anxiety and age related or hormonal

Last year I was a huge mess with anxiety.  Found a dr. who ran blood work and found my hormones to be way out of balance.  I had a complete hysterectomy back in 84.  I've never had a history of anxiety.  The anxiety got better as soon as I started a new hormone replacement therapy.  But the anxiety is still there - just not as bad.  Hard to breathe, heart racing, nausea, etc.  I have valium to keep me calmer.  The one Dr. I saw I asked her about the anxiety and she said that this is as good as it's going to get and when we get older, we just don't handle stress like we used to and she suggested zanax and I told her I already have valium and she said, "oh, that's fine."  But that I was hoping to not need valium in the near future but she didn't think so.  Now this other Dr. who I saw for my hormones said that he felt that I might get better as soon as my adrenals get back to working normally since everything was so low and just about not working.
How do you guys feel about all this?  Is this as good as I'm going to get or could I get back to my normal self with the help of my hormone replacement??  

[marymagdeline]

Hi, I'm a nutritionist.  Not a nurse.  However, I DO believe that you can get better.  In fact, I'm certain of it.  That is nonsense that we don't handle stress as well when we are older as when we are younger.  Pure nonsense.  Also, valuim is a muscle relaxer. It's a sedative.  From what I have been told by others, zanax works better for anxiety.  You might want to experiment and see which drug helps you the best.  Get a script for the zanax and take it now and then when your feeling those symptoms of anxiety.  And if you feel better than you did with the valium, stop the valium.  Also, once the dr says that your hormones are now balanced, if you still have anxiety, go see a phyciatrist and have HIM evaluate you to see if you need an antidepressant.  You may jsut may need one.  Good luck!

[dolphin845]

One thing I will NOT do is take an AD.  I've tried several different ones and I got just about every bad side effect possible on them.  Made my life so much worse.  I'll stay on valium if I have to.  Side effects never went away either - I truly wanted to die when I was on them so it's a no go with those.
I don't need valium very oftten - it just depends.  Maybe once a week to once every two weeks.  It is getting better from last year - which is GOOD.
I'm hoping once my hormones are balanced I will feel more balanced.