Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[racjen]

It's only since coming on this forum that I've realised just how common anxiety is as a symptom of menopause, and I've mentioned it to quite a few women of my age who it turns out are suffering from the same thing but had no idea it was anything to do with menopause. I think that's part of the problem here - nobody except us is making the connection so it continues to be a closely guarded and self-perpetuating secret. My anxiety is so bad right now that I've had to have the Mental Health Crisis Team back in, as I had got to the point of feeling I'd rather end it all than face another morning of unbearable fear. There does seem to be a general acknowledgment now that my mental state is primarily caused by the hormonal upheaval of chemotherapy, but it's taken quite a few visits from the Crisis Team, several psychiatrists and a change of GP to really get that taken seriously. I'm now waiting for a referral to the Community Mental Health team, and an appointment next week with a consultant gynaecologist. In the meantime it's a  struggle to get through each day....big hugs to all of you who're going through this, I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy x

[Mustard1]

Racjen - my heart goes out to you.  Big hugs and hold on - you will get the right treatment soon. M xx

[CLKD]

Twice: I was so close .......... 

[aspie65]

Oh racjen I know how you feel, although I seem to be sorted now.  That intense feeling of anxiety/fear is worse than pain.  Hang in there and hopefully the right help will come along.

[CLKD]

Any improvement racjen?   I found that relaxation therapy helped for a while, learning to breath properly can focus the brain as can singing.

[racjen]

Thanks CLKD, I do all of that already. I need to find a hormonal solution to this, it's way beyond the relaxation/breathing stuff. The Crisis team have helped simply by giving me sleeping tablets so I'm not awake from 3am feeling terrified; now it's up to the gynae and the Community Mental health team to come up with something else.....

[jillydoll]

Roseneath,
Hi, I'm the same, going out seems to help me too, or keeping busy like ALL the time.
Only thing is it's exhausting, but some days when I've got more time on my hands,
And the anxiety is high, the more I dwell on it, it's like it takes over, all over consuming.
I know some people have a fear of seeing people, like out and about, but that's not my anxiety.
Seeing people out and about don't really bother me, if anything, it helps because I think I've got
to keep it together because if ‘something happens ‘I don't want to feel like a right numpty. Lol
It's when I'm quiet, and not feeling good that it bothers me...
I won't go on antidepressants because a few years ago I had a couple of bad reactions to them,
so now I take an antihistamine when it's really bad, it does calm me down, and it does help,
I don't think I've got many other options since I refuse to go on antidepressants. And what's the worst that could happen? So for me, that's my coping strategy.
I'm hoping the meno clinic will sort me out when I go, I'm waiting for an appointment. But wheather it's hormonal or not, I'm hoping to sort my hrt out.

[CLKD]

...... and breath.

I find that keeping busy helps.  When I feel ill in the morning I get on, chores, gardening, wandering round - planning next year's chores outside.  If I sit I get shaky and worse.  If that is possible 

[racjen]

Hi aspie65, I think it was you who got on well with pregabalin wasn't it? Unfortunately for me it has ended up with my usual reaction to all mood-altering drugs, ie depression with suicidal ideation, resulting in the Crisis Team getting involved again. Took a lot longer with pregabalin, with ADs it usually only takes a week at most but I lasted a month on 100mg pregabalin before this hit. Gutting really as it had just started to help with the anxiety, but it does seem that I can't have one without the other - anything that lessens the anxiety comes with crippling depression. So it's back to the drawing board for me (and the prospect of returning to work is receding further and further into the distance....) 

[loveydovey]

So glad i joined this forum, i dont feel as much alone with my suicidal thoughts, all my kids have grown up and left home, unemployed for over a year, no friends or family.
Just me and hubby.
Depression.
xx

[aspie65]

Racjen, so sorry to hear that.  One last suggestion that is a bit of a long shot but I recently added clonidine to my every growing mix of meds.  Primarily to help my hot flushes that just wouldn't go despite HRT.  It worked really well for them and it helps me sleep and is known to help a bit with anxiety.  So want to help you but that is all I've got at the moment.  Hang in there, hugsxx

[racjen]

Hi Aspie, do you know what kind of medication clonidine is? I'm absolutely terrified of trying anymore ADs or anything even remotely similar (pregabalin is, although technically not an AD, very similar in its chemistry apparently). They have such a bad effect on me....Crisis Team gave me Zopiclone as I'm not sleeping beyond the small hours and although they haven't made any difference to my sleep, bizarrely they have calmed the anxiety down a bit, not sure whether that's a normal reaction or not. Nothing seems to be normal about my reactions.

[puddlesmum]

Oh Ladies, that's exactly what it is. I get it every 2 months, which is probably when I ovulate. But it's that, it's that fear, like someone is going to wipe everything away from you. Now my hubby is 18 months out of having radiotherapy for tongue cancer. And it's like something in my head goes la la la la for 2 months, I'm happy, smiley, bubbly don't give a eff about anything, but then wham, panic, worry, fear of him dying and me being unable to cope. WTAF. We faced it together, we've had other s*it happen too but everything was fine up until last bloody week, then friggin ovulation occurs (as well as other bloody things) and this fear sets in. Right now I've got a fear of Chris Ingham - yeah, who, but I'm waking up in a hot sweat over the tw*t for no reason. I don't even know the bloke. Arrgghhhh, had enough. F**K OFF ANXIETY.

[Kathleen]

Hello again ladies.

I've just posted a long rant because I know this is a safe place to reveal the madness of this journey.

Irrational fear is the pits but it's very real to us!

Take care ladies.

K.

[aspie65]

Racjen all I know is that it is medication used to lower blood pressure usually (although mine is normal to low) by constricting the blood vessels.  Sorry I can't be more help.