What helped your perimenopause anxiety?

[solarlights]

Looking for some ideas on tackling the horrible anxiety I seem to have developed that I think is menopause related. I often have a feeling of dread when I wake up in the morning and usually wake up in the night anxious about something or other. Have you managed to find anything that helps with this? I’d really value some tips.

Yes HRT here too. Been on it since I was 36 so over 10 years.

Also outdoor swimming. Mainly for the night sweats but it’s helped with work stress so worth a try for the peri anxiety. Good luck.

High levels of magnesium - exercise and headspace.

Magnesium most of all.

As pp have said, diet. Especially sugar and wheat. I can't always stick to it but when I eat lots of protein, fruit & veg, and get some exercise, it really helps.

Does anyone know if you can take 5HTP after having breast cancer? I can't take HRT.

I find yoga helps, creative things like painting, crochet, walking, baking, and trashy TV that takes me mind off real life!

Second jogging. And homeopathy.

Hard exercise (especially weights), walking, Calm app, HRT.

Citalopram, HRT and running. It still breaks through sometimes though and it's shite.

HRT.

If you cannot take it due to risk then Sertraline/Lexapro.

Peri menopause is due to hormonal changes. Honestly it cannot be changed by diet - I tried. The only things that work are HRT and SSRIs.

But the change when you go on these is tremendous- you are back to feeling like you and sleeping and feeling normal.

Another one here saying HRT. Diet and excercise are of course beneficial but they can’t regulate hormone fluctuations by themselves.

Following with interest - I've spent my life being the least anxious person ever, until the last 6 months or so (I'm peri- meno). My anxiety is now through the roof, don't sleep for literally days at a time. My worry and fear about the future, for everyone not just me, causes anxiety, sobbing and panic attacks. In calmer moments I know it's not rational but at the time...OMG, I feel so out of control.

Does HRT really help? The anxiety is one of many symptoms I've got.

Hrt used to work for me but now doesn’t. I have the usual levels of oestrogen but still getting symptoms.

I completely gave up caffeine (including chocolate in any form) and restricting myself to only one sweet treat per week, eg an ice cream or a piece of cake or a pudding with custard.

I made a conscious effort to avoid ultra high processed food as far as possible.

Headspace app

Exercise - strength training 2 x a week and walking in the countryside.

And I have propranolol for when the above don’t work and anxiety still breaks through, but this is quite rare now.

Spending time alone, DS was 14 when I hit peri and was in a football team. I spent a year not always going to the Saturday match so I could be alone in the house for a few hours plus DH and DS got time together. He used to walk with a mate to practice and DH worked late and used to pick them up on way home.

I appreciate having an older child made it easier and I do think the trend for having dc older means that more women are facing menopause or at least the run up to it with very young dc.

I just didn’t want HRT and rode it out. I was never much of a drinker but the anxiety was terrible after alcohol during peri so I just stopped totally. I was in a job where there was lots of entertaining and free food and booze as well.

I have always walked as much as possible, I used to take my hour lunch break and walk for 45 minutes of it. I did work on a beautiful campus that had grounds a bit like a stately home.

@Twatterati

Following with interest - I've spent my life being the least anxious person ever, until the last 6 months or so (I'm peri- meno). My anxiety is now through the roof, don't sleep for literally days at a time. My worry and fear about the future, for everyone not just me, causes anxiety, sobbing and panic attacks. In calmer moments I know it's not rational but at the time...OMG, I feel so out of control.

Does HRT really help? The anxiety is one of many symptoms I've got.

Yes, HRT can make a massive difference to anxiety, especially when it arises in perimenopause.

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/ifp/chapter/Menopause

Have a look at Menopausematters or the meno board on here.

Lower the temperature of your body. That helps.

Tepid shower, it doesn’t have to be freezing water, just slightly lower temperature than your body.

And also, reduce the amount of coffee you drink, I always swore I was absolutely fine with coffee until I reduced it from 3-4 to 1 day. Massive difference.

Finally, blood sugar levels. Avoid sugar lows/peaks by eating a light/small non starchy carb snack between meals to ensure you don’t go more than 3 hours without eating.

A vote against sertraline here. I got such bad insomnia that I was only managing 30 minutes of sleep per 24 hours. The lack of sleep drove my anxiety levels to a horrible point.

It works for many people, but if after 4 weeks you are still feeling much worse than any better push for another medicine.

@GrandmasCat

Lower the temperature of your body. That helps.

Tepid shower, it doesn’t have to be freezing water, just slightly lower temperature than your body.

And also, reduce the amount of coffee you drink, I always swore I was absolutely fine with coffee until I reduced it from 3-4 to 1 day. Massive difference.

Finally, blood sugar levels. Avoid sugar lows/peaks by eating a light/small non starchy carb snack between meals to ensure you don’t go more than 3 hours without eating.

I agree a lot with the eating. I have recently stopped taking one long lunch break and instead have two short ones where I eat brunch and lunch, after breakfast before work, then dinner later.

I feel like I am eating ALL day (heaven!) and I never really feel hungry, or weak, and basically feel really satisfied all the time. Game changer for me.

HRT

The feeling of doom on waking was overwhelming for me. That and the night sweats were causing me to feel so exhausted

I have exactly the same very short of breath every other day all day n night not sleeping great, I take kalms in day n night time kalms b4 bed not always work cos I can go into a massive panic attack and then it's uncontrollable but 50 per cent of time it's OK wished they did a pump for panic attacks no disrespect to anyone but there's enough money spent for the drug users and drinkers but nothing to help us peri menopause or full menopause people..... such a shame.