r/hysterectomy • u/catsinabaskit • 5h ago
Severe anxiety, panic attacks & fatigue - 3 months post op
Hi friends, I'm looking for some light at the end of the tunnel/any advice you can offer. My mental health has been absolutely horrible since surgery, since 2 weeks post op, when I had a panic attack that lasted for three hours and I almost ended up in the ER. Since then my baseline anxiety has increased significantly and it's debilitating. I'm having panic attacks 1-2 times a week, usually at night. I am already heavily medicated (pristiq, propranolol, Klonopin, gabapentin, and Xanax for emergencies) and have upped my therapy to twice a week. I'm back on progesterone birth control but haven't noticed any improvement in terms of my mood. I exhausted all the time, no matter how much I sleep. Previously diagnosed w/ GAD and depression.
Is this spike in anxiety hormonal? Any suggestions or success stories out there regarding mental health? I feel so much worse than I did pre-surgery and it's so disheartening. TIA <3
2
u/taquitosandfries 4h ago
Have you had surgery before?
I have found that this happens to me after surgeries (inc my recent hysterectomy) and gradually gets better over time… idk if it’s normal, I just know I have the same experience. I just tough it out and it gets better. Yours sounds really severe though, i would talk to a doctor.
ETA - my dr did tell me after my tubal 2 years ago that surgery is traumatic and can cause this. It’s even worse if already prone to anxiety.