Menopause, anxiety and madness!

[Beelady]

Hi there, I'm 55 and have had irregular periods for a couple of years now. My last one was November. I've noticed my anxiety/panic levels getting worse and abnormal/irrational thoughts becoming much more regular. Bit like when i was young and had PMT which was treated for a while. I thought my current state was down to having a chronic illness which im still struggling to adapt to as its been quite debilitating and im only 2 years in with no helpful meds as yet but I'm starting to think it may be menopausal. Anyway..wondered if others coukd relate and if so if anything you find helpful? Thanks

[jill55]

I had been through the menopause but got thrown back into it after I had a radical hysterectomy for ovarian cancer in August last year. Thankfully it was stage 1a, though I still get checks every 2 months. I can't take HRT or any of the usual suggested herbs as they are contraindicated with cancer. I have been trying out eating milled linseeds as someone recommended them. I get exactly where you are coming from re the anxiety and irrational thoughts they come out of nowhere just like PMT. Maybe worth trying an antidepressant if you can't take anything else. My oncologist says my symptoms should be over soon how likely that is I don't know but I wasn't expecting to go through the menopause again.

[BadHare Ambassador]

Try HRT. Don’t let your GP fob you off with horse hormones as they send menopausal women (more) loopy. Ask for bio identical hormones which are safest.

[nasreentariq in reply to BadHare]

I didn’t go for HRT as I was scared of its side effect. Taking it for more than a year could be cancerous. But now I hvnt had my periods since 2 yrs, so cannot even try

[BadHare Ambassador in reply to nasreentariq]

The new types are less dangerous. I take one recommended by a gynaecologist who uses it herself & prescribes to her sister, then there's bioidentical HRT which is reportedly safest.

I personally prefer the risk to the hell & was in for 6 years, but that's my choice.

[kvolm2016]

I love these boards for the opportunity they give to ask questions like this. It always seems to help to hear that others have similar experiences to ours. Sorry to hear that you are struggling with all of these health issues simultaneously. It would likely be so much easier to pinpoint how to navigate menopause if this were the only factor in your current health equation. Have you had a chance to talk with your medical doctor about the anxiety/panic and your thought of it's connection to menopause? Especially since you mention the PMT in your medical history, I would definitely explore this connection. Are you also being treated for the anxiety and if so, is medication part of that treatment plan? Again, maybe a conversation with the prescribing physician would shed some insight on the menopause/anxiety connection.