Thanks for the responses. I did bring it up, but I don't think it went that well, not sure though. He gave me broad generalizations, asked when my last period was when he knows that I had an operation so don't have them any longer. Frustrating because we've worked together a long time. Plus he is an MD so seems like he should know that hormones affect women's moods. And his wife is a midwife so...go figure.

I have a trauma history and am experiencing some things like that now (caregiver fatigue, DV, losses of different kinds), but my T seems to not be open now to any external factors. He now wants to put me on lithium, thinks I'm bipolar I guess.

I know I'm not bipolar, don't have the history or symptoms. I actually have nothing against it, just know it's not me. And think it is diagnosed too often, just because someone seems to be moody, irritable, or whatever. Like my sleep patterns are off and am late so feel not put together, which I guess looks like mania? but why?

If I wake up at all hours, drenched in sweat. Or am late because I am care giving around the clock so have to deal with all the responsibilities, the shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc., why is that mania? why isn't it just life and life changes?

I don't want to fight about diagnosis; I can't win. But I don't want to have the reality of my body and life circumstances be completely dismissed and told that everything has to be due to some sort of disease when menopause is natural.

Not sure what to do. I don't want to leave him because we have had good experiences. He also is having a lot of stress at home so I get that right now he is very distracted, not really himself.

I may sound like I'm making excuses, but I'm trying to take in the larger picture, testing out how it sounds, just throwing out ideas and feelings.