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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

[Losingtheplot]

I am suffering from crippling anxiety too and panic attacks. Although I have a history of anxiety and depression, when I was 47 years old the same symptoms floored me. I am now 50. The hot flushes were the first symptom followed by intense mood swings and panic attacks. Oh the dreaded early morning anxiety. I felt like I needed to be sectioned. I wanted to hide away from the world but my mind was never at peace. Eventually started the right HRT alongside Ad's and in about 4 weeks things improved. The last 3 years have been great back to being me again.
Sadly, 4 weeks ago the hot flushes 😳 restarted then the mood swings, dreaded anxiety the lot.
As I couldn't get an appointment with my Gp for several weeks I decided to increase my HRT sandrena gel from 0.5mg to 1mg. After a week or so the hot flushes calmed down and stopped ✋️. However, the anxiety has ramped up! I am barley getting through the day and struggle everyday. I take 1 prog so unsure if I should increase that as ive increased my oestrogen. Had my Gp appointment and the GP was unsure if my increase was safe and the medical student checked my BP which was slightly high. Ive been constantly getting a bad head but am so full of stress and anxiety that I think thats the culprit. Im in tears most days and have decided to take time off work as due to brain fog I am struggling as due to staff shortages there is alot of pressure which I don't need at the min. I am scared that this time I won't get through this as I am having bad thoughts alot. What an awful period of life to go through and I honestly can't go thru this each time my oestrogen levels drop.
I can imagine the statistics for suicide in menopausal women is v high and I really hope I don't fall into that category.
My hubby and friends know how I am feeling although not the suicidal element as what can they do to help me with this?
I feel for you all going thru the same and its just awful

[Minnie Mouse]

Can you switch to another GP who does know?
I suspect you might need more prog as you've doubled Sandrena.
It is awful. All I can say is that - after 6 years of this - it does get better 

[Losingtheplot]

Thank you for replying xxx I will be ringing the surgery and asking to see a GP who is a meno specialist if there is one otherwise asked to be referred to the meno clinic again. Ive seen them before 2 years ago. I just feel terrible my mental health is so bad. I am 50 years old so hope this passes soon. I am unsure if I am peri as I have the implant and may get it removed as I want to know what my body is doing. My hope is that it all settles once I am thru and into menopause. Both my mental and physical health has declined so much. 3 weeks in on increase and know I need to wait longer for things to stabilise just hope I get thru it

[Minnie Mouse]

Good luck with sorting. I've had a very rocky 6 years but the clouds are clearing now, & I'm starting to feel like my old self.
The other thing that helped me was doing a list of all my health anxieties (a long list that I've had checked out), what I feared about each one, and how they resolved.
What is really terrifying in Meno is thinking that the latest problem is permanent, whereas actually there's a lot of weird stuff that comes & goes.
I wish meno anxiety was more understood xx

[Losingtheplot]

I am pleased things have settled for you. So there is possibly light at the end of the tunnel. I really hope after this latest drop things don't decline further in another couple of years. I just want to be thru it and then no more spikes and dips and tweaking.
So do you now find your symptoms have settled. Ive been like this since age 44. But only started HRT age 47 as things were manageable before this. Thanks again for replying

[Minnie Mouse]

Yes, all much more settled than before (I'm now 56, although not yet post meno)
I've been mildly symptomatic since age 46, and things fell off a cliff at 50.
Couldn't sleep, total nightmare, then a never-ending list of weird body stuff and anxiety.
There is light at the end of the tunnel xx