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[Kristy]

Hi everyone, has anyone else noticed that since going through the meno, they cannot cope with noisy places packed with people?
I went out to lunch for a friends birthday today and the restaurant was packed with big groups of people all celebrating birthdays and other special occasions. The restaurant had crammed in so many long tables and chairs so that it was hard to get around. There was no air conditioning so the place got warm and stuffy. And the noise from so many people talking and shouting as well as kids shouting and squealing!
It made me feel quite ill and I had to keep going outside for some fresh air. In the end, I had to make an excuse to leave early as I just wasn't enjoying myself and felt quite claustrophobic.
When I was younger, I could cope with places like this, it didn't bother me quite the same. Can anyone else relate to this? 

[CLKD]

YEP !  I'll bump my thread 

[Limpy]

Kristy - You are so not alone.
If I have a migraine I can't cope with any noise at all.
Even loud music (Mahler 5) which I normally love.

[Kristy]

YEP !  I'll bump my thread 

Just found it CLKD - will be interested in reading the responses.

[CLKD]

That's OK!  If you do a 'search' - button left hand side of screen above the advert - you'll see the other similar threads ……...

[Rowan]

Definitely! 

[Kathleen]

Hello Kristy.

I can totally relate to this, definitely a meno thing in my opinion.

Take care

K.

[Joyce]

Most definitely. Makes me very anxious.

[honeybun]

All anxiety based with me. I struggle with busy shops too. If I cant see a door out then I start to panic. Standing in queues is also challenging.

I used to be able to go anywhere and do anything, now I'm a bit limited.

There is one bit of advice I would offer that I wish I had been given. Don't start to avoid busy places altogether. It just magnifies the problem and then it can get out of hand.
My first true panic attack happened in a shop and the next in a restaurant. I have now not eaten out for two years. I wish I could have nipped things in the bud before they got this bad.


Honeyb
x

[CLKD]

Honeybun - without medication I never did nip it in the bud 

What I do now is shop when it's not going to be busy and if there is a queue, I browse the magazine rack or look through the cards, from there I can see how the queues are moving.  I rarely leave the pantry to run down so I'm not backed into shopping 'now'.

[Suzyq]

I agree honeybun! I have had to force myself to go places etc where I had panic attacks. I can now go shopping, get on the metro, go to cinema, restaurants etc - at one point I barely left the house.... It's hard (sometimes) but I make myself do it - cbt helped a lot

[Lady D]

Not a problem for me anxiety wise but busy noisy places also seem to be hot which obv doesn't help if having flushes + I can't hear when trying to have a conversation - I do also have a hearing issue - falling apart me lol

[cheekygal]

Yes I'm the same to, I was agoraphobic many years ago, but overcame it, still have little things like I need to see an easy escape if I need it, can't be in a situation where I feel trapped.  In the last 3 months I have felt the panic/anxiety creeping back in, I agree avoidance is the worst thing, I am the same with queues, at the moment I am using medication to cope with going out but hopefully I won't need it long term.  I quite often have to be in a place where there are a lot of kids and this was one of the things I first noticed when meno was confirmed, I couldn't stand the noise and had to go outside or into another room. Will also have a look for your thread CLKD

[cheekygal]

CLKD can't find your thread.  I see the search button but can't see anything that says similar threads 

[Dippie]

Yes, and I have read elsewhere that wanting to stay home is normal during menopause, so maybe we should think of a kinder term than "agoraphobia".

I am very fortunate in having a sympathetic adult child who can sometimes run errands for me, but I also order a lot of things online. The shipping cost adds up, yes, but the gas/petrol we don't need to get to the store costs money too and our peace of mind is worth something.

Sometimes it works for me to group errands so I can get them all out of the way and have some time to recover before I have to go out again and other times I have to recognize my limits and come home when I can't handle being in public any more even though some errands have to wait or don't get done at all.

I am also less tolerant of noise at home. Much as I love my sons, I sometimes long for a quiet home of my own with maybe a cat, but definitely not a dog because dogs bark.