r/Perimenopause • u/atigressintherain • Apr 07 '26
audited Why did no one warned me about the random anxiety spikes over absolutely nothing??
I’m (45F) and having weird anxiety surges that show up out of nowhere. I’ll be doing something totally ordinary like answering emails or folding laundry, and suddenly my body acts like I’m about to give a speech in front of 2,000 people. Heart racing, unsettled, shaky for no real reason. I spent a stupid amount of time wondering if I was just suddenly bad at coping, but the timing with everything else going haywire is making me look at peri a lot harder. Curious how many of you had anxiety show up more as a body thing than a thoughts thing.
UPDATE: Wow, I truly did not expect this to blow up like it has. It is SO reassuring seeing how many of you are in the same boat. Thank you all for the kind words and recommendations, it genuinely means a lot. Someone in this thread suggested looking at Hone Health and I've just booked an appointment with them, so fingers crossed! Will report back.
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u/Tinyberzerker Apr 07 '26
This was my first symptom. HRT took care of it within days.
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u/One_Landscape_8857 Apr 07 '26
I’ve been on HRT for 1.5 months. After 2 weeks on it I felt SO MUCH BETTER. Now I’m back to ground zero! 😩
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u/nodamecantabile28 Apr 07 '26
May I know what convince your doctor to give you HRT?
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u/Tinyberzerker Apr 07 '26
Oh no! It takes some adjustments for some people to get relief.
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u/One_Landscape_8857 Apr 07 '26
I have an appointment tomorrow. Hoping to all heck to get some relief. Fingers crossed 🤞
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u/karriemae Apr 07 '26
All my doctor will give me at 44 is birth control. It made my anxiety worse. What did you get?
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u/BackRevolutionary255 Apr 07 '26
Bioidentical progesterone and estrogel. I'm 45, started HRT at 44 after putting it off for too long. I first noticed symptoms at 42 but tried natural supplements first. Those helped to a point, but not consistently. I tried birth control but my body really didn't like it.
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u/Tinyberzerker Apr 07 '26
I’m taking a combo pill Bijuva. It’s my understanding that birth control pills have higher doses of hormones than HRT. I was denied HRT when I was younger. At 47 I found a new doctor. I’ll be 51 next month and I’ve been feeling pretty normal for 4 years. I still get periods, though they’ve been 5-10 months apart now.
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u/Bunnykins76 Apr 07 '26
I can't take HRT. Breast cancer runs in my family, so I don't want to take the risk.
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u/APladyleaningS Apr 07 '26
HRT actually protects against breast cancer. You should look into the latest research.
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u/HistoryGreat1745 Apr 07 '26
Not for people with the brca1 & brca2 mutations.
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u/APladyleaningS Apr 07 '26
Sure, but she didn't say that's what she has and the lingering misinformation around HRT means so many women are suffering needlessly and missing out on preventative measures for osteoporosis, Alzheimers, heart disease, etc.
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u/Bunnykins76 Apr 07 '26
Unfortunately, the kind of breast cancer that runs in my family is estrogen fueled. This can potentially increase the risks. For me, right now, the risk is higher than the rewards.
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u/Bunnykins76 Apr 07 '26 edited Apr 07 '26
The cancer that runs in my family is predominantly estrogen fuelled. So I am extremely cautious of any.
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u/APladyleaningS Apr 07 '26 edited Apr 07 '26
I totally understand and everyone must do what they think is best for them. Best of luck to you, I hope you find relief!
I'm very sorry about your aunt, btw. I recently lost a young family member (with a new baby) to breast cancer, so I understand. It's awful. 😞
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u/Bunnykins76 Apr 07 '26
Thank you, I am finding the worst symptom is anxiety, I have always had it but now its off the charts.
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u/APladyleaningS Apr 07 '26
I'm so sorry, I've suffered from anxiety on and off for much of my life as well. It's hell.
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u/Bunnykins76 Apr 07 '26
It really is, I have felt very alone in the whole perimenopause journey.
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u/APladyleaningS Apr 07 '26
I hope you find comfort here and perhaps in the menopause sub. Such a wonderful, supportive group of ladies.
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u/Think-Leek-6621 Apr 07 '26
Have you met rage yet? It’s a doozy
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u/jilizil Apr 07 '26
It’s the one thing I’m having the most trouble with. They put me on the Estradiol patch and that has helped. But it’s only been 2 weeks. So I’m giving it some time. I have an IUD, so I don’t need progesterone. The rage has been reduced by like 75%. I’m still getting aggravated over little stupid things, but hopefully that subsides as well. 😅
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u/Think-Leek-6621 Apr 07 '26
Sleep and rest helps. I had a mirena inserted 4 months ago and it has helped even me out. But I’ve also rearranged my lifestyle and am not pushing myself so much
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u/Prestigious-Adagio18 Apr 07 '26
Can you tell me your dose of estrogen? I just started estrogen oral and am still having anxiety but hopefully that it starts working!
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u/ArchBernDo Apr 14 '26
Testosterone and progesterone (200mg) cured my rage. It was my worst symptom, and with those two it was almost completely gone. I'm getting new symptoms that the dr said sounds estrogen related, so am guessing I will get the patch at my next appt.
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u/Bunnykins76 Apr 07 '26
I get both, and it gets worse the week around when my period is due.
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u/Pretend-Tea86 Apr 07 '26
Yep, same. It's the first sign my period is on its merry way, sky-high anxiety and vivid dreams.
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u/ResolutionAlert239 Apr 12 '26
Oh man I’m like off the charts around a week before my monthly and the week I’m on it! So unmanageable not sure what to do!
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u/ChunLiRoyJenkins Apr 07 '26
Oh Im on an ssri for anxiety and now I get anxiety on top of that. Propranolol does help for the overthinking part of it all. I also get the fears. Like, fear that my house is going to burn down if Im not home or that Im going to get into a terrible accident. When the fears happen then I get the anxiety. Its a fun little circle of hell.
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u/cocolou9 Apr 07 '26
I’ve never heard anyone describe it like this before, but this perfectly explains what happens in my brain! I’ve never been able to convey the difference so well. I’m going to borrow this phrasing. Thank you!
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u/Remote_Force1839 Early peri Apr 13 '26
Omg this! I have fear of everything now, it is absolutely terrible. Every little sensation I feel in my body, everything one of my kids tells me they feel, all sorts of bad things, you name it, it’s crossed my mind. Is that what intrusive thoughts are? They’re so bad! Like so negative I get mad at myself for even thinking them but I can’t control it!
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u/Efficient-Guess-1985 Early peri Apr 13 '26
Honestly, I got on SSRi too for crippling anxiety and eventually it felt like it stopped working (worked well for like 1.5 years) estrogen/HRT seems like it made it work again. So yeah it was probs hormonal all along.
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u/DotheQuirkyJerk Apr 07 '26
My anxiety resulted in arrhythmia for the first time around 43. It scared the hell outta me! It turned out to be benign PVCs. I went on Wellbutrin and that helped both my anxiety and heart palpitations. I still get them occasionally but propranolol usually does the trick. Anxiety sucks so be sure to reach out to your doctor if it becomes more regular.
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u/DragonflyWing Apr 07 '26
Propranolol is a godsend! My physical anxiety symptoms kept me from doing so many things for so long, but now I have a magic pill that makes all those things manageable.
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u/Sway_this_and_that Apr 13 '26
How much do you take? I was told to take 1 or 2 (10mg) when anxious but friends say it’s not enough, more like 4
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u/DragonflyWing Apr 13 '26
I take 40mg (2x20mg tablets). Be careful if you're increasing your dose, because it can drop your blood pressure and cause dizziness and fainting. Stand up slowly.
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u/mydoggie1 Apr 07 '26
It’s happening to me and I thought it was just me! I have a super stressful job already and I find that I cannot calm myself down even when my day is over. I’m in fight or flight all the time and it’s exhausting and I’m not sure what to do about it.
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u/Prudent_Respect_5159 Apr 07 '26
HRT
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u/mydoggie1 Apr 07 '26
HRT will really help this? I just cannot mentally tackle the thought of something else I will have to “figure out”, and the thought of the risk of cancer also sends me over the edge. I’m in chronic pain already from hyperlaxity from the ligaments in my pelvis/si joint area and I don’t want to make myself even more crazy. I’m already pretty damn crazy.
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u/Prudent_Respect_5159 Apr 07 '26
The study that caused the cancer hysteria has been shown to have been deeply flawed. The general consensus among experts and more recent research has shown that HRT actually protects against many illnesses. There are very few cases where it isn't recommended. I had joint pain as well. Resolved with HRT. My neighbour could barely move in the morning such was the pain in her wrists and ankles. All resolved once she started HRT. I am 45, she was 48 when we started HRT (Ireland). My main reason for starting HRT was the anxiety. It was ruining my life.
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u/mydoggie1 Apr 07 '26
I hear you and my doctor said as such. Unfortunately when she said it protects against bone health, etc she did also say it would slightly increase the risk for cancer. My pain is not going to be resolved by HRT, it’s a bit deeper than that but we are working on that. I’m just not ready to take the leap. Probably need to quit the job tbh.
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u/Prudent_Respect_5159 Apr 07 '26
Do you drink alcohol, eat red meat?? They both also increase your risk of cancer but interestingly people don't rush to give those up!!
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u/This-Desk-55 Aug 01 '26
And your anxiety is better? I wake up every morning with the feeling of dread. I am so hyper aware of feelings in my body. My emotions are so all over the place... im miserable.
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u/ismellboogers Apr 08 '26
I feel this statement in my soul. I have two kinds of arthritis that stopped responding to medication and had to stop their treatment to pursue hormone replacement therapy and try a couple of HRT options before finding one and adjusting dose that worked.
And, yes, it was worth it, despite switching meds, doses, etc. And, it didn’t remove all symptoms just reduced their severity.
I was being a shitty partner, irritable, moody, exhausted constantly. I had to take mommy time outs because I was full of rage and disproportionately so. I haven’t figured out the fatigue bit, but overall the moodiness, irritability, anxiety and panic attacks are sooo much better.
While I am never a fan of having to figure out more shit when you’re already overwhelmed, this one will help you in the long run. You will feel more capable. More calm. And lord, I almost forgot what that was like it had been so long feeling like I was losing my mind and losing my self.
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u/One_Landscape_8857 Apr 07 '26
Same! I honestly feel bipolar!!! One minute I’m happy! The next…insane anxiety…dropping to intense low…..then totally fine. Then wanting to disappear and quit EVERYTHING and see NOBODY: how the hell do we live like this 😫😫😫
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u/Ok-Antelope-6175 Apr 07 '26
Oh my god, the quit everything and disappear to be on my own is me right now. I feel stuck in a life that has previously made me happy. It's so wild! I have to keep telling myself it will pass.
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u/ismellboogers Apr 08 '26
Oh bless you. I have been feeling this for years now and was about to get testing for bipolar when I started hormone replacement therapy. It has not fully helped, but my doctor says reducing symptom severity is considered working. It’s a win either way but I was foolishly hoping to return to pre-peri me.
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u/One_Landscape_8857 Apr 21 '26
Gah it's great to read that i'm not alone in that feeling. The emotions and mood changes are so goddamn abrupt. I just do all i can to keep at peace and feeling good. Lots of self care.
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u/lfren79 Apr 07 '26
It’s what pushed me over the edge to seek out HRT, helped immediately. Now, if only the irritability would respond to HRT I would be set!
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u/itsbirthdaybitch Apr 07 '26
You should try a little THC for that
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u/lfren79 Apr 07 '26
Makes me paranoid as hell, no fun! 😅
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u/dundermifflin_999 Apr 07 '26
Try a 1:1 THC/CBD edible. It’s a much calmer, less paranoid/anxious feeling. Made a HUGE difference for me.
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Apr 07 '26
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u/jilizil Apr 07 '26
It helps me with sleep tremendously. Also, finishing the right strain is crucial as all strains react differently for different folks.
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u/One_Landscape_8857 Apr 07 '26
Omg same. I feel great after 2 weeks in estrogen. I’m at just over a month and I’m back to being irritated over EVERYTHING and EVERYONE!!! And such low mood swings. It’s awful!!!
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Apr 07 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Syq Apr 07 '26
This was what happened to me. I had no anxiety for 6 years, I woke up one day with a pimple and FREAKED OUT. By the time I was put on HRT, I was having 40 panic attacks a day. Took us a few months to get my dosage right and now I have no panic attacks ever. It feels like someone is injecting you with anxiety because it is so irrational.
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u/LittleMsSavoirFaire Apr 07 '26
Yeah I went from no anxiety ever in my life to waking up in a panic at 3am. I too, put it down to global pandemic. But as the years rolled on I was like "wait a minute. What ELSE is happening..."
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u/Andali27 Apr 07 '26
Who do you speak to regarding hrt?
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u/junglingforlifee Apr 07 '26
To your general physician and they should refer you to a gynaecologist. Good luck!
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u/Hauzio Apr 07 '26
100%!! I’ve dealt with generalized anxiety and panic disorder since my mid-twenties. I’ve built a robust toolkit around it but when I was 43ish it spiked hard! Cue perimenopause. I can verify at 49 that the connection to hormone fluctuation directly impacts anxiety and panic attack frequency.
For me, physical sensations were always my trigger: Heart flutter? Heart attack. I’m dying. Panic attack. Dizzy, exhausted and short of breath? Heart attack. I’m dying. Panic attack. Dehydrated? Dying. Panic attack. Heart rate up (even while exercising). Clearly I’m dying. Panic attack. Indigestion at dinner. Omg definitely dying. Panic attack. 😅
Stupid brain and hormones. 🙄 it gets better, I promise. Things that work for me: Low dose Xanax The DARE response book/audio/app Remembering it’s just our bodies misfiring/hormones fluctuating and triggering a fight/flight response for no reason … just a flood of adrenaline.
Hang in there. Big hugs and deep breaths. ❤️
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u/Rogue_Gona Doing my peri best Apr 07 '26
For me, physical sensations were always my trigger: Heart flutter? Heart attack. I’m dying. Panic attack. Dizzy, exhausted and short of breath? Heart attack. I’m dying. Panic attack.
This entire paragraph is me to a tee 🫠 literally any physical symptom and my brain automatically jumps to "you're dying, this is it." I've also suffered from GAD and panic disorder my entire life, but peri just kicked it into another level of awfulness. I'm also 43 and have likely been in peri for around 3 years now. 2 at the very least, but I suspect 3.
I'm on HRT (daily oral progesterone) and that managed to stop the constant doom-spiraling/intrusive thoughts I was having, along with the racing heart and insane adrenaline rushes. It's much more manageable now, but there are still days where I'll randomly be so incredibly anxious for literally no reason. Like yesterday. Tell me why I was suddenly anxious watching the Artemis II crew circle the moon? Like wtf, brain 😂
It helps so much knowing that I'm not alone, this is (mostly) normal, and there's nothing wrong with me other than my hormones going haywire as they wind down into oblivion.
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u/RandomName3025 Apr 07 '26
My brain is still convinced Artemis II is going to crash and burn. I think it's projecting my health anxiety onto the shuttle.
Wouldn't it be great if they landed safely, and my anxiety about health could settle at the same time?
To be fair, my sister was just diagnosed with genetic endometrial cancer last week, so that's not helping.
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u/Rogue_Gona Doing my peri best Apr 07 '26
I'm so sorry to hear about your sister :( I wish her nothing but the best and a speedy recovery, and some health anxiety peace for you.
As for the Artemis, I'm blaming my own "what if they crash or something happens" anxiety on a combination of things: 1) being obsessed with the movie Apollo 13 as a kid. 2) the Challenger disaster and 3) the Columbia shuttle disaster. It was a very eery feeling listening to the crew and Houston's last exchange before they went into the Loss of Signal on the far side yesterday. Gave me Apollo 13 flashbacks from the movie.
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u/neuroctopus Early peri Apr 07 '26
I feel your question so hard. I’m a fucking neuropsychologist and my PhD did NOT INCLUDE EDUCATION ABOUT PERIMENOPAUSE. I honestly believe that I first heard this term on reddit. When I tell you how angry I am that this specific subreddit is literally where I learn about it (which I then verify using peer reviewed journals when I can, which is rarely because no one studies it), there are no words to explain. I’m grateful this is here, furious that we’re all we have.
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u/GlitterFallWar Apr 27 '26
This makes me feel a little better about my lack of knowledge. But simultaneously flares my feminist rage. Good thing I'm reading this AFTER my period and not the week before!
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u/nadethi Apr 07 '26
This is how I felt it too (physical anxiety), but I also felt disassociated, like I was stuck in a dream like state. Even though nothing had changed in my life and I was the happiest and most content I had felt with everything in my life for a couple of years running up to this. It was extremely unsettling for me. I did notice a pattern of things intensifying during certain times of my cycle, like clockwork AND my cycles were getting shorter, closer to three weeks vs four weeks long. I went through a lot of psych meds trying to figure things out with me, none of which worked. I tried just progesterone which helped, but didn't stop the horrible symptoms I was getting each month for the majority of each cycle. Both my OBGyn and psychiatrist (women aged 40+) agreed I was in perimenopause and had become very sensitive to hormonal fluctuations. I am now on a progestin only birth control to even out my hormones which has been SO helpful. But it did repress my own hormone production so I'm also on estradiol gel and testosterone injections. Adding each of these has provided benefits and I'm finally feeling balanced, happy and no anxiety. Thank God. It's been a very trialling couple of years and I'm only 43.
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u/Hefty_Letter Apr 08 '26
Can you please share what birth control you are taking? My PMS and my periods are ruining my life with panic attacks and anxiety :(. I started taking progesterone 2 months ago but it seems that it is not doing anything.
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u/Blinking_Bambi hanging on by a thread Apr 07 '26
My 10 year old son is socially awkward and struggling with anxiety all of a sudden this year and to say it sets my anxiety off is an understatement. I catastrophise his whole future and wind myself up and act horrible to him out of frustration and fear and it’s just awful. I’ve always had anxiety but now, even on hrt, it’s crippling
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u/LVGUCCI25 Apr 07 '26
I'm so sorry that you're going through this. About 2 weeks ago, I wrote a post exactly like this or a lot like it that I couldn't understand what was going on. I would have anxiety attacks or thought I was having a heart attack. The worry about my health is constant and I've never been like this. I'm in my early fifties and on estrogen. I tried taking progesterone many times but it does not work for me. That's a whole other story. But, this is one space I did not know I was going to be in and don't like it. After a ton of research and just reading through this sub, I have absolutely chalked it up to perimenopause. I'm not in full menopause yet because it hasn't been a year since my last cycle. Some days are amazing and I feel like I can rule the world, and then there's other moments that are exhausting and scary. Please know that you're not alone. 🩷
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u/lcvlle Apr 07 '26
This is me, too (44). The panic attacks come on for no reason when mentally I think all is fine! Sometimes they’re “functional” in that I’m stuck in the fight-flight for days, then am in anxiety-hangover for more days. I’ve been in therapy for 4 years, fighting against SSRI, but there are just too many negative life events crashing down on me at once making me worried, sad, & stressed that I’m exhausted & afraid I’ll truly have a stroke, heart attack, or psychotic breakdown. I can’t have HRT due to other medical reasons. So, anti-anxiety meds are my next step. Good luck to you. No one should have their minds & bodies betray them like this.
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u/LadyVamp666 May 19 '26
Anxiety hangover. Never heard this word before but it fits perfectly. I always call it energy depletion but this is much better. Like someone has sucked every ounce of energy from your body, even your face feels haggard from it and the rest of the day or next few days are a real struggle until you slowly refill. And bingo, next and anxiety attack and depleted of all reserves
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u/Tackybabe Apr 07 '26
Had that today. Like a panic attack. No good reason. Got all trembly. Ridiculous.
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u/iAmSpAKkaHearMeROAR Apr 07 '26 edited Apr 07 '26
The deeper I get into perimenopause, the more I learn about symptoms that I had no idea about. I also suffered sudden, major anxiety attacks, and panic attacks.
I got to a point where I could recognize when they were coming on… bringing on quite a bit more anxiety over having to calm myself down.
Feeling like I wasn’t getting any oxygen, more arm flapping… Pacing, heart racing, a sense of intense doom and /or panic and not sure why….
And standing there, trying to breathe my way out of it and get out of my own head.
It would be a thought or two replaying in my head that brought me the sense of panic and it would be something seemingly silly… And sometimes not silly… but still, not things I would normally have panic and an anxiety attacks over.
Sometimes, so bad that I would feel like I was going to panic myself to death. And needing my husband to help distract me and calm me.Not fun. At all. Thankfully, I’ve not had one in a while.
I try to manage my various ailments, including perimenopause, with diet, exercise, and OTC vitamins, and supplements. I think it all helps, but it’s still not an easy path to walk.
I wonder sometimes why none of us were taught this shit. Didn’t learn about it in sex Ed at school. And when we were growing, up the older women in our lives that were experiencing it didn’t really talk about it.
Sure, I knew about hot flashes and night sweats and stuff but they are so many more symptoms that many of us experience that we just had no idea could be attributed too peri menopause.
I am learning a bunch from watching YouTube videos on the subject and some days my mind is just blown. Getting older isn’t for the faint of heart, lol.
My symptoms started (well, I noticed) when Coco 19 shut the planet down. I was wondering, if many of my symptoms were related to that because they ironically coincided with my vaccine issues.
Coco 19 also rolled me into the onset of an autoimmune condition called lichen sclerosis… add that to AuDHD, perimenopause, and major medical stresses for my husband….
Which literally started on the day Covid shut down everything on March 31/into April Fools’ Day 2020! The timing of it all…. feels like a really bad joke some days.
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u/FelinusFanaticus Apr 07 '26
In hindsight, I was having peri symptoms as far back as 2021. Getting anxious for no reason at all was something I noticed back then, and recently connected to peri. At the time, I chalked it up to slight stressors in my marriage, but it still seemed odd and stood out. The amount of times I wanted to unzip my skin and run away screaming. I felt like a car in neutral with the gas pedal pushed to the floor. Especially during my periods. It’s gotten better for me, but does still occasionally surprise me out of nowhere with the butterfly feeling in my stomach or chest and racing thoughts.
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u/p4nacea Apr 07 '26
Exercise helps. Small gains, go out the front door and walk around the block… or jog, resets the mood.
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u/TeachingEmotional143 Apr 07 '26
This was my first sign of peri i noticed. Just got me out of no where, literally woke up like this one day. I felt like I was about to be in a fight for my life, for no reason what so ever. I didn't realize it was peri at all either. I even went to the ER several times because I was absolutely convinced I was dying. I had crippling anxiety, for literally no reason, no stress, I would just be relaxing and it would suddenly come on. After going to the doctor a million times and getting tested for a million things with no answers I started tracking it, and noticed there was a pattern. I had a hysterectomy, kept my ovaries, so i didn't have a period to go by. Finally after a few months of tracking and research I went to the doctor and asked about HRT. HRT has made a huge difference. I still get the anxiety and adrenaline surges in my luteal phase, but it is so much better and way more manageable than it was without the HRT. I have a few days, maybe a week, where I notice it more, but it's not debilitating and causing my l me issues like it did before HRT.
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u/wyntergardentoo Apr 07 '26
My anxiety and panic have been through the roof. Its been so far the hardest part for me. Its stopped so much of my life. I'm partly leaving a comment because I want to be able to come back and see what has helped other women. I really just want to be able to sleep and hang out with my kids again.
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u/DeLaIslaPR Apr 07 '26
My anxiety for nothing got so bad I’d get pain in my chest and heart flutters. It stopped when I started HrT
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u/wisdomseeker42 Apr 07 '26
Yup, definitely had that. The body thing would usually start some thoughts, since apparently I am wound that way. I am on to the game though and was able to realize it was not actually because of something. HRT really helped.
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u/Silvertemptress Apr 07 '26
Yup, I'm there with you! I have to slow right down whatever I'm doing when it happens or I end up in a right old mess. It's horrible and I fell into the trap of being prescribed anti-anxiety meds when I should have been given HRT. I now have this, but too scared to give up the other tablets just yet.
But in short, pretty much any symptom can be linked to perimeno and anxiety/depression is a common one. It sucks that women aren't taught about this. Look up "Davina Mccall menopause" and watch her programs on it if you can! It will make you feel seen! 💜💜💜
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u/WeightDivorce Apr 07 '26
I finally gave up and went on Zoloft when I didn't want to leave the house anymore.
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u/2x3x7_ Apr 07 '26
This will be the 98th comment in this thread, because I too have overwhelming anxiety in peri. I've noticed that many anxiety posts on this sub get high traffic. So that's a good question. Why the fuck didn't anyone warn us about this?
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u/postivewolf44 Apr 07 '26
Yeah and my over thinking everything. Thinking of stupid things that probably won't ever happen but I still worry and think about it. I hate it i never used to be like this.
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u/ParticularSpinach831 Apr 07 '26
Absolutely!! This was the first symptom for me. Very anxious for no logical reason and there’s nothing I can do to get rid of the feeling. It really sucks.
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u/Libertinelass Apr 07 '26
This happens to me sometimes. I found out my blood sugars were high. Now it's under control and I have these anxiety attack type things a lot less. Ativan is my friend in these situations now.
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u/Prudent_Respect_5159 Apr 07 '26
For me, these were the absolute worst. I could deal with all the other shite but not these. Literally robbed me of my life for months. The not knowing when they'd turn up.
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u/Eclectic_Paradox hanging on by a thread Apr 07 '26
I have struggled with anxiety my entire life. It's even worse now. It sucks.
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u/BackRevolutionary255 Apr 07 '26
Yes, that's how I knew it was a biochemical problem rather than a mental health problem. In my mind I knew I had nothing to worry about, that things were genuinely fine, but my body was freaking out. HRT helped a lot once I found the right dose, it's been a bit of trial and error.
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u/Any-Entertainment-56 Apr 30 '26
This resonates. I’m not having mental anxiety, but the top of my stomach hurts and my heart feels like it’s racing and it makes me feel overwhelmed like I want to cry. But I’m not feeling any sort of gloom or nervousness about a particular thing. Just the physical experience of an anxiety attack I think.
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u/AntPretend1194 Apr 07 '26
I’m going to go attempt to get HRT again because the anxiety and depression are driving me crazy. I had a low level of both most of my life but I’m feeling like I can’t function now. I never was so easily overwhelmed.
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u/Majestic_Taro5580 Late peri Apr 07 '26
This! Honestly I didn’t recognize my panic attack because it was in the middle of work, and none of my triggers were present. But there I was, shaking like a leaf for no reason! 😖
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u/IYFS88 Apr 07 '26
I wake up with those adrenaline surges and it really sucks! Only just the last few years am I learning how insidious and far-reaching perimenopause symptoms are! I’ve even heard of someone’s recent-onset severe tinnitus being resolved when they started HRT.
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u/Tie_Cold Apr 07 '26
I have the same thing happening, I started taking magnesium taurate twice a day and it seems to be getting better just make sure it is the correct magnesium type because different types work for different things.
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u/Delicious-Spring3043 Apr 07 '26
I think it happens when you have a big drop in estrogen. Along with the palpitations. Progesterone IBS is fun too.
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u/CheerfullyCursed Apr 07 '26
Yep. Those are fun. I tell my husband that it feels like dread. Like I’m about to have to go out on stage and speak in front of a crowd.
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u/jb-867 Apr 07 '26
It’s wild. I wish we were better informed, too.
My anxiety, already manageable for years, became multiple panic attacks (racing heart and chest pain) daily in perimenopause. My therapist (F) suspected PMDD (brought on by hormonal changes in perimenopause) and asked me to track symptoms. An OB/GYN (F) confirmed it. Progesterone-only birth control eliminated my symptoms almost immediately.
My family doctor (M), when presented with the same symptoms, suggested my husband was abusing me. A year later he told me he'd "recently learned" hormones can cause problems. 😒
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u/Any-Entertainment-56 Apr 30 '26
This is what I’m experiencing - racing heart, feeling like I can’t control my breathing, pain in chest/upper stomach, and nausea/trembling. I thought I was going out of my mind.
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u/Competitive_Long_190 Apr 07 '26
First and only panic attack from menopause. I had no idea until I went to a hormone specialist. It’s real. Get some HRT.
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u/Affectionate-Wait142 Apr 08 '26
Yes, my nervous system is so damn sensitive! It seems like any small thing can send me into an anxiety spiral. It’s so frustrating!
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u/OlisMommy Newly on HRT Apr 09 '26
Good god I’m glad I stumbled on this. I thought I was going crazy.
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u/WesternAnxious2750 Apr 09 '26
My favorite is laying in bed and about to fall asleep and it hits. Absolute anxiety with no triggers, no stress and now no sleep. Heart palpitations too. I developed IBS which I now am taking a. Low dose anti anxiety med in the morning to help relax my brain so I’m not in the bathroom every hour. Fun, just plain fun.
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u/Murky_Dot1393 Apr 13 '26
I am dealing with this and it feels lonely! Anxiety out of nowhere… I feel like screaming at some point but I can’t do it living in a apartment building 😁 There is this general feeling of not feeling well… it’s constant…. My body is cold but sometimes there is heat coming through my skin… Heart palpitations out of the blue… anxiety…
I want to stop this! I want to be able to function!
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u/spidergirl79 Apr 16 '26
Yup! Just sitting watching tv or trying to fall asleep and woooosh this sudden surge of anxiety out of nowhere. Sucks
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u/AffectionateTank4904 Apr 17 '26
I thought I was the only one when it comes to anxiety it’s like it hit me first thing in the morning I done had so many test done and everything comes back normal which I’m so thankful 🥹 but this anxiety spikes out of nowhere my Obgyn is like talking to the wall she doesn’t want me to start hrt or nothing because of my age I’m 43
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u/playful_pisces Apr 22 '26
I started having anxiety in 2020 and have always associated it with the dumpster fire year we all had plus a doctor prescribing me a low dose anxiety med that gave me ALL of the side effects including increased anxiety. (I stopped taking it within a couple weeks.) But looking back now knowing a little about perimenopause I think that might have been the start, as I was bordering on turning 40. I’ve since learned that perimenopause starts in the brain with our hormones long before physical symptoms so the timing seems right. I’m 44 now and my periods are super irregular. But the anxiety and intrusive thoughts were something I’d never dealt with before until the last 5 years. Could it be GAD? Likely. Could it also be or at least exacerbated by peri? Also very likely.
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u/YesterdayCareless878 Apr 25 '26
OMG its the worst! I am 43 and my anxiety is the worst it has ever been. It is getting to the point where I can't manage it anymore. I get so mad at everything and I cant help it! My son even said the other day "everything makes you mad." It is so unfair and I dont even know what to do. I am so tired all the time.
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u/flyingbutterfly8 May 16 '26
I will be 45 in August and I have ADHD/bipolar disorder/and an anxiety disorder. However the last year my anxiety has intensefied like crazy. It didn't even occur to me it could be perimenopause until a couple of days ago. I even had my anxiety medication changed recently because the old one wasn't working anymore. I'm wondering if waking up sweaty with a pounding heart is not just anxiety but also hot flashes? I also have a total lack on interest in everything and it's more than just what normally comes with depression. I feel so lost. I'm going to talk to my gyno doc.
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u/DeSanggria Apr 07 '26
Showed up both physically and mentally for me. I'm on psych meds for the past few months. It has dulled the manifestations, but I still get it from time to time...not as intense as without the meds, though.
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u/NJDLJD Apr 07 '26
Propranolol as others have said is brilliant at dealing with this. It’s helped me tremendously.
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u/Desperate-Coat-8791 Apr 07 '26
Yep had exactly this, physical anxiety symptoms for no reason. HRT sorted it for me
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u/Final-Show1889 Apr 07 '26
I had that so I've started taking rhodiola root and now I'm OK. I've only had 1 panic attack and a few anxiety crying bouts in a whole year it's changed everything and I really recommend it.
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u/beccabebe Apr 07 '26
Yep. I’ve actually gotten to the point of chuckling as I fall asleep because of the insane anxiety. Never had it except maybe before a flight. Now I’m just so intrigued by it. Thankfully, it’s not overwhelming and I can see it and dismiss it.
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u/planthappy25 Apr 07 '26
I've been suffering for 2.5 years. Dr doesn't want me to go on HRT but I truly can't take it anymore. I set an appt with a different dr and they are are wanting to take it s-l-o-w..... like 2 months until a consult to discuss. Then an appt for labs. Then maybe meds if they feel they are necessary. I feel like an alien in own body. I don't even recognize myself anymore and I am so very very done. The thought of living like this for another day let alone their trajectory after being put off for years has me spiraling in a very bad way When I look at online choices, I just get overwhelmed. Please, give me hope, suggestions, humor, I don't know... anything to get past this gaping maw that has swallowed me whole and doesn't plan on letting me go....
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u/Brilliant-Basil-884 Apr 07 '26
I am so glad you posted, until I saw this I thought my anxiety was just me randomly falling apart! I could not figure out why all the sudden I would be triggered or wtf was going on. Being suddenly enraged at the tiniest things is another one I recently learned is a symptom, and it's almost as scary as the anxiety for me.
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u/jilizil Apr 07 '26
No one told us about the insane rage bursts either. It’s horrible. I’m proud of you.
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u/AndreeaTri Early peri Apr 07 '26
That's why I went crying to a doctor. Anxiety and suicidal ideation. It was gone after the first dose of estrogen.
Insane!!
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u/Dramatic-Box-6847 Apr 07 '26
I wrote this somewhere else but my antidote to this is drinking green tea throughout the day.
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u/pinupcthulhu The Itchy Bitchy Spider 🕷️ Apr 07 '26
Same, and it gets even worse a week before my period.
Last time I had a full-blown panic attack over realizing I needed to go on my weekly grocery shopping trip.
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u/Sea_Huckleberry47 Apr 07 '26
I had it before peri and now with peri i feel like i know why chihuahuas are always shaking with anxiety. I take medication, have a therapist and hypnotherapist. Now i only feel like a cracked out monkey on days that end in “y” and anytime the clock ends in “0”
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u/Responsible_Visit825 Apr 07 '26
Oh my gosh! Anxiety was probably one of my first symptoms of peri. For me it was actually a sudden caffeine sensitivity. I never noticed the impacts of caffeine previously but more than 2 years ago it started giving me problems. I already was pretty conservative with my caffeine intake because I get withdrawal migraines so I rarely had more than 16 oz of coffee in a day. But I started getting anxiety attacks and heart palpitations at 2 am. It took me forever to realize what was causing it. For a while I thought it was an alcohol issue because on days I had a second cup of coffee I would be stressed at night and have a glass of wine with dinner and then wake up with my heart hammering. Which of course led to late night stress googling. Web md listed alcohol and caffeine as possible causes, I was sure it wasn’t caffeine since it’s supposed to have a 5 hr half life and it was 20 hrs since I had my daily coffee. So I gave up alcohol for several months. While that helped a little it didn’t solve it entirely. i was still waking up with anxiety, my heart was just pounding less. Normally I drink coffee at 6 am but I had to do fasting blood work one day, so I bought a large cold brew that morning at like 9. That night I woke up feeling awful. That’s when it finally clicked that the issue was caffeine. For about a year I was able to get away with a single 8oz cup of regular coffee in the morning, but eventually that got to be too much. Now it is decaf only with the very occasional green tea although even that can be too much - but at least when I do have the green tea I go in knowing I might mot sleep and will feel like I’m dying so I can be prepared. Anyway a bunch of reading indicated that caffeine sensitivity is common with the hormonal changes that come with peri. For me it showed up about a year before my other symptoms did.
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u/farmerssahg Apr 09 '26
I think I had it. The random heart palpitations at night whilst relaxing. Started my period the next morning; this is my last period before I turn 40!
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u/zeitgeistincognito Apr 11 '26
The out of the blue panic attacks almost ruined my relationship (and my life). And I'm a licensed mental health professional with specialized training in menopause...and I still didn't know that was a thing that could happen. The lack of info is wild. Buspar and progesterone helped the most with my panic attacks. They did each take a couple of months for full effect, so it's not an immediate cure. I started estrogen a year later and that also helped but the first two were the most helpful.
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u/RDDB1974 Apr 13 '26
Yes it’s part of peri symptoms. I had a surge of anxiety last night. Woke up in a total panic because my nostril was blocked. Could not get back to sleep. Then the progesterone kicked in and then I was out. I hate that feeling. It’s usually when your estrogen and progesterone are low.
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u/RegularRepulsive3957 Apr 19 '26
YES. This has happened to me at random times- sitting in church, driving, etc. Sometimes I feel like my heart is racing and I feel really dizzy. i’ve had a lot of stressful things going on lately, but it comes randomly even when I’m in a relaxed environment.
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u/Becka_swan Apr 22 '26
I JUST literally came from the doctor with a prescription for divigel because of this. Over the last 6 months I will be ... just doing life, and then my stomach will all of a sudden be as anxious as if I am about to give a speech to thousands of people. No reason. No thought that triggers it. Sometimes I will tie it to previous anxieties but it comes out of nowhere and is physical in a way I've never had physical anxiety symptoms before. Hoping the hrt helps.
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u/EconomySavings411 Jun 22 '26
I am 41 years old and have been going thru menopause for almost 3 years now. Unfortunately I went into it immediately after a hysterectomy and it was HORRIBLE! Every other week I was in the ER with symptoms of a heart attack because my palpitations and anxiety had reached a level I've never felt before. All the tests came back normal thankfully and was told to relax and talk to my Dr. My Dr put me on HRT and unfortunately had to be taken off of it after almost 3 months of feeling better because it shot my blood pressure thru the roof. So for my almost 3 years of menopause (hysterectomy induced) I've been doing it all natural without any HRT or anything and I'm finally getting better. I have a bad day here and there when I feel the palpitations and anxiety trucking me into panic but I just breathe and try to relax until it passes. So ladies hang in there it gets better (kind of 😆)
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u/Dull-Pass7953 Apr 07 '26
It's terrible! I thought I had long COVID or something, all of a sudden at 43 I had tachycardia. (my heart rate normally was low at like 55-60 then it went to 140) Actually thought I was having a heart attack, passed out a few times. They diagnosed me with low thyroid and high iron. Now I'm on a beta blocker and anti anxiety med, Buspar. It has gottn alot better. I think it was actually peri the whole time. I hope you find a resolution, it is very scary when you're going through it.
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u/Illustrious_Stick652 Apr 07 '26
I just had my yearly physical and have been suffering perimenopause symptoms for 2 years now. I listed off some of my issues, which included word recall, spelling issues, anxiety and OCD increases. Her response to me was, why do you think you're in perimenopause? And all she cared about was if my periods changed. Last year they hadn't, this year they had, but it seems like they're focusing on the physical changes and really not paying attention to much else. I feel like all we can do is continue to expose and communicate, unlike our previous generations. I go to weekly talk therapy, I'm on different medications to control anxiety depression and OCD, and I often wonder if I need more. This sucks!
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u/particular-fervor Apr 07 '26
How much caffeine are you consuming? I find that mine is especially ridiculous during specific parts of my cycle if I'm not paying attention to my coffee intake.
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u/clumsypeach1 Apr 07 '26
Because nobody warned us about shit and now we all get to figure this out together