My main peri symptom has been anxiety but recently it is getting worse. I dont understand it as my 'logical mind' tells me it is insane to feel this way, but no matter---Im all over the place jittery, irritable ...bitchy, anxiety attacks. Its like no PMS Ive ever had and it is ANYTIME... I thought Id get through this without hormones, but Im about ready to look into the bio- identicals. Just how expensive are they, anyway?
This anxiety is a real pain as I well and truly know. I can't help you with bio identicals as I decided to do it myself. I tell myself no woman ever died from menopause. Knowing that others are suffering as well does help me cope.
A couple of things that have helped me are: I went to a good therapist, who works with basic counselling plus hypnotherapy, and she gave me some wonderful coping mechanisms. I did do a posting on panic and how to cope. I am also going to a herbalist, and she has given me some things to take that are helping immensely. I feel a lot better, still anxious, but not nearly as bad as I was. I'm actually having some happy moments.
I can relate...one of my main peri symptoms is also ANXIETY!! You put it so well as it is like the "logical" or rational mind is yelling at the irrational anxiety ridden part of us. And sometimes it feels we have no control over the not so rational mind!!
My gyn has called peri a long PMS so the moods, the anxiety , etc, will be worse. Unforutnately I do not have any experience with the bioitentical hormones. you might want to do a search on here for that or you can start a thread with those words in the title so perhaps others who do have experience with them can post.
For myself my anxiety seems to come in waves. Last year in the early part of the year it was very bad. Then my hormones seemed to stabilize and I coped better. Then this year after about 8 months of not feeling so anxious, it reared its ugly head again and a lot of Feb./Mar and April I was again in its clutches it seemed. Coming to this board and venting and getting support was and is a great help. Just knowing others are going thru it does help. I also increased my exercise and tried some of the coping mechanisms that Jude posted , when I'd get anxious at night. A couple of them were : talking to yourself loudly when anxiety overtakes you, just telling myself to STOP!! Also there was another she mentioned where you picture a number on a chalkboard like number 30 and then keep counting backwards, visualizing the number in your head. She probably could say this better than I am as she posted a great post awhile back on Anxiety. Anyway, at night this seemed to help me at times. Other times nothing seemed to help. But I do know the more anxious I got the more my other symptoms got worse. Like intestinal issues I have at times with peri get worse with anxiety that is for sure.
I don't know what exactly has made the anxiety subside from a couple months ago. There seems to be no rhyme or reason for it at times, so I guess it is the hormones just calming down. I just hope it remains stable!! I still have my moments but not as bad as a few months ago. But then again I said that last year in May after a bad bout and then it acted up again after as I said a good 8 or 9 months of not being that way!! So that is what I mean by no rhyme or reason!!
I know this probably doesn't help, but hopefully it will in part help to know you are not alone.
I hope you will continue to post and vent your anxiety as I do think it helps.
I recently started having terrible panic attacks and had an initial visit with a Dr. that deals with bioidentical hormones and natural remedies for peri and menopause. I'm still waiting for the initial results and treatment advice, but will post anything later for anyone interested. The initial test is a salivary test you do at home and it cost $300. I had to submit it to my insurance co. (rather than the Dr. doing it) and am still waiting to see if it will be covered.
Up until recently I'd been using Progesterone cream that I got through my gyno about a year ago that was done by a compounding pharmacy. If I remember correctly, it was about $45 for a tube and lasted about 3 months. I stopped using it 2-3 months ago when I started having panic/anxiety problems (just kept forgetting). Then recently read that hormones are so tricky to balance that you really should be tested before using stuff so you really know what you're dealing with. When I used the Progesterone cream, it defintely helped with some of my symptoms such as PMS mood swings, insomnia, cramps and hot flashes.
Not sure about my recent panic/anxiety and why I have it. I was feeling really good today and about 5 minutes ago my heart starting racing! Great...
I'm VERY interested in the herbals as well. I always try to avoid drugs and start with supplements, so anything you guys find will be of interest to me. I found that a cal mag supplement helped, but then I was having a bad taste in my mouth and wondered if it might be that, so stopped. Planing to start that up again. I also just bought Remifemin. I had not tried it as it is black cohosh and mostly for hot flashes (I thought) which I do not have. However I have read it helps with the 'moodies' too. I guess the thing that is so difficult to deal with is the way the anxiety hits me seemingly out of the blue. And Ive NEVER been an anxiety ridden person. THIS IS NOT ME...
Hello! If you decide to go the hormone route, I am on the Vivelle Dot patch .075. It is a bioidentical hormone, and costs me $50.00 a month with my insurance. I think there are generic versions that are bioidentical, but I had a problem in the past keeping other patches on. The Vivelle Dot is changed twice a week so I don't have a problem keeping it in place, and it is very small. Hope this helps!
Hello! The active ingredient in the Vivelle Dot is estradiol. I did have my estradiol level checked prior to receiving the prescription. It came back at 30. My gyno said that estrogen level was equal to the amount of estrogen that my husband had in his body I had originally started on Premarin (not bioidentical),then switched to the Climara patch. I had a problem keeping that one on, so then switched to the Vivelle Dot. I like the fact that it is changed twice a week. Have you had your estrogen levels checked?
I have an appt. with my new Gyn tomorrow to get the test results from my salivary hormone test for: Free cortisol, estradiol, progesterone, testosterone and DHEA. I found her through searching for Dr.'s that treat with bioidentical hormones and natural remedies. She also recommended Magnesium, CoQ10 and Fish Oils (EFA's?), which I'm taking, and another one which I haven't bought yet because I can't remember what she said it was for and I wanted to research it (something I hadn't heard of). Anyway, I'm very anxious to find out the results. While I'm concerned about any kind of HRT (my mother had breast cancer a few years ago, but survived), I feel like if I'm so off balance that it's causing anxiety and the physical symptoms I'm experiencing - this can't be good/healthy either.
I'm VERY interested in the herbals as well. I always try to avoid drugs and start with supplements, so anything you guys find will be of interest to me. I found that a cal mag supplement helped, but then I was having a bad taste in my mouth and wondered if it might be that, so stopped. Planing to start that up again. I also just bought Remifemin. I had not tried it as it is black cohosh and mostly for hot flashes (I thought) which I do not have. However I have read it helps with the 'moodies' too. I guess the thing that is so difficult to deal with is the way the anxiety hits me seemingly out of the blue. And Ive NEVER been an anxiety ridden person. THIS IS NOT ME...
The perimenopause anxiety does come from out of the blue and I have never been an anxiety person either except when my thyroid was hyper years ago. But this time, that's not the problem, just this darn peri!
I had originally started on Premarin (not bioidentical),then switched to the Climara patch. I had a problem keeping that one on, so then switched to the Vivelle Dot. I like the fact that it is changed twice a week. Have you had your estrogen levels checked?
