1. Community
  2. Women's health
  3. Menopause

Anyone out there that can put my mind at ease?

Posted , 10 users are following.

LauraC25
LauraC25

I am 45 years old and have suffered with bad anxiety for over 10 years now, and this past year has been really bad. Especially with flu season, my family had the circle of sickness just continue since October. Now we are all FINALLY getting better, but my anxiety is killing me. I am worried about EVERYTHING! I’m driving myself crazy with worry, especially when I hear someone cough or sneeze! My anxiety has never been this bad before and I’m not sure why, all of the sudden it has spiked. 

Also, I have been having this muscle spasm in my right lower abdomen all of the time. It is strong, like a baby kicking. No. I’m not pregnant. It’s been going on for over a week now and it happens quite a few times a day. I see my GYN on the 22nd of this month and get my blood test results that will determine all of my hormone levels. I’m going through menopause, I’m just not too sure where I’m at. 

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • lana07071
    lana07071 LauraC25

    Posted

    Laura, have you done anything about the anxiety? If not, you need to help yourself so you can enjoy life and family. I got it a year ago, mostly health anxiety that I always had but it was light, and after all sorts of health scares and other stresses over the last two years it burst into real anxiety. I did 7 sessions with a very good psychologist, privately. She did some CBT, some talking and quite a lot of mindfulness. My Dr, put me on a very low dose of slow release xanax- 0.5. He said it is less than a sleeping pill, so he convinced me as I never take anything, not even advil. I wish I did not need to but I do. I never take more than once a day, as per prescription and it has helped a ton. I am also doing acupuncture, on session 10. I am basically, most of the time, 98%. I do mindfulness daily through an App. It wont ever go away, but it gets manageable most days and your relationship with anxiety changes. It is a process, and you really should begin it! Best wishes.
    • LauraC25
      LauraC25 lana07071

      Posted

      Yes Lana,

      I have been on anti-anxiety meds for 11 years now. It’s been pretty well managed, until a couple of months ago, out of the blue. I went to my GYN and she told me that I was pregesterone  depleted, so I was put on a compounded cream that I put on at night. That has helped tremendously, so now that I have been on that for 3 months, I just had blood work done to see where I stand now. I also have Hoshimoto’s Disease and will be in Thyroid meds for the rest of my life. Now that all of that is managed...... the ringing in my ears and the muscle spasms in my side have started. I swear I have EVERY symptom that has been mentioned on here, except weight loss and depression. I smorgasbord get sad here and there, but nothing that interferes with my life. Also, I have been on the same 1mg of Lorazepam that I started on 11 years ago. I have never had my dose raised, nor have I gone to the Dr because I ran out early. I will take Rescue Remedy gummies, which are all natural,  if I need something extra.

    • lana07071
      lana07071 LauraC25

      Posted

      What a full plate of issues. Ugh. Poor you. Have you tried CBT, mindfulness, acupuncture etc?
  • wendy36287
    wendy36287 LauraC25

    Posted

    Hi Laura i can tell u frm my experience that whenever i get stuffy anxiety raises cuz am thinking i cannot breathe an d kickin i d abdomen is probably your ovaries at wk ...fo feel better soon an try nt to stress it does nt help..❤
  • Rachel_T
    Rachel_T LauraC25

    Posted

    Oh Laura, I can empathise completely. I get almost exactly the same. Having suffered on and off with health anxiety since my late teens, I'm used to dealing with it when it raises its head! Occasionally I have had to turn to sertraline to help..just a low dose. More recently with all the peri symptoms + hormonal changes it has gone into overdrive! It's never spiked so suddenly, or reduced so quickly either. I've had to increase my sertraline dose to help and it certainly has. My anxiety is much more under control, as are my peri symptoms. Its a win win for me!

    I know some people prefer to work through this without pharmacutical intervention, but for me I figure if I had a broken arm, I'd take pain relief, if I was diabetic I'd take insulin etc etc. Life's short, too short to cope with crippling anxiety if I don't need to!

    I hope your GYN has some answers for you. Hang in there xx

    • LauraC25
      LauraC25 Rachel_T

      Posted

      Thank you for responding, Rachel. You are absolutely right, you shouldn’t have to suffer if you don’t have to. Anxiety will take over if you don’t control it! I’m so tired of everyone telling me that I shouldn’t be taking medication for anxiety, especially when they say that it is all in my head and I just need to think about something else and not dwell on it. Really?? I don’t know about you, but when my anxiety shows it’s ugly face, I do everything I can to keep myself calm so don’t go into a full blown panic attack. I wish it was as easy as watching a funny show or something .
  • anetta94863
    anetta94863 LauraC25

    Posted

    There is nothing to worry about the flu, it is a regular, standart illness. It takes 2-7 days, 2-3 days intense and then much better. It is vital to get enough vit D before the season and during and also to stay in bed for 3-4 first days and then stay inside for the next 3. 7 days is the time you need to spend indoors, taking care of your body and not overexerting. This way the flu will not advance to bronchitis, sinus problems or else. Then after, just dress warm. Once it is over you have immunity for a few years.

     

    • LauraC25
      LauraC25 anetta94863

      Posted

      Hi Anetta,

           Yes. I take 6,000iu’s of vitamin D3 every day. I just got over pneumonia and a double massive ear infection, but was never tested for the flu. After being that sick, I freak out when someone around me is sick. I never felt like this before, so fearful. I have had pneumonia before, but I never freaked out after that, about sickness. Just suddenly, I’m so afraid. I can’t tell you why, I guess my anxiety just has the best of me and I need to get past it. 

    • anetta94863
      anetta94863 LauraC25

      Posted

      Getting pneumonia after the flu should not be typical. I think you might look into how you dress and take care of your body. Some people are strong enough not to feel the initial flu, they only have minimal symptoms-no fever. Then they immediately resume normal daily activities, but the flu virus is there waiting to attack when the body gets weak. It is very normal to feel severe anxiety during pneumonia. In fact, your body reacts to the virus even before you exibit symptoms. I had pneumonia only once so far,  not sure if flu virus related-it seems like it was another virus. I have developed arrythmia-additional heart beats that lasted for 3 weeks before I even had pneumonia symptoms. This has caused anxiety, then during pneumonia anxiety skyrocketed for about 10 days. It took me more than a month to get rid of the shortness of breath and anxiety. So be patient and hang on there.
  • kelly55079
    kelly55079 LauraC25

    Posted

    Yes. my anxiety is bad too..  Each time one of the kids sneezes, coughs or sniffles I freak out and tell them to use nose spray and wash hands..  I also make sure they are in bed early just in case.  The flu is bad this year and I don't want it in my home.

  • anetta94863
    anetta94863 LauraC25

    Posted

    This year the flu was not bad for me.I came down with chills and high fever one day, then diminishing fever next day. Then sore throat and spasmatic couch, which I am prone to. I recovered in the next 2 days, but stayed in for another day although we were in Miami and it was very warm. My husband caught it from me, did not dress to much, did not rest much and his cough has been longer, not much congestion tho. My daughter recovered from flu in 4 days, but she insisted on walking half naked in Miami and he AC probably did not help. She has developed some bronchitis and sinus congestion, ended up on antibiotics, which Id rather she does not take. my biggest worry is always my elderly mom. So in case of 3 people the flu was not bad, providing you stay home and rest.  am writing this to put your mind somehow at ease. I heard of a death from pneumonia from the flu recently, but it was an individual whose heart was damaged form heroin use. So try to relax because a flu might not be the biggest fear in meno.
  • michelle_79406
    michelle_79406 LauraC25

    Posted

    Hi Laura. 

    I can relate to your feelings and as for  anxiety omg. I was afraid to be on my own . I was afraid to eat if I was alone. Afraid Togo walking on my own. Although at 44 my doctor says I’m way to you. To be in Peru or menopause . 

    But I say different and that th e anxiety is a big part of it.   Hell for the last  7 years.     But seriously cut your sugar and chocolate etc out of your diet as high sugar makes your anxiety 10 times worse and drains your energy.   I have it up and for the first time in 7 years I left my own county to go away for a few days, which normally I would be terrified. 

    So ditch the sugars. You won’t believe the difference. I am fine now to be home alone or go walking alone. And loads more energy.  

    You will get past this like I did. And I didn’t medicate.    Sugar is a demon. 

  • alice1209
    alice1209 LauraC25

    Posted

    Hi!!

     Gosh, welcome to my world!

    I’ve suffered from anxiety since the birth of my son 9 years ago... been on citalopram that whole time... I’ve tried to come off it, but it’s always been disastrous!

    So, I’m now 49 years old and my anxiety is at fever pitch... I’ve had everything under the sun and been convinced I’m slowly dying... it’s just bloody awful... I hate myself for being so weak... 😔

    I’ve had spotting the last few months so I’ve been scanned twice, everything normal... and I’m seeing the gyno in a few weeks... I’ve had bloods done, my heart monitored ( thought I was having palpitations), pap done twice, everything looks normal... 

    My latest anxiety are the two freckles in my eye... on the pupil.  The optometrist mentioned last year I had two freckles on my eye (!), he said we would monitor them as they could develop in to tumors.... as you can imagine it totally freaked me out... supposedly he saw them the year before but never mentioned them.... so out of nowhere this week I’m totally fixated with them and I’m convinced they have grown in to tumors.... it’s all consuming... I’m so much worse than ever before... is this because I’m peri, or just because I’m totally losing it😩, I find it it so exhausting and can’t concentrate on anything.... some days it’s such an effort to get up.

    A xxx

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.