Question:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Carl wrote: >I am writing for my wife, who is suffering from debilitating symptoms, most >likely related to peri-menopause. It is our hope that someone can refer us to >a >solution to this very troubling series of "episodes". >Each month, for the last 5 months, my wife suffers from 4 to 5 episodes per >month, beginning just before her period, up to the end of her period. These >episodes last from 10 minutes to over an hour each. >The "cycle" for each episode is as follows: >1. Sometimes the cycle is preceded by rapid heart beat, >2. The cycle begins with a heart "thump" or dizziness, >3. The dizziness increase until it reaches extreme dizziness, along with >faintness, extreme weakness, headache, nausea, aching all over body, and the >beginning of exhaustion, >4. Which is usually followed by tremors in her extremities, sometimes >contortions of her hands (with hyperventilating), and her whole body shaking >5. Recovering, usually after an hour, with extreme exhaustion and the need >to >urinate >Today, she had three episodes, back to back. That is unusual, as they have >usually been spaced out over a few days, during her period. >My wife is 47 years old and is beginning to experience changes in her monthly >timing. She is exercising regularly, and eats relatively well. She is trying >to >cut down on caffeine. Her Endocrinologist said her hormones were normal >(whatever that means). Her internist and gyn have put her on paxil. We are >frustrated, as there does not seem to be answers to our questions easily >available. The book "Screaming to be Heard", by Elizabeth Vliet, has been >very >helpful. >At first, we thought she was suffering from panic attacks. But the episodes >do >not seem to be triggered by external events or anxiety, but rather almost >randomly during the time shortly before her period, up to the end of her >period. >As her husband, I am quite worried, as the episodes seem to be increasing, >and >do not seem to go away with the medication. We are not certain of the cause. >We >are not certain of the solution. We do not know where to go talk with someone >who is knowledgeable with these symptoms. >Any information or referrals would be greatly appreciated. It is quite >difficult for her to work in her nursing job or to drive to and from work, >with >these debilitating episodes. Thanks for your help. >Carl
Carl, Welcome to asm. I am afraid I don’t have any experience with the ‘cycles’ your wife has been having. Hopefully other posters will know more. There are other books and a list of menopause symptoms on the excellent unofficial website of this newsgroup (so graciously maintained by one of the regular posters). http://www.oxford.net/~tishy/asm.html Again welcome. Wendy hypo…@aol.com
Response:
On Fri, 24 Jul 1998 02:23:25 GMT, cscarl…@ameritech.net (Carl – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Carlson) wrote: >I am writing for my wife, who is suffering from debilitating symptoms, most >likely related to peri-menopause. It is our hope that someone can refer us to a >solution to this very troubling series of "episodes". >Each month, for the last 5 months, my wife suffers from 4 to 5 episodes per >month, beginning just before her period, up to the end of her period. These >episodes last from 10 minutes to over an hour each. >The "cycle" for each episode is as follows: >1. Sometimes the cycle is preceded by rapid heart beat, >2. The cycle begins with a heart "thump" or dizziness, >3. The dizziness increase until it reaches extreme dizziness, along with >faintness, extreme weakness, headache, nausea, aching all over body, and the >beginning of exhaustion, >4. Which is usually followed by tremors in her extremities, sometimes >contortions of her hands (with hyperventilating), and her whole body shaking >5. Recovering, usually after an hour, with extreme exhaustion and the need to >urinate >Today, she had three episodes, back to back. That is unusual, as they have >usually been spaced out over a few days, during her period. >My wife is 47 years old and is beginning to experience changes in her monthly >timing. She is exercising regularly, and eats relatively well. She is trying to >cut down on caffeine. Her Endocrinologist said her hormones were normal >(whatever that means). Her internist and gyn have put her on paxil. We are >frustrated, as there does not seem to be answers to our questions easily >available. The book "Screaming to be Heard", by Elizabeth Vliet, has been very >helpful. >At first, we thought she was suffering from panic attacks. But the episodes do >not seem to be triggered by external events or anxiety, but rather almost >randomly during the time shortly before her period, up to the end of her >period.
All the symptoms you are describing could be due to a panic attack. There is no external trigger necessary for a panic attack nor does it go along with the awareness of anxiety or panic - sounds probably pretty crazy but panic disorder often starts with body symptoms that do not involve feelings of panic or anxiety. Nevertheless I would like to second Terri’s advice of seeing a neurologist. The one thing that is unusual about your wife’s symptoms is that they occur only at a fixed time during the cycle. Panic attacks occur at random although women report more of them shortly before their periods. Best wishes, Sonja
Response:
Carl, I’m responding to your post inside Wendy’s post because I haven’t seen the original. Please take your wife to a competent neurologist for evaluation. None of what you are describing is a "normal" menopausal symptom. I would be especially concerned about the dizziness, weakness, and tremor. These can be symptoms of very serious neurological problems and by ascribing them to menopause you may be delaying in seeking the medical attention she needs. If a neurologist gives her the all-clear then is time enough to start looking into hormonal and menopausal reasons for her symptoms. I’m sorry if I am frightening you, but I think this may be a serious problem. Take care and good luck to both of you Terri – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Hypoint wrote: > Carl wrote: > >I am writing for my wife, who is suffering from debilitating symptoms, most > >likely related to peri-menopause. It is our hope that someone can refer us to > >a > >solution to this very troubling series of "episodes". > >Each month, for the last 5 months, my wife suffers from 4 to 5 episodes per > >month, beginning just before her period, up to the end of her period. These > >episodes last from 10 minutes to over an hour each. > >The "cycle" for each episode is as follows: > >1. Sometimes the cycle is preceded by rapid heart beat, > >2. The cycle begins with a heart "thump" or dizziness, > >3. The dizziness increase until it reaches extreme dizziness, along with > >faintness, extreme weakness, headache, nausea, aching all over body, and the > >beginning of exhaustion, > >4. Which is usually followed by tremors in her extremities, sometimes > >contortions of her hands (with hyperventilating), and her whole body shaking > >5. Recovering, usually after an hour, with extreme exhaustion and the need > >to > >urinate > >Today, she had three episodes, back to back. That is unusual, as they have > >usually been spaced out over a few days, during her period. > >My wife is 47 years old and is beginning to experience changes in her monthly > >timing. She is exercising regularly, and eats relatively well. She is trying > >to > >cut down on caffeine. Her Endocrinologist said her hormones were normal > >(whatever that means). Her internist and gyn have put her on paxil. We are > >frustrated, as there does not seem to be answers to our questions easily > >available. The book "Screaming to be Heard", by Elizabeth Vliet, has been > >very > >helpful. > >At first, we thought she was suffering from panic attacks. But the episodes > >do > >not seem to be triggered by external events or anxiety, but rather almost > >randomly during the time shortly before her period, up to the end of her > >period. > >As her husband, I am quite worried, as the episodes seem to be increasing, > >and > >do not seem to go away with the medication. We are not certain of the cause. > >We > >are not certain of the solution. We do not know where to go talk with someone > >who is knowledgeable with these symptoms. > >Any information or referrals would be greatly appreciated. It is quite > >difficult for her to work in her nursing job or to drive to and from work, > >with > >these debilitating episodes. Thanks for your help. > >Carl > Carl, > Welcome to asm. > I am afraid I don’t have any experience with the ‘cycles’ your wife has been > having. Hopefully other posters will know more. > There are other books and a list of menopause symptoms on the excellent > unofficial website of this newsgroup (so graciously maintained by one of the > regular posters). > http://www.oxford.net/~tishy/asm.html > Again welcome. > Wendy > hypo…@aol.com
Response:
I am writing for my wife, who is suffering from debilitating symptoms, most likely related to peri-menopause. It is our hope that someone can refer us to a solution to this very troubling series of "episodes". Each month, for the last 5 months, my wife suffers from 4 to 5 episodes per month, beginning just before her period, up to the end of her period. These episodes last from 10 minutes to over an hour each. The "cycle" for each episode is as follows: 1. Sometimes the cycle is preceded by rapid heart beat, 2. The cycle begins with a heart "thump" or dizziness, 3. The dizziness increase until it reaches extreme dizziness, along with faintness, extreme weakness, headache, nausea, aching all over body, and the beginning of exhaustion, 4. Which is usually followed by tremors in her extremities, sometimes contortions of her hands (with hyperventilating), and her whole body shaking 5. Recovering, usually after an hour, with extreme exhaustion and the need to urinate Today, she had three episodes, back to back. That is unusual, as they have usually been spaced out over a few days, during her period. My wife is 47 years old and is beginning to experience changes in her monthly timing. She is exercising regularly, and eats relatively well. She is trying to cut down on caffeine. Her Endocrinologist said her hormones were normal (whatever that means). Her internist and gyn have put her on paxil. We are frustrated, as there does not seem to be answers to our questions easily available. The book "Screaming to be Heard", by Elizabeth Vliet, has been very helpful. At first, we thought she was suffering from panic attacks. But the episodes do not seem to be triggered by external events or anxiety, but rather almost randomly during the time shortly before her period, up to the end of her period. As her husband, I am quite worried, as the episodes seem to be increasing, and do not seem to go away with the medication. We are not certain of the cause. We are not certain of the solution. We do not know where to go talk with someone who is knowledgeable with these symptoms. Any information or referrals would be greatly appreciated. It is quite difficult for her to work in her nursing job or to drive to and from work, with these debilitating episodes. Thanks for your help. Carl
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