Hi

I"m sorry but I'm going to loose it. Today I had this sudden feeling from down in my stomach of like anxiety with out the heart rate going up. I also had the sudden feeling like I wasn't getting enough air, and kept trying to take a deep breathe, then some tingling in my finger tips and feet and like I needed to be around people so I didn't freak out. I'm so tired of all this and Im angry that the doc can't figure this out. I was on compounded prog cream for a few months that had testosterone and prenegnalone in it. Then I went to the doc last week but they didn't refill anything just said hormone testing had to be done because I was bleeding every two weeks. I know on my last saliva test they said my estrogen was to high and my progesterone was nothing and that this can cause cancers, and now no progesterone. I suppose knowing this is worrying me. I have to say I am at mid cycle and have been charting things for months and notice at mid cycle I feel worse and have anxiety more, but this panic feeling I don't like. I'm tired of being scared all the time, waiting for something awful to happen. Which one of these hormones creates this feeling, can someone please tell me. I need alittle help right now.

Thank you
Patty

I used to feel like that before I started low dose birth control,the one I take has more estrogen than progesterone.I hope you feel better soon.GOD-bless

Yes, those were some of my first symptoms too... along with the rage and the oh, so often sighing. I use to catch myself sighing all the time. My Dr. put me on low dose Birth control and within days the rage went away and then I did begin to feel better, i later have gone off the BC and on to HRT. I'm sure I'll be one of those who stays on BHRT for a very long time. It's just too hard otherwise.

Blessings and I do hope you find something that helps you. If not hormones then I would suggest a very clean diet. No sugar or processed foods at all. Lots of vegetables and at least a soy burger each day.

Hi,
just wanted to say that I used to have more anxiety symptoms like panic attacks, palpitations & feeling apprehensive around mid-cycle too, I think this is pretty common.

You probably already know this but the air hunger means you're breathing too shallowly-high up in the chest rather than abdominal breathing & taking deep breaths sounds like you were making this worse which then would cause the tingling in your fingers & feet, this is just hyperventilation which is very uncomfortable but can't harm you.

The hormone causing this? Adrenaline although I know you meant oestrogen or progesterone! I think that what happens is that as your oestrogen stores run low your body uses other organs in the endocrine system that are also capable of producing some oestrogen such as your adrenals but unfortunately you also get adrenaline released at the same time.

I used to get all of this but now I rarely experience any of this stuff & no I haven't used any kind of hormonal supplement, I have seen an excellent therapist who has helped me to see that living in a fearful/stressed way for years had caused my body to create an anxious physical state. Then when I hit peri my body just couldn't cope with both of these at the same time so I got strong anxiety symptoms & strong peri symptoms!

It did feel like I had no control over any of this but once I accepted that I was partly creating & maintaining the symptoms by how I reacted to them everything started to calm down & now I am a much calmer person & can cope easily if any of these symptoms do flare up which is rare these days.

You can feel better but I know feeling helpless & hopeless when these symptoms hit just releases more adrenaline.
Hope you feel better soon!
Sarah x

I soooo needed this reminder today, thank you Sarah. For many months the terror has been gone but lately it is back - mid month too as usual. At first I try to ignore it but anxiety, persistent little bugger, eventually gets me down over time. I need to remember to accept and let it go rather than listen to it's nasty fearful messages.

I've been experiencing a lot of anxiety in the last 2 years. I've always attributed it to work, or family, or the death of my father, or a bad day.... It's only recently that I've realized that, yep, it's another symptom of menopause.

But, I think I've found a way to make it less dramatic. I just keep telling myself that last night, last week, last month....... they're gone. Today is what matters. Live in and for today. Deal with what's happening now, and try to not let past events affect what I'm doing today.

If I can keep this up, it might just keep me sane a little while longer.

Dear 'CAMO4'
I really wish this would work for me.I have tried the breathing and letting the anxiety flow but unfortunately often end up taking a low dose of Xanax when it is really high.
Logically I really believe that your attitude is very healthy but emotionally I just do not seem to be able to sustain it.
Have read lots of Self-Help books.I do Yoga and eat sensibly-except for some chocolate now and then so cannot understand why I do not have more of the ability to calm myself down.
Sometimes I try to be philosophical and think my brain wiring is faulty and that I need the extra help.
Anyway thanks for listening.
All the Best
Elizabeth

But, if sometimes nothing works but an occasional Xanax, when the anxiety is really severe, I think you should go for it. I just think menopause is such an unnatural state for us, that we need to address the issues and deal with them as best we can right now, until we get through this stage.

You're eating right, getting exercise, and gaining a greater insight about your anxiety. The Xanax is just one more option, another way to help yourself right now. It's not going to cause a problem in the future, it's not illegal or really dangerous. It's just a little help when you need it most.
Sometimes, I wish I had something like it.

Take care!

Hi
I too have been suffering badly the last month or so, my blood tests came back I had these done because they thought I had fibromyalgia all the results are good but what was wrong was the dose of my HRT I was on Estalis 50/140 my anxiety, my zest for life everything you could imagine my back was killing me and the feeling in my arms and legs got worse I was starting to think that I was going to be put away,
I thought that before this that it couldn't get worse but it did because the HRT was at the wrong dose and the dr wants to change it slowly she has put the patch up to 50/250 and said that hopefully I will see an improvement in 2 to 5 days I also have to take Valium as a short term solution until the hormones are sorted then I guess I will have to go on AD, I never had much trouble while I was getting a period every 6 months but as soon as I stopped getting my periods the ugly monster rose from nowhere, get it addressed before you get to where I am that is what the dr said ,they should have addressed this while I was peri but drs come and go in your life and they all have different ways of approaching things, like I was told by a locum dr shop around and find a dr that knows how you are feeling and will get you on the road to feeling normal. This is the worst part of life and I will throttle the person that said life begins at 40 I am 52 and I haven't seen it yet.

Denni
Please may I come and help you to throttle!
You really made me laugh!
Seriously I really do hope you have a great improvement.
Warm Hugs
Elizabeth