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[Rustysmum]

In early perimenopause one of my first symptoms was adrenaline surges in the night jolting me awake. More than a decade later they have suddenly made a reappearance along with some horrible days of intense anxiety for no reason. Can this happen? Anyone else had this? I am not on any form of HRT. Just come out of the blue. I had just started enjoying life again and now this is back and shattering my confidence. Any advice please?

[Dotty]

Yes it can happen. My symptoms got worse post menopause X

[KarineT]

Hello,

Tbh I cannot comprehend why this should happen after 5 years without period.  One would have thought that these symptoms eventually stop.  It's not good at all for anyone.  You hormones, presumably, are very low and therefore cannot still be fluctuating.  I am gobsmacked by this.  Have you had your thyroid checked?  Thyroid problems can cause anxiety issues as well.

Karine

[Rustysmum]

Hello,

Tbh I cannot comprehend why this should happen after 5 years without period.  One would have thought that these symptoms eventually stop.  It's not good at all for anyone.  You hormones, presumably, are very low and therefore cannot still be fluctuating.  I am gobsmacked by this.  Have you had your thyroid checked?  Thyroid problems can cause anxiety issues as well.

Karine

Thanks Karine. I had hoped it had all settled down and had thought I was through the worst. I wondered about thyroid - I have mine checked every 6 months as I was found to have Hashimoto’s antibodies during peri. Am hoping it is not that as I didn’t get on well with thyroxine when I was given a trial of it two years ago - horrid palpitations. I have booked in for a blood test on Tuesday in case it is though. Thank you for your response

[Bevey]

I think that we have to be careful not to attribute all symptoms to a menopausal cause, particularly years after reaching menopause. I would get a full blood work panel done to see if anything else is going on. Are you on any current medications that could be contributing to your symptoms? Any life stresses? Stress, itself, can wreak havoc on our bodies.

[ange63]

I believe this is what has happened to me.  Aged 59 and 5 years post meno and battling through things but ok with quality of life .  Thought I was on the way out the other side.  Then out of the blue last November started with GERD/stomach problems and IBS like things, dry eyes suddenly worsened, my hair started to go grey suddenly and started to shed, anxiety hit me and never ever had it before, aches pains, gynae issues, pelvic floor aches, skin dried out, start of VA which I managed to halt with vagifem, tinnitus and horrendous insomnia.   it all just fell off a cliff!!!!!   GP didn't think it was meno at my age and 5 years post meno.... Had a full lot of scans, scopes and blood tests and all normal...   Could not identify any reason for it at all.   Saw Newson clinic started HRT varieties and after initial improvements the side effects got too much.  Stomach issues and anxiety can go hand and hand and have slowly ruined life!!!   Trying Citalopram (AD) at the minute but side effects are brutal.. so see how it goes.    I have contact with someone on a menopause support group who is younger than me in her 40s and in the same situation - 5 years after periods stopped it all hit her....  HRT not working nor ADs and she is struggling terribly with anxiety and depression.    My new GP says she sees a lot of women who have problems like this some time post meno.   So yes I do believe it can happen.   

[CLKD]

?? a sudden drop in oestrogen ??

[Rustysmum]

Ange 63 I am so sorry you are going through this too, but thank you for reassuring me. I too have struggled with the aches and pains and had gynae issues earlier in the year too. Also seem to be getting cyclical spots again - what joy! I hope the Citalopram is helping you. Sorry the HRT didn’t work out. I was wondering whether that was worth reconsidering. Thanks again for your reply.

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies

Rustysmum - I am sorry that you are suffering and I completely understand how this situation is impacting on your confidence. I am twelve years post meno and still experimenting with HRT because some symptoms have persisted. The uncertainty of never knowing how you will feel day to day is very unsettling.

I hope you find a resolution soon  but could you please update us when you get your Thyroid test results. Many ladies have similar experiences to you and if menopause is not the cause then I am sure they would appreciate learning from you.

Wishing you well and take care.

K.

[KarineT]

Hi CLKD,

A sudden drop in oestrogen normally occurs at the time a woman reaches the menopause.  I don't think it should happen when she is well past that stage.  Five years down the line is quite a long time and I expect the oestrogen level to be quite low.

Karine

[Kathleen]

Hello again ladies.

I remember my GP reassuring me that I would be all through the menopause  three years after my last period. His opinion was one of the reasons that I resisted HRT for as long as I did. Unfortunately my ovaries/endocrine system/ Mother Nature had different ideas and in fact a new and distressing symptom emerged at the three year mark.  I persevered for another six months before asking for HRT.

Years later and with various HRT trials behind me I am now trying to cope with a very low dose in the hope that it will be enough to return me to normality!

I wish we could just tell our bodies to behave according to logic but the evidence to the contrary is undeniable sadly.

Take care ladies.

K.

[KarineT]

Hi Kathleen,

I have to say that it probably doesn't happen to every single woman.

Some women, like yourself, are very, very unfortunate and the symptoms go on forever while some might sail through the menopause and find that they are fine after that.  I would say, these women are through the other side.  I sometimes feel that it's so unfair on those who suffer.  I am  trying to look for a reason why this is happening, wondering if it could be to do with our genetic make up.  It would be nice if there could be some research about this but we might never find out, in our lifetime, the reason why some women suffer while others don't.

Can you remind me, were you experiencing emotional/psychological issues in your reproductive years?

Karine

[Kathleen]

Hello KarineT

I would love to see some research into the various experiences of the menopause. Another GP told me that during his career he had noticed that about eighty percent of his patients were fine but about twenty percent suffered every symptom of the menopause.

During my reproductive years I didn't have any of the emotional problems that have appeared with the menopause. I am at a stage now where even on a low dose of HRT I have hardly any physical symptoms remaining ( so far that is, fingers crossed ) but I still experience the emotional ones. I am hoping that they will also resolve soon ( yep fingers crossed again lol).

Wishing you well and take care.

K.

 

[sheila99]

The ovaries do 'something' for some time following the cessation of periods and before they shrivel up completely, also a little oestrogen is produced in the fat cells and the adrenals so, yes, it's possible these are meno symptoms. I'd be tempted to wait for the results of your blood tests and if nothing shows up try low dose hrt. If it doesn't improve things you can always stop again.

[Taz2]

I agree with Sheila99. A friend found her meno symptoms returned at age 68 ten years after her last period. After blood tests ruled out anything else she was put onto HRT and her symptoms of hot flushes and anxiety attacks disappeared. Now aged 72 she's determined to stay on HRT. Everyone is different but thankfully it seems the days of being denied HRT when we are a few years post meno are, hopefully,  behind us.

Taz x