I’m 44 and my anxiety has never been this bad!

[butternutsquashed82]

I’ve always had a bit of anxiety throughout myself, but recently it is through the roof! I actually don’t know what normality feels like anymore! I am a single parent, I work full time and then do extra work in the evenings and weekends. Down time is very rare. I find myself so anxious all the time, I catastrophize (all around work) and just can’t switch off! I went to the doctor and she prescribed me setraline, but I’m too scared to take it! I did ask her if it was peri menopause and could I try HRT but she wouldn’t give it to me!!! I might start taking a 1/4 of a tablet and then build up to the setraline. Has anyone else had chronic anxiety at this age?

I’m ten years younger than you and suffer myself, I took one Sertraline tablet a few years ago and never took more, I know you have to give them time but I felt like I was on a different planet, it spiked my anxiety and I felt awful, however other people say it’s life changing. Do you think looking at ways to have some more downtime would be more beneficial? I have propanalol now but it’s mainly to help my heart rate and stop the adrenaline, it doesn’t get rid of the billion thoughts in my head but I can handle that! x

Go and see another GP. I was prescribed Serra line in my early 40’s for anxiety. I really didn’t want to take it and asked to see a different doctor. They gave me a telephone course of that thing I can’t remember because I’m now in my mid 40’s and forget things. That helped massively and I’m also on HRT.

@itwasntme2019i need to 100% get more downtime! Ive been in fight or flight for six years! My single parent status means it’s so hard to get any downtime and I get zero help from government!

I’m 46 and suffered with anxiety my whole life on and off. It has really spiked in the last 2 or 3 years. Admittedly I’ve had some major stresses and family bereavements in that time but I also feel like hormones are at play. I tried antidepressants but like previous poster only managed 1 and just felt horrendous so stopped. I haven’t tried hrt but currently using herbs to combat symptoms.

@Themymblesdaughterthis is the thing, when you’ve experience the worst anxiety and intrusive thoughts the idea of taking something that could make it worse before it makes it better makes me feel sick!

My anxiety massively reduced when I started on HRT. I am convinced that I should have been on it several years earlier, probably in my mid 40s

Just to say I had the same. Felt anxious. GP refused HRT and prescribed sertraline. I took one and felt even worse so stopped taking.
Spoke to another GP who prescribed medication for my thyroid (after blood tests) and I now feel much better. This is just my experience which may not work for you.
Hope you get it sorted.

Please try and seek another GPs advice you are definitely right to consider HRT I know numerous women who have suffered anxiety as their major peri menopause issue and I was prescribed it for this as my main symptom, it works wonders! that doesn’t mean the sertraline wont help but I don’t think GPs should be dismissing your request to consider HRT.

Why did she decline HRT? If it's purely age related then you need to see another doctor.

Wow! That’s so interesting! I wonder why they are so against giving HRT out! My anxiety peaks for about ten days before and during my period! All this insight is really interesting! Fuck being a woman, we’re just expected to fall into insanity without any help!

@butternutsquashed82 they have worked for lots of people I know so I don’t think they are a bad thing. I just couldn’t hack it. I think the difference is that I’ve always had anxiety. It’s not a new peri thing it’s just been worsened by it. So like you say taking something that could make symptoms worse potentially for up to 6 weeks was more than I could stand. I’m a bit better than I was but it really is horrible so I completely understand ❤

Sertraline saved my life. It takes a good month to kick in but once it does it’s like a cloud has been lifted. Give it a go xx

I developed thyroid problems in recent years (age 38) that gave me unbearable anxiety. I would suggest getting your thyroid checked to rule it out. Also get bloods taken to get a clear picture of general health. Your circumstances also sound stressful. You are working very hard. Could you pursue cognitive behavioural therapy to try to address these catastrophic thoughts? Something has got to change for you. Can you stop doing evening and weekend work? For what it’s worth, I took Setraline 150mg for three years and it worked wonders for me. There’s a reason that millions of people the world over are taking it. You need support, rest, downtime, a break, relief, enjoyment, probably medication and definitely therapy (in my humble opinion). I wish you well. Change can happen but you will need to take those baby steps.

HRT has made the world of difference to me. GP was fantastic, I expected to leave with an AD prescription but she was very thorough in taking my history and very clued up on menopause.

Try a different GP, or read up on ALL the perimenopause symptoms and go armed with the ones you have. The Balance app is very good.

https://balance-app.com/

Insist on hrt, I’m 43 and been on it since 42. GPs are clueless about it so read up on it and fight your corner. At our age it’s prescribed based on symptoms not bloods as hormones still fluctuate. Ask for body identical hormones. Enrages me that this is still hit or miss whether your gp has a clue. Also check for thyroid and other deficiencies

Well no we aren't apart from by a few ignorant doctors who don't follow latest science on perimenopause! Please see a different doctor

Yes me too and started hrt age 45. I felt bad from around 41 and kept putting it down to stress with life situations or my thyroid condition. I started hrt as I went to see a bupa doctor and she said straight away go on this. I was paying for CbT therapy to try calm the mind and then hrt worked it certainly helped. I do believe I had early menopause symptoms around age 41 and didn’t get treated. See another doctor . I went to my doctor after bupa one and stated I wanted it via them not a private prescription

God knows. Antibdepressants are so much harder to come off than HRT and the potential side effects are worse. It is absolutely mind boggling to me.

I have told this story before on here,but I was 41, never had real mental health issues before, except pmt that kept getting worse and worse. Then anxiety and panic attacks. Then suicidal ideation once a month. Then twice, then constant. The anxiety attacks were AWFUL. I felt so out of control.
Finally after years I got a GP who suggested HRT to me. I started it and the anxiety stopped within a week. Within three months i was able to wean off the anti depressants. Over a year later and I now feel happier and more myself than I jave since I was in my early 30s. I dodnt realise how long I had been going downhill until it stopped.

Advocate for yourself. Fight. I know its hard, bit this is not OK and if its hormonal it could be fixed quickly and simply. If its not the answer then you can tweak them or come off them and it won't take weeks or months to come off them.

Good luck. I wish you health and happiness..

Wow, thank you everyone for your replies! I have always been naturally anxious, but only would have big anxiety attacks if I’d been having too many late nights/wine etc! This is in another level! My anxiety has been all consuming, quite frightening how bad it’s got and turned into OCD catastrophising and rumination over work and making mistakes. I did have bloods a couple of years ago and nothing turned up. And then when I went again, HRT wasn’t really considered and just pushed on the AD! I will definitely go back and advocate for myself… the anxiety has been so bad that it makes me feel I’d rather not be here (I’d never do anything to harm myself) but just to flag how severe it is xxx

@liquoriceallsortfamilythank you for positive post! I’ve heard lots of good things about it, I’m just so scared of feeling worse before feeling better xx

Been in sertraline 7 years best thing I took, wish I had been given them long before as got my life back. They tried others first but sertraline worked for me..It's a case of trying and see as some work for some people while others work for others

@follyofawww your response almost made my cry! Yes, my life has been very stressful. Single parent for five years since my daughter was one. She only started sleeping better at 4 1/2. I do contract work and freelance work so I can be around for my DD but that means I always take on too much and never really have stress free holidays, as I’m always working! I’m also trying to sell my flat (which is not where I live) adding a whole other level of stress. I have had CBT before, but it feels too overwhelming for me right now. I also had two therapy sessions and they were great, but too expensive to carry on. I feel like I need to switch off from work for a year and slowly fix myself but sadly thst isn’t an option x

I get this, I was at the GP yesterday and she said to me ‘when do you rest, and I don’t mean sleep’ I said well I don’t really other than sleep 😅 she asked when does my brain switch off, when do I watch tv.. It actually made me leave and think about how little downtime I get. My body has crashed and burnt this year and she thinks it’s from living in constant fight or flight for a long period - take care of yourself x

I struggled for years but this year has been hell due to peri and work stress getting worse. I have managed to get it to reduce. The biggest shift has been the way I think about my health - as a foundation for everything I do rather than an inconvenient afterthought. Quality sleep, followed by exercise and food are the biggest factors. Much more difficult to do than take meds but I feel a lot better than I did on sertraline. Following a breakdown in January I decided I was done with the cycle and changed a lot of things all at once. Cut out alcohol, max 2 coffees per day, 9pm bedtime no exceptions (take Kalms if thoughts racing 7-8pm), uninstalled social media, walk or run outside most mornings (raging/crying at times), lift challenging weights (at home 3x week, Caroline Girvan 20 min full body). And the food as healthy as possible (no calorie counting), plenty of protein and healthy fats (paleo is the best style for me), batch cooking on weekends, no cooking during the week (save time and stress). I have also cut back on social activities, work events etc, quietly stopped volunteering to take on extra work or solve other's problems etc. Basically having very firm boundaries, noticing and rejecting every stressor that was actually optional. Realising that "just this time" or "just this one thing" was costing me everything and I had to stop thinking of myself as a "helpful" person if that makes sense. There is no point doing everything to try and make others lives easier when they are not doing the same for you. Address the physical stuff first and the mental will follow in time.

I should say the timeline - breakdown in Jan, significant changes March-Aug, significant improvement to mental health Sep to now.