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[ancient runner]

Tired lady, please make that appointment -- you need to do this for yourself. Please pick up the phone. You can do that while looking after your son. Read back your posts -- what would you advise yourself to do??

[Shazzie]

That's ok tired lady.  Your post has helped me too because I was sure I was going to have a heart attack a few times.  I chatted with my dr who is going through the menopause herself and she understands how we feel cause she is suffering too.  She said the pounding heart is bringing on the panic attacks which is where the trouble breathing kicks in.

Why don't you make that appt and ask about low dose HRT.

I have only just worked out how to PM let alone how to reply.  I would be lost with that too.

Keep me up to date.

Shazzie xx

[Suzyq]

Tired lady.

I had exactly the same thing. Completely freaked me out. 2 weeks after they started, I started hrt and can honestly say, I have a few very mild episodes now but nothing like before. I too, thought in was going to have a heart attack or faint - it's a horrible feeling! Just try to do breathing exercises (my cbt person told me to run on the spot to take he fear out of it!) and don't be too scared of trying hrt. There are risks which everything in life, but really the risks are very small - more likely to be run over by a bus I suspect!

Good luck

[Shazzie]

Hi tired lady

Just wondered how you are doing.

Shazzie xx

[Winterose]

Please let us know whats happening, I had same symptoms and had written my will several times over ( in my head) however HRT and thyroid meds sorted it all out, also try lots of very fast breaths in and out of your nose for as long as you can manage , ( you must make the diaphragm move up and down so quite vigourous) that will make you breathe deeply which helps,

[Rowan]

Suzyq this site help me when I was going through my palp phase, I had all the tests and everything was normal, the site belongs to a retired Cardiologist.

http://palps.chemicalforums.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl 

Have you a paper bag handy when you find it difficult to breath

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/ate/mentalhealth/205625.html

Don't be put off by the title, it just tells you how it works, it is a very good method for panic attacks too.

[Rowan]

Also try coughing or making yourself sneeze.

[tired lady]

Thanks everyone for your replies, I will definitely have a go at the breathing techniques.  I have still been having bad nights and last night was dreadful although I blame it on having a curry (homemade) and a couple of small glasses of red wine in the evening - always a hot flush trigger for me! I had bad dream after bad dream and then woke up from a very scary one (I was told that a family member was in hospital having had a cardiac arrest) and then my heart rate shot up really fast and started to race so I went to the bathroom and splashed my face with cold water (I was also feeling really hot) and my heart rate started to go down again. The think that freaked me out was that when my heart rate first shot up I could hardly feel my pulse, it was so fast!  I just wish I understood what was happening, is it the scary dream that causes it or am I having a night sweat or adrenaline overload and that causes the nightmare in the first place!  I spent the rest of the night with stressy dreams and continuously waking up so I feel terrible today. 

I am still scared that I have some sort of heart problem but it is so strange that the fast heart rate only happens at night, it is something that happens during my sleep.  However, I do get missed beats during the day, especially after eating.  I think I would be able to cope better if I knew exactly what happens in my body to cause the fast heart rate.  Does a lack of oestrogen cause adrenaline rushes at night, and if so why does it happen? 

I am definitely going to make my appointment with the meno doctor tomorrow, hopefully there will be a time that suits me and half term is coming up and my husband is around then.

Shazzie and Suzyq, how are you both doing with your night time palps?  It is just such a horrible thing to go through and so scary.  I never even thought about my heart beats until this happened and now I concentrate on them all day long and just wait for the next palps, I hate it.

[Shazzie]

Hi tired lady

Spicey foods really make my palps worse.  Apparently we should stay away from them.  Easier said than done eh?

My palpitations are much better since I started the HRT.  Only half a patch a week so a low dose.  I still get them a little bit but nowhere as bad as before. 

You make sure you make that appt tomorrow and get yourself sorted.

I am sure it is all to do with hormone levels going all over the place.  You will feel better when you have had a nice long chat with your meno dr and that will help the palpitations.    I too have been having bad dreams.

Good luck tomorrow and let us know how it goes.

Hope you have a better night tonight.

Shazzie xx

[Shazzie]

Hi Tiredlady,

Just wondered how you have been.

Shazzie x

[tired lady]

Hi Shazzie

Thanks so much for your message   I'm not doing too badly at the moment, my night sweats and racing heart episodes have settled down at the moment, I think my hormones are still fluctuating at the moment!  I have had a good look around on the internet about HRT and other natural methods.  I have seen some good reviews of Vitabiotics Menopace Night and I have ordered some to try for a while to see if it eases my symptoms.  If I don't feel any benefit from it I am definitely going to go and see the meno doctor. 

I have mild health anxiety and I am just really worried about the side effects of HRT, especially those of the potential for a blood clot or stroke.  I know that if I take it I am going to keep panicking about any pain in my leg which could be the start of a blood clot!  However, if my symptoms get out of control and will go and have a  chat with the meno doctor and maybe she will be able to reassure me.

I have still been having disturbed nights but for the last week it has just been in the form of disturbing dreams but I also have bad anxiety and a lot of stress at the moment with general family life (an 18 year old doing A levels, my younger son who has M.E. and a poorly father-in-law) which doesn't help matters!

I'm so glad the  the patches are easing your palps, have they stopped the racing heart episodes?  I have definitely found a link between waking up hot and my heart racing.

Keep in touch,
tired lady

[Cassie]

Glad that you are feeling better. I also tried the a la naturale route but realised that i was doing myself more of an injustice as i was too young to be without hrt, the gel is totally safe and none of those nasties will apply whilst you are still under the age of 50, however, I respect your decision and wish you well, hope that you soon find some relief, anxiety in itself alone can be so debilitating..x

[Shazzie]

Hi Tired Lady

So glad you are feeling a bi better.  You sound happier.

My racing heart has completely stopped since taking Menopace, Magnesium and I use half a HRT patch.  Feel much brighter in myself too.

I cut the patch in half and change it once a week and it seems to be working well.

Good luck with the Menopace and I hope you feel even better on it.

Shazzie xx

[tired lady]

Thanks Cassie and Shazzie   I received my Menopace Night tablets today so I'm going to take my first one tonight. I'm sure it is not a quick fix though and that it is going to take a while to see if the really make a difference.  It is good that they contain chamomile for relaxation and also Vitamin D3 and magnesium for my bones.  I have not ruled out some form of HRT though, I'm just going to see what happens with my night sweats (I've had the odd real sweat but mostly just feeling very hot) and racing and pounding heart at night.  If it gets really bad again and I can't cope, I'm definitely going along to the meno doc to talk about it!

Shazzie, I'm so pleased that you are feeling better at the moment, it is great that the HRT and Menopace seem to be helping your symptoms.  Keep in touch with how you are getting on and I hope your palps stay away!

Night sweats and palps aren't my only meno symptoms though, I've also had trouble with my bladder which seems to have got weaker over the last 3 years and it wasn't good before either, especially after having 2 children!  It doesn't seem to empty properly and it leaks quite a lot.  I go to the loo before I take my dog for a walk but it will still leak while I'm walking.  I also have to go in the night and I go so many times a day now which is really annoying!  I've tried doing some pelvic floor exercises but they haven't helped yet. 

I've also had a lot of trouble with feeling morbid and I'm struggling with the fact that I'm heading for the menopause and that my child bearing years are nearly over.  I don't want any more children but it is that horrible feeling that I'm getting older.  I don't know whether anyone else has feels like this too?

Thanks again for your help and advice everyone, I'm just so glad I found this forum, it has helped me so much

[Taz2]

Hi tired lady.

Re your bladder. Although you probably feel embarrassed about it and are trying to do pelvic floor exercises you really do need specialist advice if you are leaking while walking the dog. From experience I know that this will not get better on it's own. My GP referred me to a local NHS Continence Clinic where they assess your bladder to find out what is causing the problem and give you detailed exercises to follow. This link might be useful http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/incontinence/Pages/Gettinghelp.aspx

Better to do it now than wait.

Taz x