[Unhinged88]

Ok ladies, these are geared towards you. Anyone uncomfortable with PMS and birth control talk, go back now.


I have wondered if your PMS is horrible like mine, beyond the regular irritably and fatigue. I straight up want to die. I am exhausted, headaches, easily overwhelmed, depressed. I hate everyone. Everything and myself. At what point is it more than PMS?

And then, what birth control do you use? I have tried several hormonal brands and all throw me into a spiral, even when on mood stabilizers. Even ones that were supposed to be low dose or good for bipolar made me have episodes almost immediately. Maybe I can't take anything hormonal?

Mine were hell. I took alesse for a while without issues. Only problem was my period took twice as long and was all over the place. So I stopped. I actually find the antidepressant I'm on helps waaaaaay more than birth control did.

[Moreta]

I'm on depo provera and man I've been calm since 2015. No more wild PMS. Birth control used to mess with me in my 20s but since I've been in my 30s I've been ok with it.

[bizi]

depoprovera threw me into mania!
bizi

Mine used to be awful. Cramps on day 2 would leave me laying in my room, screaming in pain. Also for the week before I would get suicidal. I have noticed in about a third to a half my hospitalizations I would start my period after a few days and then magically the "depression" and irritability would go away.
Last year I got the Nexplanon implant. I like it. I dont have to think about taking it every day (and go through pharmacies and such). It makes my periods lighter and easier to deal with, although last time I had it, it lasted almost three weeks. Didn't really mind it though because it didn't come with all the shite it usually does.

[emgreen]

I'm a guy, so consider myself fortunate that my plumbing doesn't give me such problems & that I'll never experience the pain of childbirth. Some human beings have all the luck!

I don't always suffer PMS, but maybe every third month I am clearly affected. I don't feel like I'm going to die, like you, but I get bad cramps, perhaps upset stomach, headache, and some mood slump or even mixed-like symptoms. Advil helps, and laying low.

I believe hormonal birth control may have exacerbated my moods at times, too. When I went off of it my bipolar seemed to improve a bit. I had a copper IUD, not hormonal one. That was also important because my Tegretol XR can decrease the effectiveness of hormonal birth control. I was told that Trileptal can, too. I'm not sure about others.

[Moreta]

Originally Posted by BirdDancer

I don't always suffer PMS, but maybe every third month I am clearly affected. I don't feel like I'm going to die, like you, but I get bad cramps, perhaps upset stomach, headache, and some mood slump or even mixed-like symptoms. Advil helps, and laying low.

I believe hormonal birth control may have exacerbated my moods at times, too. When I went off of it my bipolar seemed to improve a bit. I had a copper IUD, not hormonal one. That was also important because my Tegretol XR can decrease the effectiveness of hormonal birth control. I was told that Trileptal can, too. I'm not sure about others.

That's why I'm on depo. The whole deal with tegretol. Needed one strong enough that bypasses the liver. The choices were copper IUD, Nuva ring, or depo, so I picked depo. I could've done a pill but it would've had to be a 50 mcg one and since I was a smoker the risk for blood clots would've been high. I like the whole not having a period anyways though. Glad I picked depo.

[Unhinged88]

Originally Posted by escapeartist

Also for the week before I would get suicidal. I have noticed in about a third to a half my hospitalizations I would start my period after a few days

That is what I am wondering about myself. I get so depressed where I feel like i should seek help but I say no it will pass. But what if it doesn't and I made a mistake. Or what if I get so bad only for those few days beforehand, where I do something stupid. I feel like bipolar makes this aspect more complicated for me. I can't tell what is what or what emotion is me or exaggerated.

I think I will steer clear of the hormonal BC and perhaps get a more permanent solution since I don't want children anyway. Not worth risking an episode I suppose.

[hopeless2015]

YES!!! I'm a mess the week before my period, then when I start I have horrible cramps. I've talked to my gp and gyno and they say the usually treat with antidepressants which I cannot take

Have you looked up PMDD? It might fit.

[annielovesbacon]

I don't take birth control, but my mood definitely drops when I'm on my period. I don't know if it's PMS or what, but depression usually gets worse.
I also have ED problems and when I'm on my period I tend to eat more, which generally leads to bad feelings which lead to more depression. So I guess it's multifaceted for me.

[xRavenx]

I was falsely diagnosed with PMDD, but it's more just PMS exacerbated by the Bipolar. I am on Yasmin birth control, along with all my BP meds. I've been on birth control for about 15 years now. It helps more with the mood swings then without it, but even with birth control, the PMS is really bad. My periods last about 5-6 days. I get really bad abdominal cramps that throw off my whole day and mood.

Aside from all the physical problems, my depression and anxiety get worse. The irritability and anger get pretty bad too, and I get especially self-critical, which can lead to some thoughts of self-harm. I try to remind myself that this time of the month will pass, because sometimes it feels like it'll last forever! My mind races a lot when experiencing PMS. Occasionally, it gets hard to differentiate the Bipolar symptoms vs. the PMS. All I know is that PMS makes me 10 times worse!