Menopause Support Group
Menopause is the physiological cessation of menstrual cycles associated with advancing age. It normally occurs in women between the ages of 45 and 55, when the body begins to slow and stop the production of eggs, estrogen and progesterone production decreases, and menstruation diminishes, eventually stopping altogether.
I am 49 and had my last period in February 2013. With the exception of being dizzy alot lately and frequent trips to the bathroom and the occasional waking up at 4:00 I had no other Meno symptoms. Out of no where this May I started getting these weird head zaps. I chucked them up to something with my allergies. But they became more frequent. Then my head started to feel like someone was blowing up a balloon and when I would move around I would get this dizzy feeling with tremors. I went to doc who told me its a sinus infection. He put me on Steriod and antibiotics. I wound up in the ER with server panic attacks. Must mention I was having some weird tremor sensations prior to this. Well ever since, my tremors have gotten worse by the day. And now i even have them at night. I cannot sleep unless i take an ativan. I had an MRI of my head which was normal. I also been to the ENT who told me it is most probably anxiety. I never seem to be able to calm down. I wake up jittery and go to bed jitter. I have been referred to psych. He seems to think I have an anxiety disorder. They have me on anti-depressants which I am on day two of and the ativan at day and night to stop the shakes. Do you think it is menopause or is it just plain old anxiety?
It sounds like anxiety brought on by menopause. Hormones (or the lack of) can wreak havoc on a woman. Please give the antidepressant enough time to work (6 weeks).
I am almost 51, and I have been going through this for a little over two years, but mine all started with a lot of life traumas. I have the internal buzzing, the anxiety/mood swings, and so many of the other symptoms. The problem with anxiety is that it perpetuates itself. You become afraid of the anxiety and all of the feelings associated with it, which creates more anxiety.
Please feel good in the fact that you are healthy because of the various testing that you have had done, and that all of these crazy feelings are just your body's way of getting used to a different hormonal state.
Do what you need to feel better about yourself (medication,
bioidenticals, etc.), and don't let a diagnosis such as "anxiety disorder" define you. Be careful taking Ativan for long periods of time. It can become addicting, as I'm sure you know.
Please let me know how you are doing.
Thinking of you,
Tammy