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[nelliedee]

Hi Sandy
I took AD'S first off but they did not suit me and I gave up on them early on. Looking back I should have persevered, I took a beta blocker called Propanolol which helped me with the anxiety. I also took small doses of Diazipam (vallium) on and off. I'd say my anxiety lasted 6 months. It was the first 2 months that were the hardest as I thought id gone nuts but with the help of the betablocker, exercise (walking) and this forum it slowly but surely got better. I stll get blips but I understand it all so much better now that it doesnt scare me anymore and I deal with it. Keep yourself busy, try not to allow yourself to start dwelling on things that arnt helpful and if you find yourself getting worked up try and change what you doing, phone a friend, wash up ect just distract yourself and slowly things will lift. Things will improve for you soon, it just takes a little time xx 

[sandy]

Hi everyones mum,
                           Been feeling very sick this weekend and having a lot more hot flushes, think its all side effects from AD, i will be glad when i see my doctor next week, also go no appetite, i have lost quite a bit of weight, i will just have to wait and see what doctor is going to do next, when i spoke to her last week regarding how i was feeling on AD she was on about increasing the dosage, then i have been thinking to myself maybe i am not suited to these AD (Sertraline 50mg) and need to try a diffrent make, my Beta Blockers are (Bisoprolol 2.5mg) and they have helped with the palpitations but done nothing for my anxiety, thats why i had to go on AD. On friday afternoon i felt a bit like my old self for a coulple of hours and i thought maybe the AD have started to work, but that was short lived (silly me). I am glad i found this forum, and been able to write things down and know that you lovely people understand what i am going through, because you have been through the same things you self.I will let you know how i get on with doctor next week.


Sandy.xx

[nelliedee]

The sickness feeling is quite a common one and can be combatted by making sure your sugar levels are steady. Eat little and often, bananas, ginger biscuits. I know you dont have an appetite but try and buy some easy quick things that you usually like to eat. Fruit is also great. If you can manage taking the AD'S untill you see your GP then thats good as he/she will have an idea wether they suit you. How is your sleeping? There is a 3 2 1 excersise on the forum that is super for calming the anxious feelings. It takes a little practice but its great xxx

[sandy]

Hi everyones mum.
                            My sleeping is not brilliant, i started with sleeping problems about 4 years ago, but i never thought back then that it could be due to the early stages of menopause, i have started to wake up around 3.30am most days and then can not get back to sleep properly, i have always been an early riser, in summer i am up at about 5.30am, but it would be nice not to wake up as early as 3.30. I have just started to eat ginger biscuits for the sickness. Think i need to try and eat little and often, as you say probably my sugar level is dropping, which is not good.

Sandy.xx

[nelliedee]

Hi Sandy

I have had the 3 am waking and its horrid. In the end I started to get up and do the ironing !!! and had a nap in the afternoon. It does get better, in fact it will all get better and even out. I am feeling rather poo this weekend and have awful anxiety, sickness feeling and feel like my insides are trembling, its reduced me to tears all weekend. I am trying all my new learnt tips to try and combat it all and have ended up with a migraine 2 days running. Mine has been bought on by family upsets which, up untill a year ago, I could handle but since perimenopause started I seem to drop at the first hurdle. I hope your feeling a little better xx

[sandy]

Hi everyones mum,
                           So sorry to hear that you have been feeling unwell this weekend, unless you have been through it yourself nobody knows what you are going through, its the worse feeling in the world, hope you can get through your family upsets, we can do without upset when going menopause it just makes the anxiety worse, but life is never streight foward, i wish it was. Going to see my doctor tomorrow morning, so see what she suggests, i will let you know how i get on. I hope you are feeling a bit better this morning, take care.


Sandy xx

[bella mama]

Hi sorry to hear you are still struggling with the anxiety. Are you getting spells of feeling like your old self now and again? I can relate totally to the loss of appetite. last year I lost about a stone in weight and I don't find it easy to put on weight at the best of times! (Although some people might say that's very lucky situation to be in) when I worry my appetite goes away. I had to force myself and started eating little and often and every night had a banana and a couple of digestives so could eat that through the night, found that helped lots. The distraction thing works for me too by doing something completely different when I find myself thinking about the same things over and over. Getting out of the house and walking with the dog seems to lift the flat feelings...can you borrow a dog   hope you feeling brighter soon.

[sandy]

Hi Bella mama,
                    i get the odd hour when anxiety goes away, but it does not last long, back at doctors tomorrow, dont know if she will change my AD or try give me a higher dose, i have lost over a stone since last october, dont really want to loose any more, i am only 5 foot 1 and weigh 8 and a half stone, starting to look a bit scrawny in my face. I take my mums dog out (Billy), we go up to my horse regular it helps take my mind off the anxiety, i love walking went on a 6 mile walk yesterday but kept comeing over all strange and sweating really bad, think that was the dreaded anxiety, hope i get somewhere with doctor tomorrow. I will keep you posted. xx

[nelliedee]

Learning to breath slowly and deeply will help with the sweaty pannicky times. Bettes 3 2 1 excersise is also great for those moments. And Bella mama is right, distraction is very useful and does work. I hope you get on well at the doctors tomorrow xx

[Hurdity]

Hi sandy

If you came over strangely and sweating really badly while you were on a 6 mile walk it could have been low blood sugar.

Getting shaky and sweat, feeling irritable and light-headed are all symptoms. It is more likely to happen if you take exercise and haven't eaten a lot.

I get this sometimes - it happens a lot during peri-menopuase from what I gather - I used to go from slightly hungry to the shaky sweaty stage very rapidly and now still do sometimes if I don't eat enough and take exercise. it would mae you feel very anxious and irritable.

Now I don't know anything really about the regulation of blood sugar metabolism but if you are peri-menopausal this could happen - and also maybe the ADs affect blood sugar metabolism?

Make sure you eat things with a high ( or is it low?) glycaemic index - whole grains, fruit especially apples, oats etc. carry a muesli bar around with you. You can look up which foods are best but you need to eat more regularly, Identify which times of the day you feel like this.

For me it's the morning mainly. If I have to do something a bit more strenuous I make sure I have a boiled egg and toast as well as my oats/muesli, yog and bilberries!

Hope this helps
Hurdity x

[sandy]

Hi Hurdity,
               Thanks for the advice, i am going to take a cereal bar with me next time i go on a long walk, and i am going to try and not go so long without eating, i try eat breakfast at 6am then dont have lunch while 12.30, and i think its too long without food. Your advice is much appreciated. xx

[Hurdity]

whaaat?
6 and a half hours without food - and a 6 mile walk? Definitely too long without eating! I think I would faint and be really dizzy. You should really eat something every 3 hours at most to keep blood sugar levels up - but not pure sugar - as I said something slow release (but depends on what your breakfast is of course!). When I was peri (in my late 40's/early 50's) I used to carry glucose tablets around with me as it would suddenly happen if I was out - but I was tested and not diabetic ( nor did I know I was peri at the time!).
Keep us posted how you feel and if this is one of the causes of your strange symptoms

Hurdity x

[bella mama]

Hello everyones mum,
I am interested finding out about the 321 exercise I have not heard of this.

I do shift work and the tiredness with my night shifts make my palpitations happen more often and at times I get adrenaline rushes with them.  I call them swooshes!! ..they don't worry me half as much now because I know it's my peri that is causing them. the citalopram has stopped them coming as often....But anything to help get in control while they are happening would be really good.
Thanks v.much

[bella mama]

Hi sandy,
Hope all goes well at the docs today and you have a good doctor.  So much great advice on here on how to help anxiety.  It makes it so much easier to deal with I think. knowing that other people experience the same things and that this is all down to hormones!
Take care

[sandy]

Hi Bella mama,
                     Explained to doctor how i was feeling, she has told me to carry on with AD, she gave me another 4 weeks, then i have to go see her again in 4 weeks to see how i am getting on, she said she did not want to increase my dosage at this stage, she said they take time to build up in your system, and they were not a quick fix, they take several weeks to start working. Think i was expecting them to work within a week, as you know when you have anxiety you just want something to take it away streight away, but unfortunately it does not seem to work like that, i got myself in such a state and i was desperate for AD to work, but i have got to try be patient, which is easier said than done. xx