perimenopause anxiety and panic

[ssylvia]

Hi, I have had all of the symptoms of two day periods, irregular cycles, insomnia, racing heart, night sweats, sore boos, dizzy, vertigo, shaky, can't focus, exhausted all the time... the two that are very hard to deal with is the anxiety and panic that is has arise. Has anyone else started having anxiety and panic attacks? I am also scared to drive on the highway now.

Yes, I had this, although at the time I didn't realise it was perimenopause and I just thought I was having some sort of mental breakdown (was lots going on at the same time - family bereavements/ new job/ young children etc).
I developed heart palpitations in my early 40s, and had anxiety attacks about things I'd always done without any problem - public speaking, travelling on my own, driving long distances. I ended up leaving a job because of it.
This was 10 years ago and there was none of the discussion about menopause that there is now. I struggled through for a few years, but then ended up getting HRT which was honestly transformative for me. I'm still on it now.

Thank you for saying this, I think sometimes it makes you feel like you are going crazy because you so don't feel like your normal self. I'm so low energy at times and the emotional roller coaster is exhausting. The things I actually use to enjoy doing or could do easily I struggle with now, just stinks and when you don't know when it will pass it feel defeating at times. Just want to feel like my normal self again. Since I am 42 the hormone specialist I've been seeing wants to first start me on birth control to see if that helps before starting HRT. Cross your fingers! Thanks again!