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[Starfish43]

I don’t know what to do anymore. My life has completely fallen apart. Up until 18 months ago I was a person with a job and a life. Now I am a mental health patient who sits around all day and can barely leave the house.
I have had PMDD my whole life but only diagnosed when I was 37. At 42 I started to have the symptoms continuously then at 43 woke up with severe anxiety.  My life then completely fell apart. I was a freelancer and could not work, I lived on my own having never been lucky enough to be blessed with children and I couldn’t cope by myself. I moved back in with aging parents, lost my home, and had serious issues with memory, decision making and concentration. I believe I’m perimenopausal due to other bodily changes and this was the ta cause of my anxiety but it then spirals as everything fell to pieces.
I’ve been tried on a variety of hrt and anti-depressants. Am now on pregabalin and either feel anxious or completely numb.
I’m with community mental health and I think even they are at a loss as to what to do.
I just don’t know how to keep going.

[discogirl]

Hi Starfish43

I'm so very sorry for everything you're going through. I suffer with anxiety, as do a lot of women on this site.

I think first of all perimenopause in itself is a time of massive hormonal upheaval so getting on the right hrt would be a massive help.  You said you've been on a variety of hrt, are you on hrt now?

Lots of ladies on here are on hrt as well as antidepressants and with severe anxiety getting the right anti depressant is a god send.

I understand you feeling numb and over-whelmed, with everything you're going through that's a natural reaction.

I don't have any answers, but just wanted to say your not alone, keep reaching out on here as lots of us suffer with similar issues regarding anxiety.

Take care xxx

[CLKD]

U R not alone.

Keep on with the Pregabalin even though you feel numb etc..   Depression can cause the body to shut down, it affects everywhere as a defence mechanism.  It's not simply in the brain.  Anxiety can be eased by appropriate medication, what has your GP prescribed thus far?

How long did U trial each one ?   Due to intense nausea initially it was difficult to find an anti-depressant that helped, once I got 1 that worked I've been more or less fine since 1988. Anxiety floors me.  Initially the GP gave valium which I used as necessary, usually the night B4 an event that I was able to get out of. For several years I had Propranolol, a betablocka to ease early morning anxiety surges.  Now I have a go to emergency anti-anxiety tablet.

I will continue with ADs for ever.  Often they don't work suddenly because the brain doesn't get where it is and needs to accept the 'uptake' of the medication to begin healing. 

Cortisol hormone can cause sudden anxiety surges.  I felt that I would never leave the house but eventually with back up from my husband, GP and psychiatrist, I began to recover. 

[bombsh3ll]

I'm sorry you're in such a dark place.

Reproductive depression usually responds better to hormonal interventions than psychiatric medication.

If you have the money to see a specialist you may find it a really valuable investment in yourself rather than taking tranquillisers.

I was a big fan of the late Professor John Studd and would recommend having a look at some of his articles.

Prof Studd passed away several years ago however the clinic he started is still running, it is called the London PMS and Menopause Clinic.

It is run by doctors with the same skill set who have been able to turn around the lives of some really severe patients that the NHS had washed their hands of.

This isn't a personal recommendation for that specific clinic, obviously do your own research but just know that there is hope for you and that there are people out there who treat your condition.