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Can I blame menopause?

Posted , 11 users are following.

teri76755
teri76755

I’ve been chasing a few seemingly unconnected symptoms for a few years. I’m 18 months post menopause. Symptoms include heart palpitations & SVT, chest pain, GERD/upper abdominal pain, back and joint.  I’ve had thorough cardiac testing and my heart is structurally normal. Normal abdominal ultrasounds. Gall bladder was removed last year after a HIDA scan found my GB was extremely overactive. That improved the chest pain some. When I got to the one year mark after my last period, I started dealing with extreme anxiety. Panic attacks have been a weekly occurrence. Add to that occasional dizziness and headaches and just a brain fog kind of feeling. No night sweats or hot flashes, so I didn’t immediately think of menopause. I’m wondering though if my symptoms are typical of peri- and post-menopause. I know my doctors are tired of me!!

3 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • pam90720
    pam90720 teri76755

    Posted

    Hi Teri! Yes ma'am you are not alone!! I'm about 12 months post and I still feel like dog sh@$t...   the anxiety , panic attacks... upset tummy.... dizzy, motion sickness...  I did have the heart paps but no longer.. and no more hot flashes... I've turned into a hypochondriac.... although when I was in Peri I really thought I was dying... I had no idea what was going on... and occasionally I would start hurting like I was having a period ..swollen belly .. like I was 10 months pregnant...  it's been a real joy, lol... during all that I developed a tremendous amount of eye floaters which didn't help with my anxiety ...  I wish there was a magic pill that was safe to help us... I really am glad I found this forum... I thought I was the only one dealing with all this... take care and just no you are not alone!!! 🙏💕

    • teri76755
      teri76755 pam90720

      Posted

      Wow - I’ve noticed a couple eye floaters too. Didn’t make the connection. I’ve heard they can be stress induced. 
  • pam90720
    pam90720 teri76755

    Posted

    Oh and I didn't mention the fatigue!!!! And just have no energy!!!! 

  • amy341731
    amy341731 teri76755

    Posted

    Ugh 100% yes..I’ve had many of these symptoms on a rotating basis since last year..hit me out of the blue and I also thought I was dying..stomach pain, headaches, joint and back pain, brain fog, exhaustion, you name it! No real answers except napping and staying hydrated helps a bit. Take care and know you’re not alone! 
    • teri76755
      teri76755 amy341731

      Posted

      Yup - trying to take better care and get enough sleep & exercise. The bummer is these symptoms hit at a time of life when we’re way too busy to deal. A hundred years ago we might have been grandparents in our mid to late 40s. Now we probably still have kids at home. Add jobs and aging parents who need help and wow! 

  • gilly_64426
    gilly_64426 teri76755

    Posted

    Teri

    Thank you for joining this forum, I'm having the lower back pain, feels more like a burn, lower stomach pain that comes and goes, sometime when I pee, i feel a burn, I can't left my left arm above my head and when I do, I'm in pain for a week or 2😣, I'm 49 and my perimenapause started last year. I had a bad pain over heart and thought I was having a heart attack.

    Let's not talk about anxiety, fear of death or doom, tingling feeling in my fingers, tired legs or cramps.

    And I'm still regular with my periods and the worst (low sex drive). My husband thinks I need to start working out and this will help.

    What to do, 🤔🤔I want my younger body back.

    • teri76755
      teri76755 gilly_64426

      Posted

      I try to do at least a little yoga and walk every day. I try to keep stress at bay, but that’s hard. I take a low dose of a beta blocker for my arrhythmia, which has the added benefit of taking the edge off the anxiety. I also decided to see a therapist. It’s taken me 2 months to find someone who takes my insurance AND can see me after work! Fingers crossed. Exercise isn’t the only answer, but it may help. At least it’s time devoted to yourself. I find that it helps my confidence level if I’m exercising routinely. Good luck! 
  • louise44105
    louise44105 teri76755

    Posted

    Hi Teri. A simple answer to your question is 'yes'. Like the ladies who have posted before me, it all sounds familiar. If it's any help, my doctor explained to me that 'at this point in your life' (it was a male doctor), your hormones tend to go a bit crazy. This is totally normal, but it makes your adrenalin over react causing a surge of it through your body. It's this that gives you the chest pains and palpatations, tingling fingers, jaw ache, feeling hot etc. The problem is, if you panic or get anxious about these feelings, the adrenalin works even harder, and you're then caught in a vicious circle. You need to find ways to relax when this happens to you. It's not easy, of course, it's a scary experience, but breathing exercises are a good start. I did Tai Chi for a while which helped. Mindfulness helps some ladies. I sought help through a therapist who has been a Godsend. You will get through this, Teri. Be strong and I wish you well.

    • teri76755
      teri76755 louise44105

      Posted

      I have my first appt with a therapist tomorrow! My mother and paternal grandmother both had hysterectomies early 40s so I haven’t had someone to talk to who’s been through this normally - so to speak. Thank you for the reply! 
  • shannonmairs7
    shannonmairs7 teri76755

    Posted

    You have just described the last 10 months of my life, almost exactly. Also 18 months post, have had all of these and more. And ironically, mine really kicked up at at the 12 month mark as well. Acid reflux, chest, arm, joint, muscle pain. Racing heart and medical anxiety, fatigue and brain fog. Even my vision is going.....And NOTHING wrong with me. Thankfully I found this site, and realized I am not dying right now, lol! Exercise and eating right has been the only real help I have found.....Good luck....to us all! xo
    • teri76755
      teri76755 shannonmairs7

      Posted

      It is incredibly reassuring to hear that others are dealing with this too - and dealing well! I agree that taking care of ourselves is key. I try hard to minimize stressful situations bc stress sets of a chain reaction of symptoms. 
  • christine66659
    christine66659 teri76755

    Posted

    I'm nine years post Meno and some symptoms still come and go XXX anxiety and insomnia main ones for me....had early one at 42..

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