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[lesley998]

Hello all, not posted for a while but still keep up with things.

A while ago, I joined in a thread in which someone mentioned the Early Morning Dreads, which perfectly described the awful way I was feeling at the time.  I was on HRT, Premarin and it was shared by a couple of ladies that they also had these feelings (manifesting in dreadful anxiety and butterflies and feelings of doom on waking and for a few hours) and it was mooted that perhaps the hormones upset the homeostasis of the body...the over production of cortisol during the night could be causing these terrible and very real feelings and sensations in the morning.  This made such sense to me and when I came off HRT for other reasons a few months later, I found that the dreads completely disappeared and I have been feeling pretty good for the last year or so, despite a few awful things happening in my life.  Seem to be over the worst of meno too which is wonderful.  The odd flush but not much.   Anyway - I was recently diagnosed again with acid reflux and gastritis, and the Gp has put me on something called Omeprazole.  Within three days of  taking this as prescribed...got the awful jittery anxiety back in the mornings, exactly as before. 

Just wondered if anyone else can identify with this?  I'm not sure what to do...the reflux is awful, and has actually manifested not just with the usual heartburn, but a horrible bubbly cough too,  I've had it for about three months,  my chest crackles.  Doc says its the acid going up one pipe and down the other.  Don't really want to stop the medication but I can't go through this doom thing again, it's hell.

Who would get old huh

Thanks

[Yammy1]

I too stopped HRT for the same reason, causing dreadful anxiety, I only stopped Christmas day, not out of the woods yet but not nearly as bad as I was, I have a hiatus hernia and I take Lanzol 30mgs every morning (to stop acid reflux) and have to say no side effects at all, maybe your doc needs to change you to different tablet or try taking it at  night instead of the morning and see if this helps.

[Pam Madra]

really interesting to read this. I am taking tibolone just started it few weeks ago. But this morning business is really interesting as I have always questioned the morning sickness in morning hours, anxiety high. Due to gall stones it adds to fun as well. Cortisol in morning makes sense too. I will be seeing dr in jan will be interested in asking this question but I think sometimes they have no answer as well

[lesley998]

Thanks ladies. I have learned to never underestimate the power of the effects of hormones.  Trying to explain the dreads - especially, I have to say, to a young male doctor - is very difficult because it sounds so weird.  I literally wake up and groan and curl into a ball at the thought of another day.  The smallest task is like a mountain to climb. my stomach churns, then I find myself standing in the shower staring into space, feeling terrified at nothing, it's like I'm going to my execution or something! I Just feel absolutely doom laden and anxious.  Then by about ten, eleven I'm fine again.  I've had a look online and there is a connection between Proton pump inhibitors and anxiety.  I can just imagine the reception I will get from my GP when I speak to him about it...but maybe I should try ranitidine or something else.

....the other thing I get with the anxiety is restless legs...a real urge to squirm my feet around in bed. Only on waking though!

[Marb]

I'm really interested to read this and wonder which hrt caused anxiety. I take estelle duet conti and have really dreadful anxiety I also take emeprasol.
Any thoughts folks

[CLKD]

OK - here we go.

As oestrogen levels drop off muscles may become lax = aches and pains.  This includes the start of reflux as the internal muscles allow acids to return from the stomach …….

Omeprazole can have the opposite effect and cause more problems than it cures.  Have you tried something Over-the-Counter, i.e. Milk of Magnesia or Rennies - I find that not eating/drinking too close to going to bed stops any chance of reflux/heartburn but if it does start 2 of the latter eases symptoms.  Occasionally I wake with pain behind the breast bone into the lower chin in the early hours which is scary.

[CLKD]

Cutting out spicy foods and coffee helps some with reflux.  Allows the oesophagus to 'heal' and not be aggravated.  Sleeping slightly raised, i.e. bricks under the foot of the bed, can help. 

I would try a more simple anti-reflux medication ……….

[lesley998]

Thanks all!

I've tried everything for my reflux.  It's a genetic thing I think...dad suffered, as did his parents and my sister.  We are/were terrible over thinkers and anxious people. I had the camera down the gullet years ago, even had the portable naso gastric pipe to measure levels....nothing they ever did sorter it.  it all got a bit better when I swapped to a low carb diet and cut out sugar.  But....  This last few months I've been overdoing the the rose wine and chocolate...and all the other things that set me off.  I've never been prescribed omeprazole before, but have had Losec in the past.  I've also tried propping up the bed, apple cider vinegar.  Didn't realise my cough was reflux until I had had it for over three months, chest X-ray came back clear the doc heard crackles and bubbles up near my larynx and said it was textbook reflux. Wake in the night suddenly like I am choking drowning.  Hate it.  But my worst problem is the dreads. I would do anything not to have them back, and couldn't believe it when I felt that familiar feeling a few days after starting the omeprazole.  I've stopped taking them. 

[lesley998]

Sparkle....thanks.  Your post made me feel less mad.   

The idea that any change in hormonal activity in meno can affect the adrenals...and  go on to affect cortisol levels really made sense to me.  The 'dreads' are a chemical thing, there's nothing I can do to 'snap out of it' or change my 'thinking' to feel better....I just have to understand that the chemicals  in my brain are a bit awry for a while and wait, in terror, until the levels have sorted out (eating? Walking around? Who knows what helps, I just suddenly feel less terrified ) and then I feel normal again.  Can really identify with what you said about cause and effect.   Thanks.

[CLKD]

I had early morning deep, prehensile fear when I was severely depressed  .  Awful. 

Maybe cut out 'triggers' now that the 'festive' season is over?  keep a diary? let us know ;-)

[lesley998]

Thanks cLKD

[CLKD]

 

[CLKD]

   - Dad was advised to raise the foot of the bed 

[CLKD]

I agree - now I'm wondering why Dad had the foot raised 

Like you, my gut is my weak point.  Any raised voices and my stomach would churn, any change of routine the same  - no amount of CBT altered my gut reaction 

[CLKD]

I had well left the parental home by the time the bricks went under the end of the bed