Agoraphobia....Anxiety!!!
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Agoraphobia Anxiety... OMG!!! Anyone else getting this with their peri/meno??? Everyday if I don't push myself to at least go for a walk it gets worse. Scared to drive far, scared to go into grocery stores or stores period fear of fainting get so sweaty feet and hands... Then the all day into the night migrains that follow ugh!!!What gives i can't take it anymore. Please anyone else experiencing this??? Please please please tell your stories of this awfulness....😣😢
1 like, 21 replies
Gypsy014
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Also forgot to say I feel l like I'm becoming homebound (very scary) also the feeling like I can't think brain fog!!! Anyone else????
Gypsy014
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maria76995 Gypsy014
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Hi Gypsy, yes it does get better I have on its own..there was a time I had to make an appointment to leave the house because Anixety was through the roof..every time I will step out side to do my shopping some thing would attack me and my moth would dry out and turn white my heart would pound every thing would scare me,from the dog barking to people shouting, I would go for a walk and turn back just frighten to go to the shop, awful but I will tell you it stops with time darling just let it wash over you do what it like can't kill you it's our hormones causing this uproar hang on there your heading to feeling better, I still have issues not out of the woods but mixing back with people and you will too.
Gypsy014 maria76995
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Thank you Maria for these words of encouragement! Yes it can be very challenging all these symptoms, but hopefully soon I will be back to my old self again.. 😌
pinkcatfairy Gypsy014
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Dear Gypsy
Sorry you are going through this, I have suffered a fear of open spaces for a long time but going into menopause has made it alot worse. The anxiety has been awful, I didn't have that before and it seems to come and go. I never suffered migraines before but in peri and now meno have the migraine auras x
Gypsy014 pinkcatfairy
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Indifferent Gypsy014
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I suffered 6 years of this...it was horrible. Finally coming out of it the past year with the help of rescue remedy and then a herbal vitamin supplement that I found two months ago that has ceased my dependance on the rescue remedy.
I would not leave the house alone unless it was simply to go pick up my grandchildren and come straight back... any shopping i NEEDED to have hubby with me, or I was afraid I would faint.
For a time even driving made me so anxious and dizzy that my car never left the drive way
Last fall I was introduced to Bach's Rescue Remedy that at least allowed me to get out of the house IF I carried it with me in my purse. I sometimes would have to take it two or three times while running errands, but at least i got it done and was functioning a lot better.
Two months ago i started taking a vitamin called Progressive Chewable Multi for adult women. It has changed everything. My rescue remedy has only been used once since taking these!! I have energy, no brain fog anymore...feel like my old self!
There is a light at the end of the tunnel...the trick is finding it!
I hope you feel better soon, just sharing what worked for me
Gypsy014 Indifferent
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Indifferent, Thanks for sharing this .. I use to pick up the grandkids from school and this new school year only been a month, I haven't not once, hubby has to and he's not happy about it, but I can't do it!! Wow 6 years of this I can't begin to imagine. If I could stay in bed all day I would, but for some reason I feel worse doing that! I'll have to look into some good vitamins maybe it will help. I know what you mean about not going into stores by yourself or driving alone. Unfortunately my hubby is always too busy for any of this and can't unless it's at night and by then I've already pushed myself to go do it myself ugh very ridiculous all of this, hope it ends soon..
mary27278 Indifferent
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amy602 Indifferent
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Indifferent amy602
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Indifferent mary27278
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Yes they are big, lol! But chewable, and I don't mind the taste. I noticed my energy improve within a couple of days. The rest came to me as a realization about a month later that my anxiety had improved over 3 weeks to almost nothing, and my bowel symptoms had GREATLT improved as well, as long as I don't eat nuts.
My husband notices big differences in his energy and in his sleep, he is on the mens.
My son in law is also noticing differences in sleep and moods. So they seem to have some great effects on those around me who are trying them.
kelly55079 Gypsy014
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Yes.. I have to push myself to exercise which is swimming because it helps with aches and pains.. I used to be able to do shopping but now it's a struggle which is odd because who doesn't like shopping. I just don't feel like doing anything anymore, I feel like the odd duck so it could be anxiety. I would keep up with your walking!! I bought some aromatherapy sprays about a year ago but I'm finding that I'm using them more and more to feel good.. Very calming too. Maybe you could try those in the morning. Last night I woke up for NO reason and could not get back to sleep-- so I sprayed my pillow and nightgown and went back to sleep. : ) Try drinking A LOT of water for the headaches-- I almost drink a gallon a day.. Mine would last for a couple days then I could function again. Water and sinus pressure meds/IBProfens helped.
Gypsy014 kelly55079
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Gigi368 Gypsy014
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Gypsy,
I've suffered severe anxiety and panic attacks since my early 20's, right after my son was born. To make matters worse I was robbed at gunpoint point. It took years of therapy to step foot outside of my house. I was convinced prior to diagnosis that something was very wrong like cancer or some disease. Mine was so bad I did get physically ill.. It would start with a hot flash starting at my toes and traveling up to the top of my head, felt like I was burning from the inside out, then my stomach would start quivering and nausea would take over, my heart felt like it was going to pound of my chest and then I'd get violent shakes, imagine it being 20 below outside and you're standing in it naked and soaking wet. Once vomiting set in I'd end up in the ER bc I couldn't stop it. They finally diagnosed me after suffering with it for almost 5 yrs. It came after a particular bad episode that lasted a month straight, I lost 30 lbs in that month, I turned yellow, I was so weak I couldn't even sit up. My mom and dad had enough and rushed me to the ER (I had a very uncaring husband at the time) they admitted me right away and come to find out my liver was eating itself to keep me alive. Enter the therapist, bc aside from that current problem they found absolutely nothing wrong with me. It took another year to get it sorted out, I found out I have too much Seritonin in my brain and when it surges I get the attacks. Even though I wasnt and I'm not depressed now, they put me on an antidepressant, Paxil, it's an SSRI, it inhibits the surge of Seritonin, and I take nerve pill. It's not a cure, as there isn't one, but it's manageable. Part of my therapy was journaling to find my triggers, even if they woke me up out of a dead sleep. I now know how to recongize my warning signs and know what to do to combat them.
Fast forward to now, I'm 49 and in menopause and they're starting out of the blue pretty bad again. I have other health issues now, mainly my heart, so between stressing myself out over my heart and the menopause symptoms I'm a complete wreck! I'm terrified of meds bc of all I went through in the beginning, so I'm dragging my feet on starting HRT, even though I know it's the right thing, but I obsess over side effects. I too don't like to go anywhere alone, I literally have to take a nerve pill just to go to the grocery store. I feel safest in my house, luckily I have a very patient partner, even if he doesn't understand, but he also forces me out of my comfort zone, I don't always like it but once I'm out and realize I'm ok, I'm glad he did it.
Don't do what I did and wait until you're disabled by it.. keep up your exercise and push your boundaries, they won't be comfortable or easy, but you'll be glad you did. Talk to your doctor's about what's happening, it doesn't mean you need meds, there's all kinds of relaxation techniques you can do. I didn't realize that anxiety and menopause go together until it started happening again, I myself, am doing everything not to fall back into that black hole and it's not easy considering I feel terrible all the time. 28 yrs of dealing with this and I thought getting older, kids grown and gone, less responsibility, etc would be a good thing, how wrong I was lol.. One day at a time, one foot in front if the other, this too shall pass. That's my favorite mantra...
Good Luck! Sending prayers and hugs your way!
Gypsy014 Gigi368
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Hi Gigi, thank you so much for sharing, wow you've really been through a lot... I have heard many woman say there episodes of anxiety and agoraphobia all started after their kids were born, so I'm not surprised peri/meno making it much worse or even relapsing back into whatever they went through years ago! I always had very mild ocd which was obsessive hand washing after my kids were born , and I think back then that's the reason it all started because I had a brand new baby got to wash my hands got to make a bottle got to wash my hands just changed a diaper got to wash my hands ECT... And that turned into very mild anxiety and never really paid attention to it until fast forward to years later and her comes peri/meno and all these crazy hormones fluctuating causing all my anxiety and ocd and now agoraphobia to magnify 10 fold it's just ridiculous ugh!! I went for an exam with a therapist for COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY, and I have yet to start my sessions with that, very nervous to even leave my house for that. I'm truly sick of this all, and with all the other symptoms of meno I really feel awful (NUTS) but you know what they say if you feel like your going nuts your not because you don't feel that coming on! Thanks for sharing it helps a ton just knowing others are going through same take care ?
Gigi368 Gypsy014
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Gypsy,
I was 18 when I had my daughter and got married, 21 when my son was born. When I was pregnant with my daughter they found my heart condition, and when I was pregnant with my son they suggested I not have any more kids, so literally right after he was born I had my tubes tied. I had pretty bad post partum depression to the point my grandma stayed with us bc I wouldn't even touch him, and that's when my problems started. I was told that I may experience hormonal issues, I guess looking back I did. I had my hysterectomy 16 yrs ago but kept my ovaries, so how long I've been in menopause is a mystery. I literally woke up July 22nd thinking I was getting a UTI, went to Urgent Care, they said I had a yeast infection not a UTI, put me on a cream and it didn't clear up. I went thru 4 weeks of different creams and an oral pill, Diflucan, which I had a horrible reaction to. My gyno finally said it was AV and put me on a hormone, Vagifem, which I have yet to use, bc of my overwhelming fear of meds. She blew off my questions and concerns and that increases my anxiety, and just makes it all worse. I had no "clues" I was in menopause and still not sure if I'm in or thru it. I'm looking for a new doc and a second opinion. If I am, I'd like to know what my hormone levels are, I NEED to know everything or I'll drive myself crazy.
I'm so happy you're going to therapy!!! This condition is terrifying to try to combat on your own coupled with menopause. I think once you learn what your triggers are and learn some techniques to relax and how to combat the overwhelming fear, you'll do great! Don't give in to it! Fight it!
Keep us posted on your progress!
Much love to you!!
Gigi
Gypsy014 Gigi368
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Well we sound like twins separated at birth haha... I had my 1st child at 18 and my 2nd child at 21 also, and when I turned 27 I had my hysterectomy and they left my ovaries too, so I have no idea where I'm at in my cycle, but I know that I use to feel myself ovulate monthly (pain) I guess because of hormonal cysts gynie says, but now I don't feel that monthly anymore maybe every few month or even longer, and what's strange is when I would feel myself ovulate monthly my symptoms would be relieved the next day after ovulation, but now one month will go by no pain then two months no pain and my symptoms just build up and intensify, so I'm pretty sure that's me missing my periods so to speak if there was a uterous there! Thanks for all your replies. Its important, I love to hear everyone's stories of what's going on with them, so I can compare, it keeps me going!! Hugs to you, take care😄