[nowIgetit]

does anyone else notice their bp shifts are strongly correlated to their hormones?! sorry if that's a TMI question, but I haven't seen this come up yet. I have always had mood swings around my period and ovulation but started mood cycling pretty much constantly and having trouble sleeping as well as other major depressive symptoms with occasional hypomanic symptoms (no matter the time of month) after my son was born and it got much, much worse when he stopped breastfeeding. I felt the most mentally stable I ever have in my life while I was pregnant.

have any other ladies experienced anything like this? my doctor seems dismissive that there is a connection but I KNOW that for me the big hormone changes associated with my son's birth precipitated my developing more severe and "typical" bipolar II symptoms. I don't know that it matters that much from a treatment perspective just wondering if there is anyone else like me...

[hamster-bamster]

Actually, a ton has been written and exchanged about it, but mostly not on this forum. Read the forum titled Women-focused support.

I can only say that Mirena would be the most obvious choice for you, since it eliminates periods in 30% of wearers and makes them lighter in the rest, and, does not contain estrogen. Oh, and offers a virtually guaranteed protection from unintended pregnancy, which is in and of itself a stabilizing factor (removes worry).

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[Crazycatlady82]

For two days before my period, I am suicidal enough that I could probably go to the hospital, I cry, I hate everything about myself and my life, I feel anger, and it's all just over nothing. When I got pregnant and during my pregnancy I was able to take only a very minimal amount of one of my meds and I felt mentally stable and well.

[nowIgetit]

ah thanks I didn't realize that was a forum! I will check it out.

Originally Posted by hamster-bamster

Actually, a ton has been written and exchanged about it, but mostly not on this forum. Read the forum titled Women-focused support.

I can only say that Mirena would be the most obvious choice for you, since it eliminates periods in 30% of wearers and makes them lighter in the rest, and, does not contain estrogen. Oh, and offers a virtually guaranteed protection from unintended pregnancy, which is in and of itself a stabilizing factor (removes worry).

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk

[ginaaa22]

Originally Posted by nowIgetit

ah thanks I didn't realize that was a forum! I will check it out.

your on such a low dose of prozac and lamictol. how long have you been taking them? I've only been on meds for bp and bpd for 9 months and I take welbutrin 300mg er, 300mg lamictol and 80 mg of geodon.

[awebb198488]

I was diagnosed with Bipolar II in December and I'm still in the process of regulating my Lithium. About a week before my period this month, we upped the dose to 1200 mg/day. This period was terrible. I had about three days where all I wanted to do was cry, and did to the point of sobbing. I have a psychiatrist appointment on the 26th and that will be the first question I ask her. I know I felt differently. Now that my period is over, I feel a lot better.

I'm in perimenopause and I KNOW my estrogen fluctuations cause trouble, I didn't have a period for almost three months and was severely depressed during that time. There was a lot going on physically too, I had an ear infection and the 3 week round of antibiotic led to a stomach infection. The three month hiatus of periods and subsequent depressions happened in the fall of '12 and '13. I'm not a candidate for hrt because my mom had breast cancer in her 50s. I don't know what's gonna happen when menopause hits me for real.

I got diagnosed with Premenstural Dysphoric Disorder. I asked my gyno if it could be related to 10 years of use of antipsychotics and he said it is definitely possible. They mess with your hormones, and in my case cause me to really suffer 9 days leading up to my period. I got the mirena but it needs a few months to settle the hormones before I can benefit from its effects. I was in hospital last month and Im about to go back in now but for a different reason that is related to the meds they put me on for the PMDD. The whole thing has been distressing. I cant wait for my hormones to settle down.

[MotherMarcus]

Originally Posted by nowIgetit

does anyone else notice their bp shifts are strongly correlated to their hormones?! sorry if that's a TMI question, but I haven't seen this come up yet. I have always had mood swings around my period and ovulation but started mood cycling pretty much constantly and having trouble sleeping as well as other major depressive symptoms with occasional hypomanic symptoms (no matter the time of month) after my son was born and it got much, much worse when he stopped breastfeeding. I felt the most mentally stable I ever have in my life while I was pregnant.

have any other ladies experienced anything like this? my doctor seems dismissive that there is a connection but I KNOW that for me the big hormone changes associated with my son's birth precipitated my developing more severe and "typical" bipolar II symptoms. I don't know that it matters that much from a treatment perspective just wondering if there is anyone else like me...

I find myself channeling Satan about a week to ten days before my cycle.

[Curiosity77]

Hormones definitely affect my bipolar. My problems with mood started with puberty. I get very depressed and anxious around my period. One of the most intense hypomanic episodesI had was when I stopped the birth control pill after being on it for 10 years. I barely slept for a week and I got myself into a lot of trouble. Now I will only use a copper IUD because I'm too scared of what any hormones could do to me. I don't even want to risk Mirena.

[shortandcute]

I would def. agree that hormones affect my BP. I don't have my monthlies anymore but when I did, they were horrendous. Menopause was awful to say the least.

[Alone & confused]

Apparently so. My bf can tell within a matter of days when I'm going to start. And I'm not regular, so I know he's not just looking at the calender. He knows before I do by my mood changes. Plus, I'm 44 and everyone keeps telling me that I'm probably getting ready to go through "the change". If That's true, it might account for my instability getting alot worse.

[nowIgetit]

I've been on them about six weeks. They've helped but not enough. My GP dx me and referred me to a pdoc for med management and I'm waiting on an appointment, he's booking 6-8 weeks out.

Originally Posted by ginaaa22

your on such a low dose of prozac and lamictol. how long have you been taking them? I've only been on meds for bp and bpd for 9 months and I take welbutrin 300mg er, 300mg lamictol and 80 mg of geodon.

[nowIgetit]

also I take 10 mg of fluoxetine the week before my period just for this reason, 5 mg the rest of the month. my GP tried 20 but it totally spun me out into suicidal raginess. not sure what pdoc will put me on. I've tried wellbutrin before and it made me super jittery and anxious and unable to sleep even at a low dose. I'm still pretty swingy right now but not as bad as I was six weeks ago. the lamictal has leveled me out a little thank god.

Originally Posted by nowIgetit

I've been on them about six weeks. They've helped but not enough. My GP dx me and referred me to a pdoc for med management and I'm waiting on an appointment, he's booking 6-8 weeks out.

[spydermonkey]

i agree with everyone there's definitely a connetion between hormones and mood disorders. research has found many young women develop mood disorders around the time of menarche. i know i did and still the week before my period my depression is worse and more ragey too. when i take bc pills this is tempered a lot.

[nowIgetit]

I am the same, I felt the most mentally stable I EVER have in my life during my pregnancy and for the first few months after, until my period came back at 12 weeks (despite full time breastfeeding!)

Originally Posted by Crazycatlady82

For two days before my period, I am suicidal enough that I could probably go to the hospital, I cry, I hate everything about myself and my life, I feel anger, and it's all just over nothing. When I got pregnant and during my pregnancy I was able to take only a very minimal amount of one of my meds and I felt mentally stable and well.

[swheaton]

I had a hysterectomy in 2011 and I was diagnosed with PMDD a year prior. The only day I felt normal was the first day of my period. Hormones do cause depressive/manic episodes.

[Mimsey7]

I was surprised to find a thread on this topic because it's me to the letter. I was confused weather my bp diagnosis was correct because it fluctuates so much with my cycle. I also noticed that during pregnancies I feel normal, well mostly normal. Maybe that's why I have 7 children, as pregnancy brought me some relief. I am just glad to know that I'm not alone!

[nowIgetit]

I have wondered about this too, if I was younger (had my first at 32) I could see myself having many more children partially because pregnancy is so enjoyable for me. I have been mood tracking since november after my dx by my GP (am now working with pdoc to confirm) and you can see clearly on the calendar that my mood swings directly correlate to my period and ovulation. It's so obvious that I am surprised no one thought of bp before now...I was dx with PMDD years ago and it never has responded well to prozac alone.

Originally Posted by Mimsey7

I was surprised to find a thread on this topic because it's me to the letter. I was confused weather my bp diagnosis was correct because it fluctuates so much with my cycle. I also noticed that during pregnancies I feel normal, well mostly normal. Maybe that's why I have 7 children, as pregnancy brought me some relief. I am just glad to know that I'm not alone!

[gris212]

Originally Posted by nowIgetit

does anyone else notice their bp shifts are strongly correlated to their hormones?! sorry if that's a TMI question, but I haven't seen this come up yet. I have always had mood swings around my period and ovulation but started mood cycling pretty much constantly and having trouble sleeping as well as other major depressive symptoms with occasional hypomanic symptoms (no matter the time of month) after my son was born and it got much, much worse when he stopped breastfeeding. I felt the most mentally stable I ever have in my life while I was pregnant.

have any other ladies experienced anything like this? my doctor seems dismissive that there is a connection but I KNOW that for me the big hormone changes associated with my son's birth precipitated my developing more severe and "typical" bipolar II symptoms. I don't know that it matters that much from a treatment perspective just wondering if there is anyone else like me...

OMG YES!!! That's me! I've self diagnosed myself and my therapist/psychiatrist agreed that I'm PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder)I have been on and off birth control for maybe 2 years. Recently back in November-December I stopped taking it and good gracious the next months when I was pmsing were hell. I would get fully depressed, so anxious to the point I was suicidal. I read up that PMDD is controlled with birth control so this past month I was back on it and I was just fine!
BP is a rollercoaster ride, but I think for us women we have it even worse with our hormones!

[gris212]

FYI Zoloft also helped me with PMDD

Originally Posted by nowIgetit

does anyone else notice their bp shifts are strongly correlated to their hormones?!...

I'm sooooo not one for talking "lady talk", but somehow I'm compelled on this one. (Maybe because I have a dissenting answer??) I've charted and there's not correlation for me. It was one of the things we discussed at my intake. The fact that it wasn't ruled out a hormonal issue as the cause of my symptoms.

There were a lot of other factors leading to the BP dx of course, as it's not all about mood (alas, if only it were that simple…). At any rate, my actual episodes (depressions especially) tend to last longer than what would be encompassed by the cycle of a month. And they seem to shift whenever they damn well please. (Hello, unpredictability!) I also try to not confuse my emotions with mood state. Not everything we feel is attributable to BP after all. (Who has not had to remind someone of this when they try to chalk everything up to our BP?)

I have experienced hormonal puppeteering (heheh, like that one?), so I am familiar with it, but it's not a big thing for me. The most memorable one was while pregnant, ridiculous things seemed "touching" and I'd tear up. It was disconcerting. It was a shift, but it wasn't my BP.

Sorry so late to answer. Like I said, it's really not my thing, but figured since it's been gnawing for few days, it was probably worth putting fingers to keyboard. Free up the brain for gnawing on something else.

[live2ski66]

I know my period is a few days away when I'm walking around chewing everyone's heads off,I have anxiety I can't control and t don't want to be around people.

[Patsy Cline]

I also feel it causes trouble . I have pcos so my periods are never regular. I'm sure there's some correlation.