Anxiety and peri menopause

hi victoria, firstly hello, hope you're staying safe? every post i read on here someone else has been dumped on yet another antidepressant! i am fed up reading that this is the only thing doctors now do. has nobody offered any mindfulness to yoga or something else? i live in leicester there is a charity called lifelinks here that deal with anxiety, stress, depression and lots of things besides. try speaking to someone called the richmond fellowship. you'll find doctors will only offer you pills, which work for so long then stop. i point blank refuse to take any antidepressants and i may be need something due to assault and intense counselling. good luck, i hope you get the correct support.

HI Victoria.

I hope you are doing ok.

I experienced exactly the same symptoms as you, during perimenopause.

It was when I hit around 45-46, that I noticed my anxiety hit the roof. I would be waking up every night, unable to get back to sleep and worrying about the silliest things!

After attending CBT (which helped SO much) and also being put on Effexor (150 mgs a day) as well as finding a wonderful and understanding GP, I started to feel more like myself again.

I am now 50 and I noticed that after I reached menopause, things started to calm down once my hormones began to settle.

I also work out every day, get out in the fresh air, spray my pillow with lavender every night to relax me and drink peppermint and camomile tea every day.

I was experiencing terrible night sweats, but after a combination of the Effexor (which I've read can help with this) and using self-help, they have improved a lot!

I'm still taking the medication and my GP has advised that she will start to reduce the dose after about another year.

It might be worth going to have a chat with another GP about how you are feeling and see what their opinion is of changing your medication to Effexor, if that is something they might recommend or whether you still want to proceed down the medication route.

I would also recommend CBT as Sam suggested, as the mindfulness and coping strategies are terrific and I would strongly suggest you being kind to yourself as much as you can too! You will get through it!

Please keep me posted about how you get on! XX

I had awful night sweats; insomnia; I felt on edge all the time and unable to relax.

I was getting myself so worked up, I was struggling to eat as well.

When you visit your GP, do also ask about CBT. I found that really helped me too and I still practice the coping mechanisms.

I was stunned when I read how many other women were experiencing the same symptoms as me. I do know that your hormones fluctuate like crazy in perimenopause and that many GPs say it isn't worthwhile testing hormones at that stage, as they have a tendancy to be up and down like a yo-yo from one day to the next.

If I were you, I would go and see another GP and explain to them how you are feeling. X

thank u for kind reply

i was thinkkng hrt but thst scares me tbh

yes your symptoms are similar to mine

i find though differrnt drs say differrnt things.

i been watching the "menopause dr"

she is amazing but as said scared bout hrt

i can handle periods all over the place and nightsweats but its the anxiety and scared feeling

i also notice i am becoming depressed maybe its normal too

but i am hoping i am coming to the end peri

lol who knows

when i do go drs i find thry are just reading down the lists of meds on their computers

i dont know if i should re start on citrapram again

as been off thrm few months now i hate waking at 5 am every morning and panic sets in

just awful

xxx

Victoria so sorry to hear you're suffering right along with many of us. I would agree with the others for you to go see another Dr but I would go to one who is a Hormone Specialist. I'm 42 & I know I've been in Perimenopause for the last 4 years but no GP or Ob/Gyn I've seen have agreed with me until I saw a Dr who is a hormone specialist. All that other Dr's have done is put me on antidepressants, mood disorder meds, & anti-anxiety meds or put me in Birth Control Pills..... UGH! It's frustrating!

Well, anyways, This hormone specialist Dr is going to run bloodtests on me to check my hormones but i have to wait until I'm on my 12-14th day of my cycle. So we will see what that shows. But after her just looking at my intake paperwork where you're asked a million health questions, the first thing she said to me is Yep! I'd agree you are going thru the change - You are in perimenopause. FINALLY a Dr who believes me!! She put me on a higher dosage of Progesterone and Metformin, which levels out your insulin levels. My blood sugar and insulin levels have always been on the high side where I am pre-diabetic or borderline. This Dr (with 30 years of experience) said there is a correalation between having an imbalance of hormones and insulin. So it is my hope that taking these recommendations she gave me will help balance out my hormones & help me to EVENTUALLY come off the 4... yes FOUR psych meds I'm on.

So, to end this before I write a book, that would be my suggestion. See a hormone specialist who is a doctor. The way I see it is if the four psych meds aren't helping my depression, anxiety, or stabilizing my moods, then it's time for a change and find out the underlying issues of your symptoms. I believe you will find the help you need. Don't give up! 😃

hi victoria, you could always try alcohol or chocolate, there's always a good excuse for those! 😷😷😷😷🥴

ha ha

i have been eating alot

my hungar is crazy not sure if thats nerves or wat i dont drink unfortunately

i just get so frustrated with all of this and feel everytime i get my call back from gp its always a different one and just says "try another ad as u are suffering with anxiety " i say yes i am but i feel its something else causing this as my body changes are effecting me

i feel they are pushing me off phone

another few things ive noticed is that i have develpoped allegies like hayfever never have i had this also stomach issues ibs or acid reflux

drs saying its all anxiety

i neen offered fluxetine mitazipine citrapram

tjey are all ditting in my cupboard . it took me weeks to get off citrapram and side and withdrawal was awful

the thoughg of trying again scares me

i just feel sooo scared and like trapped in my own body

dizapam helps been on that 2 yrs 2mg a day but even that isnt helping anymore

i just feel tired of everything

xxxx

thank you again for caring and getting back to me

i defo thnk i wanna try hrt

the gel on arm and the tablet cannot spell the hormones lol

but you know wat i mean

i am going to call gp tues as bank hloiday tomo

i am going to get them hopefully to refer me to a hormonal specialust and get my self sorted

again awoke at 6am or prob before heart pounding panic took a diaz but dont think thry are helping i need help now

awful day today went out to local shop felt panic and dizzy and sweaty

cant cope with this

xxx