How does menopause effect CPTSD?

[Gromit]

The topic is not entirely accurate. As I am 51 I seem to see more and more information around me about menopause and peri-menopause.

For example, I saw a GP for a reissue of my anti-depressants some 7 years ago. I mentioned brain fog and the female GP said I must be menopausal, as I was the same age as she was, and she was menopausal.

7 years later, I still have a regular cycle and no signs of menopause or peri-menopause, but I do have anxiety, depression associated with CPTSD. I also see women my age, on line, mentioning anxiety, feelings of impending doom, brain fog, as symptoms of peri-menopause. These are every day occurrences for me, and have been for as long as I can remember.

What I would really like is for somebody here, who may have experienced menopause as well as CPTSD to tell me if the menopause is like CPTSD, or if I am mixing the two up as, at my age, I am likely to be experiencing the lead up to menopause.

G

[Blueberry]

Brain fog I've had since my teens so I don't think it's menopausal in my case! I imagine that's going to be the difference: have you had this symptom since way before it could have been menopausal? Or is it new? End-of-life feeling is new to me, so it could be menopausal I suppose, instead of something additional to cptsd.

Or it could be that depression, anxiety et al. get worse with menopause if you already have cptsd? I hope somebody on here can give you some more concrete information. 

Less-than-useful information deleted by me

[Gromit]

Thanks Blueberry, I believe menopause technically means you haven't had a period for 12 months.

I get hot flashes sometimes due to anxiety/shame but, as with brain fog, I have had that happen all my life.

I await more responses.

g

[Blueberry]

Thanks Blueberry, I believe menopause technically means you haven't had a period for 12 months.

 

Singularly useless comment from me up above. I think I'll delete most if not all of it.

You got me reading up on menopause or more particularly symptoms thereof, so thanks for that. 
Time I went to gynaecologist. Menopausal symptoms could explain A LOT.

[NarcKiddo]

Peri can go on for years before the periods stop. And the periods can become very irregular for quite some time before you go without one for 12 months. I'm in the thick of it all and have been since my mid 40s, so coming up 10 years.

My symptoms follow - beware if you don't like TMI on medical stuff.

Emotionally, my mood swings became harder to manage and my EFs became stronger. I started becoming tearful over very small frustrations, which had not been the case before. My rage at provocations became bigger and harder to deal with.

Physically I had developed positional vertigo, some vaginal discomfort, utterly evil night sweats, bloating and increased urinary frequency/urgency.

The doc put me on HRT. Vertigo has all but vanished and when I get attacks they are very mild. Vaginal discomfort has gone, as have the night sweats. The other physical symptoms remain and are being investigated since my bleeds were also not controlled as they should be by HRT.

Emotionally my tearfulness went away and my rage did not. The rage led me to seek therapy and open the can of worms that is CPTSD.

My experience is that the hormonal fluctuations exacerbate any issues that were already there. Or you start noticing things that maybe you were able to ignore before.

[SamwiseGamgee]

My cptsd symptoms have gotten worse while in menopause. But it started when the pandemic hit and I found and lost birth family all within the last few years. So it's been a roller coaster. But I do think my hormones have always triggered my cptsd. So I know it's had an impact.

[Gromit]

My experience is that the hormonal fluctuations exacerbate any issues that were already there. Or you start noticing things that maybe you were able to ignore before.

Yes, from what I see online from women in this age group, I got that impression.

Thank you,

G

[Gromit]

But I do think my hormones have always triggered my cptsd. So I know it's had an impact.

It is probably under studied, as it often is, how women's fluctuating hormones affect their experience, of illness, medication, etc

G

[Lakelynn]

Hi Gromet,

Menopause came "early" for me so I've been post menopausal for 29 shocking years. I recently was required to stop my Hormone Replacement Therapy after all that time. When people say "hard stop" I now know what it means.

I am going to weigh in on YES menopause effects PTSD in several ways. A lot of us have somatic issues, fibromyalgia, anxiety, sleep, depression. And while the absence or reduction of our hormones is not a SIMPLE Cause A to Cause B effect, science has shown all systems are intricately interwoven. I won't put a lot of links in here, but if you want, I can find whatever you need. The point is, like that old silly song about the knee bone connecting to the thigh bone, the subtle and not so subtle ways are multi-facted and inescapable. I don't mean to sound dire, but I do mean that there's no one fix answer for any of us.

We have to first be aware of our own bodies, and then be willing to try different things to see the results.

In the 2 months I've been "experimenting", I've found a bit of pain relief with Quercetin and Turmeric. Let me explain. It hurts to lay my head on a pillow. My ears scream in pain. My entire scalp hurts, whether pressure is on it or not. Since starting these two things, I am able to sleep more soundly, My scalp and ears do not hurt as much. Maybe 60% less. That's enough for me.

[Blueberry]

I've just watched a dialog on "How trauma affects your Hormones" by Dr. Anu Arasu, a freebie for those who register today, for Trauma Super Conference https://www.consciouslife.com/conferences/tsc-4 The conference is starting today and it is FREE and there is going to be more on hormones and trauma. It's not directly and solely about menopause but I found it helpful nonetheless - more food for thought.

[Gromit]

Hi Gromet,

Menopause came "early" for me so I've been post menopausal for 29 shocking years. I recently was required to stop my Hormone Replacement Therapy after all that time. When people say "hard stop" I now know what it means.

I am going to weigh in on YES menopause effects PTSD in several ways. A lot of us have somatic issues, fibromyalgia, anxiety, sleep, depression. And while the absence or reduction of our hormones is not a SIMPLE Cause A to Cause B effect, science has shown all systems are intricately interwoven. I won't put a lot of links in here, but if you want, I can find whatever you need. The point is, like that old silly song about the knee bone connecting to the thigh bone, the subtle and not so subtle ways are multi-facted and inescapable. I don't mean to sound dire, but I do mean that there's no one fix answer for any of us.

We have to first be aware of our own bodies, and then be willing to try different things to see the results.

In the 2 months I've been "experimenting", I've found a bit of pain relief with Quercetin and Turmeric. Let me explain. It hurts to lay my head on a pillow. My ears scream in pain. My entire scalp hurts, whether pressure is on it or not. Since starting these two things, I am able to sleep more soundly, My scalp and ears do not hurt as much. Maybe 60% less. That's enough for me.

I have been taking Turmeric for years after hearing about the inflammatory effects of trauma and I take quercetin for allergies.

Thanks for your comments.

G

[Gromit]

I've just watched a dialog on "How trauma affects your Hormones" by Dr. Anu Arasu, a freebie for those who register today, for Trauma Super Conference https://www.consciouslife.com/conferences/tsc-4 The conference is starting today and it is FREE and there is going to be more on hormones and trauma. It's not directly and solely about menopause but I found it helpful nonetheless - more food for thought.

Registered, thank you
G

[Lakelynn]

Hi Gromet!

I appreciate knowing that others have found Turmeric and Quercetin beneficial. It was recommended to me by a man I've never met, so had some reservations, initially. I'm more likely to trust a woman I've never met! 

[Blueberry]

I've just watched a dialog on "How trauma affects your Hormones" by Dr. Anu Arasu, a freebie for those who register today, for Trauma Super Conference https://www.consciouslife.com/conferences/tsc-4 The conference is starting today and it is FREE and there is going to be more on hormones and trauma. It's not directly and solely about menopause but I found it helpful nonetheless - more food for thought.

Registered, thank you
G

I've listened to great stuff for where I am rn but not so much on hormones. In fact so far, only one session I've watched has mentioned hormones and trauma and that's today's Release Stored Trauma in the Body by Irene Lyon tho it wasn't about Menopause either. So I feel that that freebie was a bit of a misnomer. Oh well.

I hope to check her website sometime and see if she goes into more detail there.

I hope you've found something useful for yourself or will do so.

[Gromit]

There is to be another conference led by Dr Anu Arasu in the future. I managed to catch her talk and others on the free replay.

Thank you Blueberry for drawing my attention to it.

G