Hi,
I am new here and am suffering with hot flushes, irritable bladder, IBS symptoms, mood swings, lethargy, brain fog and general feeling of going insane!!
I also feel very anxious most of the time, even if I think I am ok, my stomach tells me otherwise by feeling jittery, nervous, and upset.
My anxiety makes me worry abut everything to the extent that I am driving myself and my husband crazy! i am paranoid that i have something seriously wrong with me, and it scares me.
just wanted to know how the anxiety affects you all, as it might help me feel less crazy and less worried about my health.
Hi, Lisa,
If I were you I would have my thyroid checked, it's just a simple blood test. That said, menopause is not for sissies, is it !! I find that when I exercise (cardio) and when I do relaxation exercises, these two things help me.
Hi Sue,
Thanks for your reply, I had bloods done a couple of months ago, due to my irregular periods, and all was fine so not concerned re thyroid.
I teach exercise and ance classes and must say that my general well being and digestions is better on the days I teach.
I do think some of the anxiety and IBS symtoms are realted to hormone fluctuations both mid cycle and around the time of my period though as I can have weeks when all seems normal then suddenly it will start up again.
Lisa
I agree with you, I totally believe it's due to hormone fluctuations. Have you considered hormone replacement? Maybe it's time to make an appointment with your gynecologist?
You are so right menopause is not for sissies...I just will never understand why we lose our hormones to such low levels.. I'm currently on HRT from a compounding pharmacy ..but still have have some anxiety..and never did before all this menopause stuff..I'm now 66 so don't think if ever ends..
Hi Lisa,
I know you posted this a few weeks ago but I haven't been on the board to read anything for awhile. I agree with you wholeheartedly that the anxiety is awful! I've said in many of my posts that it is by far the worst symptom of all -- though lately my complete inability to sleep is a very close second! But that's another post! LOL Seriously, though, I, too, worry about everything but primarily my health. I worry constantly that there is something seriously wrong with me. Even if I go to the doctor and they say I check out fine I think maybe they missed something. Every little pain I get I think of the worst case scenario that it could be. I was like this somewhat before but it's been a hundred times worse since perimenopause began. My gyn. said this is definitely directly related to the hormonal changes. She had originally recommended I take a daily anti-anxiety med. and I tried it but didn't like the side effects. I do take Ativan when the symptoms get really bad and it works wonderfully. I don't take it that often but when I really need it, it is a godsend. Anyway, I just wanted you to know that you definitely are not alone in this. I've read it in many posts and posted about it myself before. Don't be afraid to ask your doctor for help if it gets really bad. It's an awful way to live and peri is bad enough without that thrown into the mix! So good luck to you and hang in there with the rest of us. We will make it through!! Take care of yourself! Diane
Thanks so much Diane x I have been to my docotor and had blood test done I called for the results and apparently the FSH levels show I am entering menopause...I feel better at least knowing this means I am worrying less about the anxiety/depression/hot flushes and night sweat... as I had worked myself up thinking it was the big C, all my bloods were fine and now it is up to me to decide if I want to see dr again to chat about options for coping. I have just started myself on some Agnus Castus (it helps rebalance hormones for PMT and menopausal symptoms) and some St Johns Wort from the health store, also taking daily omega 3,6 & 9 and have done for about 4 weeks and I think this is beginning to help with the anxiety a bit too. I also take a calcium/magnesium/zinc supplement too....I mean shake me and I rattle.
I don't really want to go down the HRT/anti depressant route if I can avoid it, so I fiure I will try alternative options firts and see how I go.
Thank you so much for you kind words Diane
Lisa x x
I got menopausal anxiety and it sucks! I shake, have muscle tension! I've tried zoloft and it mademy anxiety worse! Now i'm trying to taper off trazadone and now i might be experiencing withdrawal, because now i got increased anxiety!Its horrible!I wish it woulde just go way! I hate it !I' live with my mother and i'm driivng her crazy! I'm disabled! I have a fear of choking when i eat, because my mother likes to talk when we eatr and i don't want to Choke! Does anybody else have that feeling?
Hi, I'm new as of today, I just did my first post today regarding anxiety and menopause, if you can read it, I know what you are going through.. Last week at this time, I was feeling awesome.. Over the weekend, starting having Heart palps, sweating and then cold, got my period on Tuesday. Shaking, feeling like I'm in another world, I take zoloft for the last 4 years at 100mg, and now I'm freaking out as if what if zoloft stop working, should I in crease it.. I'm 42, my mom had a hysterectomy when she was in her 40's, but I don't know when she was in menopause.. I'm hoping someone will reply to mine..
Hi Whid228. You should probably see your doctor about your symptoms as perimenopause can certainly change things. Hormonal fluctuations can cause or increase anxiety for sure. You may have to switch to a more sedating antidepressant. I know the ssri's made me worse and quickly. I now take Trazadone and Mirtazapine with the occasional ativan. This seems to work for me. You have to be cautious with the ativan because if you take it too often you can become addicted and it won't work anymore. Just know that you are not alone. T
I went to my Dr, had blood work done, waiting for my Thyroid test to come back, had an EKG done, that was fine... It just frustrating to be feeling good one minute and then not.. My Dr said it's probably early menopause and basically suck it up... So Frustrating..
Hi,
I am new here and am suffering with hot flushes, irritable bladder, IBS symptoms, mood swings, lethargy, brain fog and general feeling of going insane!!
I also feel very anxious most of the time, even if I think I am ok, my stomach tells me otherwise by feeling jittery, nervous, and upset.
My anxiety makes me worry abut everything to the extent that I am driving myself and my husband crazy! i am paranoid that i have something seriously wrong with me, and it scares me.
just wanted to know how the anxiety affects you all, as it might help me feel less crazy and less worried about my health.
Lisa
lisa i am going thru the same exact thing and im afraid i am driving my family and freinds crazy i worry all the time that i have some serious illiness and im making myself sick to the point that i was at the er for high blood pressure and the more anxious i get the higer it goes and i cant afford it i seen my dr and he put me on meds but i dont feel better maybe they need time too work as i am only on them 2 days i take blood pressure meds they make me tired and lightheaded and i take xanax and zoloft i too have bladder and stomach problems and now that scares me because my bms are yellow and loose and i have discomfort in my back and abdominal area i just feel like im going insane and oh i was told i have internal hemoroids which makes me feel even more uncomfortable. im using a very active person and now all i do is what i have too do and then im either laying in bed or on the couch and this just isnt me ..have you had any of my issues ??
It's changed my life..my anxiety right now has made me more of a recluse. I hardly go out to the places I once would go. I have to really think about it..getting stuck somewhere just makes me crazy. Driving long distances is off limits. There is no way I could do a road trip. The quality of my life has changed because of it..I never know when or where it will strike..some days I just say.."I'm not going to let this rule me!" But it's hard. I want this to stop..I feel like it's been forever.
God you read these boards and so many sound familiar to us all its wierd.Im suffering as well when im due to have my period about 3 days before the anxiety gets worse i shake and feel like ive got every illness under the sun.While im on my period its the same im shaking all the time and my legs hurt and feel so weak my poor family im crying all the time thinking im got something so bad i dont eat much during this time.Im 45 and just had hormone tests done and they have come back inconclusive so dont know now.But i have to say my doctor did say he would take my word for it rather than the test cos there hard to detect.When ive had my period i start to calm down a bit for a couple of weeks with all these illness thoughts then i can tell they start to creep up again.Im ok at being in the house on my own for 2 weeks but when these thoughts start before my period i dont want to be on my own,i proper shake and now im having some tremors in my leg like ive seen some women describe.Does anyone else find these thoughts are worse before there period
Ladies, first of all I am sorry you're suffering. But on the other hand it's calming to know others experience the same thing. I would have to say anxiety is my biggest problem right now. It's like my mind is constantly wandering trying to drum up some "condition" I may have. Honestly, if I hear a song on the radio that talks about death, my crazy mind says, "This is a sign for you because you're going to die." I had a general check up with my regular doctor just 3 days ago. I left there with a good report and just keep trying to remind myself of that. This peri and/or full blown menopause is nothing to laugh at. I had no idea it would be so hard to get through. I am scheduled to take a trip next weekend to go Christmas shopping with my sisters to Chicago. So now I keep thinking, "What if something happens while we're on this trip? Maybe I just shouldn't go." Nope - not gonna give in to that. I'm going to go and have a good time. Just trying to take baby steps through this and hopefully some day soon I can look back and think, "I made it!"
The following user gives a hug of support to dextermom: CrazyLife414 (12-07-2012)
I have a lot of stomach problems too, I notice they get worse when I am worried and upset. The problem is that I am worried and upset a lot of the time. I can't tell sometimes whether my stomach is upset due to my health anxiety, or I have health anxiety due to stomach problems.
I definitely felt that I was the victim of some bizarre rare disease, and I still have some days feeling like this. I am eating extra almonds (about five or six after a meal) because I thought it would help my stomach and calm my nerves (almonds are high in magnesium, also very alkaline which should help the backflow of an acid stomach, GERD).
I thought magnesium from natural sources would probably not have side effects the way vitamins do. Maybe it is helping, I do feel a little calmer but I'll have to see how I feel in a few weeks.
Hi Girls!
I too cannot believe how many posts I find on here that could have been written by me!
My anxiety is off the charts and my stomach is in some kind of mess everyday. I went to the Dr yesterday and she decided to do bloodwork.. I can't wait to see if my hormone levels have changed since June! But she is also running a lot of different panels to see if there are any other issues that we need to address. I am grateful she is doing the blood work.....BUT..... I am now freaked out because of all of the what ifs! The health anxiety is really bad for me!!
I absolutely hate what it is doing to my life!!
I want to cry all of the time!
I hope you all have a good weekend....try and think positive!
b.
Last edited by CrazyLife414; 12-07-2012 at 03:07 PM.
