I will be 42 years old in October. For the last 2 months I have been experiencing a lot of anxiety. Breathlessness, sighing and yawning are also problems. I am experiencing the night sweats too. I have had blood tests, an EKG, Stress test, chest x-ray and pulmonary function tests and all have come back normal! My Dr. prescribed 0.25 Xanax which seems to only help a little. Do you think this could be peri-menopause? Has anyone else experienced this? It drives me crazy and seemed to come out of the blue!!! Thanks
Welcome to the club, you could sure be having some peri-menopause symptoms. Since all your tests are ok, hormones are probably the troublemaker. Many of us starting having symptoms in our 30's. Anxiety, shortness of breath and the night sweats can be pretty common. I seem to yawn alot some days too. Some of the ladies have started on daily antidepressants that help alot. Ask your doctor. I take Xanax too, it's a real help, but not something you want to take on to regular of basis. Take comfort in the fact your tests are normal, and many of us are going thru the same thing as you are. Ann
Anxiety was the first thing that hit me (with a terrible blow I might add) last fall when all the peri stuff started for me. I thought I was going insane since I've never in my life been bothered by anxiety.
I went through a huge battery of tests...everything from B12 deficiency to heart tests to thryoid etc. Everything came back normal.
I went on Clonanzapam which I slowly tapered down until I wasn't using it anymore. I still get the anxiety. I can often feel it like a buzzing just under my skin but I find now that I know what's causing it, I can control it without having to resort to drugs. There's definitely no shame though in taking an anti anxiety med to help you out while you adjust to all of this.
I also find that the anxiety level is higher at different points in my monthly cycle. The first two weeks of my cycle when progesterone levels are low and estrogen is dominant are rough. Once I hit mid cycle, things even off and I feel close to normal.
Hi
I am 40 and have those same symptoms, but I am in surgical menopause.
I too am also on 0.25mg of Xanax as well when needed.
My OB told me that I can take up to 2mg a day. I havent yet. Hopefuly I wont have too.
I am guessing you MAYBE in peri...
Oh yes, that sent me to the hospital in the wee-hours of the morning,(twice) I haven't had the horrible trebling in awhile but every now and then I feel like pressure on my chest and the only way to get that nice deep breath in is to yawn really hard.
I was given xanax 0.5. I take half when I get alittle on edge and it helps.
I was also given Klonopine to take before bed, I don't depend on that much anymore for the anxiety. It does help me get a good nights sleep, which is the new symtpoms lately.
Anxiety was one of the very first signs of Peri-M for me and from what I've been told anxiety is very common in peri-m females.
I tryed to live with it the first few months, it would come and go and often I'd have panic attacks, sleepless nights, etc. so my Doctor placed me on .05 ativan every night and as needed for anxiety. It seems to help level me out. I still have some bad days, but not as bad and I do sleep better at nights.
Boy do I hate anxiety. It has been the worst symptom for me. I have gone back on Zoloft. I took it before for post partum depression. It has been helpful for me. My anxiety is evening out and I don't feel so out of control or worried.
Peri is a world wind of hormone fluctuations and all that goes with it. You probably are in it, but I recommend you talk to your gyn. Hopefully, he/she is receptive to your thoughts and feelings. I also suggest to read as much as you can about peri.
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