Hello all, I am just worrying myself sick these days. I just had 'something' biopsied on my face. A tiny little bump that looked suspect to my dermatologist. Now the wait. I have an appt for my yearly exam next week and think something is going on down below.
My best friend thinks I am going to make myself have cancer if I don't stop obsessing about everything.
I don't want to live like this. I made an appt. to see my therapist. Maybe he can help shed a little light on the subject.
I no longer have insurance, I am unemployed and I am watching family and friends suffer the affects of breast cancer (a survivor of 4 years) and a friend of a friend has stomach cancer and has just had surgery.
Anyway, things will be what they will be.
thanks for the vent.
Senecaguns

I find that getting pissed off at myself for thinking those thoughts helps ..

Oh Seneguns,
Can,t believe you have posted this topic was going to do the same.

Just the absolute pits,my health anxiety is THROUGH the ceiling like 24/7 every twinge and ache I,m in full panic.

Somedays it is a little less but nether the less there lurking in my brain.

Is it a symptom on it,s own OR the fact we have so many strange things going off in our bodies that has started this mind set?
I feel like a hamster on a wheel just going and going round and round with these thoughts.

Bless you for posting this hope you get some answers

KathS

Hey there,

I definitely know about anxiety, especially health anxiety!!!
Started during peri and has become progressively worse through menopause. I do feel somewhat better when I'm taking estrogen, but now even when I am taking it it's bad.
I'm not sure whether the anxiety causes symptoms, or the other way around!
If I'm anxious I lose my appetite completely which leads to some weight loss, then that causes more anxiety ("why the h@ll am I losing weight....I must have some sort of wasting disease" and on and on).
The mind is definitely powerful.
I used to be so carefree, but not anymore......

I can relate to this. I think excessive health anxiety should be a symptoms since so many women seem to go through this. Of course it doesn't help whey eyesight is failing and a tiny bump looks like a life threatening tumor when looked at through reading glasses. I cannot begin to tell you the exotic diseases my mind would dream up and the many times I have "cured" myself of those diseases. It takes a lot of mind over matter to overcome these overwhelming feelings. As soon as I convinced myself I wasn't dying from this particular ailment, another would seep into my mind and my over active imagination went to town with that one. I am 63 and finally I have come to grips with the fact that as I get older, there is always that possibility I will get sick. I remind myself that it isn't "always about me." Others are worse off and seem to cope. I should be able to do the same thing.

Hang in there...it will get better.

Sybille

I think the first part of our life we feel immortal.I remember when I was young looking at my mother in middle age thinking she was a little crazy.She would over react to everything always thinking there was something wrong with her,running from one doctor to the other then never taking what they gave her.But I thought I'll never be like her,if I gain weight I'll starve myself and I'll never get sick because my lifestyle will be perfect.[along with my perfect husband and children of coarse]Then you go through your 40's and you realize not everything will stay the same,I hit 45 and thought what the hell happened?!You gain weight.your kid's become teenagers then peri hit's and your there.Now my mother [75yrs] is comforting me and telling me I'm not dying.Now I want to be like her she's happy and content with her life.I think for a lot of us this is the first time in our lives we have all these strange symptoms and have to remind ourselves though we feel sick we're not which is hard for the mind to grasp.

Hi Senecaguns ......... oh yes,,,,,i am LOADED with anxiety, esp. health anxiety! I do exactly what you do, actually, i think we all do it! The waiting for test results is the worst! During that time, your mind has the time to dream up the worst case senarios! I do it all the time....and it's horrible! You can't sleep, eat, THINK! It is not only debilitating, but depressing! We are now facing our own mortality, and yes, that can be scary. You sort of sail through your 20's, 30's, and even into about your mid 40's ..... you experience your average problems, but you never really think about "death", or age really. You look at "old" people, you know, people in their 40's and over...lol...like us now ......... and you think, they are "old"! lol ...... it's as though, one day, you WAKE UP, suddenly ..... like waking from a dream...... and realize, you won't be here forever, and life is really changing........ your kids are getting older, by now, "life" has happened to your friends, or relatives....... and you're beginning to feel like "when will it be MY turn?" .... i know!

But........then again, we have a heck of a lot to offer. Think about it that way too! We have been through life by now........we've seen a lot, lived a lot, cried a lot, laughed a lot, LOVED a lot (hopefully) and also....lost a lot ....... and we've gained WISDOM.... so......... maybe we're NOT the same anymore, not "ourselves", or what ourselves USED to be ....
but, we now possess wisdom, knowledge, and experience! We didn't have all that, when we were younger.
Now, we "know better",....now, we "look before we leap", now, we THINK ahead! We appreciate life more!
The health anxiety can be very very bad ....... to where that's all you can think about. It is consuming.
Obsessive. I think sometimes, it's the symptoms that CAUSE the anxiety.....other times, the other way around....and other times......just anxiety itself.

You are not alone in this ....... I'm sure you've found out there are better days, and worse days. ... do you have anything for the anxiety ...... I take xanax, and would highly recommend it!

Thank you mydarling and everyone, yes I take xanax only as needed. Half of the lowest dose to take the edge off. Doesn't take much for me (usually).
Here's hoping today is alot better than that emotional rollercoaster I was on yesterday.

You are not alone here, I have the same thing and my poor hubby must be sick of me always having a "new disease". I am tired of it too, but it is hard to turn it off. Also when you are surrounded by many sick people, it's natural to feel that way. You just worry. I know I do. Keeping busy is the best medicine, idle time isnt' good for me at all. Exercise helps too and yes, the xanax does alot for me when I am in the throes of constant worry. hand in there, I , too hope today is better for you. Let us know.

Hi there,

First off, remove hypochondria from your vocabulary......there is a chemical reason why we dread, that is mixed up with cognitive response.....

Also, there is the dread that we experience that is "intellectual"......when faced with chronic physical illness(pathological or not) the body sends warning signals. It is the natural response for letting us know something is "wrong". Whether it is a terrible plight, or a instinctive reaction to feeling sick can only be determined by the process of elimination. If you fear something is mortally wrong, speak to your doc about it.

It is like me with my family. My mothers side has a particularly nasty and aggressive strain of breast cancer. I started mammograms at 31 by the advice of my doctor. It was at this time that the symptoms of peri started, but I was not dx with peri until I hit 35. I remember thinking "i have breast cancer. This is why I feel so sick"......but the mammogram and ultrasound were clear at 31. Now I have to go back in November and I am crapping myself, but it is because I am getting to the "witching age" in our family. I am getting closer to the time that my mother and grandmother got it. So, am I suffering the peri dreads or do I have a valid reason for worrying? I probably do, but I could worry myself IN TO cancer. I also have to have more pelvic ultrasounds, thyroid ultrasounds and so on. I have probably plenty of reasons to be afraid......and I am. But the things I am dealing with will not go away. They are long term maintenance.......so I just try and know them for what they are.

And it matters little whether you think it believable or not.......if it effects your life to such a degree that it is making you ill, talk about it and allay the fear, even if it is just for a minute.......I talk to my fear a lot......I give the fear rights to express itself, to act out, to run amok......but I also speak to it of boundaries, of reigning it in, of being kinder to me........I treat fear like I am in a relationship with it. And a good relationship has all the elements of trust, making each other feel safe, respect, setting boundaries, tolerance, compassion......and love. Fear just wants to be heard, to be validated, to know that itself exists. Acknowledge it, but do not GIVE in to it........softly, softly........and then firm. To deny your fear is to make it stronger, for it will be heard at all costs......so......embrace it. Tell the fear that you know it is there, but it needs to be quiet today......but tell it without anger. Fear feeds off anger. It is not easy to do this. It requires much mental energy, but once you get the hang of it, you will find that most times you can control the fear. And on the days that you can't, forgive it and love it anyway.......put it outside of your body......and let it thrash around till its heart is content (A horse tranquiliser and shot of tequila will suffice......or Benzo's if available )

The thing with peri dreads(for me anyway) is that they hit you with the force of a plank of wood and bring you too your knees, but do pass relatively quickly with no cognitive intervention.......so one wonders in these times of the chemicals involved.....I have my theories but still studying the science.....it is when the dreads go on for days without letting up, that you need some reassurance.

Take good care babe.......it is totally horrible feeling like this.......tell yourself that it does pass.......and get the help when you need it.

Big Hugs,

Michah

I read all the thread and let me tell you I top it all. In the past month, I had blood tests, pelvic ultrasound, chest Xray, stress test, emg, mammogram, OCT and vision field test, !!! MY anxiety level has gone through the roof. Each time my cell rings, I jump thinking it is a doctor's office who has to see me right away (or that I am having a tremor! either way, I panic!). Had a panic attack last week because they had to recall me for more views of my breast (just was begnin calcifications). My best friend tells me that I will have a heart attack if I continue to overreact! then I start panicking at the thought of it. I have been like this most of my life but since I stopped mentruating, it has become WORSE! When I don't worry, I think that something is definitely wrong. My husband is really fed up with me so when I go nuts in my head, I hide from him! I always run those very negative scenarios in my head for every tests I go to! December is a colonoscopy! If I don't worry about my health, I worry about my husband's! He is a heavy smoker.
I keep my worries from my husband as much as I can as his brother died this year of cancer and now his sister, whom I love very dearly (really my closest family here) has just been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer that has spread inher hip and her brain. the last two months have been really awful and I feel petty when I think what my sister-in-law has to go through. Ps has been my lifesaver. My doctor has put me on Klonopin, which has really help with sleeping and not waking up in a panic. I don't know why I obsess like this when I could tell anybody else they are fine but I cannot tell it to myself.
I have also started on effexor today but not so sure about it. Anybody knows anything about it?
Thanks for letting me express myself, it feels good!
they are obviously few of us with the same issues
Mrs Buff

I read this and got so tickled .. I was laughing so dang hard!!

As I read what you were all saying, all I could do is picture myself in my self exam stance every time I take a shower. I look for something to be wrong!! Like I'm expecting to find something!! I do this everytime I take a shower, just knowing I'm going to find something! Then if I find something that is weird .. Oh, Dear Lord I have some sort of flesh eating diease that is going to eat my face off lol. At least once a week I ask my husband to look for funny looking moles or something that looks wrong on my back. Only, now I accuse him of not looking cause he never finds anything!! If he was looking he would find something!!! See, how crazy this is??

This morning as I was trying to get my day started, I got this shooting pain in my left side starting at the rib cage all the way down to my tail bone. I could not sit or lay without it feeling like I had some rupture inside. I wanted to call my husband and tell him he needed to come so he could take me to the emergency room! I started to call, then I told myself this is not happening. It's something simple like gas lol. I have no clue what the crap it was .. it lasted for over two hours, I had tears the pain was so sharp! Never felt that before either. Then after I felt it numbing, I started trying to pull my jeans on and felt a pop like feeling in my eye, my dang eye starting with this twitching thing. It twitched so bad I was going CRAZY!! Almost like a buzzing! I watched in the mirror and could even see my eye twitch! Good Gosh, am I about to lose my eyesight? Then I started thinking how I would ever be able to adjust living without my eyesight? By Noon I was so exhausted with all this going on my stomach was making all these noises from the stress. I have not been able to eat anything but a few crackers all day long! This has gone on all day! Tonight, at least I don't have anything going on at the moment .. but if you'll give me an hour I'm sure I will find something else that is about to freak me out!

I'll tell you this sure does make me have much more compassion for people. Not that I've not always had compassion but if you have never been sick before in your life you really do not know what it is like to live with constant fear and worry. I fell almost frozen, where I want to get up and do things but for what ever reason it's like I have super glue on my butt and it is stuck to the chair, couch, bed or where ever. Does anyone else ever feel that way where they feel almost unable to get up to do the simple things we used to do every day? I'm gald my husband knows me, I've never been a lazy person. Why am I so stuck and unable to function even doing the most simple things?? Who know's??

Lord, have mercy on us all !!!

Vaylorie

Oh Vaylorie - your post could've been written by myself virtually word for word. I have felt everything you have described. I have to keep talking to myself and saying 'you are fine, you are fine you are fine'!

I have been to the drs so many times this year that I feel sure he will tell the receptionist to tell me he has too many patients to see that day and he doesn't have any space to see me lol!!

Whenever I am feeling worried I always come on ps and can always find someone who can reassure me.
Keep posting
Hugs

Jackie

Hello-I need to start practicing more mindful thinking. Live in the moment. PS has just been a really great place to be able to come to for this reason, to find reassurance and I missed it when I was without a computer.
Thank you all again for everything.
Senecaguns

this forum has helped me so much... ive had the anxiety..panic attacks...dying of every known disease..weird feelings ..dizziness..off balance...numbness in my bum, hip and thigh...you name it ...im still here and seem to eat fine...i keep trying to be positive but i know its not easy...im homesick for my family...i feel alone...hubby doesnt know what to do to help me...i wonder if i will ever feel normal again and then add the on and off spotting and you have a wreck...thank God for all of your kind words that help me feel im not alone in this.

Everything you said above is me. I basically haven't left my house except for maybe 10 times for short periods of time in the last 3 months. My bed and I have become quite close. My husband is an angel and just let's me go through this hermit stage I am in. I am lucky in that our family is a go with the flow kind of family. I have someone come in once a month to thoroughly clean. My hubbie does dinner (sometimes I do, but, rarely) and dishes. My son does his own laundry (we all do, although me less than everyone else, lol) I was on Lexapro up until 3 days ago, and it really helped with the health anxiety/GAD and the obsessive thinking, also lost my cravings for sweets, didn't lose weight (wasn't moving much) but didn't gain weight either. However, because of the lack of motivation after 3 months I decided to try another AD (Pristiq) and we'll see how that goes. It's day 3, a bit of dizziness and slight slight headache but the fogginess is lifting a bit. The jury is out on this med. We'll see. All I know is I feel like the "Year of the Frump/Hermit" needs to come to an end. Seriously, I am becoming agrophobic and that is not how I want to spend my days, in apathy and uninterested in doing anything but sit on the computer or watch TV. I want to interact with the world again. I have been off work for 3 months (disability) and at this point can't even imagine going back yet. I emphasize with all of us in this boat. It s#cks big time!! Take care all, Mich

All I can say is that this is the way I am of late too.
I know I am sane but then I get stuck thinking one thing and then another and I wig out.
I have had some major health issues in my life and in those of family members.
I do know it happens. I just don't want to brush what I feel might be something aside because I don't want to be a burden to others.

Hi There. I am new to these boards and happened across them while googling for menopause and wierd thoughts! I am 43 yrs old and had a hysterectomy when I was 28 for cervical cancer. I have always been happy go lucky, the life of the party type girl, until the last few years. With recently getting worse and worse. It seemed after my mom died in 2005 I have been on a downhill spiral with doom and gloom thoughts or obsessive thoughts about dying or if and when Im going to! If I drive will I get in a car accident..pain or headaches can it be a tumor..you get the picture. I was usually able to knock them out of my head before making me a basket case. But the past few days have been an increase in anxiety for me.

The past few months or so I have been having terrible stomach issues which seem to get worse when I am stressed. I have off and on diarrhea, colicky stomach pain, gas, burping, etc. All gastro symptoms. Now I am certain I have stomach cancer!! SO that is making me completely stressed out to the point that I lose my appetite and can't eat, which in turn makes the discomfort worse! Oh, and Im completely stressed and freaked out about Swine flu!!! I am sooo afraid I'm gonna get it, get super sick and possibly die. UGH

I am beginning to wonder if I am in menopause? and it's increasing my anxiety issues?! I am waking up with cold/hot sweats..increased anxiety..incontinence while sneezing, etc...no libido..on and on. I dont want to be on meds because I am afraid I will have a bad reaction..its a terrible viscious cycle for me. Does anyone have anything to shed on this? I am trying to keep myself occupied or deter myself when I feel a bad thought coming up, but sometimes I lose the battle.

Hi slo66,......welcome!

Yep it totally sounds like you are coming into this time of your life......as we are all going thorugh it to some degree......you are not alone!!

Just a thought, if you start a new thread on what you are experincing, you will more responses......and more lovely ladies to talk to

Take good care,

Michah

slo66 I'm glad you found this board. It is nice to know that we're not the only worriers on the planet. There are alot of great people here who have had alot of experience with all the things you described. Take your time in reading all of the threads.
I hope you find some answers and solace on PS> everyone is so helpful and inspiring.
Senecaguns

I also have this anxiety, a hyper vigilance about any little ache, pain, or twitch. I thought I had colon cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer and uterine cancer, all at the same time. Then I would try to pull myself together . I'd tell myself that there is no way I would have ALL of these cancers at the same time. Then I would think, "but wait, what if it has metastasized to everywhere?" Then all of the symptoms would go away and I would forget about it until the next round. (Various doctor visits confirmed I am healthy).

For several years a had what felt like a lump in my throat. I had various tests, including an endoscopy, and nothing was found. I got to the point that I was afraid to swallow unless I had chewed and chewed my food-then it was so mushy that I couldn't swallow it-the texture was too disgusting. I was convinced I must have throat cancer (why do we always go there?).

I am so glad I found this board. This is my first post but I have been reading it for months. It has gotten me through many a sleepless, worry-filled night.

Mindtrick Welcome,

So nice to hear from you!! Bless your heart .. I so understand the fear! It's life changing huh? Nothing in your life stays the same when you walk down this road! Fear becomes so many different things and then I tend to keep it all bottled inside because others do not seem to understand. Of course, that makes it a hundrend times worse. Sometimes I wish I would just blow up and be done with it lol. Has your throat cleared up? Ohhh, I know you must be so tired of all of this!! Be good to yourself and know it's okay to say .. I need to talk!! It really does help! Glad to have you with us .. ever Sister matters to our hearts!!

Hug,
Vaylorie

Thank you for the warm welcome.

Yes, my throat issue did clear up for the most part. It lasted for several years though. I started getting better when I started on Paxil, so I think it must have been due to anxiety.

I have been feeling good for the last couple of weeks, and I try to remember that when the anxiety kicks in. But just as I have begun to stop worrying about something, some other random symptom pops up. It is a constant converation with myself to keep balanced.

Again, I'm reading your post and feel like crying. It's all about me. I was fine for about two months and I'm back again at the state of complete disaster. My health anxiety is enourmous. I know it's peri and I also know it's because my very close friend has been recently diagnosed with a very advanced colon cancer.

But still I can't help saying to myself that it isn't only my hormones. I do have some physical symptoms. For the last two-three weeks I've been having slight discomfort in my left lower abdomen. I thought it must have been ovulation, maybe an egg struggling to get out. I went to gyn and he told me that he didn't think it was an ovary as I didn't feel any pain when he touched it. He sent me to have a pelvic ultrasound and it came ok, well not quite as the doctor discovered a small fibroid (1,4 cm) in my uterus. He also touched an ovary and it didn't hurt but at the same time when he turned the sonda leftside I could feel the same discomfort. Another thing is that comparing to my last year ultrasound, also pelvic one, both my ovaries grew over 1 cm and are now about 2,7 cm.

I can't sleep with anxiety. Why did my ovaries grow if they barely function. I have irregular periods for over three years now. I'm almost 45.

Can this discomfort which I feel even now writning this can be because of a fibroid?

And one more thing. On the day of my gyn visit, after he examined me and the next day I had some brownish mucus. I thought that it was my period starting but no. Could it be the result of the examination?

I'm seeing my gyn again today and I'm going to ask all those questions to him.

I desperately need some reassurance.

I apologise for my English. It is not my native language. I'm from Poland.

Hi
I know you feel frightened and unhappy because your friend has been diagnosed with cancer. These things cause anxiety and stress. Stress upsets your hormones and hormones produce many unpleasant symptoms. My mother had fibroids and although they were a nuisance they were harmless. Irregular periods indicate you have functioning ovaries and doctors are still often puzzled by the actions of the female body during peri menopause.
Most things that we fear turn out to be less frightening when they are confronted. You have a gynaecologist -if I were you I would take a list of questions to ask him
good luck
Louise

My dear Irena
Sometimes crying can really help in letting out your feelings.It is really very natural to feel sad and anxious especially about your dear friend.There is always hope though as my Mother had advanced Colon Cancer at age 80 and is now cancer free at 84.It was difficult but she always kept her cheerful spirit.
I have had fibroids removed on at least two occasions.Yes, they were big boys and did cause discomfort and some bleeding so please try not to worry to much about this.
However do go to the Gyno.And as Louise mentioned write down all your symptoms so you dont forget anything
Hope all goes well
Prayers for your friend
All the Best
Elizabeth

You are always the voice of reason Elizabeth. Thank you for your calm and reassuring demeanor.....:-)

Thank you all for your kind, reassuring words and prayers.

I've seen the gyno and he said that everything is fine from his point of view. I did asked him all the questions. He said the brownish mucus after examination is very often and he showed me how long a stick he uses to get a sample for smear test is. He also said that for the last few days every single woman has been complaining about low mood. This fall in Poland is very grey. I can't remember when the last sunny day was. He told me there is an option of HTR to help my anxiety but as there was a breast cancer in my family (my mother's sister) I don't want it. He told me about soy isoflavonoids (by the way, for the last two weeks because I was away from home several times I kept forgeting to take my NOW FOODS Menopausal Support, could it have such an immediate effect on my anxiety?). He also suggested vacation in Egypt or any other sunny place at this time of year

Still, I have no idea what causes this discomfort in my left down abdomen and still I am scared. The whole day I've been almost numb with fear. Now it came to my mind that maybe it has something to do with urinary infection? I'm already tired with doctors and labs. But I have to see a GP to try to find out what it is.

Thank you again. What a wonderful place this site is. You make it wonderful.

Irena

hi,
For about 10yrs+ now there has not been 1 day where I have not felt like I was dying of some horrible disease or
prayed and wished that I would. I had every test in the book, studied spirituality, took all kinds of medicine , potions and
remedies. I did cleanses. I practiced yoga and Qigong. I walked. I ate right. I even consulted the Tarot....lol
There is no magic answer or pill to completelyease the ravages to womanhood that menopause inflicts upon us.... it affects and taxes every system and organ of the body to one degree or another....it's a miracle we can survive the onslaught....so all of us here are indeed heroes!...we will and do survive menopause even
if at times it feels like is insurmountable....
There are better days ahead for all us...I just don't know when...

be well

Thanks Soul Survivor,
I needed to read this tonight. Just a very bad day with all kind of negative thinking and weird pains and tingling. Oh, well, you know what I am talking about.
I really am hanging on to the idea that "there are better days ahead " as today was really really bad!
Just awful when you seem to be lost in a tunnel with no light in sight. I hope you are now seeing better days.
take care
Mrs Buff

senaca...just wondering how the biopsy came out and how you are doing.

kar4242, I wasn't the one for the biopsy. I think someone else made an appt. for one. My symptoms are still aggravating. I had a couple of days when things went pretty good, and still feel better for the most part. I will say that my tinnutis is really bad lately.
I am still limiting my sugar intake to almost none, and bread-well I fell off that wagon.
This worrisome, worrisome cr@&!!
Senecaguns

Hello Seneca,
those awful feelings. Well, I am back with them too. Those creepy feelings came back this week. I was feeling good for a while and thought that the meds were working but alas, not for long. I am lucky I have a friend whose has gone through lots of testing and she never worries. When things really go bad, I phone her and she puts me back in the right direction. Only for a little time, I get back my sanity. But the horror!
I hope you are having a better day today. I am working on blocking any negative thought on disease. My tinnitus is back as well since last night and I have a migraine for the past 2 days but when I start going to my bad place, I start focusing on my next vacation or something positive and keep repeating the thought over and over. It is time consuming and exhauting.
take care, dear Seneca

Thank you, MrsBruff, well I finally just made an appt. and they are seeing me in the morning. I am so beside myself. I have something going on with my thyroid. I need my numbers checked. Ever since I was over at my friends house this past weekend I noticed it. Please keep me in your thoughts.
I can't stop crying.
I keep thinking that I should give it a few more days, but it is best to know.
Senecaguns

hi
my probem is more that i have mental desease and less physical deseases. sometimes i think i am bipolar, then i think i could have major depression, then it is panic disorder, then it is PTSD, etc. i know i have anxiety and experienced panic attacks in the past but i doubt i have all these conditions. i am taking 10 mg of lexapro with konapin as needed. It helps a lot but i am having a bad day today. Does anybody know the biology of these obsessions during menopause? how do hormones kick in these obsessions? Besides mich do other people take an antidepressant? can anybody relate to my symptoms? thanks

My dear Mrs. Buff
These feelings do have a nasty habit of popping up!
I come here onto the Forum to get reassurance!
From what I know tinnitus can be very disturbing
Hope you feel better soon ,my friend
Warm Hugs
Elizabeth

Dear 'praia'
Sorry that you are going through this bad time.It is both exhausting and very upsetting but yes I have been there.I do believe a lot of it is related to fluctuating hormones,
I take Prozac 20mgs and yes it is effective but of course each person's reaction and the dose they need will vary.Before I started on the AD I was like a nutcase!Honestly!
It may be the time to discuss your Meds. with your prescribing Physician and tell him all your symptoms.You might possibly need to up the Lexapro or try something else.
You are not alone,my friend
I could write a book on my anxities and Phobias.Intellectually I know they won't really hurt me but they leave the mind very tired and drain your energy.
So make that appointment and see what can be done
Will be praying for you
God Bless
Elizabeth

Elizabeth
Thank you for our concern. i think lexapro has worked really well. i dont really want to change but i may want to increase it. On the other hand, i started lexapro about 5 weeks ago and i dont think i should have one bad day here and there color my overall improvement. anyway, you are always so kind. thank you
praia

thanks for your warm message. We are all in the same boat aren't we? It makes us feel better and sad at the same time when we know that one of us is having a bad day. I went to my doctor's yesterday and she has changed my meds to Cymbalta. It is supposed to help as well with body aches and tingling. Time will tell if it is working. Effexor was not the best for me; she believes that it was causing the migraines.
Mrs buff

How are you doing tonight?
Those crying spell are just the worst. I am sending all the best energy I have and hope that you are feeling better.
take care
MrsBuff

[quote name='praia' date='Nov 19 2009, 01:05 PM' post='319654']
hi
Does anybody know the biology of these obsessions during menopause? how do hormones kick in these obsessions? Besides mich do other people take an antidepressant? can anybody relate to my symptoms? thanks

Hi Praia,
I wish I could help you. I just know that I used to have anxiety but it became way worse when I stopped menstruating. I can intellectually understand what I am doing to myself but emotionally, I am going just nuts. I feel some days that I will not recover from the bad spell that I am going through. today was a better day but I don't trust the nights. I take klonopin too but it is addictive and my doctor want me to stop gradually to take it. Meds help but they are definitely not 100%. Thinking that you are bipolar is another symptoms of us thinking about all the diseases possible that we have because of anxiety!
take care
MrsBuff

mrsbuff
thank you for your reassuring words.

hi
Does anybody know the biology of these obsessions during menopause? how do hormones kick in these obsessions? Besides mich do other people take an antidepressant? can anybody relate to my symptoms? thanks

Hi Praia,
I wish I could help you. I just know that I used to have anxiety but it became way worse when I stopped menstruating. I can intellectually understand what I am doing to myself but emotionally, I am going just nuts. I feel some days that I will not recover from the bad spell that I am going through. today was a better day but I don't trust the nights. I take klonopin too but it is addictive and my doctor want me to stop gradually to take it. Meds help but they are definitely not 100%. Thinking that you are bipolar is another symptoms of us thinking about all the diseases possible that we have because of anxiety!
take care
MrsBuff
[/quote]

Any med we take can have addictive properties. Shoot, if I want to get off my AD I'm going to have to wean off slowly and will probably have side effects. If you can take Klonopin (xanax, ativan etc) responsibly and it helps you I don't understand why Dr.s cut you off at a certain point. The drug is there to help if it's helping and your not abusing it they should let you keep taking it. I take 1mg of xanax each night to sleep. I have no need of it for anxiety anymore (knock on wood) as the AD has helped me so much with that but I need my sleep. As it is I go to sleep at 1:00 or 2:00am each night. I refill my Xanax prescription once a month and use it as pursuant to the directions. I will fight tooth and nail for my right to take whatever med works for me. Some people do better on a benzo 3x a day to control anxiety then they would do on an anti depressant, yet, the Dr. is afraid to RX it for long term use. I'm sorry I don't get it. Maybe I need to be educated more on this.

yes we are all in the same boat and it's called the Titanic....lol
It boggles my mind as to how many women are going through so much suffering with so very little real solutions....everyone here has tried
a host of meds and alternative remedies and yet nothing seems to actually work in the long term....hope you and everyone feels better soon...

be well

Dear PSers', I had my dr's appt this morning. I am now on medication, and since I just started I don't know what to say about it other than-thank God he didn't see what I thought I saw as far as my throat issues and thyroid. He recognized my depression right away.
I am blessed to have him as my GP.
I am also to start using nasonex for my sinus drainage and nexium for my acidic stomach issues.
Also, taking something for my hbp. I fought that as I didn't want to have to take high blood pressure for the rest of my life. If I can lose more weight maybe I won't have to. We will see.
Thanks for your support and well wishes,
Senecaguns

So pleased for you Senecaguns,such a relief for you.

This health anxiety just is the worst,mine,s pretty grotesque at the moment,keep trying to bash it down,but I,m not winning.

And as MrsBuff said it feels like you are never going to recover from it.

And be free of the obssessive thoughts,it,s like being in a very bad dream.

Hope everything keeps looking bright for you Senecaguns

And hoping all you ladies are having a pleasant day

KathS

Dear Mich
I also find it rather strange that ADs are almost thrown at us ladies but Xanax has some Doctors making us feel like junkies.These anti-anxiety Meds. were created for a purpose and if people feel relief and gain an improved quality of life then all well and good.
I also feel that responsible well educated ladies like ourselves are well aware of taking only what is prescribed and not using it for any abusive purpose.
As you said all Meds. can affect people differently and they may find that something works whilst other Meds may have no affect on them or make them feel awful.
I think it is not us that need educating but some Doctors.There are Psychiatrists who know their patient well and do care.They prescribe when it becomes obvious to them that anti-anxiety drugs will improve the quality of these particular people's lives
Anyway just wanted to let you know I am as confused as you!
All the Best
Elizabeth.

My psyche Dr. RX's my meds for me. I go outside of Kaiser for this because they won't even go there re: meds. All I kept hearing is Xanax is addictive, xanax is addictive....hello... if you have a propensity to addiction... ice cream is addictive... give me a break. My psyche Dr. the last time I was in mentioned (after I asked for another RX of Xanax) that it was addictive and I straight out told him that the AD he prescribed me was in it's own way addictive as far as me having to withdraw from them when and if I wanted to discontinue using them. I said what's the difference? If both were helping me then it should be my call. It wasn't like I was making him write me more than 1 RX a month. I said is there some rule that you can't RX this med indefinitely? He said "no". I said they manufacture this drug (xanax), it's not illegal and it works. I realize you can build a tolerance to benzo's, I get that, but, I don't call him frantically asking for another RX sooner than 30 days. I said it helps me sleep. I don't get that hangover feeling when I wake up. I don't abuse it. He chuckled and wrote me the script. So there you go. They need to treat patients individually and use common sense. Obviously if you have a patient who comes in and seems all "tweaked" out then as a Dr. you need to address that. A drug abuser is a pretty obvious thing most of the time. I do know that pill abusers can hide it sometimes pretty well for a long time. But, that's not my problem. Have a good day. Mich

Well, I spoke too soon. This .5 mg of lexapro is making me feel so bad. I just have no tolerance. I hate to put myself through this right here at Thanksgiving. It's not my Dr.'s faught(sp) either.
I have such an aversion to ssri's. So was going to start with the other stuff in the morning.
I thought I had found my answer.
S'guns

How exactly are you feeling? Is it that unbearable? If you can hang tough and give it a little more time it may help you. I was on lexapro started at 10mg for 1 week and upped to 20mg, it helped me so much with anxiety, obsessive thinking and doom and gloom thoughts, I was on it for 3 months. The only negative thing I found was that I was still unmotivated and laying around in bed 24/7, I wasn't really depressed but didn't have any get up and go. The side effects didn't last that long. Do you have Xanax or something to help you until your body get's used to the Lexapro? Or are you absolutely sure it won't work for you? I switched to Pristiq 5 weeks ago and I'm much better, its a bit more energizing for me than the Lexapro was, at first it felt so weird to me. However, here I am making plans to visit a friend up North for 5 days, planning a 90th birthday party for my FIL in January and hosting Xmas Eve at our house this year. I've been a hermit for 5 months. I am starting to answer my phone again. I am handling health issues a bit better too. Right now I am having heart flutters, the famous tingling all over, goosebumps, floaty head syndrome and I'm okay. Got a bit of anxiety but quickly handled it and calmed down. Was able to remind myself that I have had these symptoms before. I hope this continues. I can't say I didn't have a few days of anxiety here and there when I started this AD, but, I took a xanax as needed to get through it. I know AD's aren't for everyone, but, I know there are a lot of success stories with them. It's a matter of finding the right one. I hope you can find something that works. Consider giving the Lexapro more of a chance, unless of course you are just not feeling it at all.

Take care,
Mich