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[daisie]

Hi clkd I'll keep you up on what she gives me ,I will ask for the Valium ,need a quick fix to calm my nerves down ,do you still take the Valium x

[Dyan]

Hi daisie,
I'm an anxiety sufferer too  my worse meno symptom.
The last time I had a bad spell my GP put me on the AD Mirtazapine.
This had a calming effect and gave me a good nights sleep.
Within 2 weeks I was feeling better and a month I was totally back to myself.
I still take 15mg each night and it has been good for me.

[Lucky Stone]

I've been on Sertraline for about 6 months now and they have helped me, I am also seeing a psychologist on the NHS for CBT and in the New Year, I am due to start a mindfulness course run by the same department. In the meantime, I have been familiarising myself with the practice of mindfulness and I am finding it helpful. I'm coming off my HRT now as it wasn't making any difference to my anxiety at all. It's still there but less than it was and I do feel I am making progress. Some ladies can't take ADs but I've had virtually no side effects at all from mine and hope to stay on them in the longer term because I believe they help my brain to be more "normal". If you see what I mean 

[CLKD]

Haven't taken Valium for 10 years.  One day they made me feel really really weird ..........
The GP will give me a 'quick fix' when required, fortunately - can't remember the name of course 
I find that if I take one as soon as any anxiety begins then it eases symptoms sooner rather than hoping it will on it's own

[JJ]

Hi daisie, I too suffer with the dreaded anxiety, since peri menopause set in. It's not easy dealing with it, I'm not taking hrt, I'm on a trycylic anti depressant which has helped but I feel that in the last 8 months or so they are not as effective, Been on them around 2 1/2 years now so maybe they lose their efficacy over time. I find the anxiety is up and down sometimes worse than others with no obvious outside stressors therefore it seems likely hormone surges etc can bring the anxiety on again, which is depressing. I do have low dose valium to take when it gets unbearable, if I didn't have asthma I'd defo give beta blockers a try.  I'm due for a doctors review soon so I guess she may change my anti depressant, I'm limited though as I didn't do well with newer ssri anti depressants, they actually made my stomach bleed, which I think is rare but can happen.

Unfortunately anxiety does seem to be a common symptom during the menopause transition and this forum is such a help as not many women seem to discuss this  aspect openely. I think I could write a book on all the symptoms I've had but it does help when you accept it as part of the menopause, as I type this my heart is flip flopping which I've also had on and off for the last couple of years. Had the 24 hr monitors, heart scan etc, all fine - still bloomin annoying though. Keep posting on here, it does help, I dip in and out and don't post too often now but just reading other posts helps me x

[daisie]

Hi to all you have posted ,just to say went to the doctors no way would she give me Valium says it was too addictive ,I told her so is the amitriptyline Iv not been able to get off it tried a few times but had no look but nothing was said about that ,so she upped the dosage 25mg and to have some counceling,,had it before long time ago didn't do much at all ,I'll just carry on with the extra25 and see how I get on thanks for all your comments x

[JJ]

Hi daisie, vallium is very addictive, but i find if taken sensibly it's a huge help to maybe take a low dose - 2 mg if anxiety ramping up, my doc trusts me with it, I can go months without. You may find the extra 25 mg of anti depressant does the trick. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you .

[daisie]

Hi jj I did try to tell her I would be ok with it just for severe  cases like yesterday ,no way would she let me have any ,so I didn't push it ,I took the extra25mg last night that took my dosage to 75mg. Of amitriptyline I felt a bit out of it this morning at the moment I don't feel as bad as yesterday could be that the 50mg has stopped working that's what Iv been on for the past 4 years ,couldn't see why she could not have gave me such a small dose for when the anxiety is bad ,I'll just see how this works for now thanks for your post x

[bev567901]

Daisie, Diazepam is addictive but my GP gave me up to 8mg a day to help with the AD side effects & then when I saw the CBT people they have a doctor in house who doubled the AD & gave me up to 15mg of diazepam a day. Seems I can't get hormones which is what I wanted but I can get benzo's you can't win can you. B x

[daisie]

Hi bev,no you can't win ,I know they would help me through this,I do really want to come off the amitriptyline they have put me a lot of weight on which makes me feel worse ,try telling that to the doctor she was not bothered,the amitriptyline is addictive as well,but it did not bother her to give me a higher dose ,I can't take hormones as we'll they gave me them ,I tried them couldn't not tolerate them at all ,made me feel worse well looks like I'll have to keep trying my higher dose ,I'm going to go for some counceling they will know more than the doctor ,I'll ask and see what they have to say thanks bev for getting back to me x

[CLKD]

I would go to a Pharamacist for a chat!  Given correctly and over-seen, Valium can be used as an emergency drug ........ seems your GP is over-worried about addiction! but less concerned that your current symptoms are over-whelming you.  Is there another GP in the Practice?

[bev567901]

Dyan I have just googled your AD & it sounds ideal for me as it says it helps nausea & increases appetite. I am going to ask about it on Tuesday. It also has a side effect of constipation!! I have to take immodium every day for one of my Sertraline SE's. Are you in the UK as it may be something not given here?  Its also given to cats but I shall ignore that bit     B x

[daisie]

Hi clkd ,yes there are a few doctors at the surgery I'm going back to see another doctor,you are right she was more worried about the addiction and not how I was feeling I'm still waking up feeling full of panic and feeling nauseas will keep you up dated x

[CLKD]

I remember well the DEEP fear on waking, anytime after 3.30 a.m.    .......... and the worry that these feelings would never go away or become worse.  <sigh>  ......... it did pass with the help of a very GOOD GP and a loving husband  and fortunately when I get struck down with anxiety my GP is supportive.

[Dyan]

I wish I had your GP CLKD.
I always see different ones and as you might have seen on my thread,"Advice please"
I am still waiting for a GP to phone back on whether I can up the Mirtazapine as the old anxiety is creeping in again.
The GP who prescribed it a few months ago has left the practice and I WAS doing great on it before so think I might just need to up it.