Hi yakmom, First of all, I am so sorry for the loss of your stepson.

I wish I had some sage words for you, but I don't. All I can tell you is that you're not alone. I am a year post-menopause and the fears and anxieties that began to consume me in my 50's (I'm 54 now) have not abated. I'm wondering if this is my new normal. If so, life has become very challenging. I was a courageous, strong woman. I have become terrified of everything. I ruminate constantly about loss and grief, and I am suddenly afraid of things like driving - used to love to drive!

I have also been to a couple of therapists within the past few years. Neither one 'got it.' When I was younger therapy made sense. It worked. It helped. Now I just feel like the therapists are not on the right track at all.

One thing I will say is that you are fortunate because your gyn bothered to check into your menopausal symptoms. I have not had a single doctor who so much as mentioned menopause to me. I feel like I'm on a different planet than my doctors.