Menapause

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Hi all, if just been told I I'm the menapause after 18 months 2 years or so of haveing every symptom under the sun. Iv had loads of blood tests.Dr thought it was thyroid as I have a multinodual goiter.Friday my bloods came back at 73.6 and she said menapause was usually at 10.So I take it iv been in it for a while.Would this of effected my immune system as the last 2 years or so I have been so ill,I have picked every infection and have had so much time off work. I have to now go on stage 2 monitoring, any more time off and I'm sacked.I also suffer with insomnia and have found when I have a bad bout of it I'm usually unwell as I get run down.Could this be all to do with menapause as if it is I can now go to my manager and try to explain the reasons why iv been so unwell.Sorry for the rambling I hope it makes sense.Also dr has gave me some hrt patches as my anxiety and palpations ECT is unbearable but I'm a bit reluctant to take them especially if iv been in menapause for a while and have sort of got through some of it without.Is there anything anyone can recommend for insomnia, anxiety, more energy.Thanks in advance, really need some help.

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  • Posted

    Hi Lisa,

    Yes all the symptoms you mention came to me with meno. Im 2 years post meno and have had a bad 2 years for insomnia, palpitations, high anxiety, bad acne, flushes (which seemed to have stopped), pins n needles in fingers, IBS. My anxiety went thru the roof a year ago and i ended up on Betablockers and sertraline for anxiety. Ive not worked in teaching since last march and briefly tried some temp work over xmas. As i was supply, no sick pay and i really dont think my doc had a clue as to how bad i was, so i never got onto statutory sickpay. Just used savings and credit card! Anyway, i started feeling loads better after say 3 months on sertraline, full effects at 6 mths and id say im 90 % ok, tho still have some anxiety occasionally. Need to find a job now to clear debts! Are you in a union? Has work made you see an occupational therapist? There are no end of women that leave jobs during meno, who knew it could be this bad?! But you don‘t need the stress of work threatening you with sacking. If you went on sertraline the side effects can be awful for a few weeks, but it does wirk and gives you your life back, but it‘d probably mean time off for a fee weeks. You can take low dose diazepam to counterract the high anxiety when you first start sertraline. There may be other anti anxiety meds your doc could suggest with less harsh side effects. Id been going to the docs for a year or more asking whether the symptoms could all be down to meno, theyd say might be but we‘ll have to rule out other things, meaning lots of testing and anxiety over results! I ended up with health anxiety on top of general anxiety! Only after 18 mths post periods would they test to see if i was in meno, er derr!! Course I was! Because theyd left it so long that my anxiety went thru the roof, i ended up on those meds, whereas if theyd acted sooner, maybe hrt wouldve done the trick. Hopefully i‘ll be able to ween off the anxiety meds and go on hrt if still not right. Here if you need a chat Lisa, its a good place for support, only people whove gone through it truly get it! I need a doctor who‘s been through a harsh menopause! Lol xx

    • Posted

      Thanks for the reply julie.I already take betablockers and citalopram for anxiety and it's enough to stop palpatation and anxiety.But since November it has got really bad.i have upped my citalopram but it's had no effect palpations are driving me made.Im haveing panic attacks all the time for no reason.I had some many blood test over last 2 years because I kept going back to the drs but they never done blood test for menapause as I'm 49.so didn't think it was menapause.Looking back on all my symptoms and how I felt over last 2 years I think I was in menapause but didn't know it.Dont really get hot flushes but can over heat in warmer weather IBS has been really bad too..Do sweat at night.I don't know if I'm well into it my dr seems to think so.So I dont know weather to take the hrt. How long have you had the anxiety and palpations and has the meds stoped it or just eased it.Thanks for the info

    • Posted

      Hi Lisa, looking back i had a gradual build up of anxiety over the last 3 years. Periods stopped suddenly 2 years ago. Palpitations started about 3 years ago too, so when i was in perimenopause. When the anxiety went crazy a year ago i first took beta blockers. They stopped the full on panic attacks with adrenaline dumps that were keeping me up all night, but didnt stop the anxious thinking. So i went back to docs and she gave me sertraline. A year on im still on 150 mg because it works and ive managed to go to Oz and the carribean, which I couldnt have done without them. I still get occasional anxiety days but nowhere near as bad. I did try hrt for a few weeks but thought this us ridiculous, how will i know whats helping? Lol. But i do think if the doc had given me hrt 6 mths after last period i wouldnt have got to such a state of anxiety. Periods stopped suddenly age 47 (ive no kids so thats normal), estogen plummets, you need estrogen to produce serotonin, so serotonin plummets, hence the anxiety and jittery nervous system. Then its over profuction of stress hormones cortisol and adrenalin. I had numerous ecgs and heart monitor, palps scared me to death, nothing showed up but i was left worrying because obviously it feels so scary. I suffer from ibs and excessive gas so im often burping (nice), and started a diary of when i was getting the palps...it was always when i had bad gas up to the sternum, if id eaten too late and laid on settee or in bed. Looked it up and its well documented...the gas irritates the vagus nerve which irritates the heart. My doc didnt tell me any of this, i researched it. Look up sanjay gupta, york cardiology. He has many videos on youtube about palpitations including the link with digestive disorders. So now when i get a flutter i notice whether im gassy, what position im in, get up, burp it out and do something to take my mind off it, whereas before, id have palps followed by a panic attack! I cut out caffeine a year ago, rarely have alcohol, try to avoid bread, cakes, biscuits, sugar, large quantities of milk, onions, peppers,potatoes, pasta, cauli, anything i know my stomach reacts to. I est plain simple non processed food as far as i can. Trying to lose weight as ive put a stone on since being on meds, rubber ring around middle, some of it water retention as im reasonably slim in the morning and just bloat throughout the day whether i eat or not. The joys of meno! Might be worth seeing your doc as there will be a way of bringing your anxiety down, whether its hrt, increasing the dose of current meds or changing to a different med. also cbt helped me to live more in the moment and not worry so much about the what ifs. I agree diet, exercise, yoga, meditation, keeping busy, talk therapy, cbt, chamomile tea, relaxation breathing techniques...all useful but i tried many of these things thinking i didnt want meds, and obviously ended up on meds. The meds and retraining my thinking are whats helped, now all of the extra natural things ive just mentioned are useful too, but for me, natural on its own wasnt enough. I needed more serotonin and now ive got plenty due to the sertraline. It wasnt a quick fix...took several months of awful side effects before it just clicked. Keep me posted how you get on xx

  • Posted

    Oh and magnesium is supposed to be calming on the heart/nervous system. Also Vit D through the Winter and vit C should help. Ive cut down betablockers to 1/3 of original dose and take 250 mg magnesium tablet  instead, seems to be keeping palpitations at bay xx
  • Posted

    Hi Lisa have you checked your thyroid levels, your story sounds like mine. I have been almost a year into menopause (54 years old) and I am felling better but it there yet. The beginning of this journey was insane I saw every doctor available and I still $4,000 in medical bills because I went over my deductible 😑 😝. But long story short I found a great woman physician who checked all my levels and found that my thyroid was totally out of control and it caused all the panic and over anxiety plus my menopause symptoms. I am taking synthroid and blood pressure medication very low dosis now and every vitamin available 😂 B stress complex, woman's over50, B12 gummies. Not perfect but better and try to exercise my diet has changed completely and I am avoiding caffeine and red meat, my work is very stressful and I work full time that because I have to be very careful with my choices which is not easy. Trying but not there yet I feel every morning this fog in my brain, and also tired exhausted all the time specially after work. Hope this help you. We are all sharing our experiences to improve our life and others as well. 😘 Good luck to you 

  • Posted

    Hi Lisa - I cannot speak to the HRT patch, because I have never taken HRT & I am 5 years post menopause.  I do however suffer from anxiety and elevated cortisol, blood pressure & blood sugar.  I went to a naturopath after my GP just kept prescribing more blood pressure RX’s, anti anxiety RX’s and wanting to put me on anti depressants. I wanted to get to the root of my problems, so I went to the naturopath.  Cut out all sugar & flour & alcohol & caffeine for just one week & see if your insomnia & anxiety improve. Also take magnesium at night to sleep, use lavender oil on your feet, temples & wrists. Drink calming teas like chamomile, ginger/lemon, Holy Basil - supplement with a good quality stress B vitamin & include maca powder in your daily regime - & drink tons of water infused with lemon to aid digestion...just do it for a week & see if you feel better - sugar, & (it’s in everything) really ramps up the cortisol which ramps up the glucose, B/P which then creates very anxious metabolisms. I think during “this change” we really have to re think what we put into our bodies.  I think unfortunately, we all want “quick fixes” for our issues with RX’s, but all those RX’s come with a laundry list of side effects. Start with cleansing your body with diet, exercise & water & see if that helps to at least make your symptoms less.  Good Luck!

  • Posted

    Hi Lisa, yourimmune system definitely lowers during this time. A doc in NYC tested me and found mine low and I also have a B6 deficiency. Doing things to support your immune system is important, you can do this with supplements and food. Wild Maine blueberries, lemon balm tea, etc.. do a google search for a list.

    It’s just awful, I’ve been in turmoil for a year and a half. Losing hope that I’ll ever feel normal again. Luckily I don’t have to work, I wouldn’t have been able to.

    XO

    Sue

  • Posted

    What are hrt patches.  I’m in canada there is no test for menapose the ghynocologist said to me if you have menapause symptoms we put ypu on hormone replacement he said either your menapausing or your not. 

    Rose

    • Posted

      Rose you have excellent doctors in Canada and definitely yours doesn't look to be one of them. They can take your blood test and order complete hormone panel that will show how your CBC, FSH, Estradiol levels and more, honestly I don't even know myself what is all this, but shows in what stage you are peri, meno or post meno. Look for a doctor who will listen to your needs. Good luck 

    • Posted

      Ythe doc i go see has 25 yrs experience don’t know why he wouldn’t know this. 
    • Posted

      Hi Rose, do you have any other drs nearby that you can choose from? If I were you I would change my dr and find someone who can do a menopause test for you. It is a simple blood test so I'm sure there is a dr that can do it for you. Then you choose what you want to do about your symptoms. Good luck and transatlantic hugs to you at this the hardest of times. XXX

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