I have this anxiety most of the day and into the night. I can't pinpoint it's origin really, because it isn't a result of a situation or a fear. Seems to be from a physical source. Just have anxiousiness for no apparent reason. However it makes me feel restless, shakey inside, and very "fuzzy' headed and gives me heart palps. I just hate the feeling of this "unwellness". Does anyone else experience this? Thanks.

Hi Judy--Yep. I had a few months this spring when I would never know if I was going to feel crawl-the-wall anxious or fine any given day. It wasn't my situation or even anxious thoughts--it just felt like storms would blow in and out of my brain. I felt like a hollow shell--I crept around like I had become fragile, or I would pace around my house or backyard (lucky we have lots of trees to hide from the neighbors!)

I think it adrenalin on overdrive, or cortisole--some hormone like that flooding the system. Xanax worked to calm down the panic and now I am on ADs and bcps (I'm 45) and feeling much better--haven't felt like that in months. I am sure it was hormones as it kicked in about the time I noticed other changes--insomnia, irregular periods, etc etc.

If you nose around on the boards you will find lots of talk of this free floating anxiety--it is horrible to live through, but very common.....

Absolutely!!!!
I feel this way more often than I would like. I constantly look for a source of my anxiety and it usually comes back to perimeno!!!! Aint life grand?!

You are not alone and I hope that you find lots of support and help here.
Hugs to you,
Jeaninne

Hi,
Yes, I feel your same feeling everyday! Adrenaline, nervousness, anxiety on a regular basis. Never felt this until I turned 48.... Peri is not fun!!! On the flip side, I have met wonderful women that help me get
throught this everyday. Thank you to my friends...

Love Kim

Yes, yes, yes.... I have this too. I have no "reason" to be anxious, have a wonderful family, husband and job, yet I have days where the anxiety is intense and debilitating. I hate it the most. I am now on Zoloft, xanax and and seeing a psychiatrist. I believe the xanax heleped tremendously. I am definitely beginning be be able to pinpoint it to about day 3-10 of my cycle as today is day 5 and I feel terrible, although the anxiety is not as bad due to the xanax. I have a pack of Yaz that I am going to try this month because I truly believe it is hormonal and I want to stop this crazy rollercoater! I know exactly how you feel. Anxiety s@cks!!!!

Thanks for sharing! I don't know where I'd be without the PS sharing community!

Hugs to all!

Judy

Yes i had felt that way its miserable. And once in awhile still get the nervous feeling. but since i been on zoloft and xanax i feel way better:) Your not alone. Hope it goes away soon for you. Terry

as my mom would say" does a bear s-h-i-t in the woods"

I remember how relieved I was when I found these boards and realized that, No I wasn't once and for all going completely crazy but was experiencing something other women were coping with too. Better than Xanax! Just having an explanation (eg hormone wackiness) for why I felt like I did was a huge relief.

Often when i get anxiety out of the blue i end up having a hot flash soon after....sometimes up to a half hour later...now that i know what to expect,the anxiety doesn't get the best of me.

Since my hyster I get these often almost on a daily basis to some degree, and like you there is no reason for it, you can do the simplist thing and get them I,m trying to control my thoughts and breath alot when they happen just remember as awful as it is it won,t hurt you and it will go away.

I loved coming home from work and enjoying a glass of wine while preparing dinner but......now is seems that wine or other alcohol ramps up the anixety. Anyone else experience this?

A big UNFORTUNATELY yes!...I love a glass of wine when I am preparing dinner, but have found that it brings on some anxiety....my worst anxious times are at night, especially just before bedtime......which is why its the pits that my husband is away a lot recently, because it triples my fear.

...and I am 2 years post.

My anxiety is the highest at night too. Seems to start late afternoon and is it's highest around bedtime! I just hate it. Can't even "talk" it down...it's just uncontrollable.

No more wine for me either. Big BOO HOO. Any alcohol now causes my heart to beat fast, and when I lay down to sleep at night it feels like it's going to beat out of my chest. Had 1 glass I think maybe at the beginning of July. Tried chasing it with ALOT of water thinking that would dilute the effect but it did not. I had one beer in June. Not one drop of alcohol since. I miss it. I love a beer and I love a glass of wine in the evening. Can't believe all we have to give up just to TRY to feel better.

I felt repelled by alcohol for a while and my glass of white wine stopped having a relaxing effect. I am now able to have a small glass of white wine once in a while--a big victory against peri

Great thread! It is interesting that so many people have their worst icky feelings at night-- I'm a morning gal myself! I tend to wake up with that free-floating, no-real-reason anxiety and then after I am more "awake" I feel a bit better and more grounded. I have found that labeling it helps: "oh, I am having my usual morning anxiety now" kind of thing. I have been experimenting with turning on a light and sucking down my coffee a bit faster to speed up the process, lol!

I am learning to see this cr--p as a part of me, kind of like an uninvited guest that shows up at your front door regularly and you just have to be civil to and serve tea nicely to and hope they leave soon!

I guess I should try that. I ususally call the anxiety a bad swear name and try to slam the door in it's face. I'll try being a little more friendly!

I feel like this all day, every day, for a long, long time now. My medication isn't working that well either. It's just horrible feeling like this. Hope you get some relief soon.

You said...I have no "reason" to be anxious, have a wonderful family, husband and job, yet I have days where the anxiety is intense and debilitating.

I could have said the same thing before starting bios. With my hormones balanced out, this all changed. I have not had a bad day since Jan. of this year. Hormones are amazing!


The yaz does seem to have a lot of bad press and sides. Many that have tried it on this board did not do well on it. Perhaps you might ask your doc to prescribe bios? I am on continuous BHRT. I am still in peri and have periods.
The hormones completely balanced me out. I feel great!


With needed hormones, you might not need the xanax. ?????


You might give yaz a try and consider changing over to bios???? If you doc is not familiar with them, a compounding pharmacy could provide conversions and education.

I have read so much, that I would not consider doing synthetic hormones.
Of course, I don't like any meds because they seem to have so many side effects. I still can't believe that I am on bios!

Just keep reading....

Shebee

I could have said the same thing before starting bios. With my hormones balanced out, this all changed. I have not had a bad day since Jan. of this year. Hormones are amazing!


The yaz does seem to have a lot of bad press and sides. Many that have tried it on this board did not do well on it. Perhaps you might ask your doc to prescribe bios? I am on continuous BHRT. I am still in peri and have periods.
The hormones completely balanced me out. I feel great!


With needed hormones, you might not need the xanax. ?????


You might give yaz a try and consider changing over to bios???? If you doc is not familiar with them, a compounding pharmacy could provide conversions and education.

I have read so much, that I would not consider doing synthetic hormones.
Of course, I don't like any meds because they seem to have so many side effects. I still can't believe that I am on bios!

Just keep reading....

Shebee
[/quote]

Hi Sheebee--

So you are on bios but still having periods? Do you have to keep adjusting your doses? I like my GYN and am doing pretty well on bcps but of course like the idea of something tailored to my individual situation and more natural. I am sure my doc would be clueless about bios....

Hi Sheebee--

So you are on bios but still having periods? Do you have to keep adjusting your doses? I like my GYN and am doing pretty well on bcps but of course like the idea of something tailored to my individual situation and more natural. I am sure my doc would be clueless about bios....
[/quote]


I am in Peri and am still ovulating and having periods. Since I am on continuous BHRT (Estrogen & Progesterone taking it at the same time). my periods are suppose to shut down. They have not stopped yet, but the are light. I do adjust the amount of Testosterone that I use sometimes. The regiment that I am on is an very different from most women on this board, so I may not be the best one to ask for advice.

However, in saying that, I have noticed that I really feel wonderful. Many times, I have noticed that women have to adjust their bios.

If you call a compounding pharmacy, they will be able to tell you what doctors in their area prescribe bios. My doc ob/gyn is an expert in bios and have been using them for 15+ years. He uses the hormone test as a reference, but will treat for the symptoms. Because I was having debilitating migraines, I take extra Estrogen in injection form, too. This has worked great for me. I have been migraine free since starting on bios....and I might add completely symptom free, too. (...and I had almost all of the meno symptoms.)

I liked my other doc, but he was also clueless about bios. Since I did not want to be experimented on at all I found an expert. He is worth his weight in gold!

Shebee

I too think any docs in my area would be cluless about bios! Evey doc I've asked about testing hormones says "we don't test hormones in peri because they fluctuate too much." I had a long conversation last year with my midwife who was doing my annual for me. She is a wonderful gal and I thought she would be totally on board with the whole peri discussion but she actually told me that "we don't treat menopause as a disease process anymore and throw meds at it". I was shocked! She actually told me that it is normal to feel more tired as we age. I live in Maine and went to Women to Women. That practitioner told me the same thing about testing hormones. She was all about saliva for cortisol (which mine was low) and food testing, then pumping me up with expensive supplements. I have not been back after 2 visits. I work at the hospital and work closely with our docs there. Happened to be in one docs office one day as he was working on a message from a patient, one who had watched that Oprah show (the one with Robin McGraw) and she wanted bioidentical hormones. He quickly started to write for Premarin, I said "dont' give her that one, that's the one they make from pregnant horses urine!" I just looked at me like c@ap, which one an I supposed to give her. They have no idea! I really don't either, so bcps seemed to be the easier route, since we all know what they are and how they work. I'm only 42 with regular periods so I figured if I could get relief I could buy myself 10 years. The easy way out it guess. Anyhow.... I'd be shocked to find anyone around here who knows about bios.

I think the pendulum has swing too far...No, of course we shouldn't be treating every woman with hormones at menopause so they can stay "Femine Forever" as the old book said, but some women like me need a little help. Are we supposed to not have medical care during childbirth because it is a "natural process" too?

Yes! Just a little help is what I'm after. Not fun to feel like c@ap 2 weeks out of every month. You know, back in the day when you had to deal with cramps for a couple of days, yah, it was ok to s*ck it up and deal, but feeling like you're losing your mind, are shaking out of your skin and need to run out of work screaming every day for days on end is not acceptable. Oh... then it happens all over again the next month! I just want to feel a fraction of normal.

LOL! Believe me...I needed a lot of help. The bios gave me back my life. I am an the run all of the time, now.

My family is amazed at the difference. Because I was suffering, they were, too. My poor family had to pick up the slack.
Can you imagine having your mom laying in a closed dark room for at least 10 days out of every month? (because of migraines) I could not stand noise or lights. All my symptoms were hormonal. If I did not find the right doc, I would have been placed on daily migraine meds (serious side effects) and probably put on ADs.


Docs love to use Ads just so they can get rid of us, whining, meno crazies. I just sure of it! LOL!

Shebee


...and my hormones were all over the place. I was both Estrogen deficient and Estrogen Dominant at the same time. My hormones were all over the place. With the continuous BHRT, my mood is stable, and the meno symptoms are kept at bay. Personally, I don't want to live like I was before the bios. My short term memory was so bad that I could not even remember what I read at the beginning of a paragraph.

Looks like my memory still needs improvement. Now I am repeating myself! LOL!

Anxiety is my first sign that it's time to get out the progesterone cream.

I seem to feel better just being able to see the monthly ups and downs. I don't freak about some wierd feeling if I can look at last month's calendar and see that the same thing happened. Things do change from month to month, but I still see some patterns and it helps. When I had my first ever anxiety issues in March (along with thyroid problem) I thought I'd never feel better again. Well, I do feel better...not perfect but certainly ok. I guess I still have anxiety...I don't really feel anxious like earlier in the process but I think there's just some underlying dull anxiety that's always there. I describe it more like tension. For me, it's mostly that I'm ultra-aware of my heartbeat! Crazy. I have that same reaction to alcohol now...pounding heart...so I avoid it-Sadness:( And of course that 'heartbeat in my head' thing is pretty much always there. I'm still thinking it's something in my neck...but that could alll be tension, too.

Lynn I hear you about the "underlying dull anxiety that's always there. I describe it more like tension". I had a bad week with anxiety (same days/pattern as last month!), not quite as bad as last month,but it was there and then just some intense tension. Sometimes it's in my face, neck, head and sometimes a pit in my stomach. I woke up at 4:30, immediately had the huge stomach pit and again when I got up at 7:00. It s#cks being at work when I feel like that, but I just kept telling myself "you're gonna make it, you're gonna make it". Like a mantra. So... ultimately I guess it does feel a little better just knowing it's a pattern, but I still think it feels like the pits!

It's definitely the 'pits'! I hate the fact that I'm always thinking about it! Always questioning...what could it be? Peri? Everything can't be peri...must be something else! No, it's just peri. I'm pretty much having this running conversation with myself all the time which of course encourages anxiety. That's what I mean when I say it's always underlying. I can honestly say I haven't had any huge 'attacks' except for those few weeks in March...it's just been lurking...tension!

Amen to that!

Yes, always having a conversation with myself too... I totally hear you... is it peri, is it hormones, is it anxiety, is it depression, why am I so tired, I think there's actually something physically wrong with me. Then... maybe I'm having a few good days and think "I'M CURED", I'm never going to feel like that again, I'm myself again. Then, boom, it comes back and the crazies start all over again. What a life!

I am so glad that I found this site. This is my first post. I have identical symptoms to many of you. I wouldn't wish this stuff on anyone but it truly helps to know that there are others that understand what you're going through. I had a panic attack (although I didn't know it at the time) in my mid 30's and then things were fine for awhile but now I think peri/hormones are causing things to act up. I was seeing a psychiatrist/neurologist/pharmicist for years but he just closed his practice -- he was great because of his background and he also counseled during your session with him. I think the thought of having to find someone new is part of the anxiety I'm experiencing right now. I just want to feel normal again.

That's exactly how I get. I will have about 1-2 weeks of really good feelings and say to myself (I wouldn't dare say it out loud or I might jinx myself) I feel great and I'm so over this and then I wake up and there it is with no trigger. It stinks! Don't it?

GETREAL!

I am just like you, a morning girl. I wake up usually around 4-430am with the fluttering in my chest and just full of anxiety. But now that I'm getting used to it, I just talk myself out of it. I'll lay there and say this will pass. I'll have a nice easy day at work and come home and relax. It will be a good day! Soon I'll start to calm down and maybe fall back asleept until it's time to get up at 630am. Other times I'll just get up and watch morning news and drink decaf coffee.