Hi, Ladies....I posted this on the Panic Attack Forum, but thought I'd put it here too.

Someone sent this to me so I thought I'd share it. Hopefully, it will help someone else.

I was reading somewhere that our bodies are in a constant state of anxiety during perimenopause/menopause due to fluxuating horomones. It's like our bodies are going through withdrawl and our brains are constantly sending warning signals...our bodies just can't/won't do what it used to. Anyway, it got me thinking...if our bodies are in a constant state of anxiety due to our horomones, doesn't that make peri/menopause one huge anxiety/panic attack? Take a look at this list of anxiety symptoms....they're all peri/menopause symptoms. I know I've experienced them all.

What do you guys think?

Common Anxiety/Panic Attack Symptoms

Here are some of the many symptoms associated with anxiety disorder (because each person has a unique chemical make up, the symptoms and their intensity will vary from person to person):

Shortness of breath
You feel that your breathing is forced and labored. You become conscious of how you are breathing and you have a hard time catching your breath. It seems like you have to force yourself to breathe, in fear that if you don't, you'll stop breathing and die. Or, for no apparent reason, you feel out of breath and find yourself doing an unusual amount of yawning in an attempt to catch your breath.

Persistent muscle tension
You feel like your muscles are always tight or strained, sometimes to the point of frequent pain, or even persistent and ongoing pain. Some may also find the pain so restricting and debilitating that it prevents physical activity, and sometimes to the point of becoming bed ridden. It's also common to experience pain or cramps in any of the body's muscles.

Heart – beating hard or too fast
Your heart feels and sounds as though it is pounding unusually hard in your chest. You become aware of the heart's action and you fear there may be a problem with it. Sometimes it may beat unusually fast or feel like it is racing for no apparent reason.

Heart - Irregular heart rhythms, flutters or ‘skipped’ beats
Your heart feels like it skips a beat or flops in your chest. It sometimes may feel like a tickle in your chest that makes you cough. If you take your pulse, you'll notice that sometimes the beats are unevenly spaced.

Dizziness or light-headedness
You feel suddenly light-headed, woozy or dizzy. This is sometimes accompanied by a feeling that you might faint or pass out. It also may feel as though you are walking on a boat, or that the floor seems to move up and down and it's hard to balance. You may also have difficulty placing your feet because your perception of the ground or floor may be incorrect. In some cases it may seem that even though you are standing on a firm floor, the floor may be vibrating or moving.

Weak legs, rubber legs
Your legs feel so weak that you think they won't be able to support you. In some cases you might feel you won't be able to walk. Sometimes your legs may feel like jelly or rubber, or that you have to force yourself to walk. You may even feel as though your legs or knees are too stiff to move.

Trembling or shaking
Your arms, hands, legs and even your entire body may feel shaky or like they are trembling or vibrating. Sometimes you feel like you can’t stop yourself from shaking or trembling.

Choking
You feel as though there is something stuck in your throat or sometimes feel there is a lump in your throat. Other times you may feel that you can barely swallow or that there is a tightness in the throat, or that you have to really force yourself to swallow. Sometimes this feeling can lead you to think that you may suffocate or get something stuck in your throat.

Sweating
For no apparent reason you break into hot or cold sweats. You may also experience hot flashes or excessive sweating for no reason.

Nausea or abdominal stress
You may feel bloated or gaseous, or that there is a lump in your stomach. Sometimes you may feel like you have butterflies in your stomach or that your stomach is tight. Some people refer to it as a 'heavy' stomach. Others experience over acidity or persistent nausea. Some may even vomit as a result. Some describe it as a ‘warm’ feeling in the gut.

The thought of eating makes you nauseous
Sometimes even the thought of eating something will turn your stomach or make you nauseous.

Lack of appetite or taste
Sometimes you just don’t feel like eating, or the thought of food is unappealing. Or, that even though you are eating, the food has no taste or is unsatisfying.

A ‘tinny’, ‘metallic’ or ‘ammonia’ smell or taste
You have a persistent ‘tinny’, ‘metallic’ or ‘ammonia’ smell in your nose, or you taste it often and it’s not from your food or environment. Often it’s just there, but you can’t figure out why. It may come and go, or persist for some time.

Feeling of unreality, or feeling disconnected from the real world, dreamlike
You feel like you are not a part of what is going on, or that you feel like you are in a dream state or ‘out of touch with things’. Also, things around you may seem like they are shimmering, foggy, hazy or too bright.

Numbness or tingling in hands and feet
You feel pins and needles in your hands and feet, or other parts of your body. Sometimes you get a feeling like a particular area of your body is numb or frozen. Other times you may feel a burning sensation in your arms, legs or face.

The sensation of burning skin
You have a burning skin sensation like you have a bad sun burn, but there are no apparent burn marks. The burning sensations move around the body randomly and can persist for long periods of time. Often, these burning sensations are magnified by stressful situations or fear-producing thoughts.

Chest pain or discomfort
You may experience a tightness or pressure in the chest. Sometimes you may feel shooting pains, or muscle twitches, or just an uneasiness or fullness in the chest area which causes you concern. Some think they may be having a heart attack.

Fear of losing control
In a crowd or group, you may feel that you will do something to make you feel embarrassed like passing out, vomiting, gagging, stumbling and so on. You may feel that you might not be able to control your body or what you'll say. You may become very self-conscious among people.

Urgency to urinate
You have an urgent need to go to the washroom, even though you may have just gone. And, when you do go, there are very little results.

Fear of going crazy
You suddenly become afraid that you might lose your mind or that you are not able to think. You may also feel that you are not able to remember things as easily as you once did. Sometimes you become afraid of having a nervous breakdown. You also may have periods of 'crazy' thoughts that frighten you, or that thoughts ‘just pop up’ that are bothersome by the content.

Fear of dying
You fear that what you have is terminal and nobody knows. You may also fear that the chest pains are a deadly heart attack or that the shooting pains in your head are the result of a tumor or aneurysm. You feel that any one of the symptoms you experience are life threatening. You feel an intense fear when you think of dying, or you may think of it more often than normal, or can’t get it out of your mind.

A feeling of impending doom
You feel as though something extremely bad is going to happen but you are not sure what. You may also feel as though your world is coming to an end.

Chronic Fatigue
You become extremely exhausted, burnt out or have no energy. You may feel tired all of the time and find even small tasks to be unusually tiring. You have no stamina and feel that you could sleep all day and then wake up still tired.

Eye tricks
You may see stars or movements out of the corner of your eyes that don't exist. You may also see flashing lights in your eyes or your vision may seem almost kaleidoscope-like. Sometimes you may feel that there is a dark object or something just on the outside edge of your vision, or that your vision is narrowing.

Dry mouth
You find it hard to swallow because of a lack of saliva. Your tongue feels dry or sticky.

Excess of energy
You feel so excited that you could do everything incredibly fast and then look for other things to do. You may also feel like you have to run or do something right now just to burn off the energy. Sometimes you can't sleep because your mind or body is going a million miles an hour. You feel as if you have energy to burn, and then some. You feel always 'pumped'. You also may feel as if you can't sit still or relax.

You feel you can’t relax
You have so much to do, or you have so much nervous energy that you can’t relax. Even slowing down for a moment is difficult. When you want to relax and rest, you can’t sit still, or have a million thoughts going on that make it hard to relax.

You often feel you are carrying the world on your shoulders
You often feel that you are responsible for far too many things, and that if you stopped, nothing would get done. Often you feel that you have the weight of the world on your shoulders and no way to get rid of it.

Stiffness
A particular joint in your body feels unusually stiff and sore, or hard to move. It may even feel arthritic. Sometimes you feel you may be ‘seizing up’.

Unusually afraid of normal things
You may become afraid of something that you had normally thought was not fearful. It may be a sudden fear of being alone, a fear of inanimate objects moving or talking, or an unsubstantiated fear for your safety to name a few (the fear that you may hurt someone or yourself when using a household knife is common--for example, you fear that you may uncontrollably stab a child, mate or yourself when using a kitchen knife).

Depression
You feel you are now uncharacteristically down or sad for no apparent reason. You may feel like crying all of the time, and yet not be sure why. Sometimes you may feel that things don't seem to be going your way even when they are. Or, you may feel that you don’t love someone anymore, even when there is no explainable reason to feel that way. You may also feel that nothing is going your way and that there’s no pleasure, or point in living. You may also feel like just giving up.

Dramatic mood swings
You are extremely happy one day and, for no apparent reason, become extremely sad or down the next. One minute you are optimistic and the next you are depressed. Simple discussions may seem too difficult to handle.

Insomnia, or waking up ill in the middle of the night
You may feel fine and be able to quickly fall asleep but then wake up a short time later. Once up, you can't easily fall back to sleep because your mind is racing or you are too ill. Or, you may have a hard time initially falling asleep and when you do, you wake often and again have a hard time going back to sleep. You may also wake in a panic attack.

Jolting awake
Just as you are dozing off to sleep, you feel like you hear a lot bang, buzz or shot, and that jolts you fully awake. Or, as you are dozing off, you feel like you are falling and that frightens you fully awake. Or, you are just dozing off and your body radically twitches awake.

Bad or crazy dreams
You may wake up in a panic and recall the dream you just had as being bizarre and totally crazy. This usually has you spending some time trying to figure out what caused the bad dream and what the bad dream is trying to tell you.

Uncontrollable muscle twitching
For no apparent reason, a particular muscle will begin to twitch. This twitching will continue for an unusual amount of time before it stops of its own accord. Sometimes it twitches so long it becomes sore, and may continue on and off for days.

Emotions feel wrong
For some reason, your emotions don't feel right. For example, someone whom you care deeply about for some reason you now get a weird feeling from. You can't put your finger on it, and you know it shouldn't be that way, but it just is. Or another example maybe, doing something you really like and for no reason, all of a sudden doesn't feel good and you don't know why.

Blurred vision
It seems your vision is blurry or out of focus, and it's more apparent now than before.

Eyes are sensitive to light
There are times when your eyes seem more sensitive to light than at others, even to a point of regular light being too bright so that you have to wear sunglasses or squint.

Dry, watery or itchy eyes
You feel as though your eyes are either always dry, constantly watering or itchy. And often, your eyes are red or 'glossy' looking. Even a good night's rest doesn't help.

Always being on edge or 'grouchy'
Sometimes your patience seems like it is totally gone and little things that won't normally be a concern now become really irritating and frustrating. Your patience seems non-existent. Every little thing sets you off, even normal family sounds become almost too much to handle, and you have a hard time controlling your temper.

Have difficulty concentrating
Normal tasks seem hard to focus on, or that your concentration is a lot shorter now than before. You may also start something, and uncharacteristically forget what you were doing soon after. You may also have difficulty remembering where you placed things, who you just called, or what you were looking for or thinking about.

Startle easily
You feel you startle more easily now than before. Even small sounds or common sounds startle you, and almost to the point of panic. Or, an event may frighten you, but more so than the event calls for. You may seem very over-reactionary or unusually ‘jumpy’.

Constant craving for sugar or sweets
For some reason you have an increased and ongoing craving for sugar, sweets or chocolate. Although you may have a 'sweet tooth', these craving usually go unsatisfied, while even more leaves you with the same result.

Repetitive thinking or incessant ‘mind chatter’
Your mind is racing all the time, and it never stops its chatter. Even when you are trying to relax your mind is going a million miles and hour. Sometimes songs will pop up that you can’t get out or your mind, and you sing them all day long, and even for days on end.

Obsession about sensations or getting better
This a big one. A thought process develops where the person is constantly trying to figure this illness out, or is constantly checking their body for twinges, aches or pains, and odd sensations. They also begin checking (often referred to as ‘testing’) their mental thoughts to see if there is a hint of physical or mental illness somewhere. As a person begins to get better, this process seems more entrenched and becomes more apparent. Also, you may find yourself doing this at every leisure moment, then getting into a mental battle with yourself to try and stop doing it. It also may seem that your mind is always 'going', and you can't seem to stop yourself from thinking, analyzing and problem solving about getting better.

You feel like you are under pressure all the time
You may feel like you just can’t get any breaks, or that you are under pressure all the time, with no way to relieve it. You may also feel that you can’t stop. Everything’s success depends upon you.

Constant feeling of being overwhelmed
This is a close cousin to the point previous, but you feel so under pressure that you feel overwhelmed by everything, and that there is no way out. This feeling is persistent and bothersome. Even just the thought of it causes fear and anxiety to overwhelm you.

Always feeling angry and lack of patience
Every little thing sets you off. While you used to be calm and collected, you now find yourself angry at almost everything, and it’s been a long time since you felt otherwise. When it comes to managing tasks, you find you have very little patience, and even simple matters make you angry and impatient.

Feel like crying all the time, often for no apparent reason
Once strong and resilient, able to handle anything, now you find yourself breaking down into tears for little or no reason. You may also suddenly feel the urge to cry, and you are not sure why, but you feel sad.

Unusually frightening thoughts or feelings
You may feel frightened or have fearful feelings about almost everything. Even small challenges well up fear in you and seem difficult or destined to doom or failure.

Sore or tight scalp or back of the neck
Your scalp feels sore, has shooting pains, or that the back of your neck and head are very tense.

Other symptoms are described as:
Being like a hypercondriac, muscle twinges, worry all the time, tingles, gagging, tightness in the throat, tightness in the chest, tongue twitches, feel like passing out, shaky, vomiting, breath lump, heart beat problems, head tingles, itchy tingling in arms and legs, and so many more.

In addition to these symptoms, you may also find yourself worrying compulsively about:• Having a heart attack• Having a serious undetected illness• Dying prematurely• Going insane or loosing your mind• Harming yourself or someone you love uncontrollably• Being embarrassed or making a fool out or yourself• Losing control• Fainting in public• Not breathing properly• Choking or suffocating• Being alone

These are some of the more common symptoms, but this list is certainly not exhaustive. It is common for people to experience one or more of these symptoms. While some may experience them all others may experience only a few.
© Jim Folk 1987 - 2004

I noticed I spelled hormones, "horomones" both times. Maybe I was thinking "horror" while typing it...LOL!

((Hugs))

very good question i was wondering the same thing a couple years ago was wondering if i was peri or was it anxiety . your right about the symptoms being alike.

Unfortunately, I've experienced some of these symptoms for the first time since turning 42/43 so I'd have to say you are onto something.

Boy if a lot of those symptoms don't sound like me right now, tingling, muscles aches, tight throat feeling and so on. For the last 7 weeks I have been going thru a rough time with my health and I am beginning to wonder if a lot of it has to do with menopause. All I want is to feel normal again!!!!

I don't think too many of us have had the excess energy thing thats listed. lol But I will say that in my early 40's I did experience a high level of anxiety that I now attribute to the subtle early stages of peri. Regards, JZZ

Yup, it all sounds bout right to me!

Hi everyone,

This is my first posting on this site even though I've been passing by off and on over the past few years.

I've just been reading that list of Shawna's and it's like I've been thrown a lifeline. I'm 52 and have been experiencing various peri symptoms for the past 10 years - to a greater or lesser degree. Of late, I seem to be getting mega hot flushes which seem to coincide with that horrible feeling off balance/like you're on a boat deck feeling? And that sets me into the pulse racing, 'get me out of here' panic feeling - and in between even when I'm not feeling so yuck I'm still getting that feeling of being over alert somehow? Even knowing that these are all peri related somehow doens't always calm me down and I really need to see it all listed like I just did on Shawna's posting.

In the past when I've felt strange I've been to my GP but to be honest, Irish GPs don't seem to be able to deal with this at all - if you've strange bleeding patterns or whatever they're fine - but for all the rest, they just look at you sideways. And yet from time to time I get anxious that I've got somethign seriously wrong with me (brain tumour or potential stroke are my latest fears) and I'm blaming it on peri. I had my BP checked a few months ago after one of these flush/panic episodes and even had an ECG - all was fine. But I'm back in a slump again.

Anyway, even just writing this down is a help - and if anyone has taken the trouble to read it - then bless you!

Thanks again Shawna.

Hi Shawna, thanks for the list of anxiety symptoms. I'm new to this message board and don't know really how to use it correctly...hope this message goes through. I have just signed up recently after reading this site for the last couple of days and my main concern right now is the anxiety issues. I'm 41 years old and never knew that I might be going through menopause symptoms years ago and recently was told I am in menopause. Tried HRT recently over the last month and a half and just got off because it did nothing. I am having major anxiety though now and don't know if it is a fluctuation in my hormones again since going off. My main worry was the not remembering anything lately and now it is anxiety which is awful. Spent the entire weekend in bed and not wanting to do anything because of how bad I felt with stomach issues, worrying constantly, weakness, I think almost everything that was mentioned in your anxiety list! So just wanted to say hello and I am glad to hear there are reasons for all this and I hope I can get through all this with less worries just knowing I'm not the only one with these symptoms! Thanks for making me feel a little better..

Dear 'OverIT'
Love the user name.
Pity the HRT did not work for you .It is not for everybody but sometimes a change of brand or upping of dosage may help.Just a thought.You could discuss this with your Gyno.
Also a low dosage of Xanax,with the Doctor's agreement can take the edge off the anxiety and give you some calmness which is helpful.
And know that you are not alone.
So stay in touch.
God bless
Elizabeth

Hi, OverIT...

Sorry, I just saw your post tonight. I've been busy repainting some rooms...trying to stay busy and haven't logged on for a few days.

I'm glad the list helped. It sure helps me when I'm going through it. I printed mine out and sit and read through it when I'm having a bad day/night. It helps put things into perspective. I've had every symptom listed....certainly not fun.

Hang in there...and I hope you're feeling better.

Hugs,
Shawna

Hi Ladies,
I have most of these symptoms and was wondering does this necessarly have to be related to fluctuating hormones associated with meno? I'm post meno for 7 years and just can't imagine all this popping up now.
char

have you lost weight recently ? I have read that weight loss releases estrogen.

Didgens,
If your asking me about weight loss, oh yeah I have.

that could be the reason .. do a little research on weight loss and release of estrogen ,, you can try slowing down your weight loss to make it a little more manageable .. good luck

Didgens
I'm not trying to lose weight. When I get anxiety I can't eat. I need to gain weight. I hate it!

Shawna's list mentions a high energy symptom. I have experienced this feeling although it is coupled with a general feeling of being tired. It's as if my body wants to go and go and go but my mind wants to relax. It's a nervous energy which is not fun to deal with. I have noticed that if I take B vitamins, the nervous feeling gets worse. Meditation has helped me and my 51 year old body the most. I am using bioidentical hormones presently and am waiting a few months to see if I need to tweak them or not. This website is wonderful.
Scijan

To Joyceveronica. There are several books that I would highly recommend for your anxiety before you try Xanax or any other benzodiazapine. Hope and Help for Your Nerves is an excellent resource for anxiety. Also, Calming Your Anxious Mind is wonderful. You are not alone. I have been dealing with unexpected anxiety for almost a year now. It does seem to be tied to menopause. Counseling and meditation are very, very helpful.
Jan

Dear Jan
Thank you so much for your kind concern.I do Yoga and Meditation,both of which help me enormously.
I actually use Xanax very sparingly.Have been to a Psychiatrist,who tried to kiss me -maybe as part of his Therapy.
I have roots motivated in fear from child sexual abuse and rape at gun point.
Am scared to go down the road of Therapy.I was fully Post Menopausal at 39 so realise all the tricks of Hormone Fluctuation.
However,I will get these books that you have recommended.

Warm Wishes
Elizabeth

Hi Shawna

I am fairly new here. I am 47, perimenopausal, and I to have been suffering with a lot of these symptoms. Especially the anxiety, nervousness and weird thoughts. I wake up almost every morning feeling anxious and nervous about one thing or another, then my legs or my arm starts to twitch. Thank goodness that stops whenever i get out of bed. I am a mother of two little girls, ages 7&8. ( which is a challenge in itself, and can be very stressful). I hate feeling like this. I just want to feel "normal" again so that I can stop focussing on me so much and start enjoying my sweet family again. My husband is and always has been a great help to me. (Thank God). I just started BHRT this week, ( progesterone only).
I still have fairly regular cycles. I take 0.5mg xanax as needed. It is the only thing right now that helps keep my mind calm ( on my worst days), so that I can relax and enjoy my day with my family. I am also seeing a psychologist that specializes in worry and anxiety. I JUST WANT TO FEEL BETTER NOW!!! I do have some days that are not so bad, but with the crazy hormones, their are just not enough of those days.

Thanks again, and God bless,
JoyD

Hi Shawna,
Thanks for posting that list....I've had almost every symptom on it and have had these symptoms for five years (I'll be 45 this year). Wish I had realized sooner that they symptoms of peri/meno are similar to anxiety. It can be a scary. Hormones are so powerful - chemicals that alter the functioning of the brain and organs. So glad you shared that list.

You're very welcome. I'm glad the list is helping. It can be so scary at times! I don't know how many nights I've sat up reading through this list, trying to calm myself down. It's a crazy ride...that's for sure.

Hugs,
Shawna

Good God................"it is common for people to experience one or more of these symptoms"......are you KIDDING me.....I had trouble finding a symptom I have never had!!!!!!!!! This list is amazingingly accurate,

I've had almost every symptom mentioned except the not eating~!LOL
I use xanax as needed also. I take half a pill and it almost immediately makes the anxiety/panic go away with no side effects. I like the xanax because I don't have to take it everyday only when necessary.

I experienced the excess energy. It all started with a 24 hour or so panic attack which left me with unbelievable energy. I would get up in the morning and start doing aerobics and would just not tire. It was awful. That was about a year ago. I gained back some of the weight that I lost during that 'ramped up metabolism' time and I'm getting a handle on the anxiety/panic disorder through meditation, education and counseling. This all happened right in the throws of good old menopause. My system is still ramped up but I practice many different relaxation techniques. I have found many books that helped tremendously with the anxiety/panic disorder. I'm working on bio identical hormones right now. This is a crazy time. I have realized that I need a lifestyle change in order to calm down. Whenever I am doing something interesting or fun, I have almost no symptoms. It is only with spare time, usually by myself that the symptoms creep up on me.
Jan

Shawna -

Thanks for posting. I am discovering this from my own experiences. I actually went through a spell in my early 30's with anxiety over some personal stresses but with a little antidepressant and exercise and healthy eating I was back to normal in about 6 months. When this peri stuff started last year I thought okay here it goes again. I tried just the exercise and healthy eating to calm the anxiety but it wasn't working. So I added the AD back in again and still I'm not normal. I told my psychologist how I worked through all the mind games and know in my mind that it is anxiety and all but my body is still jumpy and anxious. It was actually my psychologist who suggested that it could be my hormones!

Bumping this up to add to Medium's post about anxiety symptoms. It's unbelievable how anxiety can grab on and not let go!

Thank you so much for posting this. Reading this and finding that that my weirder symptoms were just part of the anxiety package and not evidence I was losing my mind actually brought me out of a several hour anxiety attack--I could feel the clouds lifting as I read through the laundry list!

As someone who has suffered with anxiety on & off for about 20 years I am very familiar with many of these symptoms, however, when I hit peri at 41 I found that the symptoms returned with a vengeance & I couldn't get on top of them like before.
I have often found it difficult to know what was anxiety & what was peri stuff but as it's all the endocrine system then I guess they impact on each other.
I have read this article before & I think it was very useful to post it here so thanks!
I feel for all of us suffering these horrible symptoms, I have both of the books mentioned earlier & they are both excellent. Have also found books on mindful meditation very helpful too.
Sarah x

Wow this perimenopause really is one big panic/anixety attack. I suffer from anxiety and all my symptoms are off the charts. Thank you for posting this. It gives me some relief.

I tried taking b vitamins like you and the same thing happened to me my anxiety went through the roof. I thought I was crazy but when I stopped taking them i could at least tolerate my anxiety. I really thought I was going crazy thinking how could vitamins make me feel more anxious. I have read that when your body is under stress it loses b vitamins so I thought I would start taking them. So much for b vitamins. Thank you,

oh yeah. i am in peri and have these attacks on and off too. as well as RAGE sometimes over nothing. I am on lexapro, but was really stupid and decided to wean off because i was feeling better. HA! GIANT anxiety attack. and right at the time where i had a period. Imagine that. I go for months without one, and was hoping it was all over, then BANG! anxiety and a period. Like you said, thank goodness for Xanax or as I take, Ativan, it really helps calm me down and feel normal. I started taking the lexapro again, because when i stay on it, it keeps me near normal all the time. I will not do that weaning off again. Of course, i said that almost 2 years ago in a post, because i pulled the same mistake then. hopefully, these painful memories wont let me do it again. This BOARD is wonderful, just to see there are so many of us out there, we are not alone.
that is almost enough to calm me down!
Lots of hugs, because WE NEED THEM!!!!!
Lulubell

several months ago i was taking otc super complex of the b vitamins on the advice of my former dr., I didn't like the way they made me feel (on edge type of feelings). my new dr., said vitamin b6 is known for those feelings. she advised b12 only (injections), which I've been taking for over a month now. I really notice a positive difference. you might want to eliminate the 6 part and see if it helps.

Just bumping this back up so others can see it readily plus printed symptoms for a friend.

Bumping this up to the top.

I had a need to read it today and thought maybe someone else does too.

Why is it as soon as I wake up I can feel the butterflies in the stomach and feel its never going to leave. Can anyone explain it I feel the same in the day but it starts as soon as I wake up

In my case, several things happen as soon as I open my eyes. First, the thoughts start about all the things in life over which I have no control. Add to that the low blood sugar factor and that's enough to get me going in the panic department. Once the panic starts I start to panic over panicking. Does that make sense??

It does what i hate is even though you are trying to tell yourself its ok you don't become convinced you feel like running out of bed but feel too yucky then you feel there is nowhere to go to get away from the feeling argghhhhhh, I hate it my hormones are ruling me at the moment I thought once I had the hormones (patch) all this would stop. i think I need AD's to get through this, I have had HRT for about 6 weeks now. Going to see another dr tonight after work

Denni,
That is exactly what happens to me. I go to bed happy and as so as I wake up EARLY the butterflies are there! I think they live there...Now does it get better later in the evening? When this happens I cannot eat, so needless to say I'm stick thin-not by choice. I would love to eat again like I used to.

hello Shawna9,
I just came across your post and I have to thank you for doing the research and gathering all this info. I have had a lot of those symptoms and they just fell on me at 52 after my period stopped for 4 months. COuld not understand what was going on and then the anxiety took over! I cannot thank you enough as, as much, I do not wish on anybody to be going through those symptoms, it makes me feel more normal now and that I am not dying of some awful disease. The past few months have been really so hard, that I lost 25 lbs (and I usually gain weight, not lose it), which I think aggravated the symptoms even more. Now I am on Effexor and Clonopin and I am doing better.
thaaaaaaank you
Mrsbuff

You're very welcome! I know this list was a life saver for me.

My anxiety attacks started when I was about 37. Hit me out of the blue...one day I was fine, the next my life was never the same. I'm convinced this is when peri started happening for me. I started noticing the anxiety attacks were centered around my periods. I remember telling my sister my periods were kicking my a**! The anxiety attacks lasted about 4 years....and it was a loooonnnnggggg terrifying 4 years. It got to the point where I couldn't eat or sleep. Kept waking up with adrenaline surges, which of course, caused dizziness. I used to get up at all hours of the night and make a cup of peppermint tea (WONDERFUL for the nervous tummy) and sit and read through this list.

It also got to the point I was making myself throw up just to ease the anxiety (which it did). There's something about throwing up that releases the adrenaline in your body. Then I'd get severe shakes and sleep HARD for about 20 minutes. I got down to 115 lbs. I looked and felt terrible!

Anxiety was one of my worse symtoms and I was so happy when someone sent me to the website where I found this information. I still get that anxious feeling from time to time, but I know how to handle it now. I stop it in its tracks before it has a chance to get started. The important thing about anxiety...don't be afraid when it hits. I know it's easier said then done...but trust me. Stay calm, do slow deep proper belly breathing (inhale=expand/fill stomach, exhale=push stomach in...like you're pushing the air out with your muscles, but don't force or exaggerate), and distract yourself with something. I did word search puzzles at the time. The mind can only focus on one thing at a time, so if you can get your mind distracted with something else it will allow time for the adrenaline to release from your body. If you'd had a bad hit...it may take 15-20 minutes. Just try to stay calm and not respike...otherwise, you've got another 15-20 minutes of release time.

Honestly, I'm living proof that you can get through anxiety/panic attacks drug free and with your sanity intact! It's all in how you handle it emotionally. I actually wrote a five article series on anxiety that was published in an online magazine. If anyone would like to read it, send me a private message and I'll send you the link.

Hugs to you all! You rock!
Shawna

Hi

I just read through the list and there is a lot that sounds like what I am going through. The most common one I seem to be having is the lump in my throat. I am always feeling like I can swallow. The doctor tells me it is just anxiety but of course I keep thinking it is something else, something more serious. I have also been having the rapid heartbeat. My doctor put me back on birth control to see if that would help. Things don't really seem any different but I am going to give it three months. I am 48 almost 49 and had tubes tied at 37 so wasn't sure about going back on the pill but thought I would give it a try. She also suggested an antidepressent but that really bothers me because I don't think of myself as a depressed person. I am going to go and see an anti-aging doctor to see what they would suggest.

I have read this can last up to 12 years. Not sure I can make it that long!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Debbie

Until I read this list, I never realized that 'anxiety' could come in the form of all these symptoms. I experienced my first peri anxiety attack at 37 and I thought for sure I was dying. My doctor gave my Xanax and told me to see a shrink since he was sure "nothing" was wrong with me. I'm now 45 on BHRT and I feel I am on the right road to feeling like my old happy, healthy self. Still have days when I don't feel that great and now I see it's anxiety related!

This list has really changed my perception of anxiety since I would sometimes experience the chest and throat tightness on its own, but feel totally fine otherwise. If I wasn't feeling nervous or panicky, I didn't think any of these other symptoms were linked to anxiety. So glad I stumbled upon this list and it helps to read it when I don't feel well.

Would love to hear other's experiences on feeling above symptoms when not feeling "panicky".

Thanks again, Shawna for posting this great helpful list.

Carrie

Dear
Marchgirl'
Anxiety is just so draining and if left un-checked can lead to depression
I live a healthy life style and do not smoke or drink but unfortunately-due to Domestic Issues-suffer from very severe anxiety so I will use a low dose of Xanax as needed.
Have never got addicted or upped my prescribed dose but all the breathing and Talk Therapy just does not cut it for me.
All the Best
Elizabeth