Anxiety levels

[MissMogwai]

I'm 45, periods have started to be irregular in cycle and length so assume peri-menopausal.

I have some other symptoms but the worst by far is the anxiety.
I am prone anyway but recently I've spiralled into panic attacks over nothing. Worrying about silly things and imagining all sorts of horrible things which aren't happening.

The imposter mode is also overwhelming me at work. Luckily I was wfh this week, but I had to go and sit in the freezing garden and calm myself down as I got in such a state.

I do take propanalol (sp?) as needed but even that isn't touching the side this week.

I've just come here for a rant really, and to see if anyone else feels the same.
🍷

Yes I relate.

Funnily enough given your wine emoji, I’ve given up the booze to help myself. I still feel anxious, but I’m sure it helps. Tho it took me to 52 ( ie this year ) to actually give the stuff up! I sort of relied on alcohol previously to even get me through the week.

I’ve also recently started hrt, which may be worth a try? That said,. I felt brilliant for the first two weeks, but once progesterone pills were added, I started to feel anxious again. God knows op, but sympathy.

I find escapism helps too btw… particularly good fiction, but that may just be me.

Basically, I keep looking for solutions to the anxiety!!

Crap at work really doesn’t help either, and I mostly wfh too. Add elderly parents, youngish kids into the mix, and no wonder we are nervous wrecks. In my case, I’ve always been a worrier. It’s hard to change your core mindset in an way…Anyway, sympathy op!

@Deesmond thanks for your reply. I've always been a worrier too. So it never ends for us!

Yeah I think I will ring the docs this week about HRT.
Something has to give, as at one point today I was almost in tears worrying about work, not seeing my parents this week, my young adult DC and their shenanigans, and god knows what else.

I don't drink that much but it's definitely worth looking at a correlation I suppose.

One thing that helps is the gym. I go 4/5 times a week and really notice the difference when I don't.
It's just effort isn't it!

I have never suffered from anxiety but it was crippling in menopause and drove me on to HRT which did the trick

To @HermioneWeasley did it take a while to get the balance right? I’m on two pumps of oestrogen a day plus progesterone pills days 1-12. I still feel anxious! Tho was very briefly feeling great (the two weeks prior to the progesterone tablets!). Tho im only on month 3 so perhaps it takes a little longer to settle in? Or perhaps I need more oestrogen… there hasn’t been any further checks from my gp but I imagine the gp follows up with women…? Or maybe im
the one who needs to advocate and contact the gp first? Don’t know! Not medically trained so will do research but maybe you have some insights? Might also help op on her “journey”. Thank you!

Me!
I ended up begging my GP for HRT and it made such a difference..