Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => New Members => Topic started by: bunnylove on July 24, 2015, 01:53:47 PM
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Hello everyone! I'm having a really hard time and was hoping you could help. Everyone here seems so nice. I'm 54, and have not had a period for 3 years. I thought all the bad symptoms would have disappeared by now, but two things have gotten a lot worse: hot flashes and anxiety. The anxiety has been so bad lately that I finally went to the doctor yesterday and got a prescription. This is a big deal for me, as I've never taken any medicine for it before. I was prescribed Zoloft, but I'm so afraid to take it. Afraid it will make me feel worse, or that the side effects will be worse than the anxiety itself (although it's hard to imagine anything being worse than the anxiety I've been having). I just want to feel normal! Have any of you taken Zoloft for anxiety? Did it help? Thank you!
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:welcomemm:
I too suffer from anxiety but I don't get on with ADs. Someone who has experience of this will be along soon to help.
Just wanted to say hi and nice to have you with us.
Honeyb
X
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Hi and welcome :-)
I don't have experience of ADs sorry
Are you on hrt ?
Annie xx
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:welcomemm: it can be Trial and Error finding something which works. I've had panic attacks since age 3. Managed by various means until 2002 when my GP gave me beta-blockas to take each night. I had Valium to take as necessary which I would use the evening before, when I was going to an Event that I knew I had to attend and which had the potential to cause panic attacks.
If necessary I would have another 5mg in the morning before we travelled.
More recently (2012) the GP gave me another emergency med. when I collapsed with panic. I also found that hormones could cause nausea = anxiety! so was advised to eat every 3 hours. Even through the night ! …….. and don't try to do too much when you get better days.
Anxiety is random for me. Yesterday we were out and I had worried for weeks about having anxiety there, but I didn't …. got through the day without problems. Next event in August is already causing me that lurch of anxiety :-\ so finding something that helps is important.
Hot flushes can be helped by some ADs or HRT. Does your GP seem knowledgeable?
Have a browse of the pull-down menus, top of screen. Ask away!
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Thank you for the welcome hunnybun! :)
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Annie0710 - no, not on HRT. My mom had breast cancer, so I've always tried to stay away from that.
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CLKD - I can't imagine having anxiety attacks since the age of 3! I'm so sorry you've dealt with that for so long. I went to a psychiatrist for the meds, and was actually prescribed two different ones. Zoloft for long term (and hopefully a preventative) and Ativan for emergency panic. I did take one of those yesterday. But I'm just so nervous about taking something everyday long term. Thank you for sharing your story with me!
PS) Is there a way to reply directly to someone on this forum? So that a person reading my post will see who it is for without me adding their name at the start?
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Nope: adding the user name is OK - eventually when you've posted enough you can send PMs but they won't be seen by others.
Yo're doing OK!
Ativan should be used 'wisely' as it is, like the drug I have been prescribed and the name escapes me, highly addictive. However, because I know that the emergency drug does work I take it when necessary. Ativan was a pre-med for years so does have sleep inducing qualities ::)
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Hi bunnylove
:welcomemm:
Before you mentioned about your mum (I hope she is well now?) I was about to say that docs here in UK (I assume you're in US from the use of "flashes" rather than "flushes"! and "mom"- apols if wrong!) will soon be advised under new clinical guidelines not to give ADs for menopausal symtpoms when a hormone solution is best.
Do you know what type of breast cancer your mother had? Do you know if you're at risk eg do you have the gene? Sometimes even with this close a relative with the disease, HRT is not necessarily out of the question but you would need to be referred to a specialist.
If you really are advised not to have it after specialist consultation then yoyu have my sympathies! I know ADs do treat hot flushes fairly successfully as well as anxiety of course, but I know the side effects are intolerable for some women. Other than that I would suggest any form of CBT or mindful techniques to deal with the anxiety. There are so many self-help non-drug approaches to try and several women on here have posted about them recently. This is a recommended website: http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/
Hope this helps
Hurdity x
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Thanks Hurdity! Yes I'm in the US. I think maybe I'll go to my GYN and get a second opinion? If these issues can be treated with HRT I would rather go that route I think. I'll be sure to talk to them about my mom. I don't know what type of breast cancer she had, but yes - she's fine now. :-) I've tried several herbs for the anxiety without much relief at all. Same goes for CBT. Unfortunately I'm at a very low point right now and sometimes it feels so bad I can hardly move or breathe - it seems. Which is why I finally went in the other day... I'll take a look at that web site now - thanks for all your suggestions. I really appreciate it!
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Consider: that proverbial bus might be along and you step under it ;) so have a read, make notes: consider quality of Life as being important. Let us know how you get on!
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I will - thanks!
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Hi Bunnylove
I have a friend in the US, she was on Zoloft for 5 years for her meno symptoms - it did help her. Seems to be quite common to subscribe in the US.
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:thankyou: and :welcomemm:
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Thank you SadLynda! That helps me to hear that. I think I just need to trust the doc and start taking it. (Looking over all the little yellow faces for a "scared" one to insert - didn't find one!)
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No there isn't a scared 'smilie' ……… what you scared of the most?
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If you click on "more" under the yellow faces you will find lots more smilies - not sure about scared but there are some different ones there which you might find appropriate.
Taz x :hug:
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Hello bunnylove.
I think we are similar in that I had been period free for three years when the constant anxiety started. I put up with these horribly strong internal shakes every day believing all the time that they would soon fade as other symptoms had. After six months of no respite I asked my doctor for HRT. I was also prescribed an AD and I think they have reduced the flushes but really hormone therapy has produced the greatest difference.
I suggest that you acquire all the information you can and perhaps consider any treatment as an experiment rather than thinking of it as a long term commitment. It would be a shame to miss out on something that may help you get through this tough time.
Whatever you decide to do I wish you well and let us know how you get on.
K.