I would like to know how many of you live in dread and fear of something horrible being wrong with you or happening to you? For the last year, I am almost in a total panic that I have something horrible. The menopause has made me so afraid, I get these daily health emails and its always about cancer or heart disease, and I know this information is meant to be useful and helpful, it makes my anxiety worse. Anything dealing with cancer is scary to me. I never was like this before, I had a rational approach. I just wondered if this is happening to other people, the other issue I am noticing is nausea, some of the other women here have said its apart of menopause too and I am now thinking whats next? I have anxiety, heat flashes, and now bad stomach issues. Any advice would be great.
So sorry for you I know exactly you feel. My anxiety and fear is just awful. It drives me crazy. I'm always thinking something is wrong with me or that something bad is gonna happen to me or someone in my family. I hope you find relief. I know someone on here will give you some good advice. Hugs to you.
yes, i've been going through this. in the last 8 weeks i've been in the hospital twice. the psychiatrist prescribed effexor for anxiety and perimenopause symptoms and i had a really bad reaction to it after only 5 days. the first time i was driving and had an episode on the freeway - scared the hell out of me. same as that day on the freeway, 3 nights later i had high bp and heart rate, burning in chest (flushing) and chest pain; tingling and muscle cramps in legs. weakness and feeling like passing out. i thought it was a heart attack. i thought i was going to die that night. they did all the blood work - no heart attack. they decided it was gerd. and when i ate at the hospital, my heart rate and bp did go way up; it was very strange. i went home and continued to have mild symptoms, which made me not want to eat... and then it got really bad again after one little bite of a pasta dish, and i went to the er and they finally did a stress test of the heart - it was clear. all my numbers and blood work were good. my gp scanned my thyroid (i have nodules), my liver, gallbladder, spleen - clear. it seemed that anytime i ate spicy foods, or sugary foods my bp went crazy. so i stopped eating just about everything. i stuck to bland foods: bananas, rice, yogurt, cottage cheese, protein shakes, broth, bland chicken breast, lots of fresh veggies, dried fruits, minimal breads, NO processed foods. i've lost 14 pounds. it seems like too much to lose so soon, but my symptoms are better. no bad flushing, no racing heart (i had caffeine one day and that caused palpitations, so caffeine is OUT!). i added evening primrose, caltrate, fish oil to my magnesium, l-lysine and zinc regimen. i also take bp meds, a stomach acid reducer and a low dose of valium ONLY when anxiety is really bad. i also have hypothyroidism and those symptoms are almost like perimenopause...sheesh! like you, anytime i got an email about cancer, heart attack, my chest would hurt and my heart rate would increase. you've got to expect that things aren't going to feel right, but it isn't the end. easier said than done, i know. i have a history of anxiety, but i make things worse by thinking the worst. hope some of this helps.
Wow Kristi, I feel like you. I am you, I almost Checked myself into a hospital too. I have nodules on my shoulder, it started last summer when peri started. Even that scares me. I had a horrible episode going around a curve driving I thought that I was having a heart attack. I didn't want to go on anti anxiety medication but I can't live like this worried and scared. I'm extremely emotional, I teach and I feel like I'm falling apart. I almost feel like running away. Seriously. . But I would have to take me along. Lol. My word, how long will this last
I'm going to take those herbs and vitamins that you are taking. Thanks ladies.
Hi Lenie, do not be scared. I know things look bad, but they will get better. About 1,5 years ago I started having symptoms of peri, all together, scary, terrible - very irregular heartbeat ( I was put on a holter), diziness, ashtma-alike symptoms, had alergies I never had before, hair falling, bad skin/hair, dry eyes, muscle and joints pain (every joint in my body would make noise as a machine without lubrication), stomach issues, like reflux, confused memory, a weakness that prevent me to throw a toy to my dog, etc. Was awful, belive. This website saved me... I never thought all that could come from perimenopause. thought I had some terrible dease. When I complained to my doctors, they never acknowledged it could come from peri - they tested me for all, what is good.
Good news, most of the symptoms desappeared. You see, is not always that bad :D.
I never had depression, eventhough as human I have my ups and downs. Of course, getting older put you closer to death, but think how many younger people are not in this planet any ore i feel more "mortal" nowadays, lol. It is part of getting old, it is just a case to accept :S. Apart from that, it looks for me like you are in a down spot - hormones can do that- and maybe you need to do something to relax - could be yoga, a natural herb or maybe somethig more strong. - if it feels unbearable, look for a doctor.
You should check the recommendations for vitamins in here, they helped me a lo, once oyr bodies at this particular time, have probem to proccess food.
Research here, you will find lots of good info.
Be well!
i also take probiotics for my stomach. i don't know what your history is, but most people with anxiety tend to have stomach issues. good luck and keep posting. getting out your worries, even just typing them, really does help.
i read an article that said most women have this anxiety because they are worried most for their family. we are too young to be feeling this dread! i'm 52
one more thing: B-12!! make sure it is made with methylcobalamin. that REALLY helps with mood and sluggishness.
Hi kristi, just picked up on your post about B12, just started taking it yesterday and has turned wee neon bright yellow, do you have this or is it something else for me to obsess about ?x
Oh lenie, I,m right there with you trust me, just wanted you to know there are lots of us just like you. I constantly obsess that I,m dying of something horrible - I have panic atacks, nausea, severe fatigue, dizziness, spaced out feelings, stomach issues I,m sure because I get in a state about everything, nausea oh my gosh the list goes on and on and its awful. I feel for you its not nice - every single day its something else and I am looking for things aaalllll the time and if I,m not suffering from something you can bet your bottom dollar by the end of the day I have something else horrible that I,m dying from - seems like so many of us are right there with you, bless your heart xx
Hi Lenie
You didn't mention whether you have suffered from anxiety before meno hit you....
I am in perimenopause (confirmed blood tests) and one of my symptoms is anxiety and panic attacks...not every month, but occasionally.
I however do have anxiety before perimenopause hit, but o n l y ,moderate well controlled on a low dose of Ad.
Anyways, my doctor told me last month that unstable and lowering hormone levels cause anxiety and panic in perimenopause and post menopause.
So don't worry about the cause...It is hormonal....similarly, I too tend to have health anxiety and worry about my kids and husband whenever they have any symptom of anything... thinking always the worst.
I would say my anxiety always jumps straight to health anxiety...but I now help myself with understanding (knowing it's hormonal) and reassuring myself it will pass. I also do not read any articles about cancer or other awful illnesses, not because I am in denial, but because I know in my case, it is not going to help me, but trigger more anxiety.
I do find my ad (effexor xr low dose 75mg) has helped me enormously. I have been on it for 1 year and it is the best ad I have been on for anxiety (I have been on sertraline 10 yes and before that paxil). I am able to think more clearly and rationally and am more calm without the irrational anxious thinking. Also no side effects for me. I do have the odd break through anxiety and last month 1 panic attack, but know it was hormonal and breathed through it and took a benzodiazapine (xanex) prescribed by my doctor to deal with the odd break-through panic or hormonal anxiety.
Anyways, some suggestions for you That helped me.
Best of luck and keep smiling.
Sydneymum
hi lenie sorry to hear youre having such a bad time. i can understand everything youre going through mine was convinced was having a heart attack then i looked up cancer and tumours and every other illness i could think of. my help came thru my doc who referred me for counselling as i didnt want to go on medication and i have to say it has improved 100% now i understand what my brain and body are doing to me. i know it not for everyone but maybe look into as well as taking vitamins and taking advice from these very knowledgeable women on this site.
Hello lenie
You're not alone in feeling the way you do. Anxiety is a major part of this time of our lives. I've had similar feelings in which I've convinced myself I have cancer or something equally as likely to take me away from my daughter and my elderly mother whom I care for. My anxieties are, at the moment, based around acid /indigestion problems, I've convinced myself I have something bad which is making my symptoms worse, so more panic, more symptoms etc and we get stuck in a very vicious circle. A lot of us feel this way, and unfortunately its just another symptom that the Drs just dont take seriously. Its hard but take a little comfort in knowing that, hopefully, we'll all get out the other side and get our lives back.
Best wishes, Lisa x
Hi Lisa. I have just read your notification to Lenie and notice that you have anxieties relating to acid/ indigestion. May I ask how the indigestion affects you as I am in peri but with the same anxiety. I have not had indigestion this bad before. I feel as if I've been punched in the back, have sore ribs and a tenderness under the breast across the stomach. Like you I convince myself that it's something else like cancer or heart problems but underneath it all I know it's not. It seems we get into this viscious circle of worry don't we? I sometimes think im turning into a hypochondriac but the symptoms are real. It's one thing after another in peri isn't it?
Hope things settle for you soon.
Helen.
Hello Helen
Mine sounds very similar. It started out of the blue about 10 weeks ago when I woke up with what felt like indigestion and heartburn. It didn't really get much better so I went to the Dr who did the heart basics and said it wad reflux and gave me lansoprazole which did nothing but give me a pain in my belly so I stopped taking them. I've now got a constant tender spot across my left breast, a burning sensation that comes and goes in my throat and across my back which is horrible and an acid, yukky taste in my mouth. All if which I panic about which is intensifying the symptoms I suspect. My GP, who to be honest isn't brilliant, said that some "of a certain age" can get hormonal fluctuations that affect the smooth muscle and can cause reflux. It freaked me out cos I've never really been a heartburn sufferer. I hate it and I feel like a hypochondriac at times. I get really low moods and I find myself thinking about dying a lot lately which just isn't like me. Its so horrible isn't it .
Sending you a comfort hug. Lisa x
Lisa it is horrible. It's obviously a sign of us getting older. I think underneath it all we know this but we are battling with our hormones so much that we have the anxiety to contend with too.
I just wish peri would be over quickly so we can feel some normality. But what's normal? I think I have forgotten!!
Big hugs to you too.
Let us know how you are getting on.
Helen.
I've forgotten what it feels like to be normal too.
I think you're right, we declare war on ourselves and make ourselves feel dreadful.
My last consultation with my GP, who is a nice man but not a very clued up gp when it comes to women's health said " its all just a natural thing you ladies go through, just embrace the changes".! Only a bloke could spout such c**p. I told him there is nothing natural about feeling like you've been hit by a bus, and id like to see him get through every working day feeling like that!
I hope you find something that makes you feel better. Lisa x
Lisa. I don't think men will ever understand what it's like being a woman but you would expect a doctor to have a miniscule of understanding!! We can hope I suppose.
Do you not have a lady doctor? Mind you the lady doctors I go to are too young themselves to really understand. I'm on HRT so I thought things would be better but I'm seriously thinking of coming off or trying something different because it's been one thing after another. HRT has certainly helped with the flushes and joint pain but it has brought along many other symptoms!!
Hugs.
Helen.
Unfortunately my GP practice is very small and is just one Dr and a locum to cover when he's not there.
I'm not on HRT, my periods are very irregular and I've had all the usual peri symptoms - breast tenderness, anxiety, mood swings, thinning hair, weight gain, reflux, fatigue, dizziness etc. Mine started about 4 years ago she I was just 39. I've had Fsh blood results ranging from 9 to 19 which apparently is on the high side. My GP wouldn't prescribe HRT because he doesn't think I'm in peri even though I feel I obviously am!
Bug hugs back. Lisa x
Have you heard Lisa about H pylori? I'd not heard about it before I came on this forum and now with my anxiety I'm convinced that's what's wrong with me. It's more than likely not but with health anxiety (which I'm having CBT for) it sets me off worrying about things that I more than likely don't have. I want to go to the doctors but won't get in now until after Easter so it's going to be a long weekend of uncertainty.
Oh well I will have to put up with it as us women usually have to.
Helen. x