Menopause anxiety

[PrudenceDear]

I now consider myself to be post menopause as I've not had a period for 13 months and previous to that have gone 11 months for between for 3 years. Currently not taking anything as symptoms been ok. Well I say ok, at the point that I really struggled I had no idea I was peri. Symptoms started about 7 years ago. I'm now 44. Am I right in thinking that I should be taking something? I'm quite happpy with not having periods and the hrt that was previously recommended would have caused me to go back to regular cycles.

Anyway, just lately I've been really struggling with anxiety. It's awful today, it has been worse though. My jaw is clenched, my back is tense and painful. I find it difficult to cope with my children (3 junior school aged). Everything is a struggle. My head is telling me to relax but I just can't seem to. There's nothing that I'm feeling stressed or anxious about.

Hi Prudence. I'm in peri but my anxiety levels are ridiculous. Hopefully someone will be along soon to advise but I empathise with how you feel xx

You should be on HRT up to the age of the average menopause at least (52) to protect your heart and bones. Having irregular periods with those long gaps and now a definite early menopause puts you at greater risk of heart disease and osteoporosis. Have a google about risks of an early menopause.
You can use conti HRT which won't give you a period.

Ok thanks Polly. I will go back to the doctors and ask for the conti hrt. I was given a 3 month trial of elleste duet which I took for month but couldn't remember and couldn't find where I'd put the other packs so didn't take any more. The periods I have had over the past 4 years have been every 10-11 months and were firstly very heavy but my last couple have been barely anything. I really don't want to go back to having a regular cycle as suffer terribly with thrush whatever sanitary protection I seem to use.

The anxiety is something fairly new. Three or 4 flare ups in the past 6 months or so. Usually starts when I'm feeling stressed over something. No idea what's brought it on this time though. This is the worst of it all as I struggle to stop myself turning into a monster. Makes me feel like I'm losing my mind.

Hi I'm in a similar position. The GP advised CBT for the anxiety which China has definitely helped. She also recommended evening primrose oil and vit B6. I've been also been avoiding alcohol. When I drink I get very anxious a day or 2 later.

Not sure why I wrote China in there!! I'll blame auto correct!!

Thank you. I'll definitely book a gp appointment. I very rarely drink, this latest anxiety started yesterday. I've got some evening primrose oil, I'll maybe restart taking that.

I'm peri, and I've been suffering from amazing, pointless rage! Like real red-mists, directed at everyone/anything.

I'm currently on a cocktail of vitamins to try to manage it: Agnus Castus, evening primrose oil, starflower oil, St John's Wort, B Complex, and chocolate. :) Apparently it takes 3 months to start seeing full results, but so far so good. :)

It's important to differentiate between peri meno -and there are loads of lifestyle changes, diet, supplements that can help - which can happen in the 40s and continue for many years - and an early menopause (as with OP) when periods stop / are very irregular before 45.

Early menopause (before 45) is recognised as a medical condition where supplementation with HRT is strongly advised- even if women have no symptoms- to prevent bone loss and heart disease in their 50s and beyond.

It's just a shame that in my case it's been so very difficult to be taken seriously. I've seen 5 or 6 different doctors, including 3 female, and only 2 have agreed with what I'm saying. The male one agreed but recommended I speak to a female doctor. Interestingly, it was the most newly qualified who listened and who was prepared to start me on hrt. One previously had told me to wait until I'd not had a period for 2 years and to then go back despite the fact that I was only 41.

it's nothing short of a disgrace that many GPs are so poorly educated on menopause and early menopause. Osteoporosis affects 1:2 - 1:3 women over 50. It's a serious disease that can result in disability and early death through complications. Not supplementing oestrogen is adding to the risk.

Have you heard of the Daisy Network? Online- charity which supports women with early meno- run by doctors. There is info on their site. Worth looking.

PollyPerky, I'm 43 and my last period was early December, so almost 5 months ago. My periods have been very irregular over the last 4 years, anywhere from 19-90 days. My Mum had an early menopause. My GP has said to come back when I haven't had a period for a year and to drink a pint of milk a day. Is this the right advice? Should I be thinking about HRT?

Prudence, as I'm sure you know, anxiety is a symptom of low oestrogen.
IMO you need hrt as you're only 44.

Go back to your GP and explain the Conti tablets didn't suit and see about getting a coil and some oestrogen.

Your bones and heart will thank you and your anxiety levels will reduce.

EPO is like applying a bandage to an open flesh wound. May feel like you're doing something, but it's ineffectual.

Have a look at menopausematters website, and armed with more info maybe back to your GP?

Tasmanian, I'd look up that manopausematters website. I think that GP's advice is crap.
You need hrt, not a pint of milk.

Thanks Dorje I will do that

Thanks Dorje, I'll try to book an appointment as soon as I can.

You're welcome.
I went on hrt about six months ago, and couldn't believe the difference to my life it made.

Looking back now I see I had wound myself up tightly about it, trying to decide: not going on it, going on it, that kind of palaver, and once I went on it, I realised that the anxiety about hrt amongst everything else, was a symptom of oestrogen loss.

I actually feel a bit embarrassed about how anxious I was about it. Sometimes it's difficult to think clearly until you're out of the no sleep, anxious rut. Hrt helped me to get out of that rut, and a drop in anxiety and better quality sleep without the night sweats and hot flashes were a huge part in my being almost! normal now.

Please don't think I "know it all" though. Hrt made a huge improvement in my quality of life at 47, and I'm happy to tell others about it.
But of course, your own circumstances may be very different to mine, so best to do your own research and have your own GP or consultant help you come up with something which suits you perfectly.

I found dr John studds website very informative. He's head of the British society of gynaecologists.

Thanks Dorje
If I'm honest, I've not felt like me for a long time so I think I may well benefit. The hot flushes come and go. I'm always tired and tire easily. The muscle pains and stiffness are awful, I feel like I'm in my 80s not 40s. I don't know if these are connected but I definitely need to sort myself out. My hips are painful and deteriorating, I've had an MRI which confirmed this.

I'm over weight, not hugely, but it's increasingly difficult to fit in any of my clothes.

Hi - im 46 and just started on elleste solo patch as have the coil which is meant to give out the progesterone - ive been to see my gp about 5 times about how i feel and the last gp was googling before giving me a prescription - ive got muscle aches....i get palpitations which really scare me and i sometimes just feel awful and just wierdly dizzy - am so fed up not feeling like myself but being unable to also explain - does anyone know how long hrt take to work - am really hoping for your help and support mumsnetters

Hello - thought I'd throw in my two cents as I've been on hrt for about six months and have found it a huge help - my worst symptoms were anxiety and insomnia. Improvement was very gradual - started to feel slightly better almost immediately, but took about four months to really feel myself again (and I upped the dose after three months). In the beginning improvement was so slow that I almost gave up but I'm glad I didn't - I feel only normally anxious now

Hi user and messalina , can I ask are you officially in the menopause? Or in peri? I ask because my GP has said come back when I'm officially in the menopause. I haven't had a period for 6 mths and I'm only 43. I'm very confused at all the info out there. It doesn't help that my brain feels very foggy and I'm having difficulty accepting that I've come to 'that time of life' already! I don't really know whether to go back and push for HRT or not. My main symptoms are also anxiety and insomnia but I'm very up and down. I'm also worried about osteoporosis, my mum had already broken a wrist at my age.

Hi i think im still classed as peri - i had 2 fsh readings one at 58 and then one at 38 which is high enough to indicate peri - but that was from all my googling - i dont have night sweats but i do have the occasional hot flush but my main symptom was "wierdness" i get like heart rushes and then panic sets over me and i just feel rubbish - ive got the patches but only been on them a week so no real change - i wish there was a good doctor i could just talk to just to put my mind at rest - im not a depressive person but every ache and pain i get i feel like im gonna die - which i guess is the anxiety - it sounds like your doctor isnt overly sympathetic either x

tasmania Your Gps response is not good. Missing 6 months of periods at 43 should be investigated. If it IS menopause then it's classed as 'early' and you need HRT up to 50 at least.

You need to insist on this. Your periods may have gone awol due to menopause but there are other reasons too. Your GP should be doing 2 blood tests on days 2-5 of two cycles for LH and FSH levels, and oestrogen levels. If you aren't having cycles they can do blood tests any time.
You will have to be assertive and tell them about your mum.

If you are missing periods and having peri symptoms, they should treat the symptoms as long as other reasons are excluded.

Thanks Polly, I really need to go back. One thing concerning me is that I've had awful responses to hormonal contraceptives in the past, horrendous mood swings mostly, but really I couldn't live with it again. Will HRT make that happen again?!

Yes you ought to go back and find a different GP if she is no good.

HRT is not the same as birth control. The dose is smaller. The estrogen is the same as we make ourselves. There are 3- 4 types of progesotgens that you will use for half the month.

Norethisterone )
Dydrogesterone) Both of these are on HRT pills and patches
Mirena coil
Utrogestan- separate - not in pills with oestrogen

ONE of them will suit you! You may need to experiment as some can cause PMS symptoms.

Tasmania, I'm still technically in peri I think. Good luck with the doctor - initially my gp prescribed tranquillizers for me, luckily I got to see a different one when they didn't work ...