Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Angel1964 on July 24, 2018, 09:04:52 AM
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Hi post menopausal and anxiety has escalated to the point I cannot work, go the shops or socialise. I have started Femseven Conti hrt patches on 4th patch now. Firstly how many of you suffer with anxiety at post? Secondly how long do hrt patches start to work? I am at the end of my tether now. Thank you xx
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Hi Angel, sadly I can't answer your question as I am not post menopausal. Hopefully someone will be along soon who can help though.
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Hi Angel1964.
Lots of us suffer on here with post meno anxiety so you are not alone. I've been on HRT since the age of 53 (I'm 64 now) and although it's been brilliant in getting rid of hot sweats and vaginal dryness, in my case, it hasn't helped with anxiety. Quite often anti depressants are taken in conjunction with HRT if anxiety is a big problem. What other symptoms do you have? I know how crippling anxiety can be.
Taz :welcomemm: xx
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Hi Taz. Hot sweats are better but they were really before the HRT patches. I sleep ok now and don't get anxiety through the night. I am very thin and can feel heartbeat alot. Been checked out thoroughly with bloods/ECG and all fine. GP has suggested going on Citalopram 10mg but I have a big phobia of tablets after having anaphylactic shock years ago. I also read the side effects which didn't do me no good either. So GP has said stay on the Femseven Conti patches and give it at least 3 months for them to kick in. I had the same symptoms at peri menopause and patches (can't remember name of them ones) worked for the anxiety. Xx
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Have a chat with a pharmacist in your area to see how long it might take for this particular regime to work and if it needs more to begin to ease symptoms. Then:
Get some anti-anxiety medication, take for 6-8 months and then decide if the combination is helping you. Some ladies can cope with HRT alone but others have to take other meds. to ease symptoms. Regardless of causation, anxiety and depression can be fatal.
I think that without already being on appropriate medications I would have suffered a lot more when entering The Change.
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Hi Angel1964
I had never suffered from anxiety until I was post meno and rember feeling like you do now.
HRT very quickly sorted out the hot flushes and night sweats but the anxiety was more stubborn and I think in part that was down to continuous progesterone so I changed to taking it cyclically and feel much better. In fact I have just been trying to rember when I last felt anxious and I honestly cann't remember.
I would continue with the patches for a couple of months more but if you don't feel any better then if you don't mind having a withdrawal bleed I would try switching to taking it cyclically,
Hope you start to feel better soon.
Lanzalover x
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Thank you :) yesterday I was great and thought great the hrt is working. This morning horrible anxiety and jittery all day so far :( I'm waiting for CBT therapy but there is a 5 month wait and I really want to get back to a "normal" life of even being able to go the shops by myself. I will try for another 2 months and if no good will do as you suggest. Thank you again x
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Hello Angel 1964 and welcome to the forum.
I completely understand your situation and as a fellow sufferer you have my sympathy. Anxiety and mood changes have been the most problematic symptom for me.
I have recently begun using HRT that also includes continuous progesterone and I will certainly be following Lanzalovers advice about considering a cyclical regime if no improvement after three months. I just have to persuade my consultant to let me try it!
Sorry I can't be of more help to you but I wish you well and keep posting.
K.
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Good evening Angel1964
Oh you poor thing I really feel for you.
Hope tomorrow is a better day.
Take care
Lanzalover x
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Hi Angel1964.
I too suffer post meno anxiety, and I tried femseven patches, but looking back now,
which was last year, or longer , can't remember, they didn't do much for me, my anxiety stayed
through the roof the whole time I was on them, which I admit, wasn't for long, maybe around 4/5
weeks, so I went and asked for femoston cont pills instead. Which the doctor gave me, and I've never looked back, these really helped and still do, although I've had to up the dose, for low mood ect.
The patches also gave me terrible migraines. I didn't want a bleed, so I chose to stay on the conti.
Hope you start to feel better soon. I really feel what your going through..
Take care,
Jd x
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Hi Angel 1964,
I am yet another post menopausal anxiety sufferer. I was already on a low dose of Citalopram when my anxiety got bad, so the GP said we should try increasing the dose of that first. I'm 6 weeks into the higher dose and only this last week have I had any improvement in my anxiety, though whether that is because of the Citalopram or i'm Just having a good spell is anyone's guess. I had some anxiety-free weeks before the dose was increased, so i'm Thinking it may be hormonal variations that determine my anxiety levels more than the medication.
I see GP tomorrow and plan to discuss trying HRT alongside the ADs, and if/when I feel the HRT is making a difference, I would reduce the AD dose, but I feel I am probably going to be someone who will need HRT and ADs to keep anxiety under control.
I feel I am turning into a walking medicine cabinet (I also have Propranolol and emergency Diazepam and sleeping tablets) and I am not happy about it, but as many others have said, trying to live with anxiety is truly awful, and if there are reasonably safe ways of controlling it, I'm prepared to pop the pills. If I feel bad, it affects family life too, and I don't want myself and everyone around me to suffer this for years.
Hope you are having a better day today. Keep posting to let us know how you're doing x
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Hi Miabella I am still anxious on and off. I feel so nauseous too but I am thinking is that the HRT patches as only on 4th week. I have now arranged therapy called BWRT. Ive read so many good reports on this type of therapy. I have a 2 hour session on Friday so will let you all know after how it goes. I only spoke with the therapist for a 30 minute consultation and she had me in tears. Which is positive in my eyes as she made me go back to what could be the root of the problem. My anxiety started years ago in maybe my early thirties. Reared its ugly head severely at peri was okish for around 8 years then back with a vengeance now at post. But she has said this has stayed with me all these years and was just lying there waiting for something to trigger it off. I did lose my sister in law in January to alcohol addiction of 4 years, she was only 49. And I supported my brother and my 3 nephews on a daily basis for around 2 years prior to this as their lives were not good around her. So maybe with hormones and all this happening thats why I am really bad again. Who knows but I am so excited in a funny way to try this therapy. Google it as I had never heard of it before. Thanks ladies you are all stars and watch this space for my update on therapy xxx
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Hello again Angel 1964.
I am intrigued to hear about your BWRT therapy session so look forward to reading your update.
Anything we can do to help us navigate this turbulent time would be great and of course it's never too late to learn a valuable life skill.
Take care and I hope tomorrow goes well.
K.
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I can sympathise how you're feeling. I'm having the worse time with my anxiety at the minute. I go on holiday tomorrow. I hate going on holiday. I'm fed up of my poor kids and husband walking on eggshells around me.
I've just had enough.
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Hi Burchers I do hope you find time to relax but I find it's so hard as you are anxious thinking about the next anxiety attack. It's a vicious circle. I have been fine all day slight palps then around 7pm got muscle spasms in both top arms and that raised my anxiety up. It's ok now but I feel that every little thing causes me anxiety. Are you going abroad or staying in England? xx
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Hi Kathleen I will update tomorrow when I return xx
Hello again Angel 1964.
I am intrigued to hear about your BWRT therapy session so look forward to reading your update.
Anything we can do to help us navigate this turbulent time would be great and of course it's never too late to learn a valuable life skill.
Take care and I hope tomorrow goes well.
K.
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Hi All. Went for therapy. Anxiety was really bad the night before and this morning to the point I didn't know how I was going to get there. Anyway I went. The therapist has started me on EFT therapy as my anxiety is very bad. I was first of all thinking how on earth does tapping work. She asked me what was my current anxiety feeling to which I said my pulse is very fast around my stomach, jelly legs, feeling nauseous. She started with me doing the EFT and after the first time I noticed my pulsations decreasing. We done it another 3 times and the pulsations had gone. I was trying to feel them but couldn't! She delved back into my past and she said my whole anxiety thing is mainly triggered by "trapped". She said hormones don't help either as we all know. I felt so relaxed it was untrue. After that she done hypnotherapy, where I just relaxed in a recliner and closed my eyes and she talked. I lost concentration a few times but then got back into it. I came out of there the most relaxed I have been in a long while. Back next Friday for more EFT then the next appointment will be the BWRT. I have no palp's and I went over 4 hours ago and still feel relaxed and different. Early days but will keep you all posted. I have everything crossed that this will get me back to work and able to be in queues and socialise again. Xx
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Hello Angel 1964.
Thank you so much for taking the time to post an update of your therapy session. I will need to research EFT as it has clearly been of benefit to you.
Take care and long may your new found relaxation last!
K.
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Yep, I too have had this horrible thing with anxiety - having never suffered from it before my mid-forties I had a peri phase of it 7 years ago, which never quite went away and left me living with a constant low level feeling of dread. Then 2 years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer - chemotherapy threw me suddenly into full blown menopause and the depression and anxiety were overwhelming. The depression has been helped by estrogen, but the anxiety has been an ongoing problem for the last 8 months - I've not been able to work, my social life is almost non-existent and anti-depressants, beta blockers etc. make me worse. I've recently changed GP to someone who is at least able to acknowledge that this is a hormonal problem, and have had validation from the Mental Health Crisis Team that as funding is withdrawn from Women's Health Services they see more and more women in crisis due to hormonal issues. But I've also had a lot of doctors say that anxiety is one of the most difficult symptoms to treat, especially if like me you can't tolerate the usual range of ADs and other drugs. So it seems there are no easy answers to this particular problem....
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You have been through so much and with the menopause no wonder why you have anxiety/depression :(. Seriously look at EFT therapy. Loads online. I only had a session yesterday with hypnotherapy and today I've been to the shops and feel uplifted and no anxiety as yet. I cannot wait to go next Friday for more therapy. My anxiety goes back years but I had a very bad patch at peri and now post. Take care xx
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I really, really feel for you Racjen. Am I remembering right - did you try Pregabalin at one point? And did it help at all? Which AD's have you tried? Sometimes it takes a bit of creative thinking by a psychiatrist who knows the drugs available better beyond the main SSRI's . Older tricyclics are usually easier for those with anxiety to handle at start up - things like Notriptyline and Amitriptyline or maybe a sedating SSRI such as Trazadone. Also low dose Venlafaxine can work well for anxiety, but keep the dose below 150mg as it can hit norepinephrine which is stimulating. Mirtazipine is another option - but can add weight gain or even a low dose of Quetiapine (antipsychotic - used off label for anxiety in low doses) which pretty much knocks anxiety dead.
I would explore the therapy options first if you can, but if all else fails there are options. Personally, I would stear clear of any of the GABA drugs as that's usually a problem down the line when tolerance/dependency sets in. I hope this may help! xxxx
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Thanks Tempest, yes I'm on Pregabalin at the moment, but I can only tolerate a very low dose before I get a bad depressive reaction, and it doesn't have a huge effect. That's what happens with ADs too - I've tried amitriptyline, sertraline, venlafaxine, mirtazipine, citalopram, lofepramine, reboxetine, unfortunately I have a sensitivity that means that within days they make me seriously depressed with suicidal ideation etc. So I'm not trying any more of those. I'm already dependent on diazepam and have been weaning myself off that for the last few months. So I don't think there are other options for me in terms of drugs :'(.
I have been wondering for a while about hypnotherapy - might give that a try. I've heard of a lot of therapies but not BWRT - what is it Angel?
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Hi Google both BWRT therapy and EFT. I have not started the BWRT but when I do I will update you all. That should be in a couple of weeks. The EFT therapy amazed me. She asked me my current main anxiety symptom to which I said fast pulsing skipped beats in stomach area. She asked me what scale it was on so I said 10 (high). After 3/4 times of doing it the scale was 0 and couldn't feel the pulsing at all. I have tried it since and it does work. Xx
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EFT - that's the tapping one isn't it? Always sounds a bit odd. Looked up BWRT and the theory sounds interesting, but none of the websites tell you what they actually do!
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Hi
I'm new to this! But wondered if anybody could relate to me! I am going insane with worry! I am 57 and had my last period 4 years ago! I don't take HRT but take a herbal medication, I have been very lucky with hot flushes, I get a few, they come and go! My main problem is anxiety and tummy tenderness! When my tummy is tender and bloated I start getting anxious about it which makes it worse, I thenstart feeling pain everywhere else and then think I must be ill 🙄. The anxiety does not end with illness, it goes as far as my family becoming ill or having accidents. It's ridiculous, I have never had this before? The dr said I should take citlopram, I am not depressed and I do not want to take citlopram unless I really have to! Does anyone else think they are ill if they have the Slightest ailment and do they have issues with anxiety for their family 🤷♀️ This menopause business is the pits 😔
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I don't suffer from health anxiety myself (which is kind of ironic given that I've only recently had triple negative breast cancer, but that's the last thing I worry about...). But I know there are a number of women on here who do - I'm sure I've read lots of stories similar to yours.
I also know that if you're getting menopausal anxiety symptoms your doctor shouldn't be offering you ADs as a first-line treatment -
NICE guidelines state that appropriate hormonal treatment should be offered first. Have you actually been offered HRT and refused it? If so can I ask why?
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Hi Shirlcat yes I think that every pain or feeling is something serious so anxiety kicks in big time causing more "feelings" I've refused Meds as need to deal with my fears. Please look up EFT Therapy. Loads online to tell you what to do. It works xxx
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Thank you Angel1964, it comforts me to know other women feel the same. I too have refused medication and will definitely look at EFT. Thanks again x
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Hi Shirlcat & Angel1964,
I was in the same boat, mind in overdrive always thought the worst! Had every illness going (in my mind) I would worry every time my sons (both twenty somethings) would go out in case they were injured or worse in an accident. One of the GPS gave me a prescription for Citalapram but I wasn't depressed and never actually got the tablets.
I went to see another GP who recognised it was the menopause and I then went to see a specialist who suggested HRT. My anxiety is so much better than 6 months ago, but it's definitely a meno symptom.
But EFT is great I had it for fear of flying, I'd not been on a plane for 16 years. Had 1 session and booked a holiday, flying is still not my favourite pastime but I can now do it without holding on the the seat in front for the whole time!!
Look up Gwyneth Moss she is a master practitioner in EFT and trains people all over the world. She was the lady I saw and I has lots of info on her website you might find helps. Just the sound of her voice calms me down 🙂 x
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Hi Helenmelon thanks for the response. How long did HRT take to work for you and are you on Femseven Conti. I am at therapy tomorrow and cannot wait to progress to the BWRT therapy. Google it when you get time. And yes the EFT does work with anxiety feelings. I will look this lady up and again thank you x
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Hi Shirlcat & Angel1964,
I was in the same boat, mind in overdrive always thought the worst! Had every illness going (in my mind) I would worry every time my sons (both twenty somethings) would go out in case they were injured or worse in an accident. One of the GPS gave me a prescription for Citalapram but I wasn't depressed and never actually got the tablets.
I went to see another GP who recognised it was the menopause and I then went to see a specialist who suggested HRT. My anxiety is so much better than 6 months ago, but it's definitely a meno symptom.
But EFT is great I had it for fear of flying, I'd not been on a plane for 16 years. Had 1 session and booked a holiday, flying is still not my favourite pastime but I can now do it without holding on the the seat in front for the whole time!!
Look up Gwyneth Moss she is a master practitioner in EFT and trains people all over the world. She was the lady I saw and I has lots of info on her website you might find helps. Just the sound of her voice calms me down 🙂 x
Helenmelon what hrt are you on and are you post menopause?