Ladies....anxiety or perimenopause?

[Flyerfan]

I am 43 and for the past 5 or 6 years have noticed some things typically related to perimenopause...."mini" hot flashes, insomnia, mood swings etc...etc.  These all come and go.  However, there are those other weird sensations that are not typically related but I've read on some boards about women who've experienced them and have had doctors rule out anything serious.  Because some of these not-so-typical things can be symtpoms of both anxiety and peri (along with other things of course), I don't know if what I'm experiencing is my anxiety or it's peri.

I've been under a lot of stress and tension at work (won't bore you with the details) and it's come to an end.  My body, however, needs to catch up from all the neck/shoulder tension and TMJ issues I'm having along with head aches that seem to stem from my neck.  Anyway, for the past couple days, I've been having a weird "swaying" sensation off and on.  Not dizzy, not woozy, not even lightheaded.  Just a very vague feeling like I'm swaying.  Lasts a few seconds, but it freaks me out.  I've had wooshes of this in the past at times.  This started after I had one of those 5 hr energy shots 3 days ago.  I do not do caffeine and the caffeine in this shot gave me a weird feeling....it's like it's sticking with me but I know that it's been out of my system for days so that can't be.  I even test myself and do this balancing pose and I'm OK with it. I am so tired of going to doctors for vague issues like this and in turn, compounding my anxiety because of tests which show nothing.  I keep telling myself it's my anxiety because of the way that I've been feeling the past month and/or it's my "horror"mones.

Any women out there experience this with peri or could it be my anxiety...or both?

[Slangevar]

Could be either... I've had those, too. I'm 39... possibly in peri, but definitely suffering from a similar hormone imbalance, which everyone says can cause all sorts of strange symptoms - whooshes, dizziness, brain fog, feelings of impending doom (hello, every day), heart palps, panic attacks, headaches, you name it.

[sydneymom]

I get that swaying feeling often. I think for me it is hormonal. I will be 42 next week. In the past two years Ive begun having all kinds of things happen that I dont think are from anxiety. Chills, mini hot flashes, ocular migraines, etc. I have tmj also. And now reflux. So it sounds like hormones to me. I sometimes feel like I am on a boat.

[Sugarpeeps]

I am 39 and have been having peri symptoms for over a year now and I mean symptoms!   It can cause all sorts of weird symptoms (hello, burning mouth syndrome, cold flashes to name a couple) and of course, can also completely exacerbate preexisting anxiety disorders which then brings on a host of other unpleasant symptoms.  Vicious cycle.

[Gloria]

I'm 55 and I hate to tell you all that I'm still going through this.  It comes in waves.

Yes indeed,  the swaying, slightly dizzy almost "derealization"  can be hormonal.  In fact, it's what first sent me to the ER with a panic attack ten years ago.

I have in recent years been beset by a whole host of stress issues that have manifested themselves as pains in my head, neck, pelvis and back. Naturally, I assumed they were related to one of my dreaded diseases, but it turns out that I have a whole lot of muscle tension.  I bring that up because my TMJ is directly related to that.

I have thought that I've been sailing through perimenopause.  Turns out that I just didn't know what it was.

[constantmover]

This is one post I really want to address.  I went through perimenopause for about 10 years.  Everything you all have mentioned, I experienced.  Additionally, I would get this burning sensation on one check which left me looking like I had been hit by a baseball in the face.  I had to put blush on the other side to balance out how my face looked.  Truly nuts!  Anyway, for me, perimenopause was worse than menopause.  Just knowing that it is perimenopause compounded with anxiety I hope will help you realize that what you are going through is normal for the average person (whoever that is).  We have the additional issue of having anxiety.  My hope for you all that are going through this tough time is that you recognize that it is normal perimenopause symptoms and it will help to know this so you don't let it escalate into more anxiety than is average.  Anxiety can be part of peri and menopause, so you certainly aren't alone in this.

Regarding TMJ, maybe consider a mouth guard.  Surprisingly, mouth guards can be helpful for sleep and definitely can keep the migraines away.  This is just a suggestion.  It definitely helps for some...others never feel comfortable with a mouth guard.  I used one during my perimenopause days and now that I'm through it, and have been for many years, I don't use it.

Actually, I'm thinking of getting it out again as lately I've been experiencing many migraines, so the investment has definitely been worth it for me. 

Another helpful hint, I kept a fresh pillow and nightie beside my bed so that if I got hot flashes in the middle of the night and then got chills, I would dump the pillow and nightie and changed them up with the fresh one beside the bed.  This way it is a quick and easy way to get relief and it doesn't take too much time and with luck, you can get right back to sleep.  Also, I was put on birth control pills instead of HRT which I was able to take until I was almost finished menopause...It was extremely helpful.  This isn't for everyone, but for some it might be worth talking with your doctor about.  I was in the care of an endocrinologist at the time and it was her idea to try the birth control instead of HRT...I did try HRT for a while but it wasn't as successful as BC...just an idea.

Good luck with this time and I hope yours doesn't last as long as mine.  The light at the end of the tunnel is once you get through this, you not only don't have a period, your additional anxiety that can happen during this time, often diminishes.  If you have any other questions about perimenopause or menopause that I haven't already mentioned, don't hesitate to contact me. 

[sydneymom]

I agree about the nightguard. I just started using on a few weeks ago and I do notice a difference. They are very expensive if you get the custom made one, but if you consider perimenopause is a long time, it seems worth a try.

[Flyerfan]

Thanks everyone.  I have noticed an increase in my anxiety in the past 3 or 4 years probably due to peri.  I remember several years ago I had a dizzy episode one day.  I couldn't move without the room spinning.  I wondered what caused it but unbelievably I didn't google....I don't remember even worrying about it.  Hmmmm.  I don't know where all this HA came from.  Once I hit 40 it all went downhill.

I just got my custom mouthguard today.  I'm not sure how I will sleep with this thing in.  I hope I can because it wasn't cheap.

These weird feelings I've been having come and go.  I've had so much tension in my head, neck and shoulders for the past month and I'm wondering if somehow it's related. 

I try not to use the word "hate" because it's a strong word, but in this case it's totally acceptable.  I HATE anxiety!

[constantmover]

I definitely hear you!  Just a gentle reminder...before putting the mouth guard in your mouth, it should be rinsed under warm/hot water to make it pliable for a perfect fit.  I truly hope it helps.