Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Cushtyh on September 15, 2014, 10:48:18 AM
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hi I'm new to the forum and just wanted to see if others feel this way as much as I seem to be.. I'm currently not on HRT im 46 so my GP wants me to try to manage without but frankly I'm not... I feel so anxious for approx 5 days leading up to my period I am a nervous wreck and i'm losing time from work because of it. I know it's peri menopause but I feel so strange as if I'm losing my mind and this choking feeling is awful. I'm currently sitting at work desperately trying not to cry... :'(
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Hi and welcome Cushtyh
At 46 it is highly likely to be peri meno - you are not alone - we are here to listen and help. Do read up all the info under the headings to the left of this screen and get back to us with questions. DG x
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Thanks dancingirl. I just feel like I'm losing the plot. All these strange things happening to my body and i feel like I have no control of my own mind.. its so scary but next week I will be ok again. Rationally I know that but that doesn't stop these feelings.. I've convinced myself I've got throat cancer as my throat is so tight.. utterly ridiculous I get so fed up with myself but I don't seem to be able to stop thinking this way..I'd go back to my GP but he just doesn't seem to understand how truly awful I feel.
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Stress affects people in different ways. By the end of Term my Teacher Mum had larngytitis through constant talking, keeping kids in order etc.; she would lose her voice for 2 days at the end of each Term.
Brows the menus, left of screen. Make notes. Do you have a Practice Nurse to chat with? sometimes they are more up to date on meno matters than GPs ;-). Unless someone has 'felt' symptoms they can dismiss them as words rather than feelings.
At 46 you can well be into peri-menopause and this needs managing. Make a list of your symptoms so that you can talk these through along with suggestions from the Forum info.. Let us know how you get on, if necessary make a double appt. at the surgery. You could also find out if there is a Menopause Clinic that you could go to ….
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Thanks CLKD. My GP acknowledged that I'm peri menopause I have lots of symptoms sweats at night hot flashes you name it.. I kept a diary for a few months and it clearly shows a pattern where I'm ok until a week or so before a period then I go nuts or it feels like it. Trouble is he just doesn't want to put me on HRT yet despite all of this even though I've no contra indications. . I will investigate if there's a practice nurse though. Thanks for listening to my rambling..
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That's why we are here, to listen; to share; to offer experiences that others might relate to ;)
What are his reasons for not using HRT? At your age you need protection for your bones etc.. How is your diet? Often a sudden drop in blood sugar can cause anxiety, anger ….. so eating 3 hourly throughout the month can ease these symptoms. i.e. good spread of your diet through-out 24 hours. I use dried fruits and nuts, bananas, dry biscuits ……… as well as eating 'normally'. The trick for me is to eat before I am hungry even in the night ;)
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Well I appreciate it :). His reasons were simply he felt I was a bit young to start HRT and i should try cohosh and vitamins for a bit longer before moving to HRT. My diet is quite good as I'm doing slimming world as I've put on weight.. another joy of being middle aged! I'm ringing for an appt with a nurse practitioner they may be a bit more sympathetic.
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Could even be pmt, I used to get like 5 days before my periods, they actually put me on Diazapam 5 days a month as I was over the top anxious & in the surgery in floods of tears.
If it is peri menopause I hope you have a good doctor, at my surgery I have just been told today that I need to manage it myself because I am just peri menopausal, it wont be until 47,48 that they would start thinking about hormones, & I have a lot of different symptoms, including very irregular periods now. I'm 43.
One thing I don't get so much of at the moment is hot flushes. I think she did mention I would need to be having bad ones of those. So you may find they listen to you.
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Hello and welcome to the forum. I hope that you find the nurse more sympathetic. Doctors are a funny species. We have one lady doctor at our practice who doesn't like prescribing HRT and encourages women to 'get through without it' and then there is another one who pushes it at you even if you don't really need it or want it ::)
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Thanks both. Anti depressant was mentioned for sweats but I won't go there at all. My mother spent years on them then couldn't get off them. I know lots of people are helped by them but not for me at all. Hopefully the nurse will be more sympathetic as you say.
I feel calmer just talking about it so thanks all.
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You are very welcome. However, some ADs have been found to ease hot flushes and should not be compared to those medications given in the 1960s/70s/80s ;)
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Hi Cushtyh, what you describe sounds so familiar. You are not alone or going mad! I stopped coping with work and any sort of pressure at about the same age as you and was eventually put on antidepressants. My GP, like yours, said that because I was having regular periods HRT wouldn't help. I now know from reading this website and reading about the experience of other members that what I needed was HRT as I felt better within a couple of weeks once I was given it at the age of 52. I lost years of my forties feeling dreadful unnecessarily. Read what you can and then push for what you feel will help. Keep talking to us. Good luck.
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Thanks Freda. I truly believe HRT will make a difference. I can't carry on like this and I won't touch anti depressants I'm not depressed there's a pattern that's directly related to my cycle. I feel sorry for my husband and daughter tonight has had me in floods of tears..They never know what they're going to get with me lately..Thank god they're understanding!
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Hi Cushtyh
I firmly support the use of HRT, I would hate to be without it.
Just want to say that anti depressants are not just for depression they are used for other things as well (e.g. pain relief, reduction of flushes)
Don't just dismiss them because you are not depressed.
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Well after a terrible night of waking several times soaked in sweat my period has arrived and the anxiety has lifted massively thank god. Just got to deal with 2 days of hot flushes on and off all day but beats the anxiety. Now to get an appt with the nurse when I may be rational enough to talk about it without sobbing or generally coming across as a mad crazy woman.. :P
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Cushtyh
I get really nervous and often emotional talking to the GP - I get tongue tied or find it difficult to make my points clear. The docs often make notes while you are talking as well so you don't feel as though they are listening.
My top tip is to write everything down. The last time I saw my GP I wrote a list of all the symptoms and related issues that I wanted her to know about and then a list of questions.
I think writing things down helps me to focus on the things that are important. I know some doctors don't like patients doing this but I found it very positive as I didn't have to explain everything and it stops the doc from focusing on the wrong thing. I went out of the appointment far happier because I hadn't forgotten anything and I got the prescription I needed. DG x
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I usually hand my list over and ask my GP to prioritise ...... and when having breast treatment my Consultant asked every morning 'where's your list' but he was so precise I didn't have any questions for him ::)
Tuff if they mind ..........
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I don't think crying at the surgery is necessarily a bad thing - it can show how badly you are affected by something. Sometimes we all go around being too brave and struggling on when we should shout for and expect help.
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Thank you all for your support. I have an appt 29th with the nurse practitioner so fingers crossed she gives me something.
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In the meantime take a list, keep a food/mood diary ...... and let us know!
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Have been keeping mood and symptoms diary but not food. I will start to do that too. Thanks. I've also been reading the no more panic page which has been really helpful.