Print

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

[Sallyyy]

I had my last period two years ago.
Mentally coped ok with peri although physically was very difficult with endless flooding - anaemia etc.

I have had anxiety and depression on and off after originally having pnd but had been very well on a really low dose AD for many years.

A few weeks ok I suddenly had return of the anxiety and everything spiralled down very quickly. I have increased the dose of AD (doctor aware) but no improvement yet and I’m worried that not going to work again.) I’m really struggling and not able to do any of my normal life.

I just wondered if anyone else had anything like this two years after last period. I had stupidly assumed I was over the worst of menopause because was actually feeling ok. (Had lots of hot flushes and night sweats a few years ago but they had stopped.) I also thought that the big drops in eostrogen would have happened by now.

Or maybe it’s nothing to do with menopause. But either way I’d be really interested to hear what medication people have found helpful and other things. Any reassuring stories of recovery welcome !

It’s not ‘being anxious’ about things. It’s a crippling anxiety that seems to come out of the blue (not because I’m worrying about something.)

(My GP is very positive about HRT but doesn’t think good idea to introduce at the moment when I’m so vulnerable and I agree.)

Sorry this is so long x

[discogirl]

Hi Sallyyy

I'm about 4 years post meno and peri didn't really affect me, I had night sweats but nothing dramatic.

Last February I developed unilateral tinnitus, chronic anxiety and insomnia. Even when my tinnitus didn't bother me, the anxiety and insomnia remained and that's when I began to wonder if it was menopausal. My blood estrogen levels before HRT were 19. I went on hrt in August last year.

I still do suffer from anxiety and depression and it's really awful. (I was always a bit of a worrier before, so that was always my sort of weak point)

I do find meditation, deep breathing, mindfulness to be helpful. I don't take it but my daughter has anxiety and she takes ashwaghanda which I believe is good for anxiety. There are lots of good supplements out there to help anxiety.

My anxiety whilst it is still there is not as bad as it was, although I do get relapses, I am having a relapse at the moment, due to me chopping and changing hrt.

I find that keeping my blood sugar levels stable really helps, and eating little and often as well.

My anxiety also comes out of the blue, it's not nervousness, as is before an exam or something, its' more a feeling of dread.

I think lots of other women also suffer from chronic anxiety as it is a menopausal symptom and it is awful. It does help coming on here talking to other women who suffer from similar things helps to know I am not alone.

Keep posting on here as you will find lots of help.

Keep an open mind about hrt, I'm glad your GP is positive about it, mine is also and it does make life much easier. However I understand your GP not wanting to introduce hrt just yet as obviously you're feeling vulnerable.

Take care xxx

[Sallyyy]

Thank you @discogirl really interesting to hear your experience.
If I can just get to some kind of stability and functioning I will definitely be looking at the option of HRT to take alongside ADs.
I can’t believe I though I was over / through the worst of it.

[Losingtheplot]

I had my last period two years ago.
Mentally coped ok with peri although physically was very difficult with endless flooding - anaemia etc.

I have had anxiety and depression on and off after originally having pnd but had been very well on a really low dose AD for many years.

A few weeks ok I suddenly had return of the anxiety and everything spiralled down very quickly. I have increased the dose of AD (doctor aware) but no improvement yet and I’m worried that not going to work again.) I’m really struggling and not able to do any of my normal life.

I just wondered if anyone else had anything like this two years after last period. I had stupidly assumed I was over the worst of menopause because was actually feeling ok. (Had lots of hot flushes and night sweats a few years ago but they had stopped.) I also thought that the big drops in eostrogen would have happened by now.

Or maybe it’s nothing to do with menopause. But either way I’d be really interested to hear what medication people have found helpful and other things. Any reassuring stories of recovery welcome !

It’s not ‘being anxious’ about things. It’s a crippling anxiety that seems to come out of the blue (not because I’m worrying about something.)

(My GP is very positive about HRT but doesn’t think good idea to introduce at the moment when I’m so vulnerable and I agree.)

Sorry this is so long x

Hi Hunni

Big hugs my sweetheart I too suffer this awful crippling anxiety and panic just over the past few weeks think I am menopausal and thru peri stage but difficult to say as the contraception I am means I don't have periods.
I know exactly what you mean about it coming out the blue its very scary and makes you feel like you are losing control.   

It just creeps up on you a few weeks ago i never suffered this. I have been taking Ashgawandha capsules for about a month now. And have some anti anxiety tablets to take from the GP as and when I need them. They sometimes help as they calm the palpitations down so control the physical symptoms which helps me.

Good advice from discogirl about mediation too or even listening to some calming music and deep breathing. I do feel for you as it such an awful thing to suffer

Take care xxxx

[SarahT]

Although I am still peri, I do suffer badly at times with anxiety. I was looking throughout old  posts on this forum, to see previous experiences and suggestions.

I came across a  post by Noestrogen, on 2nd July 2021,  It is titled 3 2 1 anti-anxiety exercise and was originally posted by Bette, on5/11/2010.

Sorry am rubbish at techy stuff so can't send a direct link, but it is a simple calming exercise used for anxiety.. I was a bit sceptical, but unless I am in a severe state of anxiety, it really does helps me.

Thought I would pass it on in case it helps anyone else.

But, am sure most of you are more able than I am, so if you can find it and 're-post the exercise on this thread, please do so. If it just helps sone women just some of the time then I would appreciate it.

Wish you all well x

[Sallyyy]

Thank you so much for the helpful ideas - will look through in more detail.

Is anyone else taking anti depressants.  I know the NICE guidance is for HRT but I think that’s it mental health issues start for the first time with menopause which isn’t the case with me.

[Jenna]

Although I am still peri, I do suffer badly at times with anxiety. I was looking throughout old  posts on this forum, to see previous experiences and suggestions.

I came across a  post by Noestrogen, on 2nd July 2021,  It is titled 3 2 1 anti-anxiety exercise and was originally posted by Bette, on5/11/2010.

Sorry am rubbish at techy stuff so can't send a direct link, but it is a simple calming exercise used for anxiety.. I was a bit sceptical, but unless I am in a severe state of anxiety, it really does helps me.

Thought I would pass it on in case it helps anyone else.

But, am sure most of you are more able than I am, so if you can find it and 're-post the exercise on this thread, please do so. If it just helps sone women just some of the time then I would appreciate it.

Wish you all well x

Here you are Sarah 

Bette
Member
*
Posts: 10361

321 anti-anxiety exercise
« on: November 05, 2010, 04:12:59 PM »
Here's the exercise my hynotherapist taught me last year to help me with anxiety and panic attacks. Think it's a NLP exercise as she was also qualified in that.I found it very helpful although haven't needed to use it for a while. Bear with me as will be a bit long-winded to explain.

You're going to be using 3 senses - sight (peripheral vision), hearing and touch. You can say it aloud but I always found doing it silently worked. It gets better with practice but it's the "doing" of it that's important not being good at it. If you lose the thread at any point, just start again.

Sit or lie comfortably and fix your gaze on a certain object. Start by noticing what you can see in your peripheral vision.

Here's an example of what you might say to yourself:-

I can see -

My tea mug on the table
The computer keyboard
A book

I can hear -

The hum of the computer
The wind in the trees
A car engine

I can feel -

My left forearm resting on the table
My bottom on the chair
My right big toe touching the inside of my slipper

I can see -

A picture on the wall
The wardrobe

I can hear -

The radio downstairs
The dog snoring

I can feel -

My left thigh pressing into the table
My tongue touching tne inside of my lower teeth

I can see -

The headphones on the desk

I can hear -

My breathing

I can feel -

My left thumb touching my index finger.


That's it! It takes a lot of concentration which is probably why it works. I find it gets harder to find the words as you go on - it's like your brain (and breathing) slow down and I suppose that's why it's relaxing. I used to do it lying in bed sometimes or even in the car (as a passenger!) Because my house is very quiet, I sometimes had to repeat the same sounds but that's not a problem. The "feel" one is fascinating as you're not moving and have to notice tiny sensations. My hypno said one of her clients used to go to the loos at work and do it if she was struggling.

Hope it helps - please give it a go. Even sitting here thinking about it and typing this out, I can feel myself "slowing down.

Bette x

[SarahT]

Thanks Jenna! You're a star. 😍

Hope this exercise may help someone else. As I said, when my anxiety is crippling me, nothing breaks through but time, and knowing it will pass. But when I feel  things building up or just a bit anxious, this does calm my breathing and slows the downward spiral.

X

[Losingtheplot]

Thank you so much for the helpful ideas - will look through in more detail.

Is anyone else taking anti depressants.  I know the NICE guidance is for HRT but I think that’s it mental health issues start for the first time with menopause which isn’t the case with me.

Hi hunni

I also have suffered mental health issues from age 13 and eventually found the right Ads that helped me function properly and have a quality of life as I suffered depression.  I totally get where you are coming from and have too contemplated Ads but then I find for me the symptoms are intermittent which makes me question if its depression returning or indeed hormonal.

For me depression meant I couldnt get out of bed and literally function  dark thoughts constantly no interest in anything, no appetite,  feelings of dread. But this anxiety is intense but in waves throughout the day and early morning palpitations which have eased onto later in the day! So I don't feel the black cloud of depression if that makes sense.

I know some friends have tried Ads alongside anti anxiety meds too and that may be an option for you. Maybe discuss this with your Gp ? And discuss increasing your dose of Ads to see if that helps?

Big hugs

[Sallyyy]

Thank you Jenna

[Sallyyy]

Thank you *Losingtheplot*

[SarahT]

Hi Sallyyy,

I agree with Losingtheplot, in that I feel a bit difference between depression and anxiety. She speaks of the black cloud,.
My experience is that it was a constant feeling, I had no motivation in any part of life with depression, I was on Sertraline, and had CBT for about 18 months. Then my peri symptoms got out of control and I went on hrt and weaned myself off the Ad's at the same time. Mistake, as My body had too much to cope with all at once, as did my mind.

I do not feel depressed at all. For me, anxiety comes in waves, sometimes I can feel ok, the next minute it builds up, I lose my ability to think straight, I feel vulnerable, unable to cope or even function, feel a wave of dread.  Am a complete mess.

Mine is also cyclical, always had severe pms since ages 13, and now diagnosed with pmdd, worsened by peri.
Anxiety is hell, totally irrational as to when it can hit me. But I hang on as the waves do seem pass.

I truly hope you find a way to help support yourself.

[Sallyyy]

Thank you Sarah - I hope you are ok too. Ironically I was pretty well mentally through peri. We are all affected so differently with hormones.
Take care

[Losingtheplot]

Hi Sallyyy,

I agree with Losingtheplot, in that I feel a bit difference between depression and anxiety. She speaks of the black cloud,.
My experience is that it was a constant feeling, I had no motivation in any part of life with depression, I was on Sertraline, and had CBT for about 18 months. Then my peri symptoms got out of control and I went on hrt and weaned myself off the Ad's at the same time. Mistake, as My body had too much to cope with all at once, as did my mind.

I do not feel depressed at all. For me, anxiety comes in waves, sometimes I can feel ok, the next minute it builds up, I lose my ability to think straight, I feel vulnerable, unable to cope or even function, feel a wave of dread.  Am a complete mess.

Mine is also cyclical, always had severe pms since ages 13, and now diagnosed with pmdd, worsened by peri.
Anxiety is hell, totally irrational as to when it can hit me. But I hang on as the waves do seem pass.

I truly hope you find a way to help support yourself.


Hi SarahT

Your post is spot on for me about the description of the waves of anxiety and it helps knowing your story suff although I wish none of us suffered like this Take care hunni.

And thank u for mentioning the helpful tips which Jenna posted xxx

[SarahT]

Hi losingtheplot,

We're all in this together in varying ways aren't we sweetie? Whatever experiences or methods we can share with each other, and sometimes even just that knowing someone else feels the same, that they understand, is a massive support. XX to you