do find my period definitely enhances it but other than that I've no peri symtoms.
I'm 44, my periods are regular & lighter & no hot flushes etc..
I've been a ball of anxiety these last handful of months. I've never known anything like this though..
I'm really struggling hrt wise.
I had hormone blood test which I know they say is useless, I was ovulating at the time and my estrogen was 1300, progesterone 0.3 so good numbers.
I spoke to GP today & I'm so sensitive to the estrogen in patch & gel. Feel like a jittery mess on top of the anxiety & panic which makes it worse . Never even made it to the progesterone part & wander if that bit might help?
I'm looking at trying an antidepressant & maybe some propranolol as this is awful for now. Also a holt monitor to double check heart. Had mri & ecg etc all ok xx

[Minnie Mouse]

I had a fairly non-stop body niggle that just rotated around every different body part,
causing new health anxiety at every turn.
I've always been a calm, rational person, but I've been to A&E twice in the last year.
Maybe see a menopause specialist if you can afford it? They at least have a better idea of how the HRT can impact, and a good one will help to tweak it.
Yes, my hunch would be to stick with it for longer.
The other thing I've learned is that alcohol made me more anxious, I thought it was one of the medications, but for me it was one of the triggers.

[Arya Underfoot]

I too get the severe panic attacks and anxiety, for me it's usually down to high oestrogen, maybe like you I am very sensitive to oestrogen and can only tolerate slow release patches. I definitely recommend trying progesterone, it's the calming hormone, it has helped me sleep and reduced my anxiety. It's also OK to take something like Valium now and again to help you through this difficult time. 

[Clairebear587]

Hi Arya
Thanks for the reply..
Interesting you say about this, as I spoke to some other ladies on forums that said about progesterone only maybe being a way for me?
I had a hormone test in the luteal phase straight after my period, apparently best time to test and mine was 597 which was infact high for this phase, during ovulation 1250 again a very good estrogen result.
My progesterone was 0.2 after period so the lower normal range for after a period & 0.3 again lower normal range during ovulation.
My periods are also shorter & slightly heavier which i believe can be a progesterone thing?
I also find i typically feel better in myself after ovulation till period which looks like when progesterone kicks in..
Some ladies mentioned maybe just having a mirani coil or mini pill for just progesterone & some ladies even said they take the progesterone part of hrt daily with no estrogen