Perimenopause or Anxiety or ???

I also get a LOT of heart palpitations which I find scary sometimes

Last thing! The very worst thing is that for the past 3yrs, I have taken to waking up in the night, within an hour of going to sleep, and I wake in a complete panic, completely convinced that I'm on medication (I'm not on anything) and that I've forgotten to take it for a month; I race round the house in a state of panic - my husband does the bored "no-you-don't-take-pills-no-one-does-go-back-to-sleep", lately I've been recognising it for what it is so tend to settle more quickly now, but I find this very hard. It may be sleep apnoea or stress but could be perimenopause. I went to the GP several times to start with but they just stared at me and fobbed me off - puts you off going back.

Hi Gilly. I also had the night sweats for a number of yrs but they have stopped now. I think it's the amitriptyline I've been taking for the awful head pain I get that has stopped them. Not had it since started taking them. I agree that the sugar thing is the way to go and can help all sorts of different things. I have struggled also with an ever increasing waistline and not able to shift it. The one thing I have found that helps this is fruit and vegetable juicing. I asked for a juicer for my birthday about 5 months ago and have done a few 3 day stints of juicing since. I always feel so much better after doing it so I think that good nutrition and being careful about what I put into my body is probably the key. I have managed to lose 11 pounds this way and it has stayed off. I'm currently looking into lots of changes in what I eat and will see if I can build on this. It's certainly worth looking at and there is a lot of info out there. Good luck and I'll lye you know how it goes. Xx

Hi Mooma, thanks for all that info. I tried amitryp but that knocked me out, and I only took half a tab. It really helped me sleep - I wake a lot in the night between 2-4 and if I've had 4hrs sleep, that's it, I'm up; I'd take half an amitryp and would still be groggy hours later when I did wake up. Re headaches, which a lot of people suffer from, I wear glasses, have done since I was 7, and I see the optician every year as the wrong contact lens prescription gave me migraines - worth checking. I was very interested in your findings with your juicer - I used to have one myself but my husband hated the space it took up on the worktop! I'm going to get me another one! I think you're right - fresh ginger, beetroot, carrot are fab for you. I also use a lot of coconut oil, flakes and milk in my cooking now; other people swear by flaxseed, goji berries. I cannot tolerate anything fatty anymore - pastry, batter, biscuits - and I alternate cow dairy products with things like soya or almond milk - anyone tried aloe products? - and I cut out wheat sometimes. I'm not big on supplements, I think you have to change how and what you eat. You're quite right and I'll start a healthier regime as well. It'll be good to hear what you're doing & how you get on. Well done on your weight loss, you've given me fresh hope!

Gilly, so pleased it has helped you😊. I don't recommend amitriptyline as it does zonk you out. I have got used to it over time but I would rather not be taking it. I'm hoping that if I can lose weight and make some dietary changes that I can get rid of the head pain and then the tablets. I've just ordered some flaxseed to put on my porridge and trying almond and soya milk too. So we shall see. I'm thinking of cutting out wheat for a while and see if that makes any difference. I mentioned before I think that I had been reading a book about menopause stuff and she recommends lots of these things to help balance hormones. At the end of the day it can only do good can't it? I hope you get some relief and keep in touch so we can support each other. Lots of luck xx

Thanks Moo! Re your head pain - have you had an MRI or other investigations? What's your blood pressure like? What a thing to be living with, I've never heard of amitryp being used for that sort of thing before. It works for you and that's great. How much more weight have you got to lose? Do you do regular exercise? I'm really intermittent - hard to get a routine going, when I'm doing the gym 3 or 4 days a week, I drop a stone in a fortnigt then it goes right back on when I can't get to the gym. Would love to keep in touch! I'm back to the gym tomorrow, am going back to monitoring what I eat (Amazon do a great little book Calorie KIng Food & Exercise Journal that I log EVERYTHING in - it's what works for you isn't it? Whatever tool you can use to motivate and keep you going - the book isn't anything you couldn't do for yourself BUT it just makes it easier. Good luck & I'd love it if you could keep me posted on what you're doing & how it's working & I'll do the same.

Hi Moo - I think we're wandering off te anxiety topic so have started a new post "perimenopause - starting healthier regime - tips please!" that will suit us at the mo! I've just dug out my old calorie journal and put in the 5 biscuits and 2 coffees I've had so far today! But I've also planned what I'm going to eat for the rest of the day to make up for it. Small steps!

Hello from America here.

I can so relate.

Five years ago (five years!!!) I was told by my doctor I was perimenopausal due to my LH. It showed that I was irregularly making eggs, if at all, and if I was, that they were of low quality, according to my doctor.

Yet I never had any symptoms at all until just this past year. But when they came, BOY HOWDY THEY CAME.

In all those four years after my "diagnosis" I never missed a period. Not one. Or was even ever significantly late or early. I still had all my ovulation signs. Then this past year, BAM. I started having 50-day cycles...16-day cycles...30-day cycles...20 days...I can never predict any more when I'll be getting my period.

And I am very, very, very, very messed up. I have been medicated for depression for many years, but things always made sense...I could tell when a medicine wasn't working any more, could switch to a new one...felt either bad or good for a period of months. NOW, I can swing from sobbing to elated in minutes. (My doctor says it is not manic depression.)

I feel strange, "off," question everything - especially the meaning of life, have dizzy spells, have days where I have energy and then days when I can't get out of bed. I never, ever in my life was a cryer unless something devastating happened. I never cried from joy or from sappy movies or anything else. Ever. I felt joy and sadness, strongly but the tears never came. Now, I literally can start dripping just talking about my children. Or watching a TV commercial. I cry at school meetings where the teacher tells me how well my children are doing! I can not stop crying!

I am so sick of the rollercoaster! I feel weird and off and not myself at any time any more. I even question "who" I am any more. I can absolutely love doing a certain hobby one minute, then hate it the next. I also have absolutely insane bouts of insomnia where I never go to sleep on a given night. I mean not at all, I just sit here awake watching the sun come up.

I wish this rollercoaster were over. Even when I'm happy it feels like a freakish sort of happy, and sometimes, inappropriate. I never feel okay any more.

Thanks for listening to me moan.

Oh, by the way, I should say I'm 46 (will be 47 in August) and I forgot to mention, I too get the heart palpatations. I hate them, they're scary.

Hi

Reading all the comments has made me feel i am not alone, i have suffered anxiety on and off for 17 years but was able to control it most of the time, but the last few months i have gone from being an independent lively person to a nervous wreck ! I cnt go out alone, i have no appetite, i cry for no reason, i have extreme dizziness/ balance problems,my legs are so shaky i feel im about to drop, palpatations are unbearable,tremors in my hands,sore tongue,the symptoms are there every day but worse the week after my cycle which has become heavy and a few days late even though i have always been regular up untill now,some of my b vitamins are low which the doctor has advised is probsbly down to poor diet, i start cbt soon and having a cardiac monitor for palpatations, i had menopause bloods just once and they were good i was told but after reading up i notice it should be taken more than once, i wonder if i am in perimenopause, being ill every day and not knowing the reason just makes the anxiety worse,i hope we all start to feel better very soon x

I'm so sorry to hear you're feeling so bad at the mo.

Why do you have a poor diet and no appetite?

I had 5 CBT sessions and it really set me on the right path - I have anxiety episodes occasionally now but I draw strength from those sessions still. If you don't like the therapist, ask for another.

Things will get better for you, just tackle one little thing at a time, you may not realise it but you're already doing well - you went to the GP and you're getting help.

I suspected peri years ago and had blood tests and they didn't show up anything but you know your body.

How old are you, Countrylass?

Hi gilly

I am 41, my appetite seems to have faded never fancy anything mostly because i feel nausius or anxious, i am going back to my gp to ask about perimenopause, i think if i know thats the cause of my problems i can deal with it rather than feeling so ill everyday and worrying whats wrong

I hope the cbt helps, i need to feel i can control the anxiety instead of it controlling me !

Hi CaliforniaMel! I'm so sorry to hear you're not doing so well at the mo either.

When you were pregnant, did you cry a lot then? I know I did, hormones!

Meaning of life - I went through that, I kept a diary, wrote it all down, it helps to work it out - as with Countrylass, CBT may help.

Insomnia - I've suffered on/off for over 30yrs. On the peri health tips site, someone recommended supplements; I can drop off to sleep now not problem, I tried MP3 with speaker pillow, with music or calming meditations (the latter were sooo nice, it was a time when I needed to feel cared for and having a gentle soothing man's voice in my ear was just the ticket); I believe daily fresh air and sun on your bones, exercise, watching what you're eating all help. And I like to read at bedtime but the knockout drug for me is sudoku - puzzles apparently knock out that part of your brain which is worrying about the meaning of life and the daily trials etc. I wake a lot in the night and sometimes can't get back to sleep at all so do something I like doing and nap in the day.

You have a lot going on at the moment, it's not surprising if you can't settle when you're doing your hobbies!

Look at one thing at a time, don't push yourself too much, things will be better for you one day. Keep talking and looking for answers.

Hi Countrylass - yes, the GP should be able to help a bit more.

While you're at the GPs, there must be a shop nearby, pop in and see if there's anything you fancy, even if it's not that good for you. You sound like you need to cosset yourself a bit. What's your very favourite meal? And exercise is not only good for anxiety but for giving you an appetite! See if you can do one extra thing today - short walk, run up the stairs, yoga stretches, DVD, gardening, get a bit sweaty - or make time for yourself to do something you used to enjoy, reading a book, listening to music, watching a film, take a bath, whatever - treat yourself a little.

The CBT will help you get some control back in your life - things will get better and there's a lot you can do to help yourself, you're not powerless, you just need a bit of help right now.

You sound really down, I hope you're feeling better soon.