Perimenopause and panic attacks.anxiety

Hi Katherine 

I had my first panic attack around your age. I was filling car of petrol and suddenly came over all wiered and frightened didn’t know what to do. It did pass but then had others over the years. Never had anything before then. My periods stopped 18 months ago and 9 months developed anxiety low mood. Other symptoms of tearfulness, lack of confidence not wanting to socialise, jelly legs, freezing cold, acid reflux, dry eyes, tinnitus, headache and nausea. The anxiety is sometimes constant. Or I have the feeling of impending doom just before a hot flush. I have also developed health anxiety thinking I’m going to have some horrible diseases and leave grown up children orphaned. I have had to give up work and go part time. But on days off I just spend days worrying. It’s horrible because 9 months on it’s still there. I have tried many therapies including CBT, acupuncture, hypnotherapy, mindfulness, meditation. Walking is good, and yoga. Have not had HRT or Antidepressants. There are loads of us on these sites with same symptoms. I never knew meno can cause/trigger anxiety you only hear about hot flushes. Best wishes

Hi Katherine - My FSH was 66, and I was 46 when tested. I had been using bioidenticals and stopped using them because I lived in a rural area at the time and lived a long ways from the city where my doctor was who did the refills. So I kind of stopped and after about 2 weeks, I started having all these symptoms. I also had had frog legs, which were of course cooked, and never got any answers on whether that could have caused something. Maybe my immune system got messed up from stopping the hormones abruptly and I was more vulnerable then, I don't know. But I will never just stop taking hormones again (this includes the natural, bioidenticals) because your body gets used to them and it upsets the balance when you stop, but no one told me that. Anyway, after that 2 week period, I woke up one day with nauseau and worsening symptoms, fever, and general ick feeling that felt like I had the flu. Also intense pressure in my nose and front of my head, heart palps, head rushes, flushes through body, etc. Let the games begin. Thereafter, went to two or three ENT's, Allergist, two or three primary care docs, chiropractors, accupuncturist, etc., got absolutely no answers, other than, 'You have acid refulx, asthma, anxiety, etc., here, take this pill.' Went to see GYn, who gave me the FSH test (not bc a doctor thought to check, but because my sister suggested checking it. Before that, I'd never heard of it). My mother had a hysterectomy at age 35 so she didn't go through any of this to give me any advice, and my older sister had never had any symptoms of premenopause yet. So she tested it and it came back a 66. I think around 25 is normal. Around this time, I met my (now) husband, whom I would have loved to have a baby with. I got back on hormones thinking, Oh my gosh, that is the answer, but that was a rollercoaster ride itself. After going through several of those docs, too, wasn't until one told me to start using the hormones separately that my symptoms seemed to improve. I'm still not perfect, but am at least functional. I keep my essential oils in my purse to help with the nose or head pressure, try to breathe deep, take my green smoothies, Maca, B vitamins, probiotics etc. But I know how very life altering all this is. And I was trying to continue working full-time at a very responsible public job, and raise a young, energetic boy on my own, and with a vindictive ex-husband. I just praise God for bringing me through. I hope my post has in some way encouraged you. My prayers are with you.

Hi I am 51 and had an early menopause at 42 with hardly any symptoms just vertigo and anxiety...I’m now 51 suffering from really bad night sweats...panic attacks anxiety..I also have developed a health anxiety..had three ambulances out in the last couple of weeks as thought I was having a heart attack...think I’m getting my symptoms nine years on been told this is possible..I really empathises with you as it’s so frightening.... sometimes I get worried to sleep ...some days I don’t even want to get out of bed.... it’s really weird I had no build up to the meno or no other real symptoms periods just stopped at 42...feels like I’m having it now

I feel for you, I really do.  This is a terrible time, isn't it?  I had to leave work as well the past couple of weeks, due to a panic attack.  I felt so dizzy and broke out into a sweat, I thought it was my heart or a stroke or something.  It was awful.  Believe me, I know how vulnerable you feel.  It was tough going back to work, it was embarrassing really.

I have been on an anti-anxiety medication called Buspirone for a little while now.  But have honestly experienced nothing like what we have gone through lately.  I had always been able to manage my anxiety through breathing and such.  But this was completely unmanageable.  I had one in the car too, which was horrific.  My Doctor has put me on a low dosage of Prozac.  I had tried Zoloft and Lexapro previously and both made my anxiety worse.  I have not had any bad side effects to the Prozac and have not had a full blown panic attack since starting it.

Have you considered an SSRI or anti-anxiety medication?  Maybe start with a low dose to see how you tolerate it?  Believe me when I tell you I understand and it is...(I won't say the word here).

How are you getting on with proazc as I was thinking of asking to go on low dose with mitazapine , as mitazapine is not helping my anxiety but does help sleep

Try Anxiety and Stress by Vigorous You brand. It has much more in it than just a serotonin increaser to help anxiety, works with your body, and is all natural so not addictive and no side effects. Bio-identicals are much safer, but i would take estrogen each day, and use the progesterone only days 12-26 of your cycle, depending if you are menopausal or not. If so, use it days 5-26. Hope this helps.