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

Feelings of impending panic attack and severe anxiety

Posted , 8 users are following.

patricia16507
patricia16507

I am 51 and have had weird anxiety attacks periodically mid cycle for the last couple of years. I had a sressful event occur for 4 weeks and was in a state of constant anxiety and full on panic attacks however this resolved and I felt 'normal' again. In the last 2 weeks I have been having a weird sensation, like I am about to have a panic attack/cry but then it stops. Also, I have severe anxiety for no reason, pounding heart, shaking, flustered, buzzing in head type symptoms. The really strange thing is (so glad you all understand and can relate to the perimenopausal bizarre symptoms!) that the panicky feeling seems to come on worse when I bend over. Really, really weird. I am still getting regular periods but have just had some very mild mid cycle spotting so I know for a fact that things are a happening with my hormones. Do many people experience panic attacks, or the beginning of panic attacks constantly?

1 like, 16 replies

16 Replies

Next
  • Guest
    Guest patricia16507

    Posted

    Mines been constant now Everyday for the last two months or so!!!! I'm st my wits end with this mess! I don't take anything because scare if the medicine !

    • patricia16507
      patricia16507 Guest

      Posted

      It's pretty ordinary crosado8 isn't it. Have been feeling like I am on the verge of crying, with that strange feeling in the sternum area almost like a forboding/tension/anxiety and yet there is absolutely NO reason for it. I took a valium yesterday but that doesn't last and my doctor had tried me on a lose dose mini pill 12 months ago but after 2 tablets I ended up with a migraine. Like you I am very wary about new meds but hate this feeling.

  • lena53512
    lena53512 patricia16507

    Posted

    Dear Patricia, I can say the same. I am now the 49 day of my cycle and the period did not come. Last three months the period came after cca 40 days, so I believe I am going down the hill. However, I am terribly anxious, and I am afraid of everything, even of taking some innocent medicine to help me!

    Also, I feel like a social loser, as if everything I have achieved was nothing, which is not true, but the feeling is debilitating. I also lost some interpersonal skills and simply do not know how to behave and what to say. My job means that I deal with people a lot, and feel like a retarded child among the adults. Plus a few panic attacks, migraines that returned after couple of years, and that is the picture!

    • mary27278
      mary27278 lena53512

      Posted

      Hi Lena..hang in there I know how you feel. I am on day 32 of my cycle and no cycle. I was doing so well for a month or so and it seem like every health challenge I've had in the past returned. Digestion problem, anxiety, bladder problem, I feel like I'm losing it. It's seem to not let up especially the burning feeling inside.

      I am also afraid of taking medicine and natural remedy, don't know what will make it worse.

      What helped me so much before with anxiety and panic attack is b12 vitaspray and progesterone cream a company called sunrider.

      As a matter of fact the food did wonders for me

      My only mistake is i got too comfortable when I started to feel better and slacked eating it. Waiting on order to come in today. I pray it helps me again. I will keep you in my prayers...HUGS

    • patricia16507
      patricia16507 lena53512

      Posted

      From what I've been researching it appears that a lot of women have a recurrence/resurgence of migraines when they are perimenopausal. Lena53512 I am so sorry you're going through this but thank goodness for these forums where we can read that we are not alone and not going mad, even though we feel like we are.

  • Woo3353
    Woo3353 patricia16507

    Posted

    Reading this took me back to this time last year. I experienced exactley the same ( but not when I bent over!!) After a stressful time with work everything reached a head, irregular periods, panic, anxiety.etc

    I succumbed and took anti depressants, ovethauled my diet, took up yoga and pilates. A year on I feel a lot better all be it a stone and half heavier.

    The medication to begin with was horrendous but i realise that it was necessary but it won't be forever. Hormones are horrible things when they fail or go wrong. What you are experiencing is an imbalance in your 'fight or flight' hormone.

    Sometimes taking a little help is the sensible thing to do

    • mary27278
      mary27278 Woo3353

      Posted

      Everywhere I read everyone has gained weight during this peri , but I'm the opposite I'm losing weight. Because of my digestion problem and the bladder I can't really eat. I have lost a total of 16 pds since March is when I started having digestion issue. I don't want to lose anymore because I was already petite.

      Has anyone ever experience burning sensation in the body? Mainly the stomach and chest and radiates to the back sometimes. I was diagnose with Gerd and gastritis in March but went away and came back this week when no period appeared. Thi would have been the week of my period and it has been miserable for me. I have to get better...

    • patricia16507
      patricia16507 Woo3353

      Posted

      Thanks woo3353 for your input. I am currently having an adrenal cocktail to try and boost my adrenals because I'd say they are taking a huge beating at the moment. I agree that it's a totally warped fight flight response that is out of all proportion to the events that are happening. I am on a very low dose of antidepressant (50mg Setraline) and have been for many years but am really really not inclined to increase it as it affects my libido and enjoyment of sex in a big way. The other thing I forgot to mention was that I had 4 days of absolutely dragging fatigue which also appears to be quite common. Oh the joys!!! 😩

  • littleme1969
    littleme1969 patricia16507

    Posted

    Anxiety is very common in menpause.. as well as depression mainly due to the fact that the reduced amount of hormones means our brains dont work properly and cant produce the serotonin they need to balance things I am also suffering with it and have been for the last 10 months  it varies from day to day and is worse around ovulation and period. And yes it comes on for no reason.. and it seems it changes from one minute to the next.. makes planning thing very hard and leaves you feeling you cant cope as you never know when the next attack is comming.   I think think its one of the mainreasons most people turn to HRT as they end up not being able to function.
    • patricia16507
      patricia16507 littleme1969

      Posted

      I totally get that littleme!!! I hate planning anything in advance as I just don't know how I'll feel on the day. In fact that's very relevant atm because my hubby and I have booked an overseas trip for Aug/Sep this year and I am really worried my energy levels and anxiety will play up to the point where I can't enjoy myself. Also, I am a little worried as we will be leaving our boys at home on their own for 4 weeks (they are aged 17 and 21). This is our first long holiday away from them and I'm hoping that they cope allright when we're gone.

  • jamie50513
    jamie50513 patricia16507

    Posted

    I can relate to this so well. I have never dealt with anxiety in my entire life until the end of 2015. I don't have as many attacks as I did at one time and I beleive it's because I am slowly learning how to work through them but it still horrible when it's happening. When I bed over and come back up, I get a weird spacey feeling in my head, it's hard to explain. I have it all, the pounding heart, the shaking, horrible thoughts, that overwhelming scared feeling and sorts of strange sensations. It all happens leading up to the cycle and a few days after the cycle.

    • patricia16507
      patricia16507 jamie50513

      Posted

      Jaime50513 that sounds soooooooo familiar!!!!!!! I am different to you in that I have had anxiety pretty much since I was born but it has been an anxiety that has had a reason behind it. Not this free floating panicky feeling the comes on for no reason at all. It doesn't sound like you've managed to find anything to help, although I agree that if you know that it's the perimenopause that's causing it it can make you realise that you aren't in fact going mad, won't die and that it's nothing 'serious'. My Mum rarely left the house in her older years and i'm wondering if she had a form of anxiety that got really severe after menopause and was never able to get over it. My anxiety has come on mid cycle and lasted for about 4 days in the past but then it was like a switch went off and I felt 'normal' again. This time though it has come on mid cycle and hasnt switched off, although the fatigue has eased off so I suppose I should be grateful for that!

  • lisa97672
    lisa97672 patricia16507

    Posted

    hi Patricia. I too am 51 going through this horrible perimenapausal horror. I suffer everyday from some level of anxiety. It changes every day. And throughout the day. Some days I feel so shakey inside. I am currently taking HRT prempro which does seem to help after 2 hours of taking it. Also I am using natural progesterone cream which I believe is a huge help. Smokey Mountain is the brand. It helps calming down. Not really sure if I should take with the HRT. But it helpsI have had anxiety low most of life and was on antidepressant low dosage for 15 years. Then When this peri stuff started. It's like it just stopped working. So trying different ones. Nothing working so far. But try some lavender in a diffuser. It also helps. I try to do natural. As I am scared to death of these prescribed medicines. I have also had skipped periods up to 4 months So I know I am in it. Please feel better. And th support here is great. Even if you just read the boards which I have done for the past year. Hang on. I pray for us to all make it through and the light will be there in the end and we can return to our happy ole selves 🙂

    • patricia16507
      patricia16507 lisa97672

      Posted

      Thanks so much lisa97672 that is really lovely. I am so grateful for these forums, how did we ever cope without them?!!!

      I am on Natural Progesterone and have been for many years and I did read on another forum that they were recommending going off it as it screws with your hormones. Without consulting my natural doctor (who is also a normal GP) I probably won't go off it just yet though. I'm planning on doing a phone consult with him so if he has any good tips I'll pass them on to others in this group. I love Lavender, that's a great suggestion and I have read that there is light at the end of the tunnel!!!

  • lena53512
    lena53512 patricia16507

    Posted

    Dear ladies, thank you for help. Fight and flight hormones, that exactly describes my feeling. My mood changes from crying at one moment to rage the next one.

    My period did not come, and I feel soooo weird these days. Not real trouble, but everything is so strange, I feel strange... I hope it settles down.

Back to top
Next

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.