Left the job I love due to the menopause :(

[Greaselightening]

I can't believe it. I've left a job I love due to crippling anxiety from the the menopause. I feel so empty inside 😞

I have slightly. Admittedly my diet hasn't been the best as I comfort eat x

There was a Zoe podcast about food and mental health recently- very interesting. The lady on it gets a bit technical but the guy breaks it all down if you don’t have medical knowledge- it’s well worth a listen.

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/zoe-science-nutrition/id1611216298

Hello. If you feel lonely, talk to someone, keep busy with something to keep your mind off things.

I am finding yoga really helpful x

Thank you. I am trying to x

@ how are you today? X

@Greaselightening ( sorry!) x

I spoke with my Dr again this morning, explained how i have been feeling and she's signed me off for another 3 weeks. I feel relieved but anxious and guilty at the same time. I knew I wasn't ready to go back, I had another panic attack on Friday which wiped me out for Saturday. I can't rush that happening again at work, I'll have to be strong enough to cope when I go back. But, I have sat here all day feeling, worthless, a waste of space, without any purpose. It's horrible. Thank you for replying, we'll all get through this together.

You are with friends here who completely understand how you are feeling.

For nearly two years my confidence was on the floor and I had a shit male boss who I had to keep right on our processes and policies. It was exhausting. I had a lot of time off but couldn't give my job up. I'm definitely a bit better but I'm not back to 'normal'. I would love to stop working but need the money to pay the bills.

You'll get through this. It's the absolute pits but keep going, do what you can, don't give yourself a hard time and look after yourself as best you can ❤️

Sending you love, strength and a great big hug.

I can relate so much to this feeling. Isn't it awful what we go through?

How did work go today? ❤️

Thank you for asking. I feel really low if I'm totally honest. It feels so weird not having a job. It will get easier, hopefully. I'm now stressing about interviews, finding another job etc 🥺 I'm not sure how I will do it with zero confidence x

I'm so sorry. It's rubbish isn't it and frightening 🥺
None of this is your fault. Please be kind to yourself ❤️ Are you on Hrt? Xx

I'm sorry to hear you have gone through similar.
I'm really worrying about money, as my husband doesn't earn a lot. I had to leave though. There is a saying that you can't get better, if you keep going back to the place that made you sick. That really resonated with me :(

Op I have some thoughts for you and I'm sure you've tried lots but I'm the same as you.

Endometriosis, anxiety, surgery and 48, I fell off a cliff.

So I did so much research reading medical papers and have discovered I'm in effect allergic to some HRT and have high histamine levels, the high histamine is triggered by HRT and is common in endo sufferers.

So I have a histimine intolerance.

I take 2 low does anti histamine's, follow as closely as I can a low histamine diet, drink lots of water but the big one for me was to use everol patches, gel was awful send me mad.

So I had 25mg size, cut up into a quarter for a week, then half, then whole patch... stayed at 25 for a while and then added in more.

As I was moving up the patches I could monitor my anxiety and my endo symptoms, some of your symptoms could be healing, it took 12+ months for my pelvic area to settle down.

I'm now able to tolerate 50 and sometimes 75 on the patches and my anxiety has packed up and left. Unless I'm travelling or something big socially.

If I forget for a day it comes back so I know the oestrogen is working.

With endometriosis we are told it's an oestrogen dependent condition but even that is being debunked they slowly research.

So don't be scared of the oestrogen as your body is so used to running on higher levels your symptoms will be more servere and need some specific management.

research histamine intolerance see if the other symptoms resonate with your life and see how you go taking some anti histamines.

Sending big hugs. 🤗

Thank you for your advice. It's really helpful. My menopause specialist did mention histamine intolerance, as I do have some symptoms of it. I'm glad to hear you're feeling better xx

So sorry you feel like this GreaseLightening, I feel your pain and send big hugs.

I thought I was going to have to give up my stressful job earlier in the year because of anxiety and overwhelm, I just couldn't cope. I started HRT and the overwhelm and most of the anxiety resolved, over had to tweak doses and I'm still struggling with taking the progesterone element but those issues are improved.

However I'm still struggling with something else which may be thyroid related which is leaving me absolutely fatigued and exhausted with a racing heartbeat and I'm back to wondering how long I can keep going. The good GP I've finally found is working through various tests and I'm paying for private bloods as even with a supportive GP there are tests the NHS labs just won't do.

Thyroid is worth looking at but you'll need to get private bloods (Blue Horizon and Medichecks are often recommended) and then look at the levels properly as being "in range" in NHS terms is often not enough to make us feel well.

Also test Vitamin D, B12, folate and full iron panel and again research those levels to understand what they mean as NHS ranges just aren't reflective of good health and most GP,'s don't understand the importance of optimal levels.

I'm desperate not to go off sick as I wonder how I'll ever go back and I worry about my team. We're going through some corporate changes and now is not a good time to look flaky.

It's just crap isn't it? It's so difficult to tell what is peri/ meno related and what might be diverging else (ie thyroid)

Lots of love, as PP said you are amongst friends who understand 💕

Sorry for dodgy typing above, there is no modify post option...

I'm guessing you had your ovaries removed too? Who do yiu see for your HRT? You are absolutely entitled to to be referred to an NHS menopause clinic. It's exactly what these clinics are for, for women with surgical menopause and complex issues. I am 10 years post surgery myself and you have my every sympathy.

Thank you for your lovely, supportive post. Its interesting about the blood levels. My Ferritin has been very low and has gone from 14 to 30 in 3 months.
I do hope that you can get to the bottom of the fast heartbeat. I have this too and its one of the worst symptoms :( I should have had hrt straight after my hysterectomy but they insisted I had to wait 8 weeks. The symptoms were brutal instantly. I think that mistake has cost me dearly xx

Thank you. Yes, I've had ovaries removed too. How long did it take for you to feel like you again?
No one has even offered this. I've already paid £500 privately to a menopause specialist. Now I'm unemployed, I won't be able to afford any more appointments x

Yes, I've been back on HRT for the past 6 weeks ( I had to stop whilst they investigated some unusual bleeding but all was ok).
I forgot to take my Propanalol so that may be why I felt so anxious.
It is horrible feeling like this. I'm learning how to use CBT in order to reframe my thoughts, going that will help me.

I hope the propranolol and cbt helps 🙏 I'm trying to just take each day as it comes and not think long term. I can just about cope with that xx

I've been feeling so overwhelmed about the future today. I just can't see me ever being confident enough to get a new job :(

It's very interesting to read all the posts, but weirdly I'm the opposite. I'm on gel and pills sequential HRT. I feel better at work than at home.

I work with women who are off similar age. Some perimenopausal, others not but all understand the effect hormones have on us ladies. Where as my husband simply doesn't. I'm in control at work of my own little space (my desk and fume cabinet, I work in a testing lab). At home, I'm overwhelmed by mess. My hubby is a bit of a hoarder. It makes me feel so anxious. Out of control. Can't be arsed to tidy up as it seems to make no difference. Daughter helps somewhat but still can't understand how I feel. I sleep better after a day of work too.

Guess everyone has a different menopause 🤷🏼‍♀️

I know how you feel re work and the anxiety.

I found my last part time job stressful, plus I had another part time job that meant hours weren’t fixed and I ended up doing work 7 days a week.

my anxiety was high and I started looking around May for a new full time job. Thankfully I was successful and started 7 weeks ago.

leaving my the part time role that was stressful due to nature of job has helped, plus only doing 9-5 and no work at weekends or evenings. Plus I’m now paid more.

but my god my anxiety since starting the new job has been so high. Lots to learn and being full time is part I’m sure, but the perimenopause anxiety is a killer.

I’ve considered looking for a new role, but really need the full time salary as part time could mean needing more than one job. no guarantee I will feel any different. New colleagues are all lovely although I have huge self doubt.

I have changed to gel from patches but no change and just got some magnesium and something else from Holland and barrett to help sleep and anxiety. Shall see if helps.

perimenopause is so hard and I’ve found the anxiety and sleep issues the worst and more difficult to deal with.

good luck with job hunting.