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[Dancinggirl]

Hi tiredlady - I think I responded to your thread about sleep.  I would just like to say that you need to stop listening to people who believe all the scares about HRT and in fact know nothing - your husband is right to encourage you to try HRT. I'm afraid your mother is quite wrong about holding back the inevitable and in fact premature menopause can give very real long term problems as pointed out by Hurdity & others.
I was peri meno from my mid 30s and took HRT for years.  I had a break from HRT at 49 which wasn't good and started using HRT again for another 4 years.  I'm now 57 and taking another break from HRT and things are settling down quite well - so HRT doesn't necessarily mean you get dreadful symptoms later.  I'm now just using local oestrogen to help with Vaginal Atrophy.  Your doctor, quite rightly, has been very thorough and is wanting you to see someone about menopause which is fabulous - so many ladies can't get any help with their meno symptoms from their GP.  In your case you need to listen to your GP and the advice given from the meno specialist. Keep us posted about your progress - we want to see you get your life back.  DG x

[tired lady]

Thanks you so much everyone for all your wonderful help and advice, it has made me feel so much better about things already!  The doctor that specializes in menopause only works at the practice part-time which is a shame as there aren't many appointments available at a time that suits me.  I am hoping that I will be able to make one for Feb half term which is not far away now but it is possible that she will be away that week because she has young children but I'm going to try and make an appointment tomorrow. 

I am quite worried now about the potential bone and cardiovascular problems I could have by not taking HRT, especially as I have a heart health anxiety and I'm now panicking that I've caused some damage already seeing as I have had symptoms for over 3 years!

I'm sure I'm having night sweats although I don't always wake up sweating, just very hot!  I go to bed really cold and then at some point I wake up suddenly, usually from a bad dream, and then feel like I can't breathe properly, my heart is pounding and then I realise that my body is really hot.  I got my husband to feel my skin once and he was shocked at how hot it was!  I have never woken up feeling hot before I was 39 so I'm sure they are not flushes.  However, I don't seem to be getting them in the day time thank goodness!

The thing that I absolutely dread is when I wake up with the racing heart, when I get a couple of thuds and then it shoots off at what I think might be well over 150bpm and then I feel nauseous, light headed, panicky with a feeling of doom like I'm about to die.  I also panic that my heart won't be able to take it and go into cardiac arrest.  I try to do some deep breathing and sometimes go and splash myself with cold water which seems to help a bit.  It is a shame that my 24hr holter monitor didn't pick one of those episodes up, although I did wake up from a couple of scary dreams when I had it on and my heart was pounding but apparently my heart was in normal synus rhythm and it was just normal palpitations probably caused by adrenaline!  It is always in the back of my mind that I still have some kind of heart problem that comes out at night but I just keep trying to think of my normal ECG!

I will keep you posted on how I get on at the doctors, I am really hoping that she won't say it is just anxiety again which 3 doctors have told me already since this all started!  I have been back so many times with this problem and when I first went they just shrugged off early menopause symptoms even though I said I was waking up hot!

Thanks so much again everyone, I'm so glad I found this forum!  tired lady

[Taz2]

Hi tired lady - I am not sure if I have posted this before - I think I have but can't quite remember where - but it gives a good description of what happens to the body during a hot flush http://www.breastcancer.org/tips/menopausal/facing/hot_flashes  Don't be put off by the fact it is from a breast cancer website - chemotherapy can give women hot flushes but the overall feeling is the same.

The way you describe your heart episodes is exactly what happens to me during a hot sweat/flush and is normal although very uncomfortable. I find it really difficult to keep concentration at work when I get one. I first of all get the horrible doom and gloom feeling and then it starts. I usually lose my train of thought and the give away is my steamed up glasses 

Taz x

[oldsheep]

I had a heart trace for 24 hours done when I was pre-HRT menopausal as it was beating all over the place with the hot flushes. I remember the technician saying "oh, another menopausal woman" when I turned up for it to be fitted!

[Dyan]

I also had a 24 hr heart trace done when I was having very rapid heartbeat in the mornings.
Because I was on ADs the dr at the hospital more or less told me it was panic attacks.
I know it wasn't,I've had those and they are so different.
Had the rapid heart again the other morning.
I was put on some medication for my OCD on Monday (also suffering from depression & anxiety at the moment)and the side effect is rapid heart beat but I'm in 2 minds as to whether I'm having another episode of the meno symptoms which I believe was the cause last time because when I'd got my hrt sorted it went away- who knows

[Cassie]

You neednt worry about damage to your heart already having happened,  as taking Oestrogen even now will help to lower your bad cholesterol, if you have any at all, have you had a cholesterol check. Its know that HRT protects from heart disease and osteoporosis, so it will kick in and can only benefit you, you are young enough not to have to worry about heart disease,providing you dont smoke, eat healthily and do moderate exercise and stop worrying, stress is a killer, so my Gran always said, not easy I know but the HRT will also help for that as well.

[tired lady]

Thanks so much everyone for your help and advice, it has been so helpful to me   It certainly seems like I'm not alone in my scary racing heart episodes!

I am still having terrible trouble sleeping and the last 2 nights have been horrendous.  I haven't been waking up hot but I am waking up in the early hours of the morning feeling like I can't breathe with my heart pounding and going faster than normal. I just lie in bed feeling like I'm suffocating it is absolutely awful.  I have sometimes wondered whether I could be suffering from sleep apnoea and mentioned it to my doctor a few times but she said that the breathing thing is probably caused by anxiety because I'm not overweight and I don't snore much (I do sometimes according to my husband!) Sometimes it feels like my heart is pounding all night and I'm so worried that I am doing damage to it because of this and I'm utterly exhausted in the morning.  I try and calm down, go back to sleep and then it keeps happening on and off for the rest of the night and I'm absolutely
shattered.  I am still having the disturbing dreams too. 

I still have not made an appointment to see the doctor and I'm still not totally sure about taking HRT because I'm really worried about the side effects, especially those of stroke and blood clots.  Unfortunately I suffer from mild health anxiety (mostly about my heart and having a stroke) so I know I'm going to worry about potential side effects.  I decided on the progesterone only pill because I was worried about the side effects of the combined pill! 

I was just wondering whether anyone else wakes up in the night feeling like they can't breathe, I have certainly noticed it a few times when I have woken up feeling hot.  I just hate it and I just spend most of the night thinking I'm about to have a heart attack, I just dread going to bed now.  I can't seem to get out of the loop of anxiety at bedtime now and I often lay in bed with a pounding heart before I've even gone to sleep and then I know I'm in for a bad night.  I just wish I could sort this out and stop feeling like a zombie!

[Mrs January]

Hey Tired lady

Thanks for coming to the forum to share your symptoms and seek help hun. I too have very bad hot flushes and had hard nights too.

Now I avoid all alcohol, caffeine, ( I only drink camomile tea) and try to reduce stress ...I have a stressful job home life and two teenagers at home...so also at night my room is cold, I use lavender on my pillow, cotton wool balls in my ears and sleep in very little...I own the anxiety or edge and I call it as it won't hurt me just makes me uncomfortable....and think of positive things like music, the beach or sounds of waves etc......

Hope my tips may help you too hun ...for now I send you hugs xxxx

[Cassie]

Have you considered a mild beta blocker, that would help with the palpitations. As for HRT, take the gel it is bio identical, or the patch and the natural progesterone, you will be fine, try and banish these negative feelings from your mind, you will feel a different person once you have started with the oestrogen.... TBH, it sounds like you are or have developed a bit of a phobia, the oestrogen will help you for that as well and comibined with a beta blocker, a good, happy book @ bedtime, some nice warm milk and honey, you will soon be feeling like a new soul.... dont make yourself ill over something that may never happen, your heart has been checked out, you are healthy, as my Dr once said to me..... your poor heart, it gets the blame for everything, he asked me if I had any idea what its like to really be suffering with heart problems, was rather humbling, but I know, panic attacks are horrendous, I found that when I went off the pill and onto pure oestrogen with added progesterone, not progestegin, it
helped tremendousely....

Cerazette is a Progesterone only pill, your body is clearly craving Oestrogen, do not deprive yourself of this, see your meno Dr about this and give it a bash for a few months, you have nothing to lose and so much to benefit by it, you are way too young to be depriving your body of an essential hormone,  have you had your E2  (Oestrogen) levels checked, you may be in for a surprise, sounds like your levels are very low, causing you all these awful symptoms...

[Suz]

Hi tired lady,

I am sorry to hear about your struggle with palpitations and sleeping problems.

The ladies here have covered all hormonal angles and it seems you are gng to get that addressed.
The other thing you may want to give a go is 5-htp and vit d combo.
Progesterone depletes the body of estrogen but also serotonin. 5-htp will give that a boost in addition to vit D.
Vit d has to b taken at a higher dose 2000iu daily and 1 htp at 50mg. Both available at Holland and barret or online. I think with this combo you will start to feel better within 2-4weeks.

But obviously oestrogen may also b needed depending on your bloods.

I entered early meno a few years ago, and things got very bad at about 34.

You are too young to suffer like this and your mum, of course means well, but your mums progress through the meno would b different to you.
You also mentioned some hard times with your son, who is not well, so to look after him and your family you need to look after you first, as your family need you.
Good luck, with best wishes
Suz x

[sweettooth]

Hi T lady,  sorry to hear that you are having a rough time.  I remember exactly having what you are having when i was coming up to about 38.  Hrt was the only thing that sorted this out and at times i had to increase the hrt if it came back.  Although uncomfortable and annoying it will not cause you any harm.  I know it is easier said than done but if you can manage to alter your thinking towards it ie dont be fearful, you will not feel as stressed out.

Menopause symptoms can go on for a very long time and hrt can get us through some  of the worst effects.  Please dont go by what someone else has or hasnt taken to help with menopause, just go with what is best for you whatever that is and get as much help deciding as possible.

Very best wishes Stooth x

[tired lady]

Thanks so much everyone for your help and advice   I am going to phone the doctors tomorrow to try and get an appointment with the meno doctor. I wish I wasn't on Cerazette (progesterone only pill) so I could see what my periods were up to but it seems to suit me and I definitely don't want another baby!!! I have still been having bad nights, waking up a few times with a pounding heart but luckily it wasn't the full on tachychardia which I absolutely hate!  I try and do relaxation techniques before I go to sleep but it doesn't work and neither does warm milk, I still wake up with the pounding heart problem and have nightmares and disturbing dreams. It is as if I don't have any control over it whatsoever!

I was just wondering what causes these adrenaline zaps at night, does a lack of oestrogen cause it?  Sometimes I've woken up with a start, like I've exploded and then might heart rate shoots up, it is horrendous!  I am dog tired at the moment and I'm tired before I've even started my day and I have to walk my dog for an hour a day.  Hopefully all the exercise is good for my heart and bones!  At least I have been able to get over my agoraphobia and am able to walk my dog, but I have not been able to go into town shopping on my own since my palps and panic attacks started, I get really panicky in supermarkets and queues.

I'm still in two minds about HRT, on one hand I would just love to get rid of my bad nights and on the other hand I'm worried about any potential side effects and wonder whether I should just ride it out but the thought of putting up with it for another 8 - 10 years is pretty awful.  I am really hoping that the meno doctor will be able to help me come to the right decision. Also, I suffer from terrible migraines and I don't know how HRT would affect that.  I don't want the whole of my 40's to be ruined, I have spent the first 3 years of them feeling like a zombie and an absolute wreck!

I will keep you posted on how I get on at the meno doctors.  Thanks so much again, tired lady

[Cassie]

Its lack of oestrogen, go and get the gel or a patch, you are way too young to be without oestrogen, you are doing yourself and your body an injustice, what have you got to lose? The Bio Identicals like the patch and gel are perfectly safe, you are just replacing something that your body is not making for itself anymore but should be, you can quite easily take it up to 55 with no worries, I am sure that it will help the tachycardia no end, the moment that I ran low on gel and started using just a pea sized amount, I would wake up with a racing heart, figured out immediatly what the problem was and am fine again, good luck:)

[Shazzie]

Hi Tired Lady

Just wondered how you have been doing with your horrible racing heart.

Mine seems to have calmed down since starting the HRT Patches.

Hope yours are not too bad.

I know exactly how you feel.  It's horrible.

Shazzie xx

[tired lady]

Thanks so much Cassie and Shazzie   Shazzie, I'm so glad to hear that your racing heart episodes have got better since you started the HRT patch, there is hope for me too if my doctor thinks it is the right thing for me to try.  Do you wake up in the middle of the night with the racing heart?  Mine doesn't race every night thank goodness but when it does I'm absolutely terrified and usually end up with a panic attack which makes your heart race even more!

I had another bad night last night, I woke up numerous times from scary dreams with my heart rate up.  I try and calm down, get back to sleep only for it to happen again and again!  I have got anxiety (caused by the palpitations and stressful life at the moment) and my doc said that it my sleep is probably being disrupted by both periomeno and anxiety but the periomeno symptoms caused the anxiety in the first place - chicken or egg situation!!

I still have not got round to making my appointment, but I will get round to it eventually, it is just so hard to  think of a time when I can get there due to my son being off school poorly with M.E.  I always take ages to get round to going to the doctors, I find it rather stressful going TBH!  I get anxiety in the waiting room too lol!

Shazzie, thanks for you PM but I couldn't work out how to send one back to you.  It is just so helpful to chat to other people who are going through exactly the same as you, I have felt quite alone with it really.  Thanks for all your help and support everyone, tired lady