Question:
Panic attacks, or part of Menopause??
Answer:
I'm a 44 year old that has
had panic attacks for about 5 years. Since Feb.
or last year I've not taken any medicine and things
have gotten better where I can at least go outside
with someone.
I've been feeling kinda panicky again, and very insecure.
But when this happened last month it was about 1 week
or so from which my period was due. (I've been still getting
my periods). My lower back also started to hurt for 2 days.
I've never had back trouble's before and I thought that maybe
I had a kidney infection. But after my period was gone so was
the back pain. Today at church I have started to feel like a
flushing sensation going to my head, then after that feeling
was gone I was really hot. I was wondering if any one else out there has had some
of these strange feelings. Or maybe my panic attacks are
coming back.
Well, that last certainly sounds like a hot flash to me (I seem to be
having one even as I type this, and it's pretty much exactly what you
describe).
As for the panicky feeling -- yes, some of our subscribers report that as
a symptom of perimenopause (the years of hormone fluctuation leading up to
full menopause, or the cessation of periods). There's a pretty lively
discussion about the subject going on right now, in fact, and some people
have speculated that may be more likely to happen with women who've had
panick attacks *before* peri.
Oh, among us I think you'll find that we've had just about every strange
feeling you can imagine (and some you probably can't.) I don't mean to
make light of it -- but I've found that just knowing you aren't alone can
be a real relief at this time.
