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[pepperminty]

Hi GRL,

just catching up with everything. Oh dear, poor you! I hate those hideous panics, I still get them now on occasion , but for different reasons to yourself. well it is difficult to pin point why you have had one, but as others have said AD's are notorious for giving awful side effects especially initially. And there could also be a number of other contributory factors too. Yes they work for some but by no means are they a panacea for all evils.

Perhaps look back on your own posts and see if there is a time when you felt consistently better and see if there is some sort of pattern? I try not to aim for utopia these days because I know that I am not going to get consistent health as I did when I was younger.  I remember there were times when you didn't get the massive dips and the low moods were easier to cope with , even if it didn't seem so to yourself , I could tell by the tone of your posts.

I hope you are feeling better and I hope you will eventually find a regime that whilst maybe not perfect gives you some stability.

You are not alone, and don't be hard on yourself.

Peppermintyxx

[jedigirl]

GRL,
Keep positive hun, those moments are hideous but tell yourself you got through it and coped. You sound like a doer like me, and hate not being able to explain things away. Peri is horrible, I'm having a rough time too but call mine a bully and tell it if that's the worst you got bring it on, I can do this. I've probably lost the plot  I'm not sure whether I'll ever find a suitable regime for me, just keep being glad I'm not as ill as last year. Hugs xxx
Jedigirl

[GypsyRoseLee]

Thank you again to everyone. If I could buy you all a glass of wine I would.

Quick update. I sent through my mood diary for 2014/15 to check patterns. And whilst HRT free, then in HRT it's clear my anxiety/depression seem to manifest briefly midcyle in roughly days 10-15.

 Then I seem to get a severe mood dip on either roughly days 22 to when my bleed starts, them symptoms disappear. Or I get a severe mood dip on the day my bleed starts, and it lasts several days.

 On months where I had a longer 28 day cycle (like I used to have) I was virtually symptom free all month with only very mild symptoms.

This has helped clarify things for me.

I didn't take anymore Mirtrazapine last night. Just didn't dare. Instead just took 10mg of Amitriptyline. It took a long while to fall asleep, but I had such aot on my mind it's no surprise.

Woke this morning feeling drained but without that buzzy, in edge nastiness of these last few days on Mirtrazapine.

I intend asking my GP if I can stay on Amitriptyline for a while. And when I see my consultant I am going to ask for a higher dose of HRT with separate Utro. Either 75 or 100mg.

Thanks for bearing with me. I know I have been all over the place with this lately.

[Pollie]

My daughter used to have panic attacks in her late teens and early twenties. It was a combination of hormones, alcohol, caffeine, no sleep and general uni life. She wasn't particularly anxious so it seemed physical in her case. She couldn't stop them but when one was coming she was told to try and tie shoelaces or read a paragraph out loud or count backwards.  I think a gulp of ice cold water also helped. Something to do with the bit of the brain required for these excercises prevented the panic attack from worsening and lasting so long.... Something to try perhaps ?

HTH

Pollie

[GypsyRoseLee]

Oh your poor daughter. Yes I felt very tearful afterwards. Think it's the shock of it happening?

It might be worth mentioning to your daughter that ADs can be taken for just the second half of her cycle, and are equally as effective for extreme PMS as when taken constantly.

[CLKD]

even though I am aware of why panic attacks happen - flight/fight response - the physicality takes over 

[GypsyRoseLee]

I think the overwhelming need to cry us your body's safety valve mechanism kicking in. When you cry I think you release endorphins into your system which calm you down a bit?

I did try Prozac, years ago for my severe PMS but it just made me worse and I had to stop taking it. But I think that's just because there's something in the newer SSRIs which I can't seem to tolerate very well at all.

I have readots if reviews from women who swear by ADs for their PMS.

[pepperminty]

GRL,

sounds like you may have found a solution, although not perfect works the majority of the time, which is better than a slap in the face with a wet fish as it were. So there maybe light at the end of the tunnel. Glad you are feeling better.

Peppermintyxx

[CLKD]

As for the glass of wine - don't drink, so full fat Coke will do nicely 

[GypsyRoseLee]

Thanks PM. I well know I am my own very worst enemy. Needlessly panicking and rushing about wanting something sorted as of yesterday. I despair of myself. The irony is that professionally I am known for being very calm and level headed in a crisis.

I can't say as I feel good today, but at least I don't have that really nasty, jittery buzzing in my head and panicky tightness in my chest that I had whilst on Mirtrazapine. It 'felt' very chemical if that doesn't sound too silly?

Today I feel a bit low and drained, but it feels 'organic' like I just need a good night's sleep.

I spoke to my GP on the phone and they have agreed to give me a script for Amitriptyline again. I might not even take it between now and seeing my consultant but at least I know it's there.

I wish I hadn't forgotten how badly I reacted to Sertraline, as I know Mirtrazapine is cousin to it, so I should have guessed something like this might happen. I should have stuck with what I know works for me.

I shouldn't have stressed and panicked so much when I reacted badly to a build up of the synthetic progesterone in Gederal and gone clutching at straws. So typical of me.

I will be chatting to my consultant about a high dose of oestrogen and separate Utro.

[pepperminty]

Hi GRL,

everything you say I can relate too. I panic too, in fact we all do at some point. I too am very level headed in a crisis, but when it is your health etc it is a different matter.

Yep the chemical feeling is typical too as that is what AD's do, alter your brain chemicals.
I have a stash of diazepam just in case also.
You can't help stressing and panicking when your hormones are up the shoot. Look at me when mine go astray - I am a wreck overnight. it is impossible to think straight like that.

The main thing is that you now know what works for you best I the long run. The thing is it may take a while to kick in and re adjust, so stick something on the fridge door which says code for ' Don't panic Mr Mannering !' to remind you that it is only temporary.

I forgot my HRT last night and boy did I notice it today .I took it as soon as I remembered this morning and I am due another at 7pm.

Consistency in dosage and timings is the key now , so you know where you are.

Have a lovely weekend and try to do something nice for yourself, a treat , anything just to pat yourself on the back for getting things underway again. Sometimes we need to treat ourselves with the kindness we would a dear friend.

I am going to have a good night's sleep too as I am in for a 3 hour drive tomorrow, so if you see a peri menopausal woman in a car singing to dance hits of the 80's that's me.HaHa.

Peppermintyxx

[GypsyRoseLee]

You are always so lovely PM, and always write uplifting posts.

You're right when you say that once the panic sets in you simply cannot think objectively. Proof of this is my mood diary. I genuinely believed there had been little or no pattern to my moods/anxiety/depression. I genuinely believed I had battled with them for most of each month, and that they had surged at random.

But managing to objectively look back through the diary and make a note of the dates, then it's clear there is some sort of pattern. And that most months I was only 'bad' for maybe 9 days maximum, and some months I was virtually symptom free! Who'd believe it?

But I think because my lows/anxiety are so dreadful, they 'echo' in the back of my mind leading me to believe they last much longer than they actually do? But it's there in black and white, days and days of 'Fine, feeling normal today' etc.

The anxiety messes with your mind so much.

I will look out for you tomorrow x

[pepperminty]

Bless you GRL,

Right, we now have a plan of action - I suggest you laminate the poster for the fridge!

Also keep us updated on the progress and hopefully Bob's your uncle! Or is it Fanny's your aunt? Or are Fanny's on another thread? Oh Matron!

Peppermintyxx

[CLKD]

  (that dates you  )

[pepperminty]

Dates me indeed, hilarious - well I am on a menopause forum   

The old sayings are the best, in fact they are rather DOH and Sick  .

Have I just dropped 30 years in one post ? Which is good because I am no longer peri menopausal then. If only.

 

Have a good weekend. ( Better not mention the Disco, where are my flares ? )

 Pepperminty xx