Fungus and the Menopause!

Today was Colourful Mai's birthday and I met her for a walk. I really wanted to see her for as she reminded me it's been nearly 2 months! However I still feel anxious around people, even within my own home, so doing a walk as well was a little daunting. But I really wanted to do it and knew I just had to confront my fears and overcome them. Plus it was just such a beautifully sunny day! She had suggested a walk in the village but the risk of bumping  into people and so have to chat and that would be pushing it too far so I suggested Cotehele. Completely forgot it was half term and the place was humming with families! Shortly after starting our walk I began to feel peculiar and so we about turned so I could go to the toilet. That was fine but on meeting back with Mai I really felt faint and decided I had to give up on the walk. I sat a while longer and tried to relax, whilst telling myself that to give up would set a really bad precedent. So finally we walked on! I had to fight my anxiety several more times and the camera came in very useful for distracting me! 
Colourful Mai gave me a useful bit of information - another friend of hers has been having a dreadful menopause and did a lot of reading on the subject and found that anxiety, panic attacks, and heart palpitations can all be part of the process. Well, that cheered me up! I had not factored that into the many causes I had already identified for my current state, even though the hot flushes had returned with a vengeance! I had thought I was finally coming out of that particular nightmare but perhaps it's the root cause of my current issues!   Having read up on all this I am even considering having my hormone levels, thyroid and adrenal glands tested! At this point a diagnosis would do a lot to alleviate my concerns and help me cope with the effects. I'm amazed and appalled at how little knowledge and information is given to women about the menopause and the myriad ways it can impact you in both body and mind. I have received very little advice from the Dr's I have seen over the years at my practice, despite having my HRT changed many times over the years I took it when I identified the fact it was no longer being effective. As the first of my peers to go through it my only source of information has been google - and that can be a tricky beast to find what you want! Most articles deal with the obvious physical symptoms but you have to dig for more in-depth articles and lesser known effects. One article I did find compared the menopause to adolescence, only in reverse hormone wise! Who would want to repeat being a teenager! Actually even that seems preferable to the menopause! If I could see inside my own head I'm certain this fungus would be an apt representation of what my brain looks  like!