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Anxiety/perimenopause or something else....?

Posted , 6 users are following.

Bubbins
Bubbins

Hi, I,ve just had possibly the most frightening 10 days of my life.  On day two of my holiday, which it had been really looking forward to, I suddenly suffered a real "spaced out" kind of feeling, which I just couldn't shake off.  It felt like someone had flicked a switch in my head and I went from being confident, happy and relaxed to feeling like I was totally a different person.  Absolutely horrible.  The fact that it didn't improve left me feeling like I was going mad.  It put such a dampened on the holiday.  When I got home I went straight to the doctors, burst into tears and said I just felt totally spaced out.  With no physical symptoms, she said the most common cause was anxiety.  But I have struggled to fathom this.  Yes I have  quite a stressful job, but I have always managed stress well, with a good outlet in sport.  Today I had a blood test to test for thyroxin, calcium, full count etc and, have asked for FSH, after speaking to my sister, who is a GP..  Am really hoping it shows up something that will explain my feelings.  I just want to feel myself again.  It's horrible.  Anyway, am trying to fathom out whether this is sheer anxiety or perimenopause, or something else?  I am 44.  The other thing is, I was diagnosed several years ago with a prolactinoma, which basically, is a small, benign tumour, which sits on the pituitary gland and affects the levels of prolactin produced.  This can affect oestrogen levels, giving you low oestrogen.  I was on medication for a while until the prolactin levels came back to normal, otherwise there is an increased risk of osteoporosis.  I came off the meds, but recent tests have shown raised prolactin again.  I have never had oestrogen levels checked as they say the levels vary so much, it,s hard to gauge.  anyway, just wondering whether this could all be having an effect?  Any replies grateful received, thankyou

0 likes, 30 replies

30 Replies

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  • jayneejay
    jayneejay Bubbins

    Posted

    Hi Bubbins

    oh bless you .. Sorry you feeling like this..

    the FSH blood test may not show peri menopause .. If you still having regular periods

    this only gives an accurate menopause reading mostly when periods have decreased to maybe 3-4 a year..

    jay xx

    • Bubbins
      Bubbins jayneejay

      Posted

      Hi jay, thankyou v much for your reply.  My periods haven't been regular since I had the prolactinoma.  The scary thing is just how suddenly this has come on.  I am terrified it won't go away, or if it does, that it will kpcome back again.  I just can't explain it properly other than I don't feel myself at all x
    • jayneejay
      jayneejay Bubbins

      Posted

      Hi Bubbins

      bless you hun, really feel for you..

      peri is hard enough on its own

      try and be strong..

      jay xx

  • anxiousface
    anxiousface Bubbins

    Posted

    hello bubbins, I too was diagnoised with a prolactinoma tumour in 2005 and have been on cabagaline ever since and was told i would be on it for life cos of my high prolactin level.  Like you suddenly out of the blue i felt very strainge while out for a meal, it happened a couple of other times before i went to my GP who said slim perimenopausal women can feel like this and gave me a print out on HRT.  Since then i seriously went down hill and had all thr physical frightening symptoms, this ia i feel driggered me to developed anxiety because i didn't know what was happening to me i felt i could faint daily, anyway after all tests known to man the only thing they have come up with is my low blood pressure keeps dipping and i have a low blood sugar level and now it appears im perimenopausal.  I'm 51yrs but this started at 49. I do think our prolactin level effects us but for me i think its mostly the daily headaches, i'm not sure of my oestrogen level i will ask next time i have my check up.  What size is your tumour and did it shrink when on meds. Mine is 4mm but hasnt shrunk and i came off the meds for 3 months and my prolactin level shot up so cant be without it.  Are you going back on your meds? We are unlucky ithink we have it harder coping with a hormone problem.  sending you a comforting hug  
    • Bubbins
      Bubbins anxiousface

      Posted

      Hi there, thankyou so much for your reply.  And comforting to know there is a fellow prolactinoma person! I've just checked my records.  My tumour was 8mm, but has reduced to 4mm so it either shrank with the caberoline or by itself.  I took the meds for a bit, probably less than a year until the prolactin levels returned to normal.  I never really wanted to persist with it longer than I had to as I,m not a fan of meds.  They did say it might revert to being high again, which recent tests have shown it has.  They did say that if I was still have some periods, then my oestrogen was probably ok, and no need to take the caberoline.  But having seen the consultant recently, he is now recommending either going back on it or hrt.  And then all this other thing has just hit me....bang....out of the blue, and knocked me for six.  At the moment I don't have any other physical symptoms other than the horrible horrible spaced out, forgetful, confused, not being myself feelings and oddly on/off diarrhoea.  Your experience sounds horrendous too.  By fortune, my brother in law happens to be an endocrinologist, so I am going to talk to him the week after next as we are on holiday, and I will let you know if he has any ideas x
    • anxiousface
      anxiousface Bubbins

      Posted

      I too don't like taking meds but as i've read over the years what a high prolactin level can cause i have done as my endocrine consultant said. I have taked to him about being in peri and all my symptoms but he just said i will have to see my GP about that but unfortunatley my GP is hopeless and has no time for womens problems so i'm a bit stuck.  I would be very interested to see what your brother in laws says, please let me know. I know exactly what you mean about being spaced out, i feel i'm not really here but looking in on myself, i can be in a meeting at work and know everyones talking but i'm not really there, i hope i don't look spaced out eek it absolutely knocked me for six too, i used to be an easy going very independants person but i'm half the women i was.  Hopefully we get ourselves back but at this moment i'm not there yet but i must say things have got better i think because i've learnt not to be so scared of myself and the symptoms. Hang on in there whilst your on your holidays and try and relax and be kind to yourself, we will come out the other side.  speak soon x 
    • Bubbins
      Bubbins anxiousface

      Posted

      Thankyou.  Felt terrible all day yesterday until the evening.  I have an appointment to see my regular doctor on Monday to get a prescription for caberoline, so will speak to her.  Luckily she is lovely and I really rate her as a GP.  I am also fortunate as my sister is a GP.  I have spoken to her on the phone and she has said it coul be a combination of high prolactin/perimenopause/anxiety.  I just want something to show up to explain it, so that I can get better quickly.  I ve had this nearly two weeks now, and it's enough!  I can't stand the thought of having it any longer.  Interestingly my period is due but hasn't arrived, so maybe that is making it worse?  I do feel anxious about the holiday, as I don't want to ruin it for everyone else and I know how I felt when I went to cornwall.  Because I was worried and frightened, I went really quiet, so probably not much fun to be with!  But I have at least told my sister, so that she understands, so feel better for that.  And I am just trying to get through work day by day as I don't want to be off sick.  Hope you are having a good weekend.  And thankyou for the support.  It really helps.  Xx
    • anxiousface
      anxiousface Bubbins

      Posted

      hi bubbins, hope your feeling ok today.  How did you get on at your GP's today? I hope you remembered to discribe all your symptoms and tell her how your feeling, I envy you for having a nice one it must make all the difference when you have to go to them, mine just makes me feel i'm wasteing his time.  Thats how i feel about going anywhere i don't want to spoil for anyone and i get so scared and i really don't know why cos i never used to be like this.  I'm sure you'll be fine Bubbins. I get through work day by day clock watching but i must say i've been ok today as i was so busy the day just went in a flash.  I have always worked full time but when i started to be ill i finished at 4pm and i have continued with that and feel better for it. Weekend was not too bad thank you as my bad headache has carmed down a lot.  let me know how you are.  sending love
    • Bubbins
      Bubbins anxiousface

      Posted

      Hi there, thankyou for thinking of me.  My day was up and down really.  I didn't feel too bad this morning, but now feel pretty crap.  My doctor was really lovely.  The blood test all came back ok.  Even the prolactin wasn't as bad as it has been.  FSH didn't show anything.  She talked about anxiety etc which I have never before suffered from.  She is so lovely.  I am going to restart the caberoline to get oestrogen up so that we can see if that makes a difference.  She wants to see me after holiday to monitor and find a way forward.  I said I was totally baffled.  I felt ok going in, but surprised myself by being tearful with her.  It is so not like me.  I just don't get how, if it is hormones/perimenopause, it still remains so unfathomable to the medical profession.  What do you do for work?  Do you have a stressful job? Xx
    • anxiousface
      anxiousface Bubbins

      Posted

      hi bobbins sorry i havent replied back until now but had such a bad day yesterday.  I manage an office which used to be very stressful but now not as much but i do get anxious about feeling ill at work as it happens so often.  I so envy you having your lovely doctor to turn to. I too got tearful once when i saw a lady doctor whichi thought i would never do but she just handed me a tissue and carried on looking at her computer.  So pleased for you that your tests came back ok, thats one thing off your mind.  Yes the medical profession dont have a clue what were going through which is no concellation for us as we think they are there to fix us but i have found not in this case.  BUT bubbins your not on your own and we will come through but unfortunatley we are just at the begining of ours.  How have you been today?  my headaches slightly better today but they are wearing me down.  Try and keep smiling, and as i do pretend i'm normalrolleyes XXX
    • Bubbins
      Bubbins anxiousface

      Posted

      Hi there, really sorry that you had a bad day yesterday.  You sound like you are really going through it.  It must have been the day for it yesterday as I was so drained when I got home from work from feeling rubbish, that I ended up in tears at home.  I,ve cried four times in the last week and I just can't remember the last time I did that.  Feeling a little better today.  Was thinking about your doctor....I believe you are entitled to see any doctor you wish, so is there a GP at your surgery who you could switch to?  Am sure it would really make a big difference if you could find someone more sympathetic and understanding.  When I moved house several years ago, the practice said I had moved out of their area and would have to register somewhere else, but I wanted to keep my doctor, so lied and gave my friends address which was in the catchment area so that I could keep my doctor ;-)  One of the most daunting things for me is that both my mum and my GP sister went through/going through a hideous menopause of hot flushes etc.  My sister says she gets 2 hours of sleep and then has to work a 13 hour day.  So given that I am only 44, I dread to think what is in store :-(. It makes me realise what I had before my life seemed to suddenly change two weeks ago and I wish I had appreciated my youth more!  I feel really angry and frustrated that I can't shake it off and go back to normal.  I,m just drinking loads of camomile tea and taking vitamin b,s and hoping it will get better, or my doctor will find a cure :-). Then I am going to bottle it and make a mint from women everywhere and retire early by the sea :-). Chin up anxious face, we will get through it xxx
    • anxiousface
      anxiousface Bubbins

      Posted

      hello again, i can tel by your post your not feeling to bad today cos you made me laugh about bottling a cure and making a mint, can i come and live with you by the seacheesygrin. Unfortunatley the nice lady doctor i had years ago left and she wasnt replaced so i had to start with a man doctor who really has no idea about us. I cant lie about my address i've been here 26 yrs. Dont be thinking you'll be like your mum and sister cos it will get you down and my sister is 4 yrs older than me and her periods just stopped 2 yrs ago yet look whats happening to me, she thinks i'm just exaggerating and has no sympathy. I love her to bits but just wish she would have just one day of what i can feel like and it will scare her to death.  I too have camomile tea and all sorts of others.  I feel so upset for you that your crying, i try my hardest not to as i get a terrible headache but when it comes it comes. Hope you've got a good husband/partner cos thats so important that their there for you, my husbands my rock and i dont expect him to understand exactly how i feel but he's very good. Have you tried meditation or some form of relaxation when you get home from work.  i think we are so relieved  to have got through the day we just calapse. My chins up and hope yours is too. really big hug x
    • Bubbins
      Bubbins anxiousface

      Posted

      Yes yes, come and live by the sea!  I,ve been to the pub after playing football and for a couple of hours feel relatively normal, so am cashing in on it big time.  I am glad that you have a supportive husband, that must be a great comfort.  I am single, but am very close to my ex (woman) who I went on holiday with, and I have explained to her how I am feeling.  Plus my sister and mum.  I think that has helped a lot.  I guess i am lucky, as I also have a good team at work.  I haven't told them, as I want to just try and cope at the moment, but luckily I have always been pretty confident at work, so I can just about get through it at the moment, hopefully without anyone noticing.  I don,t want to be beaten by this crap and really hope that I can find a  way to live, rather than just survive.  I reckon we should get jayjay (is that her name?) to do a research project.  I reckon there must be a common denominator in terms of who suffers the most with this perimenopause stuff. It would be interesting to see.  Maybe it affects sensitive people more?  Or maybe it is literally just down to hormone levels?  I got a full on blast in the face at football tonight with the ball, and now it hurts to eat and open my jaw.  But I said to my ex "give me an aching jaw anytime, rather than this hormonal crap!"  Sooooo much easier.  Anyway, I hope you are ok, and that you have a better day of it tomorrow.  Sending you big hugs too xxx
    • Bubbins
      Bubbins

      Posted

      Ps......have just given my cat some "cosmic catnip" and thinking to take a dose myself :-) xx

       

    • jayneejay
      jayneejay Bubbins

      Posted

      Hi bubbins

      hahahahaha

      they say slimmer women suffer the most. 😃

      I am 125lb 😕 ..

      positive mind Helps and sense of humour ..

      B6 helped me alot ... Lashings of it .. My mum was two years from peri to post menopause aged from 42 - 44 finished ..

      me ... 9-10 years natural peri .. Now post meno age 50..

      also ... We vary when we start peri, and .. If you start your periods early ie: age 11 maybe expect an earlier peri ... We are all born with a certain amount of eggs and when they are gone they are gone 😊

      jay xx

       

    • jayneejay
      jayneejay Bubbins

      Posted

      Hahahaha

      i have a bag of cat nip in the drawer ..

      think i will make a brew with it 

      hehehehehehe

      jayxx

    • Bubbins
      Bubbins jayneejay

      Posted

      Come on jayneejay, I am relying on you and your insight and knowledge to find us a cure!  I've had two weeks of this and not prepared to put up with it a minute longer!  For your research project....didn't start my periods until late.....am guessing like 16 ?  And am slim and getting slimmer by the day with the bloody stress of this!  And both anxious face and I have prolactinomas x
    • jayneejay
      jayneejay Bubbins

      Posted

      Hi Bubbins 

      hahahaha

      i have tried alot of supplements, 

      i took Maca in first instance in peri ... Still do...

      i take menapol plus x 2.

      magnesium Spray oil..

      Solgar Chaleted magnesium

      150mg B6

      150mg B1 

      B12 injections

      Vit E.

      Kelp

      Natecal ( calcium & Vit D)  

      Vit C and Rosehip

      i take it all 😳

      jay xx

       

    • Bubbins
      Bubbins jayneejay

      Posted

      Christ!!!  Add catnip to your list and let me know how it goes...... :-) x
    • jayneejay
      jayneejay Bubbins

      Posted

      Hahahahaha

      I have probably missed some off the list 

      off to bed now ... Almost midnight in spain 😊

      dulces sueños buenas noches

      Jay x

    • jayneejay
      jayneejay

      Posted

      And also take 

      Acidodophilus 

      😳

      jay 

    • anxiousface
      anxiousface Bubbins

      Posted

      not bad today thanks as no headache thank goodness.  After reading jays post to sharni i am trying to get a grip of myself and sort things out in my head.  Reading your post, the brain fogs getting you down, i know how you feel mine is daily but seem to get along somehow.  I'm off now to have a nice warm bubble bath and read my book seeing i have no headache i find it very relaxing and takes me away from the norm and all this anxiousness.  sending love 
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