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[dangermouse]

Apart from waiting it out for the hormonal volatility to calm and stop triggering the stress hormones, the only thing you could take is a beta blocker which brings down actual adrenaline.

I used it a few times and it does work, the GP gave it to me as he said it doesn't work on the mind (like ADs for example) but on the physical heart and adrenaline over-reactions. It didn't feel drug like or hypnotic, all the surging just calms down, but it can lower blood pressure if take too much, although you can take a really tiny dose though and use as and when.

[CLKD]

Should not a betablocka be taken on a regular basis.  I have used it since 2002.   Every night.  I find that the more important an event is for me the worse I am likely to be so no longer go to the theatre or other places I may feel shut in which means I haven't met with friends in the music industry for 15 years  . 

I had it happen twice years ago, sat in the middle of a row  .  The 1st time I somehow managed to control the feeling of throwing up; the next I had to leave as I knew exactly how much longer I had to sit watching 'the mikado'.   . For years I managed by sitting at the end of a row but eventually that no longer worked.  I no longer look at what is on locally so that I don't mourn what I can no longer go to see.

[carm 01]

Anxiety has been terrible for the past month, l thought it was because I was going on a cruise for the first time and I hate flying. I never slept a wink the night we were leaving mainly because of my heart racing but bizarrely when we left for the airport the anxiety had disappeared. I had no problems with the flight even with an hour delay and I didn't have a single anxiety moment the whole holiday. I don't understand why it just left like that, I'm not a worrier at all but this anxiety has haunted me at different times during this nightmare. It's the one symptom I can't cope with. X

[CLKD]

Anticipation is often worse than the event.  Bugga .............

[dangermouse]

The beta blockers are taken regularly for those whose heart rates need to be brought down for super tachycardia etc.

My prescription is very low dose and says ‘as needed' as is for adrenal anxiety and minor tachycardia and they wear off with no issues after a single dose.

I am very sensitive to drugs so they must be mild at low dose!

[CLKD]

Do they work dangermouse?

[dangermouse]

Yes they did for me, they take about an hour to kick in. Are you on a strong dose CLKD? I suspect they do weaken over time for long term users so may not affect you in that way.

Anxiety can be triggered by thoughts or hormonal volatility (and heart conditions), or a combination of the two.

The beta blocker is for the non-thought driven type but may have a knock on effect to calm the mind if the panicked thoughts are in response to the physical anxiety.

[Roseneath]

I have found propranolol the only only GP prescribed drug which has helped my Peri anxiety symptoms.I just take 20mg as and when I need it now. Like someone said it just reduces the physical symptoms not the anxious thoughts but  I find this alone puts me in a slightly calmer state. ( I have yet to try ADs though one of the Docs keeps pushing them on me).

[CLKD]

I was prescribed Propranol 80mg initially for 3 weeks, dropped to 40mg nightly which served me for over 10 years.  I now take 20mg at night.  Helps to stop the heart racing which lessens early morning anxiety surges.

They are no longer allowed to be used for sports men and women for that reason.

[Tattooed Tilly]

I have started, in the past couple of months, having that constant feeling of dread and fear. I've been on AD for the past 16 yrs so I just presumed my mental health was taking a dip. But it is like no other I have had before. It's getting to the stage where I do not know what feelings are real or warranted. Mostly I haven't a clue what the fear is due to, I can just feel it in the pot of my stomach, a tightening in the throat and like a pulsating in head waiting to burst out. Other times it is to do with work and relationships but am wary to tackle the problem in case it  isn't warranted!?? I've really started procrastinating and getting to work is becoming a real problem.
As the specialist at the meno clinic refuses to believe I'm actually in the peri, she also thinks that this (and all my other symptoms) are down to my mental health. 

[dangermouse]

I just checked, my Beta Blocker is Propranolol 10mg. I remember cutting in half and having 5mg when first tried it as was worried about the lowered blood pressure (mine is already low) and it fortunately didn't affect it as such a low dose.

In terms of simple probability, if the anxiety comes on in your 40s, and is different to any past anxiety, then odds are that peri is the cause.

[Juliet]

It is so good to know I am not alone with this, but I was so hoping the HRT would help. I have just changed from Femoston 2/10 to oestrogel and utrogestan. I noted that I felt less anxious when I was taken the combined tablet (took it for 5 months), so am using the utrogestan everyday 25/28. Ironically, the week before I changed over following a private consultation with Dr Shaw in Cambridge, I had a really good week with very little morning anxiety, which meant I was also much happier and able to look forward to my day. I did wonder if I should change from the Femoston, but the week before I had been really bad and judging by comments on this thread there seems to be no pattern to this anxiety. Only on day 4 of new regime and have been waking early and anxious for the last 2 days, but mood has not dipped as low as before I started HRT. I just hope once I have got used to the new regime it will fade again. IT really is a horrible feeling and colours everything I do and makes me feel discontented with every aspect of my life and worried about upcoming events that I should be looking forward to. Sending hugs to all that suffer xxx

[CLKD]

TTilly - your specialist is not on a menopause page at all. 

[Golden retriever]

Hi everyone
Thank you all for the comments in this topic.
I started to get unreal episodes of panic last year. I had to excuse myself while interviewing which was very embarrassing as I had an immense flush of panic. I went outside the door, took a few deep breaths and came back into the room and had to start the interview again.
At the end of the interview I apologized that I wasn't feeling well and that was why I had to leave the room.
I started taking propranolol 40mg and it worked great once a day and if needed I would take another 20mg a few hours later.
One lesson that I learned was don't take them at a high dose. Just take them when needed and at a low dose as I was advised during a really hard time in the summer to increase them four times a day and then I started to worry about my heart. They work better at a low dose in my opinion to just reduce the symptoms of racing heart.
The main symptom of menopause should be anxiety and not hot flushes in my eyes.
Hope this was of some help
Take care

[Mustard1]

Totally agree - the anxiety is very very common and very debilitating.  I suffer it and believe it to be the worst symptom - along side the depression when it rears it's head.  The other symptoms I can manage.  Mxx