Hi, I am 52 and perimenopausal. I have been having a feeling of dread / anxiety / forboding for the last nine months. I have nothing to worry about in my life, no children and a great husband. Last Friday I felt like my heart was going to explode it was beating so fast on my way home from work. I normally have low blood pressure, but that night it was very high. Over the weekend it has come down. My worse time to get these symptoms is when I get into bed at night to sleep. Its like I am expecting something bad to happen. I have read anxiety is a symptom in the menopause. Please can you let me know I am not losing the plot. Thanks.
Hi Josey, this started fir me in peri, about 2 yrs ago, anxiety and palpitations which sometimes led to panic attacks. Since periods stopped 14 mths ago they became more frequent to the pount at xmas when i was having nocturnal PAs, adtenalin dump, rapid heartrate, fear of something bad going to happen. I had mentioned anxiety many times at docs and theyd not really taken it seriously. Well i was a complete wreck after xmas with panic disorder, i couldnt leave the house, wasnt sleeping, dizzy, unsteady on legs. Of course the doctor had to take me seriously now, so i went on betablockers to stop the racing heart, HRT for hormones, sertraline for the anxiety and diazepam to get me through the side effects of the ADs. 7 weeks i to meds and starting to feel more like i was, able to go shopping, works hard but i am going part time, worrying a lot less, tho still waking with a bit of anxiety and still panic a bit when i get palpitations, but not a full blown PA. I do believe that if doctors had intervened sooner it wouldnt have got to this crippling stage where i felt like i was having a breakdown. So please see ypure doctor and emphasize how you are feeling because i wouldnt want this to escalate for you like it has for me. I will get better or at least find coping mechanisms (im paying for CBT) but it should never have got to this stage. Good luck and be insistant that you need some help x
Sorry about typos!
Hi josey , your so not losing the plot, but that doesn't stop you feeling like you are, all these symptoms are peri and horribley normal, I feel like I'm on the edge on a daily basis and that I'm going over, it's a daily mental and physical challenge for us peri ladies, I'm new to this and can't really give u much advice as Im learning each day, just keep in touch with all on this forum as there is some lovely ladies with some great advice, thinking of you,x
Big huggs to you Julie, xxx
Yes hormones can give you anxiety. I think most women on this forum have had it. Take magnesium. It works! Drop caffiene and excess sugar. Exercise to get rid of the anxious feeling. Anxiety can be delt with effectively. Don't let it mess with you.
I agree, goin to gym 3 to 4'times a week, I do get abit panicky knowing that I have to face the world but once I'm out and there i feel great,I've suffered horrible from panic attacks in the past way before I became perimenopousal so know how it can take over your life.
Hey josey,
I'm also 52 and its been almost three years since my last period. I had the exact same symptoms as you...the anxiety was terrible....I could barely leave the house. But now it is much better. Even the hot flashes are better. I started with serious symptoms about a year before I stopped. The first year after was bad then it started to get better. Everyone is different but hang in there....it gets better.
Oh, the heart palpitations are normal too. Mine were worse at night. You might have digestive problems or an increase in allergies or new allergies. Expect some weird stuff....but it will end. I promise.
Yes Josie I have these feelings too. You're not losing the plot. I can suddenly get completely irrational fears like my husband has died in a car crash on the way home, or paranoia that some friend really hates me....Its like my logical brain (that tells me none of that is correct) fights with my emotional brain ( completely over run by fear etc). I have some guided meditations downloaded to my phone that I use when it gets bad, or a brisk walk around the block, or retail therapy (shopping), or gardening, or making Jewelry (creative outlet)!
I am really struggling with anxiety as well and I get the same symptoms as you. I fear everything and normal everyday things even make me anxious as well. I feel exhausted, foggy headed, palpitations, jelly legs, dizzy not sleeping, and just an awful sense of something bad is going to happen. I am going to talk to the doctor about it when I next see her because it is making me house bound xx
Julie, sorry to hear yours got so bad, hope things continue to improve x
Thank you Jeny, I used this site when I had a hip replacement and it was a great help, so turned to here for advice again.
Thank you Beth, will make sure I take magnesium, thanks for the tip.
Thanks Chloe. My skin has become drier with allergies, but also spots on my face and I have never suffered with spots, even as a teenager. The things us women have to put up with.
Which is the best form of magnesium to take for this? There are so many xx
Thanks Lisk. Its a very strange feeling, it just feels like something is very wrong. I may have to try an evening walk to see if that helps before bed.
Hi josey i like you am going through those symptoms just last night I woke up to pounding in my chest I couldn't breathe feeling like if I was going to have a heart attack I got out of bed and went into the bathroom and I couldn't catch my breath and Felts like if my heart was going to jump out my chest I got so scared I threw myself to the floor and just started praying to God for this to be over and like you it happens to me more when I'm ready for bed and these awful thoughts pop into my mind believe me you're not losing it there's a lot of ladies going through the same thing it's good to know we're not alone but I wish we didn't have to go through such a terrible time in our lives hopefully with God's help we'll get through this storm hope you get better soon sending you hugs.
I often wake up like that in the night and sit upright with a racing heart and like I can't breathe. It takes me ages to calm back down and go back to sleep xx
It's a scary moment isn't it i think I've gotten every symtom in menopause but this is by far the worst and spookiest i just want this to be over i miss my old self and so does my family best wishes to you sally hope you feel better soon.
Yes anxiety is a big part of menopause for some I had in the mornings but it can happen anytime usually followed by a hot flash I always wonder why nature puts us through this when it is a time when we usually derserve a big break from child raising or just generally navigating life the flip side is that once it settles down life does seem more straight forward enjoy the simple things and cease the moment