Intense Anxiety during period?

[Strawberry]

I am on my period right now and I am facing some intense anxiety. Like last night I woke up with a strong overwhelming anxious feeling and thought immediately that "I have to go to the emergency room because I can't take it anymore!!!!" type of feeling. Does anyone else have this?

I missed my period last month because of the stress but I do remember the month before I faced something similar during my period where I would go to every health store and waste tons of money getting homeopathic remedies to calm me down. They never worked. Is this all because of hormones? I am on Zoloft 50mg for a month (started at 25mg for 3 weeks and just started 50mg last week) can it be that the Zoloft isn't working?

[aclockworkrystn]

My anxiety goes through the roof before and during the first couple days of my period. Ever since I had a baby my PMS in general is much worse than ever. It must be hormones but like you, I don't know what to do at this point. I eat very healthy, drink lots of water, avoid caffeine, try to exercise when I can but its still awful.

[mistiblue]

Yep! I'm on my period right now and my anxiety def peaks at this time of the month. It never fails, the day before I start I get SUPER depressed and feel HORRIBLE. I just wanna crawl in a hole and hide. Definitely, the worst time for anxiety... I read that it is the hormone levels. Stress can also mess up hormones, so it's a vicious cycle.

[Strawberry]

My anxiety goes through the roof before and during the first couple days of my period. Ever since I had a baby my PMS in general is much worse than ever. It must be hormones but like you, I don't know what to do at this point. I eat very healthy, drink lots of water, avoid caffeine, try to exercise when I can but its still awful.

I am so sorry to hear this I can't imagine anyone else feeling this way. I feel like just crawling up the wall, I can't explain the feeling. I would rush into a health store and basically tell them to get me anything that can calm me down. The racing thoughts don't help either. Sometimes it gets so overwhelming and I start to think I will die from my heart bursting in my chest, that's how much pressure I feel. It happened to me twice today. Every time I get it I want to call the emergency room because it is a scary experience but I managed to calm myself down by pacing around for a while. It has to be hormones!

[Strawberry]

Yep! I'm on my period right now and my anxiety def peaks at this time of the month. It never fails, the day before I start I get SUPER depressed and feel HORRIBLE. I just wanna crawl in a hole and hide. Definitely, the worst time for anxiety... I read that it is the hormone levels. Stress can also mess up hormones, so it's a vicious cycle.

OMG I would ask everyone if they had this "depression before/after period" thing that I have as well. This is usually after my period when I get severely depressed for like a day or two. I get borderline suicidal with the darkest thoughts. God is the only thing that keeps me going during that time and my period is also almost going to end in about 2 days so I am getting ready for that depression stage, got my therapist on speed dial and like 3 suicide prevention hotlines. It is like this sadness in the core of your stomach right? it isn't like regular depression where you feel sad all around, this sadness is like in my gut. I don't know how else to explain it but that feeling is overwhelming also.

[aclockworkrystn]

Ugh I am experiencing PMS right now... My period is due in 5 days. I have a headache and my heart rate is elevated. Like I'm just sitting here and it's beating fast for no reason. I can't stand it and its hard not to feel anxious!

[Applecherry]

My anxiety gets pretty bad during my period, I just suddenly don't feel like doing anything, not even eating.. and my sleep schedule has been all over the place, which for some reason has an impact on my menstrual cycle too (circadian rhythm) I suppose. I know that nervous gut feeling, sometimes just laying down for a nap makes it go away.. or going on a long walks. I feel silly sometimes thinking it is related to digestive problems too. When I "can't go" I feel that nervous pit in my stomach feeling too. It's awful.

The Zoloft you're on should work within a month though. and it will lesson the severity of your panic attacks. you will still HAVE panic attacks though.. and beware, an attack on Zoloft is a freaky experience, it makes you feel a bit depersonalized.. because during a full blown panic attack, you do not "feel" your heart racing, and the numbness and tightened muscles, you just feel like you're in a fog or something til it runs it's course.. but, in the end, it is better to be on the Zoloft than not to be if your anxiety is too overwhelming..

[bonehead]

A combination of magnesium and vitamin B6 has been shown to provide significant relief from pre-menstruation-related anxiety.