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[Alyson]

Hello, happy to find this site and know I am not alone albeit far away on Vancouver Island.  I am seeking advice for help with my troublesome perimeno symptom - anxiety.  Things I never hesitated to do in the past are now challenging.  I started flushes at 35, horrible pms, night sweats, headaches, crying at radio commercials, memory issues, most everything actually. Just like my mother and grandmother.  My childhood memories involve a lot of open windows in winter! The anxiety has been going on about 2 years now, but is recently starting to interfere with daily living.  I feel out of sorts more and more, not weepy though, just anxious.  I didn't know that anxiety can have a hormonal cause until recently.   My old self was very social, impulsive (not always a positive trait), energetic, go getter, but now I avoid situations and people. Even telling lies to avoid seemingly easy events like dinner with friends "I'm not feeling well" usually means I am worried I will have a anxiety attack and not be able to leave.  I have been on bioidentical progesterone for almost 10 years, but after doubling the dose in the fall, I am not seeing any results with anxious thoughts and feelings.  My doctor asked me to try a low dose contraceptive called Alysena 21.  I am just starting it, and stopping the natural progesterone.  So we will see what happens. If that doesn't work I am not sure what the next step, different hormones or anti-anxiety medication.  I am not sure what the difference is between HRT and Alysena.   Wish me luck! Does anyone have an anxiety story to share? Thanks for reading and advice welcomed. cheers

[Mrs January]

Hi Alyson

Glad you found this site hun and the advice it can offer you. I too have hormonal related anxiety but did end up last year on AD's due also to marital problems......I own the anxiety and accept it can't hurt me then move on ...easier said that done but the only way I can manage it with work, teenagers, still troubled marriage etc. I avoid all alcohol and caffeine too and make sure I care for myself and get  a good nights sleep (as best we can with peri menopause) ....hope it helps hun

Sending hugs xxxx

[Suzyq]

Hi Alyson.

I'm in montreal and had the same as you. I am 49 but anxiety hit out of the blue at 44. At first was cyclical but over last couple of months went to constant! I have never been anxious in the past. I tried ssri's but they didn't help me. Have had cbt and hypnosis which help a bit but not completely. Certainly as mrs January says you have to sort of invite it in rather than running from it.

Anyway have been on hrt for 22 days (estrogel and progesterone) and feeling much better (phew). Can't advise on birth control as don't know anything about them, but lots of ladies here are just about expert!!

[CLKD]

I had my first panic attack at age 3.  In the 1990s anxiety controlled me to the point of being housebound.  My GP eventually put me on betablockas.  I also have an emergency anti-anxiety tablet to take and some GPs use Ativan or Valium for short-term use.  In the 1990s I had Valium on an as necessary basis.

My periods were painful for years.  In my mid-30s I had bad PMT.  Helped by National Association of Premenstrual Syndrome (NAPS), a UK-based Charity - who advised that my acute nausea was due to low blood sugar.  Eating every 3 hours: not eating more but spreading out the diet over 24 hours, every 24 hours : keeps the blood sugar even and helps stop anxiety surges and nausea.  I kept up this regime for 18 years and it really did help.

I have dry biscuits; dried fruits and nuts; bananas; chocolate drops  to hand to stave off those feelings, the trick is to eat before the body gets hungry 

Have you read the menus, left of screen - you may find some useful info there.  Welcome from across the POND!

[Alyson]

Thank you for sharing and showing such compassion.  CLKD  - I am going to try to remember to eat every few hours to see if I can regulate my blood sugar.  I think this will help.  Since being off the natural progesterone and on this low dose contraceptive the hot flushes have come back.  I have been bleeding for over 10 days now, but more like spotting in the last three days.  I guess I will go back to the GP and see if I should switch to HRT or Anti-Anxiety meds.  I can't bleed so much because my ferritin is at 17 which I got it up from 5 last year. So far, anxiety wise, I feel about the same with the contraceptive but it has only been about two weeks.  This week I returned to work and had a few moments of panic,  I used Kava Kava, L'theanine and tried acceptance and self talk ("this is just anxiety, it will pass)   Also, I read the about 321 technique here and used it when I was in a grocery line-up (a new anxiety provoking situation is paying for groceries and feeling like I am trapped in the line up - I haven't told that to anyone because I am embarrassed about it, anyway, I did "three things I can see", ect) and that gave my body time to metabolize the adrenaline and I was able to get through the line up).  I thought the anxiety was just around work, but I am developing it in many situations.   I am slowly going off coffee, by switching to decaf and green tea.  I keep thinking of ways to avoid all the situations but have realized that I have to face them, as new ones will come up.  Yesterday, I was watching a swim meet and got over whelmed by the crowds, but managed the anxiety by taking a break and going back in.  It seems that accepting this is how my life is right now is going to help.  Thank you ladies for your help.  I don't want to feel shame about anxiety and you have helped me for sure!  Sorry for the long post and thanks for reading.  Alyson

[Hurdity]

Hi Alyson

 

Sorry to hear about your anxiety - and yes in many cases it does have a hormonal cause, or the hormonal fluctuations can make difficult or stressful situations in our lives more difficult to cope with. Nothing to be ashamed about!

I can't quite work out from your post how old you are and whether your periods have started becoming irregular, so how far you are along the menopause journey? However if you are definitely peri-menopausal then I would seriously consider HRT. The birth control pill consist of a synthetic oestrogen and a synthetic progestogen which may make you feel worse rather than better.

Depending on how much bio-identical progesterone you are taking and in what form (I think Prometrium is the brand available in America?), I would continue taking that but add in some oestrogen (estradiol - not the kind derived from horses which is sold as Premarin) as well - either in tablet form or transdermal (patch or gel). You will to sort out the right dosage of oestrogen with your doc and to make sure you have sufficient progesterone to stop your womb lining from thickening - so oral doses are usually best for the latter  - not the cream (if that's what you were using).

This should stop your flushes and hopefully help with your anxiety. I would definitely try this for a year before going down the AD route!

Great to hear you are using self-help techniques and they are working for you. I used (and do still sometimes) the 3-2-1 exercise to help me get to sleep at night when my mind is buzzing too much.

You might be interested in John Studd's work - he is a consultant gynae in UK who did a lot of pioneering research on HRT and menopause. He is a great proponent of oestrogen to help with pms
http://www.studd.co.uk/.  Elisabeth Vliet in US is also popular.

I hope this is helpful

Hurdity x

[Alyson]

oh crumb, I started writing a reply and touched some magic key and it's gone, well thank you again Hurdity, very helpful, I am 46 and started transdermal bioidentical progesterone about 10 years ago with 25mg.  That helped tremendously with everything, esp the nausea. The anxiety started 2 years ago, never had it before and it started with small challenges like being able to sit through a whole movie at the theatre.  I increased the cream on the advice of a naturopathic doctor to 60 mgs in the fall 2013, but I don't think it helped much. The anxiety was worse and getting weird, like not wanting to drive in the dark and I love to drive.  The anxiety seems to worse around ovulation.  My periods are kind of regular, normally are 21(all my life sigh) days but this year I have had cycles of 14, 37, 25 days, but usually 21 or 22 days for most of the year.  In Dec I went to my GP who has never supported the bioidentical progesterone and told her the anxiety was starting to interfere with daily living.  She said either Mirena or low dose contraceptive would help. I went for the contraceptive pill and stopped the cream and I have been bleeding slightly now for two weeks. I am waiting to see if the anxiety eases up. I feel a bit lost right now and will go back to ask about the estradiol. Also maybe it is time to try another delivery method rather than transdermal if I go back to the natural progesterone. Sounds like I don't know what I want!  thanks for the advice, I wish we had menopausal clinics here or support groups.   I have a lovely counsellor who got me through the pain and trauma of a car accident 7 years ago, so I think it is time to ask for help with this issue. I am off to check john s and Elizabeth v  - thanks again, one positive of this experience is that I have developed much empathy for others with anxiety, it isn't just a word anymore. 

[honeybun]

Hi Alyson.

Your anxiety sounds so similar to mine. Cinemas, busy shops , driving also bother me. I wish I could tell you there was a quick fix but I really can't.
I had been on HRT for almost two years before I even started to feel like this.

What I have found helps me is a very low dose beta blocker taken in the morning. You can safely take these and much more than I do and they help a bit with the panic surge that hits out of no where.
I also take St John's Wort even though it says you should not with the contraceptive pill or HRT. It can reduce the effectiveness but I decided I would rather have a reduced effect than no effect at all.
Mostly I can control my anxiety although avoidance is still a big thing for me. I need to challenge myself more to regain confidence.

It's a terrible thing and you feel so very helpless. I to was confident and I am fighting very hard to get back some of what I had.

Maybe try some alternatives for the anxiety along with a beta blocker.

Keep posting, the forum is a great support and has helped me so much.


Honeyb
x

[Alyson]

Thanks HB,  I had some good and no so good anxiety moments this week.  I have been using the 321 technique a lot and it helps.  Still taking L'Theanine and Kava tincture for anticipated events.  I have been able to manage most situations at work and in the community this week, but it is unsettling.  I will try and get some St. John's Wort and give it a try - thank you.  I tried 5HTP a few times and just got massive headaches, nausea and nightmares.  I spend a fortune on supplements and end up giving them away to friends.  My kitchen looks like a pharmacy!   I am going to see my GP soon and will ask about beta blocker.  Oh well, a quick fix isn't going to happen, but it gives me hope to hear that you are fighting and winning.  I just don't understand how the anxiety can be around everyday normal things that I never worried about in the past, like shopping! It helps to know that I am not alone, thanks again.  I am feeling a bit exhausted trying to get through these anxious events!  What a rollercoaster...  take care 

[Alyson]

Anxiety is still a challenge. My GP said a low dose contraceptive (it's called Alysena 21) would help with the anxiety, but again, today I had a very hard time staying in the room at a day long event for work.   I tried every anxiety tool I had (321, slow breathing, gum, doodling, sipping water, eating every few minutes, and I took a lot of natural relaxants (chewable GABA, L'Theanine) in order to get through the day.  It is exhausting to manage. I started St. John's Wort yesterday,  so will report back in a few weeks.  I went to an alternative health fair yesterday and a nice practitioner tried to convince me that something called tapping or EFT would take away my anxiety.  So I would love to know if anyone out here has tried this method?   
I promised my GP I would try three packs of Alysena 21 and after two packs now the only change so far is a lot of night sweats and some aggression (this is new, I am annoyed at friends - really impatient), but not much change in anxiety area.  I didn't have any sweats or aggression on the bio-identical progesterone which I took for 10 years. I am so miserable with the anxiety, everything makes me jumpy.  I am forgetting who I was and keep thinking that I am going to be like this forever.  Just on the edge of panic.  However - on the positive side I managed to drive just fine in the dark lately - so that helps me feel more confident that I can move forward (but I keep thinking another worry will replace the driving phobia). So, back to the GP to sort out the next step as the b/c pill isn't helping.  Any other anxiety ideas or resources please send my way.  I will try them all.   Thank you all for helping with my peri-anxiety saga.  Who knew this was coming down the line.....