Is excessive anxiety common during Perimenopause.

[MyfriendArchie]

I am 49 and have had Perimenopause symptoms since the age of 45/46.
One of the things I am really struggling with is anxiety and a very reduced tolerance to stress.
I have always had anxiety but since mid 40’s it has become uncontrollable, I am stressed and anxious about so much and it’s causing me physical issues (ie much worse IBS symptoms these days and muscle tension everywhere) this then exacerbates the anxiety so I’m stuck in a vicious cycle.
I have tried antidepressants but can not tolerate the side effects.
My gp says I am not quite in perimenopause yet as I have a regular 28/30 day cycle (even though I have awful heavy periods and recurring uterine polyps) and no regular hot flushes. I do however have many other peri symptoms such as low libido, dryness, depression, mood swings, disturbed sleep, tender breasts, aura migraines during my period, awful pms when I never suffered before etc.
I can handle some of these symptoms but I don’t want to keep suffering from this awful anxiety anymore. I eat well, no alcohol, exercise, listen to hypnotherapy/relaxation etc, I don’t know what else to do to help.
If the antidepressants are not helping and the gp says I’m not in peri then what can I do to help? I really feel it’s hormonal though.
Any suggestions on supplements etc?

Yep. I was a mess. Happily things improved with HRT. Is the dr only recommending AD?
Could you speak to another GP? Many really don’t do much training on peri /menopause. It seems unlikely that you wouldn’t be peri at 49!
This Dr on TikTok has loads of posts about peri/Meno as women are so often dismissed by GP’s

vm.tiktok.com/ZML9Sggrm/

Yes! I am not an anxious person by nature and twice in the last 2 years things have got so bad that I have burst into tears at the GP. Just so anxious, unsettled, confidence shot to pieces, not sleeping.

Headspace helped a lot, meditation isn't for everyone but it took the edge off for me. But what has really helped is HRT patches.

[quote Wouldntitbenicetobeinyourshoes]Yep. I was a mess. Happily things improved with HRT. Is the dr only recommending AD?
Could you speak to another GP? Many really don’t do much training on peri /menopause. It seems unlikely that you wouldn’t be peri at 49!
This Dr on TikTok has loads of posts about peri/Meno as women are so often dismissed by GP’s

vm.tiktok.com/ZML9Sggrm/[/quote]
I’ve spoke to 4 different GPs at the surgery, they all say the same. Only offer anti d’s or CBT. I follow Dr Haver (and several others) on TT and Insta. It is because of them that I started to wonder if I may be in peri. So frustrating when they say you need to have disturbed periods and hot flushes to be in peri. I feel like banging my head against the wall. My friend is the same age and has similar issues, she was told yesterday antidepressants will sort her out 🙄

CharityShopChic I really think HRT may help me too, I just can’t get the GP to see that.
I’ve tried Headspace, meditation etc but I have ADHD so it’s not too easy for me to zone out.

@MyfriendArchie

CharityShopChic I really think HRT may help me too, I just can’t get the GP to see that. I’ve tried Headspace, meditation etc but I have ADHD so it’s not too easy for me to zone out.

The purpose of meditation is not to zone out so it doesn't matter if you can't. The "purpose" is try to "train" your brain to focus on one thing - it doesn't matter how well you manage this or not - it's the action of noticing your mind has wandered and then continually bringing your attention back to the thing you are focusing on (breath, toes, whatever) multiple times that brings the benefits to mental health (and ADHD incidentally). Doing this repeatedly changes the neural pathways in your brain over time.

Meditation is often not a pleasant experience, and you are not trying to achieve a particular mental state, you can feel didgy or anxious or uncomfortable or a multitude of other unpleasant feelings. The other thing you are learning is to sit with with those feelings and not respond to them, not allow your thoughts you spiral and therefore your emotions to spiral. Just sit with the feeling and observe it without your mind judging the feeling or coming to any other conclusions.

I also have ADHD and one of the feelings I most experience with when meditating is boredom! Trying to sit with that as I am sure you can imagine is extremely hard.

Thanks for your post as I've totally fallen off the mediating wagon (routine and all that! :-)) and actually came to this board as I am really really struggling with anxiety and suicidal thoughts, and noticed your post. Just responding to you has reminded me of all the benefits so I need to get back on that.

My DH has also said that we need to build in some regular exercise as that really helps with mental health also. (And cardio helps with ADHD symptoms too). Just need to stick to it now!

Good luck.

Yes. I recently was spurred on to see my go after a few years of symptoms getting worse and recently experiencing full on panic attacks. Fortunately my gp surgery is clued up in peri and menopause - they have a practice nurse who is an expert in hrt - and the GP prescribed hrt to trial.

It's taken only a few weeks to be free of the anxiety and improve my sleep.

Dr Louise Newson, the menopause/hrt guru says any woman over 45 presenting with mood problems, depression or anxiety should be given hrt first. No woman of that age should be on antidepressants without hrt first (unless there's reasons they can't have it)

Very common and you can still have hrt, you'd just need cyclical and combination. Keep pushing GP, you're suffering. Print out guidelines if you need to. Dr Newson's website/app Balance is amazing for information.

I'm finding this is almost normal, from what I'm reading. I hear you. It's horrible. I'm going the antidepressant route for now. I'm weaning on very slowly as I couldn't tolerate the side effects. So far I have more energy and motivation and it's helping a bit with the anxiety, but I suppose I can't expect too much at the very low dose I'm on. What seems to help the anxiety most is a good workout in the morning, but that's not always possible.

Check your vitamin levels.

Low B12, and ferritin/iron can cause anxiety symptoms too. Also get your thyroid checked out.

TooManyPJs thanks, I will try to persevere. I have actually started working with a Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist two weeks ago, I will try sticking with it. Sorry you are struggling, I get those thoughts too. I hope it works out well for you. Good luck to you too.
fortyfifty thank you, I will keep pushing with my gp. I have actually been on Louise Newsons waiting list for some time but my personal circumstances have changed and I don’t think I can afford her fees now so will have to stick with the NHS.
RagzRebooted thank you, I will push at it.
WildCoasts this is my issue with Anti D’s I just can’t tolerate the side effects but maybe I could try them like you are? I agree a workout does help, I will often feel better after a good run on my treadmill and walking my dog, just wish the effects lasted longer.
Thatsajokerright My thyroid, vitamin d and B12 are within normal range. I have been very iron deficient for years and had infusions 6 weeks ago which have now put me in ‘normal’ ranges but I’m not feeling much better unfortunately.

Yes. I wish I had asked for HRT rather than putting up with it for 7 years.

Movinghouseatlast that’s what I’m starting to think. The last 4+ years have been crap, I don’t think I want much more of this tbh. It just the constant battle to get heard by a gp 🙁

Excessive anxiety was definitely my reality from the age of about 45. Only eased off with HRT. But before HRT went thru CBT, ADs, even autism assessment - none brought any relief, total waste of NHS resources. And police resources wasted too (was very, very disturbed at times). All could have been avoided if HRT offered at the start. Hope you get to give it a go soon, OP.

I am 44 and have become anxious in the last two or three months for no reason. (there are some good reasons actually but the anxiety is always for no good reason about small things or nothing rather than the big things). I had some hot flushes a year or so ago but they have gone away. I wake up early in the morning and have quite stressful dreams. I wonder if HRT would help. No other symptoms really so I almost think no point asking the GP. I am doing some counselling first to see if that makes a difference.

Menopause makes adhd worse. And yes, much more anxious.

There's a good Additude article about meditation.

Your GP sounds like a plonker. What woman of your age ISN'T perimenopausal, fgs. Refer them to the NICE guidelines, pinned thread on this topic.

The ADs help some things (mentioned above I'm slowly weaning on) but they don't help with the sleep. The insomnia is awful. I have a herbal remedy I've used before that helped with that. Maybe I should try that instead. At least I know that I can wean onto the ADs again if I need to.

Thank you for posting this, I think I'm having a similar ssue. From what I had read, anxiety was dismissed as a symptom of menopause.

I'm waiting for blood test results and a chat with the doctor.

My anxiety is doing my head in, up and down every day. I'm finding it difficult.

Hope you all find done thing yo help you sith your symptoms.

You have loads of the symptoms of peri.
Ask to see another doc & try some hrt op. It's not just about periods.

Yes

Hi yes I had terrible anxiety and depression, antidepressants do work, you just have to get the right one. I take venlafaxine, it really helped me during peri. They gave me a few side effects with sex but I was happy to put up with this rather than feeling suicidal.

I am going through really bad anxiety and take beta blockers is this very common during menopause? Thank you!

You are absolutely in peri and the anxiety can be completely crippling. Get HRT and go to a private peri/menopause clinic if you can.

AD's are not recommended for anxiety due to peri/menopause and can actually make you worse. You need HRT

I went private for menopause consultation and prescription. Probably the best £250 I have ever spent! It’s been awesome to talk through my own personal situation and for someone to listen and understand my symptoms.

I appreciate not everyone can afford it but I’ve been using HRT patches for 3 weeks now and definitely feel better.

Because I have a history of cervical cancer and haven’t had a womb or period since 31 years old, I really didn’t expect much joy from my GP. It’s frustrating not to feel listened too.