[zijax]

I decided to try estrogen and progesterone in a patch form instead of an SSRI. It works. I'm not depressed or having rage anymore. I also have increased libido. I wanted to avoid the notable SSRI negative sexual side effects. With hormones sex is great. I discussed this idea with my pdoc. I told him i was tired of conventional psyche meds and I wanted to see if my hormones needed adjusting. So far so good. I do still take Seroquel and Topamax but have avoided the SSRI. If you are in your forties you may want to consider hormone replacement therapy in lieu of SSRIs.

I've been asking my doctor about this for years...3 doctors in fact. They've all said it's not advisable and risky....can cause blood pressure to skyrocket and increase cancer risk or something. My doctor even told me to avoid wellness clinics that offer this. I'm so confused because I'm certain my hormones are playing a role in my illness. Everytime I've become manic, I've either been on my period or started within 2 days. My husband noticed this first a few years ago.

[LucyG]

Originally Posted by ElsaMars

I've been asking my doctor about this for years...3 doctors in fact. They've all said it's not advisable and risky....can cause blood pressure to skyrocket and increase cancer risk or something. My doctor even told me to avoid wellness clinics that offer this. I'm so confused because I'm certain my hormones are playing a role in my illness. Everytime I've become manic, I've either been on my period or started within 2 days. My husband noticed this first a few years ago.

There's an old book called What Your Doctor May Not Be Telling You About Perimenopause about the use of natural progesterone cream. You might check it out.

Originally Posted by LucyG

There's an old book called What Your Doctor May Not Be Telling You About Perimenopause about the use of natural progesterone cream. You might check it out.

Thanks....I will check this out and start researching this because I believe hormones are causing me a ton of problems. I'm getting an IUD put in soon and I'm hoping it will change my life.

Whether it be patch, cream, whatever, regardless of source (natural" is not exempt) hormones of any sort should be approached with caution for people who have bipolar.

That's all. It's simply something to be aware of.

I thinks that's great it's working for you zijax! Alas, I won't be trying it-- my sex drive is already more than sufficient, lol. )

(EM, I went with the ParaGard because it involved no hormones whatsoever. I just didn't want to risk it. There are a few that do involve hormones (such as Mirena). They say it is a small amount. Probably like so many things it can go either way depending on the individual.)

[Moose72]

I can't take birth control with any hormones because I have a history of pulmonary emboli- blood clots in the lungs. I do, however, have the Mirena IUD which lightens my periods. That's how little the progesterone in it is.

[zijax]

The doctor that prescribed the estrogen patch told me that bipolar women in particular have huge problems with hormonal imbalance and it causes irritability and depression. That's why hormone replacement therapy is so important for bipolar women in particular. Perimenopause, menopause, and post menopause stages tend to wreak unusual havok in bipolar women. HRT is safe and highly effective. If I'd known id feel this good years ago Id have been on it. It has changed my life. I feel so much better.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

Originally Posted by Innerzone

Whether it be patch, cream, whatever, regardless of source (natural" is not exempt) hormones of any sort should be approached with caution for people who have bipolar.
. There are a few that do involve hormones (such as Mirena). They say it is a small amount. Probably like so many things it can go either way depending on the individual.)

Just as a tale of caution, I had a Mirena placed in 2011 when I had early onset menopause and my periods became very heavy (almost needed iron infusions) and painful. It did change my periods; they were several weeks per month but at least not heavy or painful. However from the time it was placed, almost to the day, I was a psychiatric mess. I was suicidal, in the hospital twice in a few months, and my moods were completely out of control. Finally after 9 months we decided to pull it to see if it was the problem. My GYN said it shouldn't be the cause but that there was no way to know. It came out and within a few days I was much, much better. I had a hysterectomy a few months later and now am all done with menopause at 40. I seem to have less extreme rapid cycling now although I still have plenty. But it is different.

My pdoc and GYN talked about the Mirena issue for me and within a few week both found other women who were affected the same way. Because of me Mirenas are used with much more caution in mentally ill women at my hospital.

[Rjaye]

Yeah, the studies I've read have shown that hormones play a part in exacerbating peri-menopausal symptoms in some women with bipolar, not most. It's a complex issue. Plus it's weighing the risks versus benefits.

When I took bc for heavy periods, my blood pressure rocketed. I did not want to go on bp meds, and I suspected the bc. My doc said it was my weight, but I stopped the bc, and within a month my bp was back to low normal.

HRT can increase the risk of mania and anxiety for some women, but with those concerns in mind, it might be worth a try if symptoms aren't responding to regular treatments.