# Anxiety caused by hormone fluctuations??



## chall (Mar 23, 2004)

Hi.. When I was 17 my parents got divorced... a week later my dad passed away and then a week after that my two best friends were killed by a drunk driver... I ended up suffering from a nervous breakdown and had constent anxiety. I medicated myself with things like valarian root etc.. and my anxiety eventually went away. I am now 22 and its decided to come back.. I don't really have a lot of strees and it only seems to get bad when its that time of the month or when I am really overtired... I also find that it's only at night that I have anxiety.. My doc says that he thinks it's a hormonal thing, which does'nt tell me anything. He would'nt even give me any meds cause he thought it would make my ibs worse.. I almost feel like my past is comming to get me again.. I'm not sure about taking valarian root because I have high blood pressure issues.. anyone have any tips for me??


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## Tiss (Aug 22, 2000)

I do think that anxiety plays a part in hormonal balance or imbalance as the case may be. I have noticed that since I'm in menopause and take the same amount of estrogen/progesterone I am much less anxious than I used to be although it is sort of chronic condition for me--just not as severe. Are you taking bc pills? Maybe that might help ease some symtoms but I don't really know.


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## chall (Mar 23, 2004)

I was taking bc pills and I found that my anxiety got worse so I went off the pill


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## Tiss (Aug 22, 2000)

The things that probably helped me the most throughout the years is exercise and medications. Jogging and yoga are preferable (for me) but even walking helps with my stress and anxiety. I do have some klonopin that I use on occassion and I use xanax to fly (I don't fly too often). You have experienced alot of stress! Have you thought about therapy? Maybe you have post traumatic stress disorder from those very traumatic experiences. My parents were divorced when I was about 16 and I was slipped some acid by an acquaintance when I was 15-just before my parents divorced. Talk about a tailspin. I was hospitalized for 4 months and had severe depersonalization/derealization-I felt stark terror. Now I know I was suffering from severe PTDS. When I was about your age I started therapy and later took Nardil (MAOI) antidepressant which helped alot with the anxiety. It had side effects and I went off of them after taking them for many years. My point is that many medications (besides the addictive ones) may help your anxiety such as lexapro or paxil. They are called SSRI antidepressants. Maybe your doctor would consider one of those meds which are generally considered to be very safe. I am so sorry about all the terrible stuff you went through. Sometimes those experiences can make us stronger. Hang in there.


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## Tiss (Aug 22, 2000)

Here is my post I wrote way back. Hope it helps others.


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