I've been menopausal for years & have used various forms of HRT - just started Activella 3 days ago & quit smoking 5 days ago using chantix.

Have always been a worry wart, but it's ten times worse now! The anxiety started before the Activella & Chantix, so I think alot of it is because I haven't slept more than 3-4 hours a night in the last 6 months due to hot flashes & I'm super stressed at work. Dr. gave me Ambien CR, but it hasn't helped at all.

I feel like I'm on overload & just want to shut down. Don't know if I need something for anxiety or depression or something different for sleeping. All I know is I can't go on much longer like this. I'm ready to crash & burn.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Donna

If I were you I would try and sort the stress problem out at work before anything. When I wasn't sleeping very well I would get really stressed about getting up for work and eventually had to change my hours as I just couldn't cope.

It's going to take a couple of weeks or more on the Activella to see results...and trying to quit smoking at the same time? WoW! might as well quit caffeine too and just really drive everyone crazy! Seriously, give it time to work.

Debtone,

We do have someone coming in next week to help me at work - so hopefully that will relieve some of the stress.

Titchou,

I did cut out caffeine! Too much at once probably, but I just don't have a taste for soda's anymore (wonder if the chantix had something to do with that).

Luckily I'm not ready to scratch anyone's eyes out (my husband's thankful for that)- I tend to be more withdrawn.

Will give the Activella more time to kick in - hopefully I don't fall asleep when the new person comes next week!

Thanks for tips!

Donna

:mad::mad:Hi Im also trying to quit many things all at the same time lose weight stop smokingand drinking! Im smoke free now woohoo but the eating part is harder.& when I drink I so want a cig! But I dont!! Hang in there and try the not smoking first then try the others.Good luck Im so grouchy I cant stand myself!PS.Try deep breaths.Hang in there you can be nicotine free. also you will smell so much better than a stinky ash-tray thats the best thing about it!1

Daisy, good luck to you...I quit smoking (after 38 years of it)..it was my last year of Peri-meno 4 years ago. I had a Dr. that looked like a Barbie Doll...literally...measurements and all! She told me one day that I was a "walking time bomb...a heart attack waiting to happen!" (no bedside manner as you can tell)
Needless to say I freaked...I went home crying, telling my husband she said I have to stop doing everything I'm doing or Im going to die...
So we got the Nicotrol Inhailer that day and started to quit...I also started dieting and watching salt and cholestrol and coffee. I ended up quiting the Barbie doll and going to another Dr in her practice. My new Dr. told me to worry about the cig's first "you can always lose the added weight later" well a year later, I hit my menopause day and now it has been 3 years Post-meno...I just recently started losing some of the 45 pounds I had gained during meno and quiting cigs. I was so afraid to eat meat and cheese and stuff that I had absolutely NO energy..I ate manily salad..finally after a couple years of going downhill energy-wise. My Dr. said I think you are watching what you eat too much! She said "I think your body thinks it is in die mode, so it is storing everything you eat and nothing is going to energy. Try putting meat and cheese back in your daily foods and see what happens"
Well I did it about a month ago and now I have lost 10 pounds and am no longer on th couch all day! I have quite a ways to go, but I know I'll get there...and my Dr. keeps telling me "But the important thing is you are still not smoking!" It has been 4 years for us and we feel better than we had in years!
My nephew just quit using Chantix...he is about 45 days cigarette free! He smoked for about 20 years and has a high stress job, but he did it. He said he got upset stomach but found when he ate a normal meal and not just toast...he didn't get it as bad.
My dd started Chantix a month ago and she got from 1 1/2 packs a day to 1 cigarette a day in just a couple weeks..she said that 1 didn't even taste good but she didn't want to give it up...duh..so after the 1st phase she decided she was strong enough to go cold-turkey to quit the 1 cigarette...she didn't get the next chantix refill and within 5 days she was up to 8 cigs a day!
So don't decide to save the money and go off of it before you are due to....she even admits it was a huge mistake!
I really hope it works for you like it did for my nephew...good luck.

I have gone through the same thing. Year five of peri and my anxiety went through the roof. Got on buspar. Stopped smoking in Jan 2006 until anxiety came back in June of that year. Smoked for 2 months and stopped again. Have been smoke free for 15 months. I think I am a masochist. I am now on buspar and celexa for the anxiety and depression. I don't take any HRT. It has been 10 months since my last period and I am hoping that in a couple of months I can be officially in menopause. My mom went through a depression when she was about the same age. So it could be hormonal. Give the HRT some time but take an antidepressant if you need it. Alot of woman do. Godbless :angel: