Menopause Support Group

I am in peri-menopause but I also have panic disorder. I have this alot. I notice when I have the hot flashes whether or not I am in a panic attack it will cause me to feel anxious. Usually when I have a hot flash I have a fast heartbeat too so this may be the case. Deep breathing helps.

I also have panic disorder and I find the best thing for me to do is take deep breaths..drink something cold and refreshing....just hang on mentally and tell myself this is going to be over with SOON.

In December it will be two years since my last period. I guess I'm totally in menopause now. I haven't used hormones and I'm doing okay...one day at a time!

I have experienced this phenomenom too ... sometimes with the sweats, sometimes without. Waking up suddelny and overly anxious was one of my first symtpoms of perimeno ... it completely shocked me and made me wonder what was going on! These episodes seems less frequent. I think, but am not sure, that i have learned to go ahead and get up, get a few things done and work with it. However, if there is somethimg going on in my life that is bothering me, the middle of the night anxiety can come back. Good luck!

I pray alot, and have learned to work through the adrenaline rush as soon as the anxiety begins. I either run or do sit-ups or go walking or bounce on the trampoline (yes even in the middle of the night). It usually goes away for awhile if I don't let it build and build. It is usually the daytime anxiety that bothers me more, although I didn't have any with my period this month. YEAH!

Hi I'm new to this forum and would like to add my experiences as well. I, too, have anxiety attacks at night especially around my period. My heart rate picks up and sometimes races so fast that I have to get out of bed and drink water and/or take a beta-blocker that my cardiologist prescribed just for these instances. I also take Klonopin twice a day to help with the panic disorder. Recently the heart racing has been accompanied with hot flushes and sweaty palms and feet. I'm learning to breathe deeply and pray alot! Just knowing that this is what most women go through has helped me to accept my circumstances, not get so anxious and have a more positive attitude. We'll get through this :)

Yes!!! I thought I was the only one going through this. I was diagnosed with Panic Disorder in Jan. '07. Not long before each period (I'm 43 and peri-menopausal), I'd wake up drenched with a night sweat and have an overwhelming anxiety or panic attack. I think the extra drop of the estrogen before this time has contributed greatly to this. Sometimes I wake with a night sweat and only have a racing heart and no panic. But it only happens at around the same time each month and in the middle of the night. If it's really bad, I take a low dose of xanax, listen to a quiet Christian CD and do breathing exercises till I'm able to drop off to sleep again. It's good to hear that you're not alone in this, huh? Do you have a good doctor you can discuss this with? I've opted to not go HRT because of previous breast biopsies, but it may be something you could discuss with your ob/gyn. I hope this helps you.

After herbs like black cohosh and kava, I finally opted for an antidepressent and mild sedative. And to help me slepp sooo much better, I take a melatonin every night. I was taking valerian root, but still had night sweats, palpitations, and choking dreams. Once, I dreamt I was choking on a turkey...not a piece, but the WHOLE turkey! Talk about waking up with anxiety! ha.

I started going through perimenopause at 43.
Middle of the night anxiety was the worst part of it. Waking up with a thumping heart and an intense feeling of fear was almost crippling.
I started taking Estroven and that helped with the hot flashes and papitations. The anxiety was relieved with 5HTP which I discovered 6months later.
It's been a year and a half since my last hot flash and about a year since I have had a major hormone related anxiety episode.

Add me to the group of night suffering. I will be having a perfectly great day, be sleeping like a baby and wham! Wake up 2 to 4 am a different person. I am downright dangerous sometimes.
Can't tell you all the concocktions I've tried over the last 8 months. I've about tried it all herbally only to have them backfire and make matters much worse. I'm looking to RX medication now because this has worn me down to 108 pounds.

PamSue, I'd be courious to know if you get a daytime episode in the future. Mine started out only at night and then continually increased to some days. Its totally unpredictable at this time.

Hi I'm back. I have some questions to ask Beesoo. What is 5HTP? I'm also wondering if there are natural remedies for the anxiety and racing heart? I exercise regularly and don't drink caffeine. Is there anything else I should be doing? I would really like to wean myself of the Klonopin (.05mg 2x per day). it helps with the panic attack symptoms that come mostly around my period. My Ob/Gyn has me on a low dose estrogen gel and now wants to put me on progesterone. I really don't want to begin all that HRT stuff since I have heard bad things about it. Ladies, what are your comments? I also was wondering if any of you suffer the monthly ins and outs of anxiety, diarrhea, constipation, gastrointestinal problems and occasional waking up with racing heart and wanting to "jump out of your skin"? All this is besides the major attacks around my period that may last 4-6 days.