[moodswings70]

I am posting this in the Women's portion of the forum because I am suspicious that some of the recent things I've been experiencing are tied to hormones. But I am not sure. I am in my early 40's and have started to experience night sweats a few days prior to the onset of my period. This is fine and not too concerning to me.
In November, I experienced a panic attack in the middle of the night. Upon telling my Psychiatrist about it, she asked if I started with hot flashes. I told her about the night sweats. She said that it sounded like I was sensitive to hormone changes and said that sometimes with pre-menopause comes the onset of an panic disorder. When I looked back at the calendar, the panic attack occurred about 5 days prior to my period coming.
In December, I had a meltdown at work, which my therapist attributed to an anxiety attack. I think that was most likely a situational thing.
Now, for the strange part...last month, I had a day where I felt like I was jumping out of my skin. I just couldn't settle down. My mood felt good. Almost euphoric. In fact, I would say after lunch I got more euphoric and felt more jumpy. I went to the gym in the evening and did about 50 minutes of cardio. I ended up waking up in the middle of the night and watching a movie for 2 hours. The next day I wasn't as jumpy, but I had a hard time settling in. By the following day I was fine. I got my period 7 days later. The first 3 days I felt as I usually do. Then, on the 4th day, I woke up in the morning feeling serene. I definitely don't feel good in the mornings. By evening, I was teetering on euphoric again and I got this feeling in which I became hyper awake or alert. It was some weird feeling in my head. I took my nightly meds, which toned the feelings down a bit. I fell asleep and then woke up in the middle of the night and was awake for 2 hours. I was very tired the next day, but my mood wasn't bad. After catching up on sleep that night, I was teetering on a high or euphoria again. And, again in the afternoon and early evening, I had that hyper alert/awake feeling in my head.
I have never experienced these almost extreme upswings before. I am wondering if they are tied to changes in hormones, or possibly something else. Can anyone relate or shed some light on what may be going on?
I talk to my therapist this week. My guess is she is going to want me to call my Psychiatrist.

[Lolina]

Maybe the medicine you are taking plays a huge part. While I think the hormones can contribute to a lot of problems, I think yours seemed so extreme. Do you take the pills? I do have night sweats and I am in my early 30's. I used to have anxiety before too, but I have always been able to manage and not let the outside see it. In my case I think it was extreme sadness.

[moodswings70]

Originally Posted by Lolina

Maybe the medicine you are taking plays a huge part. While I think the hormones can contribute to a lot of problems, I think yours seemed so extreme. Do you take the pills? I do have night sweats and I am in my early 30's. I used to have anxiety before too, but I have always been able to manage and not let the outside see it. In my case I think it was extreme sadness.

Hi Lolina, thank you for your response. Yes, it could be my meds. I take Vybriid and Buspar and Deplin. I have been on this combination for about 2 to 3 years. The thing about the meds is that I take them every day. Always have. I never miss a dose. So, I would think that this would be happening consistently. But, then again, I am not a doc or any kind of expert. Thanks again!!

[*Laurie*]

I'm absolutely sure that all kinds of weird symptoms occur due to perimenopause. 4 years prior to menopause I developed vicious anxiety/panic, night sweats, and hot flashes. With the help of medication (psych meds) and other techniques I seem to have come through the worst of the symptoms.

The trick is finding a doctor that even mentions menopause - let alone knows how to treat it.

Hi, yes I think it's certainly possible this is perimenopause you are going through. I am a similar age and have had all kinds of strange symptoms, yet when I told my Dr she said I was too young for 'menopause'. But perimenopause goes on for many years before actual menopause.

I found this article interesting:

Perimenopause: The Ovary?s Frustrating Grand Finale | The Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by prefabsprout

Hi, yes I think it's certainly possible this is perimenopause you are going through. I am a similar age and have had all kinds of strange symptoms, yet when I told my Dr she said I was too young for 'menopause'. But perimenopause goes on for many years before actual menopause.

I found this article interesting:

Perimenopause: The Ovary?s Frustrating Grand Finale | The Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research

'Too young'?!?! Women's medicine has a long way to go before it is really aware of health issues specific to us.

Thanks for the link - good article.

[moodswings70]

Originally Posted by *Laurie*

I'm absolutely sure that all kinds of weird symptoms occur due to perimenopause. 4 years prior to menopause I developed vicious anxiety/panic, night sweats, and hot flashes. With the help of medication (psych meds) and other techniques I seem to have come through the worst of the symptoms.

The trick is finding a doctor that even mentions menopause - let alone knows how to treat it.

Hi *Laurie*,

Thank you for your response! A friend of mine told me something similar. She said menopause can just screw up your whole system. My Psychiatrist already mentioned that with pre-menopause can come the onset of an anxiety disorder. It's just that these symptoms are not anxiety. Glad you were able to come through things.

[moodswings70]

Originally Posted by prefabsprout

Hi, yes I think it's certainly possible this is perimenopause you are going through. I am a similar age and have had all kinds of strange symptoms, yet when I told my Dr she said I was too young for 'menopause'. But perimenopause goes on for many years before actual menopause.

I found this article interesting:

Perimenopause: The Ovary?s Frustrating Grand Finale | The Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research

Hi prefabsprout! Thank you for your response! I have heard that perimenopause can start 10 to 15 years early. My Psychiatrist has already brought it up. Thank you for the link!

[moodswings70]

Well, I had another episode this week. They come out of the blue. I was meditating, which I do to help with anxiety at the direction of my therapist. In the midst of the meditating, my arms just relaxed and I felt very in the moment and like the meditating was really working. When I got done, I was thinking, "Wow that really worked tonight."
After the meditating, I was watching TV with my mom for about an hour. All of a sudden, I felt something just change. I felt like I got some energy and didn't want to sit still. My behavior became a little erratic in that I just wanted to talk and became animated. I went on the computer while my mom was watching something that was playing music. So, I was chair dancing to the music. She definitely noticed the difference and asked me what happened. She said, "You were just here with me all night and nothing was going on." I said I don't know. Luckily I was able to sleep that night.
When I woke up the next morning, I don't know that I could tell anything one way or the other. But, then as I started on my way to work, I just had to listen to music. Most of the time, I drive in silence. But, I started playing my IPOD and just had myself a good time listening to all kinds of dance music. By the time I got to work, I felt very carefree, which lasted most of the rest of the day. The energy was still there through most of the morning.
As they day went on and I took my anti-anxiety meds (which have a sedating factor), the energy started to fade 'cause I was feeling more and more tired. As I said, though, the carefree feeling lasted for the day and into the evening. By night, I was pretty tired.
I woke up the next day back to my usual self. I had my therapy appointment that evening. My therapist knew about the very first episode. So, now I got to tell her about the next two. I am supposed to call the psychiatrist next week to let her know what is going on. My therapist said these were definitely some kind of hypo-manic episodes. I asked her if she thought they would stop. She said now that I've had three of them, she didn't think so. But, she didn't know what they meant, which is why she wants me to call the doc.

[hermitix]

Not sure what it could be triggered by, but I agree with your doctor -- it sounds like hypomania.

[moodswings70]

Originally Posted by hermitix

Not sure what it could be triggered by, but I agree with your doctor -- it sounds like hypomania.

Thanks for your response!

From the things I am reading, it sounds like hypomania to me also. But, I am just starting with these episodes and am new to it all. As more episodes occur (if they occur, which my therapist seems to thing they will), I think I may be able to get a better sense of what is going on. So, we will see.