anxiety lessen with time

Hi Sisters,
I had a very manageable anxiety disorder before my total hysterectomy. I was barely taking anti-anxiety meds. (Way below the minimum dose was working for me.)
3 weeks after surgery my anxiety got much more intense. I've had to now take an average dose of the medication and it's still hard. I'm on bio-identical HRT and working closely with a good Dr. I was told all of the hormone fluctuations and other chemicals like cortisol and adrenaline have been stirred up due to the trauma of surgery and removal of organs, etc. My Dr. believes my anxiety will settle back down in time perhaps after the hormones have been in balance for awhile. I'm 49 years old and 10 weeks post op. Anyone have any thoughts/experience with this? It's hard but if I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel?
Kirstensis

I have always been high strung and really thrived on stress, loved the adrenaline rush I got from it.. but by the time I started peri menopause I was a mess, all my coping tools I used to have for stress were gone, I was forced to start taking ativan for stress in 2002 pretty much when I started Peri Men. I found out after all the 7 years past, my hormones were not in balance, and even after surgery I was only taking estrodial, and once I added a low dose of progesterone to even out and make my estrodial to work better, I stopped taking my ativan for the first time in 7 years, amazing.. there is a link somewhere to great info about adding progesterone to your HRT to get it balanced, I use BIO ID estrodial Gel half a gram in AM and half gram PM and same with the BIO ID pro cream, good luck!! I know the PROGESTERONE is called the calming hormone, and yes, it sure is!! My Dr started me on some estrogen but let me do the reseach and said its up to me and how I feel, I told he what I wanted to try and I finally found my balance! THANK GOD! EDIT here is the site that helped me so much GOOD LUCK http://www.hystersisters.com/vb2/article_97233.htm

I don't have a diagnosed anxiety disorder but I am what we call in the UK, 'one of lifes little worriers'. I've found that since my surgery I'm just nervous and anxious about everything. SOmeone told me though that it's our bodies way of making sure we look after ourselves and don't do too much too soon.

My fear of going out and patting the ponies, even over a fence, is my body saying it's not going to be good if nudged even though I'm normally not at all fearful around my ponies I couldn't go near them for the first week at all.

I got a bit weepy last night as I'd had two visitors and my pain levels were up and I was terrified I'd done too much. Again, just a check mechanism to ensure I behave.

I'm sure it will ease back to my normal 'worrier but OK' levels given time and healing. Ten weeks post op is till not long in terms of final healing

I have suffered with panic attacks for almost 2 years now. Take 2 xanax a day for it. I was hoping that I was in perimenopause and thats what caused it although the doc never really said. Also maybe it was the huge cyst growing although I don't think it was there that long. If anxiety gets worse I will surely be a basket case. I was barely functioning at work as it was.
Hopefully you get over this soon and please let us know how your feeling. I did read that anxiety is worse after surgery.

Thanks girls, I'll let you know as it lessens and I can go back to my low, low dose of medication.
PRESOUZ, I'm a lot like you and the the adrenaline rush used to be more of a positive thing when I was younger. Like you it wasn't as great when I hit perimenopause. I take a small amount of BIO ID prog cream in the a.m. and p.m. also. I take a total of 50 mg per day-do you mind me asking what your dose is AND has it ever made you seem tired? + Do you know your estadiol level?( I know we're all different, just curious.)
Ruby2010 & Quincey1-you guys JUST had surgery. I'll let you know when the anxiety lessens. I do feel more even emotionally than I did say, 3 weeks ago.
Kirstensis