Hormones causing anxiety

[spacebunnyx]

Hi everyone,

I'm in a really bad place and have been for a couple of weeks. I'd not had major anxiety for ages/years.

A month ago I went to the GP feeling under the weather. She did some bloods and my testosterone came back at zero. My cortisol was also not great... But not at zero. She referred me to endocrinology. At the appointment my anxiety went nuts... Especially when the doctor said there was an issue with my heart. So I was also referred to cardiology. I've had an ECG and echo (all ok) and waiting on results of 48 hour holter. In all this I also found a dodgy mole that the GP says is ok.. but I'm not sure. I'm having panics thinking I'm going to die from a heart attack or cancer.

The anxiety is unreal and I've wound up I'm a and e twice convinced I'm dying.

I have a feeling the sudden anxiety is stemming from a hormone issue... possibly the non-existent testosterone (My thyroid is ok btw). Has anyone had similar???

I'm a 38 year old woman but feeling like a 90 year old!

Any support or advice really appreciated.

Xxx

[ankietyjoe]

Well this is tricky to pick apart as everything here is connected in some respect.

First of all don't pay too much attention to a Doctor saying there is something with your heart. I've been in that situation where my GP insisted that I rush myself off to A&E as I had tachycardia, without taking into account my history of anxiety AND the fact I'd just got over pneumonia. The cardiologist at A&E......"there's nothing wrong with your heart".

In terms of hormones, raised cortisol can be caused by stress, and raise cortisol is directly responsible for low testosterone.

In my experience, the biggest issue with Doctors is that they will only look at the data in front of them and rarely consider the history of the patient, especially if it's anxiety related.

If you have a history of anxiety and have gone to the Doctors 'under the weather', your system in under stress. So were you under any stress before you were feeling ill too?

[spacebunnyx]

Heya ankietyjoe,

Thank you for your reply. i think you're right and this is all connected. The endocrinologist listening to my heart said it was accelerating and decelerating with ectopics.... Total anxiety. I think the fear also magnified because I have some ptsd linked to the heart (my little boy has major heart defects and had open heart surgery when he was a few months old) - he's now 2... So not long ago.

So true about doctors only looking at what's in front of them... But then they're so stretched I must be so hard to look at people's history when they are sometimes so complicated.

My cortisol is low... Not high... But apparently made in the same place so hence why my T is 0. But must all be connected. I think I'm chronically shattered... Work full time, have 2 year old twins and have an active life... I think I've fallen off the mental health wagon!!!

Thanks again for taking the time to reply.

Xxx

[cattia]

Hi, I can relate to your post. I've been having a crash with my HA (see my recent post about blood results). My therapist says that although these things seem to hit us out of the blue, they are often cumulative. Because we are so used to pushing through and feeling rubbish with anxiety, we often don't realise that we are running ourselves into the ground until it's too late. You work full time and you have two small children. That's enough to wear anyone out. When we are running on empty it often only takes a small thing for everything to unravel. This is what I'm finding. What did you Dr suggest to level out your hormones? What can you do to try to look after yourself better? It's hard when life is busy but it will help if you can take time for yourself.

[spacebunnyx]

Hi cattia,

Thank you for taking the time to reply - sorry you've been crashing with HA as well. I'm not sure how to completely make things better as i think it's partly my lack of hormones making me feel exhausted. I'm still having tests so no solution yet.. but I'm pretty sure it will involve some sort of replacement. What do you do to pick yourself up?

I normally run... But the heart investigations have rules that out for now.

Xxx

[ankietyjoe]

Low cortisol can also be caused by severe stress, the adrenal glands can become fatigued. This is the most likely reason people suffer with chronic fatigue/ME/Yuppie Flu, whatever you want to call it.

Your son being ill in the way he was is MORE than enough stress to cause this, in my opinion.

I had a similar issue after a horrendously stressful 3-4 years, and your body will heal itself over time. The key is keeping stress levels low, keep exercise low intensity, make sure you get enough sleep, and if you have trouble sleeping at least make sure you get enough rest without worrying about the amount of sleep you get. The most critical thing that I did was a massive increase in good quality nutrition, mainly vegetables.

Take a look at your active life and see where you can (within the realms of possibility) replace some of the activity with calming pastimes instead.

[sial72]

Hi
I totally understand you. My daughter also had open heart surgery for various heart defects when she was 18 months old. When it happened I was terrified and in shock but I was there 100%, for the months after the op I was on high alert, watching her all the time to make sure she was ok. When she was finally better I crashed. My HA went through the roof, my cortisol was super low. As Ankietyjoe says, who wouldn't be with all the worry you've been through, that's enough reason.
I looked for natural remedies to increase cortisol. I eat grapefruit everyday. And I also ended uñ taking meds to help me sleep because I was stuck in high alert with my daughter for so long that I couldn't sleep.
Just take it a day at a time and try to be proactive about what you can change to feel better. I wish you all the best x

[spacebunnyx]

Thank you Sial - so sorry you had to go through this as well. I do feel just utterly exhausted... But not surprising with everything. I didn't know grapefruit helps with cortisol - I might have to try to like it!!!

AnxietyJoe - yep onto the whole cutting back on stuff. I cancelled an unnecessary appointment on Wednesday evening and will stay away from Google and just sit around a bit more. I'm a bit of a 100% person with everything - I've already had a friend tell me I need to wind myself down to 70%!!!

The main way I've dealt with anxiety in the past us by running. I figure if I can run 5/10km then I'm not going to die anytime soon. But I don't feel I can do that at the moment - so my usual strategy isn't available! Xxx