No place like home!..

I know how you feel. I've just been for coffee and feel the same. It's such a horrible feeling of anxiety and I then dwell on it and feel I've made a complete fool of myself. I shouldn't be suffering from the menopause because I'm 59 and past it but it seems to be getting worse.I've become so isolated at home and agoraphobic.

Hi Pink I myself feel this way too in the shops or anywhere berm like good for long time and it tends to get me down, when I'm at home I feel safe o have to make appointment to go through the door just to the corner shop I which it would subside do I can get on with life bit,so horrible at this time of life just have to wait until the hormones settle down god knows when that is,have to fight each day as it comes hugs to you.

Wow, ladies, I am so sorry! I used to deal with LOADS of depression, anxiety and panic attacks! I was suicidal on a daily basis for over 20 years. At one point I was literally on enough medicine for THREE PEOPLE. They said technicall, I should be dead for what I was taking and best case I should have been in a coma that I'd never come out of. Research was done on my case (I was being see at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC USA) They said in the history of documentation in the US they could not find another case of ANYONE taking the combinations or dosages that I was taking!

But the important take away, for all of you guys, is it doesn't have to be this way. I had 5 major diagnosis'. One of which, aside from SEVERE deppression, was SEVERE post traumatic stress disorder. I'm here to tell you. God healed it. I haven't been on medicastion since 1996! Beause of another illness, (I have problems with my breathing) and because it's undiagnosed, and because I have the history that I have, I chose to continue seeing a psych doc every 3-4 months just so I could have a record maintaing my on going good mental health. Yeah, when they can't figure out what's wrong with you they want to turn it into a psych thing, especially when you already have the perfect historical set up! I feel more sorry for the doctors than I do for myself. They want to know whats wrong with me more than I do. In fact, I just spent a week in the medical ICU, Two days of which were spent with me intubated on the ventilator. I'm home now and doing better. But I saw this post and just wanted to encouraged you guys! DON;T give up! It can and will get better. You may need to get some help from the appropriate people but it can make a real difference!

Good luck guys! I sure hope you feel better soon! Just stay positive and NEVER give up! 

Hi Pink, You know, I just wanted to add to my comment below that I very much realize that the reasons why I had anxiety and panic issues are very different than your menopause. I too am going through menopause and have so far been able to avoid the problems of the anxiety that you deal with. It dosen't mean that it won't at some point. 

My main point is, that REGARDLESS of why someone is coping with anxiety or panic, whether it's a true psych problem or whether it's hormonal, or any other reason, the coping mechanisims are actually going to be the same. Developing techniques that allow you to control it in as much as you can and lead as full a life as you can. YOU MUST NOT compare yourself to your friends. That's truly a selfdefeating thing to do. YOU are NOT them. They are NOT you. They can empathize with you, but unless they've dealt with it themselves that cannot know how utterly incapcitating it can be. You are a BEATUIFUL INDIVIDUAL made UNIQUE in EVERYWAY by your creator! You have NOTHING to be embarrassed about OR ahsamed of! Although I admittedly SO get the frustration of it! And all the rest of the emotions that go along with it! In my first comment, I in no way meant to be dismissive of what you were dealing with, and it occured to me after the fact that you might have felt I was comparing apples to oranges as the origins of our anxiety were very different. Now, while that part is very true, it does not mean that I don't know how it feels to go out and be scarred to the point of abject terror to be around other people in wide open places. Always sitting with my back against a wall so that no one can sneak up on me. And the list could go on. Bottom line is, I get it! I REAlLLY REALLY get it! And I'm so very sorry that you and all these other ladies are having to deal with it at all. And if you;ve got even a mild history of anxiety issues the menopausal part only makes it worse and harder to deal with. I really do have an excellent ear if you need to chat. I obviously don't know how old you are, but I'm 53, so I'm guessing we're fairly close in age. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help. But I again can't say strongly enough that the cause of the anxiety does not change the coping stratagies we use to cope with it successfully! Well, unless of course they give you a drug that takes it away, but no drug comes without potential problems. Much better to handle it with out the drug if you can. Please reach out if you feel I can be helpful in anyway! - Much love - Shelly C - Greensboro, NC USA

No you are not going mad, I've been this way a few years now. It's only improved very slightly with HRT.

We have a weekend camping party to attend next month. I didn't go last year because I didn't feel like socialising. I went the year before and didn't really get into it like I normally would.

This year I've said I will go but every so often I get the overwhelming feeling that I should just not bother.

Going to the shops is not quite as bad I think only because I feel better physically on the HRT, so not standing at the checkout boiling hot and feeling faint like I was. I still would rather hide away though.