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[Ollie]

Hi all. New to forum. Breast cancer 2018 at age 49. 2 yes of tamoxifen then deemed menopausal age 51 so changed to anastrazole which I will have been on for 5 years this October. Due to stop then. I'm now 56.

Hot flushes for past 5 years and naively thought I was getting through menopause well.

Last January noticed a slight impending doom feeling each time before I flushed but never lasted longer than 30-40 seconds.

 May 2024, started waking with horrible jitters and feelings of anxiety though not worried about anything. These episodes intensified so much over the course of last summer that I was jittery and anxious the whole day and unable to sleep more than an hour at night. The hot sweats went through the roof, both in frequency and intensity. Developed tinnitus that is persistent ringing.

Can't take HRT so ended up on duloxetine 60mg which put me into urinary retention. Told to reduce it to 30mg. Told things get worse before they get better. Things definitely got worse.

Had a month (November) when things seemed to settle and again I naively thought I'd made it through. All symptoms came back with a vengeance in December but now also had nausea and morning (only ever morning!) diarrhoea after breakfast.

February things settled down then back in March but less severe. Had bloods done privately as GP won't check hormones.

Oestrogen <19. Progesterone 1. FSH. 136. LH 57.7. it also picked up cortisol of 790 and prolactin 1790. Had scans and thankfully no adrenal or pituitary tumor. Told its most likely menopause anxiety and stress.

Symptoms continue. low level on good days but I go through cycles of heightened symptoms. Trying to track them but seems erratic pattern. I'm still on duloxetine 30mg.

I've had days with only 6 hot flushes and then days with 67 (counted) intense hot flushes.

I do mindfulness, exercise, acupuncture, healthy diet, no smoking no alcohol no caffeine. Nothing helps

Can anyone relate to this? I'm worried it will never end (on bad days) and then hopefully I'm almost there (good days). I'm normally a very relaxed, practical person. I don't recognise myself anymore.

Grateful for all and any help you ladies can offer.
Thank you for being here.

[Dierdre]

Is HRT completely out of the question? It sounds like this is what you really need.

[Ollie]

My BC was hormone positive so yes, HRT not an option for me sadly hence the duloxetine.

[CLKD]

Y see to have two threads running  - the lump removed from my breast was supposedly oestrogen positive but that really isn't a reason not to prescribe HRT.  What's the % chance of it triggering future disease, we might die B4 that happens 

I've answered your other thread: I think 

[Ollie]

Thank CLKD. I'm new to the forum so wasn't very certain I had posted on right page, hence 2.  I appreciate you answering me on both. Can I ask, are you on HRT or did you go on HRT at any point post BC?

[CLKD]

Morning - as I left my final Oncologist appt. in 1996, he muttered 'No HRT for you young lady' and I didn't give it a thought.  However, had I suffered with symptoms I would have pressed for replacement as I am not prepared to lose time to the what ifs, hence the Tamoxifen - prescribed on an 'in case' basis.

Fortunately, other than treatment for vagina atrophy I haven't required HRT. 

Anxiety has been a problem since the age of 3  hence the various medications over the years [now 71]

[Ollie]

Thank you CLKD for sharing your information.

[CLKD]

MayB keeping a mood/food/symptom diary will chart your progress so that U can decide whether to get a referral to a dedicated menopause clinic, in fact I would do that sooner rather than later; if U have felt better once the appt arrives, U can cancel.

[Ollie]

Thank you. I am charting the pattern of symptoms but they seem so erratic it's hard to see if there's any pattern at all to them. Sadly, not sure there's a dedicated menopause clinic near me   

[CLKD]

I may have mentioned B4 [sorry really weary today] but U could look on the Hospital web-sites in your area as they as sometimes held there.  Or ring the Hospitals to C what is available, not a gynae clinic but a specialist menopause clinic.

How's the anxiety this morning?

[Ollie]

No menopause clinic in our hospital. I might do a private online consultation with a clinic ....do you know if there are any particular good ones out there?
Anxiety is about a 4/10 today. Hot flushes increased again this day. It feels relentless

[CLKD]

It can be relentless as hormones levels fluctuate.  It's a bit Trial and Error with finding a) menopause clinics and b) waiting for our chosen regimes to give relief. 

Have a lookC at the 'treatments' section : white on bright pink : above

[Ollie]

Thank you. You are being very kind to me. I really appreciate your support

[CLKD]

Been there etc., haven't written the book - yet.

Did U sleep?

[debguy]

Hi
I can totally relate. I’ve always been a happy, relaxed and easy going person. The past 7 years I have suffered with crippling anxiety. No pattern, just comes on when it wants.

I get the shakes, have to keep going toilet for number 2, vomiting, crying, feel so restless and out of control. This can last from 2 hours - 8 hours.

I have to take a diazepam and hope the symptoms settle.

I had a total hysterectomy 25 years ago (ovaries also removed). Only had HRT for a short time. Never had any menopause symptoms until 6 years ago.

My GP kept dismissing the symptoms; despite me being at the surgery almost weekly.
I have the mental health crisis team on speed dial.

My life feels hopeless. I can’t go anywhere for fear of this anxiety rearing its ugly head.

On Wednesday the GP finally issued me with HRT patches following a blood test which I insisted I have.
Now started on 25mg patches.

I’m praying that these are going to work and this anxiety stops so I can finally get my life back.