Anxiety driving me nuts

[alwaystakethetrip]

Hi All. I am 46 and peri menopausal. I currently am experiencing the worst anxiety I have ever had - it's exhausting. I feel like I can't take a deep breath and in turn it's making me more anxious! I seem to be in a catch 22.

I have had this on and off over the past 5 months, in the second part of my cycle - except my cycle is so irregular (last month 20 days, this month 37 and counting), that I never know what's going on (although have started tracking symptoms in Clue)

Has anyone else experienced similar issues? And is HRT the solution? I have so felt awful over the last 24 hours - apart from when I am busy, when I don't think about it!

HRT seems to be the solution for me.
I am 55 and my anxiety and brainfog became disabling.
On my 3rd month of oral HRT and feel much better.

Thank you. Have always been reluctant to take medication of any kind unless absolutely necessary, but I would dread having another month like this (which I imagine is very likely!)

...so will take the help!

Anxiety was the final straw that drove me to the GP for HRT. Instead of having hot flushes, I was having adrenaline rushes, like ice in the veins. Every 20 minutes I felt like a panic attack was starting. GP told me they are caused by the same mechanism as hot flushes. HRT has removed 99.9% of them. I have some other symptoms and think we might need to tweak my dose slightly, but it's a great improvement. I hope your GP comes through for you. Be prepared to advocate for yourself if they are doubtful. Menopause isn't diagnosed by blood tests but by the reporting of symptoms.

I hear you. Anxiety has been one of my main symptoms too, along with the hot flushes. I have had a hysterectomy so no longer have a cycle to track but it does come and go. I have a lot going on in real life with teenage kids, elderly and unwell parents with dementia, and i'm doing a Masters degree too.

I'm really hoping that HRT is going to help, I put the first patch on last thursday and had a good night's sleep last night, wasn't awake at 5am with a knot of fear in my stomach this morning. I didn't wake up in the night boiling hot with flushes either so I'm wondering if the two are indeed connected.

I don't look at HRT as medication. It's just a replacement for what your body isn't making naturally.

Just coming back to this thread to comment that a penny has dropped for me today - caffeine is definitely not my friend when it comes to anxiety.

I don't drink a LOT of coffee, and although MN would be horrified my coffee of choice is Kenco instant. 3 teaspoons in a mug. (I like it strong). According to Dr Google, each teaspoon is about 60 mg of caffeine. So each coffee I have is 150mg - 200mg caffeine. The recommended maximum is 400mg a day - 2 coffees.

I was in a dreadful state on Friday when I ate very little and drank loads of coffee. So jittery and anxiety through the roof.

So as of tomorrow I'll have one normal caffeinated coffee to get me going in the morning, and then stick to the decaff.

That's interesting - I actually came to the same conclusion about a week ago (I was drinking 6 or 7 nespresso a day whilst working from home!!) - so have moved onto decaf!

I have also read on Louise Newson that whilst anxiety causes my breathing issues, so can the menopause (something to do with changes to the lungs)

Good luck with the caffeine detox!

I have definitely found that caffeine and alcohol make my anxiety worse- dry and lower caffeine Jan have definitely helped me!

I didn’t add the dots till November having suffered from anxiety/panic attacks since March. Absolutely disabling. Dread like I’ve never ever felt. Doctors thought I was depressed. I’m not! Anyway went in with list of symptoms and started HRT 6 weeks ago. Now I sleep till it’s time to get up instead of 5 am in a panic. I’m only anxious about normal stuff, not overwhelming irrational fear which has me feeling suicidal. Thank god!

I’m 45 and clearly peri menopausal.

@MarshmallowFondant

Just coming back to this thread to comment that a penny has dropped for me today - caffeine is definitely not my friend when it comes to anxiety.

I don't drink a LOT of coffee, and although MN would be horrified my coffee of choice is Kenco instant. 3 teaspoons in a mug. (I like it strong). According to Dr Google, each teaspoon is about 60 mg of caffeine. So each coffee I have is 150mg - 200mg caffeine. The recommended maximum is 400mg a day - 2 coffees.

I was in a dreadful state on Friday when I ate very little and drank loads of coffee. So jittery and anxiety through the roof.

So as of tomorrow I'll have one normal caffeinated coffee to get me going in the morning, and then stick to the decaff.

This, word for word. The blue kenco is also my coffee of choice, 3 teaspoons in each cup. I’d always enjoyed a cup or maybe 2 a day but went up to 4 or so with lockdowns. It took me months to realise that it was the cause of, or at least a huge contributing factor to anxiety. I’ve reduced it back down to one or 2 cups and have noticed a difference, although I think I’d have to stop completely to rid myself of anxiety completely. I thought it might be related to wine (and I’m sure it’s not helpful either) but I gave that up for a couple of weeks and didn’t notice any change really.

Good luck OP

Anxiety appears to be my key symptom too. I find exercise is the best thing to overcome it. Not bothered with HRT as exercise seems to have it under control at the moment.

I'm 54, less than a year since last period but probably more menopausal than peri. I do find the anxiety comes and goes. I haven't tried HRT but not ruled it out totally.