Hormones and anxiety.

Hola H&S. I'm back again.

So, I'm finding that I'm having issues with anxiety. Like a lot. It's not just my job.. I do fine at it now. I'm not the best, and so I lay in bed every night just thinking about it and replaying everything over and over again. I have to deliberately change the topic or it will not stop. I have to walk to work everyday so I don't shake while I'm there, and when I am there I'm tired from the walk so I can barely remember much of my training which makes it a bit hard to succeed.

But I'm trying not to let them see me sweat. I'm starting to wonder if I have anxiety issues.. like real issues. It's not a mental thing, I can talk to people just fine. I physically get shakey before I go to work, and I physically replay and replay over and over again the events because there's something small and wrong that I might've done at work that day. I know mental issues run deep within my family, so that's why I'm so concerned.

I also have hormone issues.. are they connected?

Now days I get steady periods (though generally excessively heavy ones that my "normal" friends don't get.. but hey, it's better then what it was!), before I would bleed for months, stop for a couple and start again. Blood clots are common, and I'm often incredibly emotional for an entire week before my period. Is that normal? I'm not on the pill anymore because they make my emotions even worse, but if my hormones and anxiety issues are directly connected, are there any alternatives that *wont* effect my emotions much? I usually get incredibly depressed when I take any of the pills. The only exception is the one that had absolutely no estrogen in it, and was only a progestin pill, but I was told that they would not put me on it for long-term because it eliminated my period completely and had some sort of health risk. -shrug- Is there really anything I can ask the Doc about?

And most of all.. am I fretting over nothing? :P I'm just a little concerned and need a second opinion before I go spend 20 dollars on copay to see the doc.

You should talk to your doctor.   Your symptoms cou ld be brought about purely by stress and anxiety or you could  find that there's a physical reason and that your menstrual problems are connected.  

When you see your doctor, talk them through everything you've described above.  Leave nothing out.  'Is there anything I can ask the Doc about?'.... it's not really your responsibility to know what questions to ask.  It's only the patient's responsibility to give as full a run-down of their symptoms and experiences as possible and answer any questions honestly and completely.  It's the doctor's responsibility (because they understand how the body works) to ask the right questions and form a conclusion.  If you're unhappy with the conclusion you have the right to ask for a second opinion

I agree that you should talk to your doctor.

My husband has anxiety issues.  Much like you, he would replay the day over and over again in an effort assure himself the he didn't do anything wrong.  He's a high school teacher and was constantly worried that something he said could cause trouble for him.  He takes medication now and it's worked wonders for him.

In my opinion, the $20 copay would be money well spent... if only for peace of mind.

Good luck.

bucketwithapurpose,

It sounds like your hormone issues are somehow connected to your anxiety because often time stress is a huge culprit to hormone imbalance. Stress doesn't just affect your hormones, it also affects many other things both mentally and physically. 

What I am seeing here is that your stress has manifested into severe anxiety. Your body has been fatigued by the amount of stress you are enduring. That definitely raises red flag. 

I used to have hormone issues too due to my bad eating habit, but now it's been a lot better. A huge part of it has to do with the change in my stress level. When you feel like your stress is about the burst, pull yourself back and breathe. You don't want it to escalate any further such as replaying a scenario over and over. The more you repeat your worries in your head, the more anxious you will become. And repeating it doesn't solve any problem. If you are worried about something and can't stop thinking about it, don't exhaust your body with walking for a prolonged period of time. What you should do is to change your life style one step at a time and ask yourself to let go of things that are bothering you. You can set up a little ceremony, write down all the things that constantly get stuck in your head and burn them once for all. 

Also, find a professional to help you, but don't jump right into prescription drugs so soon because most of them don't cure you, and they all have side effects. Try some herbal alternatives, especially those provide hormone balancing benefit:

• Hemp products 
• Maca root

Also, you can try to massage your head twice a day. There are many pressure points on your scalp. By pressing them in a circular motion, you are pumping more blood to your brain. It helps reduce pressure and alleviate stress.  Also, spend more time on planning something exciting for yourself. If you are tired of what you do everyday, find something exciting to fill your mind with. Cut yourself some slack and do not be too harsh on yourself. Laugh more and laugh at whatever that amuses you. 

I posted some links for you to my blog earlier because I have a lot of information that you might want to check out, but the admins here warned me that I coudln't do that or they would suspend my account. I know, disappointment!

Good luck!

Amy 

Hey.... I'm on the NuvaRing for amenorrhea and I've noticed that the hormones make me extra anxious (I was anxious for starters). My hormones were imbalanced/low, I got anxious, I'm on birth control, it makes me more anxious - but at least I know when its happening (based on time of the month type of thing). I'm going to my GP tomorrow to talk about it. I hate the copay, I hate my insurance, but I think this is worth it.

I re-read this and I wanted to edit to add something...

I had periods like that before I got pregnant with my first (everything changed after that - that was 2005). Especially when my hormones were VERY IMBALANCED, when I was 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20. The blood clots, too. And the anxiety and depression, but really the anxiety was awful. Teeth grinding. Preoccupation. When I was 16, I had PMS that was so bad, so dark, and had my chest in such a panic that I actually tried to kill myself. I was in the hospital when I got my period and realized - the excess yeast that I'd seen the previous few days, the tension and anxiety...... yes, I must have something wrong with me. Hormones were directly related to my stress, anxiety, and depression. Really, go see the Dr. Get help now, before it makes you feel worse.

yes!! definitely go check it out. I used to have hormone issues too. De-stressing, a good diet and sleep are 3 big things that help us cope with the problems. At least that's what has been helping me since a few months back. Also I have tried some herbal drinks such as hemp and maca to help me internally.

good luck.

I'll defiantly talk my parents into taking me up to the doctors to see if we can have any tests done and find out for certain. I wasn't sure it was that much of a big deal.. But bsh0611, I have deffo experienced some suicidal thoughts right before my period, I haven't really thought much of them since I'm too determined to live I figured it wasn't big of a deal. Now I think I should be more concerned and talk with the doctor.

miao12, I've actually used herbal alternatives in the past to actually get me to the point where I have a period that only lasts for a week. None of the pills they gave me would do that so I'm pretty convinced of this stuff working, haha.  I'll defiantly do my homework and look into it!!

Thanks guys. :P

Doctor and homework I go!