I'm 51 years old and I think that I've started the menopause. I suffered from anxiety for 10 years and now my heart is skipping beats. What can I take or do? I'm worried there's something wrong with my heart. I want to take Passiflower but is it safe to take with beta blockers?

Palpitations/missed or fast heartbeats are very common in the menopause and most women will experience them at some point.

I do know from experience just how horrible they can be - mine came at night just as I tried to get to sleep!

The menopause tends to stress the body's nervous system (the adrenals) and this makes the adrenals extra jumpy and responsive to any kind of stress, physical or emotional, and this in turn then triggers the palpitations/missed or fast heartbeat. 

It is important to support the adrenals so taking a magnesium supplement and a good vitamin B Complex should help. Daily relaxation is vital and can help symptoms really quickly.

Low blood sugar and dehydration could be a factor as well, so make sure that you eat little and often - have healthy snacks, not sugary ones, more protein/carb based such as plain yogurt, nuts and seeds, oatcake and cheese etc.

Make sure that you are drinking plenty of plain water during the day. Try to avoid caffeine if possible as this, and high sugar foods, can be one of the main contributory factors! 

Acupuncture can often help with this so it is worth looking into as well. However, if these continue or get worse it is important to let your doctor know that your medication is not helping.

Passiflora is fine with your medication and, if you are also getting general menopause symptoms, you could try Menopause Support.

Eileen Durward