anxiety

[emerald1967]

hi everyone ive had a tough few months with my anxiety. it mostly comes on me at night last week my heart seemed as if it was missing a beat and i ended up going to hospital i had full bloods done a chest xray i was put on a heart monitor for a couplr of hours and every test was clear. i cant seem to relax at all and its really getting me down. i feel as if im going to stop breathing and im more noticable of my heart beat lately. i cant seem to see a light at the end of the rainbow my doctor prescribed me lexapro 5mg but im so hesitant to start taking it. i like to go out once every two weeks for a few beersand its my only outlet at the moment but im told you cant drink once taking lexapro its not that im more worried about a few than my health its just about the only thing i look forward to. my doc wont give me relaxers because she says there to addictive im taking vitiamin b and evening primrose and starflower oil tabs i was diagonozed with peri menopause 3 years ago and my doc wont give me hrt because she says i dont need them im 44 years old and i would do anything to feel better is there anyone out there that can advise me on any other meds or anything that will make me feel better im so depressed at times and cry for the least little thing i just want to start feeling normal if thats possible.

[emerald1967]

hi there thanks for the reply. i have not got a echo done on my heart just ecg tests and monitor on my heart for a few hours. i have tests done regulary for the past 12 months and all is clear. i am only experiencing the heart flutters in the past month. if feels as if my heart is pausing for a split second last week i had it for 7 hours. my doctor has told me its all anxiety related brought on by peri menopause and she tells me im depressed.she wants me to start the lexapro as she feels its the answer to all my problems. i am still deciding to start today i just dont know what to do

[miche31263]

Gosh, you sound like me 5 years ago.   I am now only 40, but about 6 years ago I started getting all the symptoms you described.  I knew something was wrong with my heart, it would start racing, it would start fluttering.  They did blood work, ekg, chest xray, holter monitor.  Nothing showed up.  FINALLY, they did an echo and another holter and it caught pacs, pvcs and a run of svt, but it was over 3 years of testing.  They still said it wasn't anything serious, although, it doesn't feel good.  I take Propanolol for the fast heart rate, but it also helps the pvcs too.  I also started on Lexapro.  I think it took 3 months before I had convinced myself that I wasn't going to die.  Then I did very well for the next 2 years.  Slowly it seemed the Lexapro wasn't working much anymore, so I tapered myself off this Spring.  I think I should have upped instead because I had a huge panic attack 3 weeks ago, and have them daily since.  It started over me going to the Dr. for an ear infection and the walk in Dr. said she could hear a very loud murmur and told me to see my cardiologist.  I freaked because my original primary never said anything.  So I got a copy of my echo that was done 8 years ago. They didn't tell me on my echo that I had a trace of tr and mr with maybe mild mvp.  So when I went and seen my primary last week I was bawling and hysterical.  She said she can't hear anything and went ahead and had an echo done on Friday for me.  I am not besides myself waiting the results because my Dr. was gone on Friday so I won't know until Monday!  But I know the tech told me she could see some tricuspic and mitral regurgitation, and wasn't sure about the mitral valve prolapse.  So I have read all about having mitral valve surgery.  I started back on Lexapro the day I went to that walk in, so today would make day 9, and still, I'm not feeling good.  I don't want to live forever wondering when my heart is going to get bad.  I too am just hiding in my house scared.  I know I digressed from helping you, but I did once sit in your shoes.  Take the Lexapro, we'll start it together, I'm only a week ahead of you.  It isn't going to hurt you.  And did she do a stress test or an echo?  Usually if they did that and nothing shows up, your ok.  Or a 30 day event monitor.  I'm sure they are just those annoying pvcs, which really trigger around our monthly period.  I got the Mirena put in 4 years ago, and it took my periods away completely.  I seriously don't now why, but it was the best thing because the pvcs got much better without the period.  My Dr. said no periods were a common side effect of the Mirena, so I'm going to keep re-doing it all the way thru menopause.  Take Care, Michelle  

[emerald1967]

i forgot to say i also feel that my worse moments are when my period is due

[emerald1967]

hi havent been on this in so long basically im still sufffering very badly i cant seem to get better i have has tests done 2 weeks ago my heart my chest my bloods all clear yet again. there seems to b a different sympthom every week i have heart flutters feels like my heart is pausing well it actually is. i cry very easily and dont no why. the least little thing annoys me my hot flashs have decreased as im taking sage tablets which were recommended to me and i find them fantastic for my hot flashs the minute i open my eyes in the morning i fear getting up as i dont n what lies ahead as im just so sick of feeling sick. i have myself convinced i have a illness that my doc is missing. i stay in bed until late afternoon and i have feelings of not wanting to carry on. i just want to feel better. my doctor is still adamant to start lexapro which i havent had the courage to start yet as i keep telling myself i dont need them and am very scared of side effects.ive told myself i will start them tomo but am unsure. i no im depressed and very anxious and have only felt really bad in the last year im over 3 years in peri menopause with no relief. if u can suggest anything i would be truly grateful.      kind  regards to all who replied to my post

[Seocf69]

Emerald, you sound exactly like me!! I am a 42 year old female in peri-menopause. I do not have hot flashes, but I do have horrible anxiety and depression. I saw my regular doc, a psychiatrist and my ob/gyn. No one could help me. I tried Zoloft, Paxil, Lexapro and Lamictol. Nothing worked.

Finally I started to journal my symptoms and found that they were somewhat cyclical with my menstrual cycle.

Please, please consider taking my advice and find an ob/gyn who thinks out of the box and is knowledgeable in bio-identical HRT. I can help you find one if you'd like. I say this because I did it. They checked my hormone levels and they were very, very low. I then started getting bio-identical hormone pellets. It has not been easy finding the right dosage due to the fact that I am still cycling and my hormones fluctuate, but I have to tell you that I feel SO much better than I did. I was not functioning very well at all and now I am living my life again. I also see a Chiropractor, it helps. I also found a new family doc who ran lots of blood work and found that my B12 was too low, my vitamin D was very low and my HDL (good cholesterol) was very low too. All of these things can cause anxiety and depression. I now get monthly B12 shots, take a mega dose of vitamin D that the doc prescribed and take coconut oil every day for the HDL. As a result of these things combined with the bio-identical hormones, I feel the best I have felt in FIVE years!!

Please feel free to contact me if you'd like. I am very passionate about this because of how much I suffered for so long and how much this has helped me.  Medications, in my opinion are not the answer for women like us in peri-menopause. Hang in there. There is hope, I promise!!!

[nursegirl6572]

Getting a 2nd opinion, from an OB/GYN is a good idea.  Since you're experiencing many symptoms that are typical for both hormonal imbalances AND anxiety, it would be good to sort this out and figure out what is the cause.

In the meantime, it will not hurt you to start the Lexapro.  Actually, it would probably help you in the long run and it won't interfere whatsoever with finding out if a hormonal imbalance might be the primary issue.

As far as worrying about some other medical problem, reassure yourself that you've been thoroughly assessed and given a clean bill of health.

That's my advice...seek out a 2nd opinion from a GYN and start taking the Lexapro as instructed.  Let us know how you're doing!

[MyLittle1]

Wow, I'm sorry, you're describing what happened to me in April except they found I'm not pre-menapaual. I also had chest x-rays and KEG's done on my heart because I was having a panic attack. I too didn't understand why?.. I have two daughter's a wonderful husband didn't think I was under any king of pressure on my day to day basis. Apperently my therapist is telling me I have Post traumatic Stress Disorder. Things from my past are coming back and taunting me. I know many people that served in the war get this sort of disorder, but I never have. I have had some pretty traumatic things happen to me that I had stored away. You should go see a therapist or counselor. If your dr. isn't giving you answers then switch and go to a second oppinion. Go see your Gyno, it doesn't hurt, I think it's good that you try in every form and way to help yourself. I'm going to see a Chiropractor this Friday and am going for accupuncture on Saturday. I don't want to believe that I'm going to be like the for the rest of my living days either. I have two children that I want to see grow up. I know you desire that too. Think about them and don't let yourself drawn in this. You're going to be better soon. Open your mind to everything that can possibly help you. Don't think of all that's happened to you in the hospital, think about how you're going to overcome this thing and look foward to being better. :) You can get natural energy also by getting out and just take a long walk. I hope this helps, I'm sorry you're still not feeling well. I wish you well and hope you feel better soon. Keep in touch. I would never think you're stupid, I know how it feels and I'm still here trying to over come this along with you and many others on this forum. Hang in there, God Bless you.

[emerald1967]

today i felt exhausted and weak and have been thrown on my chair for the past 3 hours please dont think im stupid by saying this but i cant understand if it is anxiety that is doing this and if im honest i fear everyday now cos i dont know how im going to feel and my biggest fear is a illness that their not finding its less than a month since i had full bloods chest xray put on a heart monitor and all was clear in fact every visit to the hospital and my g p is always clear i dont have anything bothering me to make me feel anxious i work part time i have a wonderful partner and three great kids i have absolutely nothing bothering me and yet i am drained . some good days some bad. i even had a mri scan on my brain over the dizziness and headaches. my doctor says im in peri menopause almost three years now. i havent had a period since the 1st week in march she says i dont need h r t or relaxers that i need this lexapro im considering going private to a gyno to see can she help but i dont know if thats a waste of time its just so frustrating but thank you for your advice

[MyLittle1]

Going back to you asking if anxiety makes you have those symptoms of feeling drained, dizzy and hot flashes. The answer to that is yes, unfortunately that's exactly how I felt before I knew I had to start treatment. That's what is called an anxiety attack where you need to lay down and that still doesn't make it all better. Anxiety and depression cause these symptoms to your body and mind. 5mg of Lexapro is actually very low, I'm at 10mg and like I said, you will feel better eventually by seeking some help or something to help you with your anxiety and depression either be meds, or meditation relaxation classes. Those are also often recommended. Also, my therapist told me to take daily walks for no less than 30 minutes a day and that seems to help. I wish you well and hope you feel better.

[lynn57]

You really need to discuss menopause with a gyno.  Your hot flashes and difficulty sleeping could be attributed to a hormonal imbalance.  If this is the case,  Effexor XR is a popular SSRI used for menopausal symptoms.  Don't know why that one in particular.  Also HRT can be all that is needed for some women.

[emerald1967]

hi my little one thanks for your comment the only thing i take is evening primrose oil and starflower oil to help with the flashes i havent tried lexapro yet. have had lots if tests done and my doc says its all anxiety as all tests ruled out anything else i just dont understand why i feel so drained most of the time and generally feel anxious i dont know does anxiety cause these sympthoms and convince myself they are missing out on something and i have some other health problem i just find it so hard at the moment to even imagine that i can start to feel better in myself

[emerald1967]

hi lynn i suffer from hot flashes regulary difficulty sleeping and often feel quite drained and dizzy to the point where i have to lie down to feel better not all the time i could actually go for a week or two feeling great and then have a really bad week

[MyLittle1]

I am actually taking Lexapro and I do drink a cocktail here and there and I'm fine. I think as long as it's not all the time and not too much you'll be okay. I actually think Lexapro was the right SSRI for me, I've been off of it w/out a problem and just recent went back on since my anxiety started coming back. Now, what I'm doing differently is getting counseling for my anxiety. Last time I just let the meds help, but wasn't getting treated. Make sure you seek other help and not just rely on the meds for a permanent cure. Like everyone said, there are other things you can do to help your self. Good Luck and I hope this helps you. Make sure you start Lexapro slow as the Dr. will indicate. You'll feel better soon after taking it.

[lynn57]

Gynos are a lot more in tune with female issues.  Peri menopausal women can definitely have hormone related anxiety.  I would definitely give the Lexapro a try, though.  The worst that can happen is that you have to stop it.  Do you have hot flashes, night sweats or anything like that?

[emerald1967]

hi lynn57 ive never tried any meds for anxiety. to be honest my doctor is adamant that i start taking lexapro as for hrt she wont prescribe it for me, i havent had a gyno evaluate me as i dont have a gyno i feel stupid saying that but i will look into making a appointment with a gyno im ashamed to say i didnt know i can get a gyno to evaluate me, when i feel ill i just go to er or my doc and its always the same story theres nothing she can do for me only take the lexapro i have even considered changing my doc thanks for your reply

[lynn57]

If you won't try a new med then you'll never know if it helps.  Most SSRI's recommend that you do not drink with them, however an occasional cocktail is usually tolerated just fine.  If therapy sounds better to you, try that. How can your doctor tell you that you don't need HRT.  Have you had your Gyno evaluate you for that?  They can be a big help if you have an imbalance.  Hope you get help.  Might be wise to look for a new doctor if you can't get some answers, but first you need to try that Lexapro!