Balancing these symptoms can feel overwhelming, especially when you’ve already got an anxiety disorder on your plate. It sounds like these recent menstrual changes are causing some really intense experiences for you… let’s see if we can unpack what’s going on and help you manage it, hopefully a bit better.
Okay so, that elevated BP, heart palpitations and nausea you noticed, could be related to several issues. Often intense pain from menstruation can trigger these stress responses in the body. Add in that macrophysical interaction between anxiety and your cycle, and it can get quite challenging. Ayuveda sees these symptoms as possible vata imbalances, so it’s as if unsettled air (vata) is blowing things out of balance.
One thing we can try, is warming your system but maybe in a more holistic way? I know you used a hot water bottle, which is great! Keep doing that, but also think about cozying up with some warm, soothing herbal teas. Ginger tea with a pinch of ajwain (carom seeds) might be really grounding and can help calm nausea too.
Aim for warm, easy-to-digest foods, like khichadi, with some ghee to nourish and stabilize. Avoid cold or raw foods for now, they’re likely aggravating the vata more. Rest is super important, so do what you can to prioritize better sleep. Maybe try some gentle yoga or breathing exercises before bed to ease the mind a lil!
Now, I know you’re on Cipralex, which is important to continue as prescribed. Make sure the sudden BP change wasn’t just a fluke. If these episodes with significant increases in BP keep happening, I’d really recommend discussing it with your doctor right away. They need to rule out anything more serious that might need a different treatment strategy, especially with your existing medication.
Remember, this is just a starting point to bring back some balance. Give yourself time and be gentle on yourself.