[Asteya]

How do you deal with being bipolar on your period???

I was in such a bad mood yesterday, my man was trying so hard to make me feel better (I love him) that he ultimately just felt bad about himself. And that made me feel even worse. I just wish I had my own room to be in and feel awful sometimes, not see or hear anyone cause sometimes it just has to pass and I don’t want to be a b with someone I love. I hate how harsh I was with him, I apologized, but I will always feel awful for these moments. I hope my good cooking makes up for it....

[Blueberrybook]

Ugh...me too. I just started yesterday, and hubby had had a bad day at work, and I couldn't be there for him the way I felt I should be...sigh.

[Asteya]

Originally Posted by cln1812

Ugh...me too. I just started yesterday, and hubby had had a bad day at work, and I couldn't be there for him the way I felt I should be...sigh.

Do you guys talk about it?? How do you make it up to him??

[Blueberrybook]

Do you guys talk about it?? How do you make it up to him??

We talk about it some, but it is hard to talk about since we have a daughter (10 years old). She knows about periods and whatnot, but it's not something she cares to discuss. Usually, I will apologize to my husband after my daughter goes to bed and then listen to him if he needs to vent about work or his day. Sometimes, it has to happen the next morning. I am getting to the age where I'm reaching perimenopause, and great, my mom told me she had an extremely long period of perimenopause (around 15 years, and from what I've read, that's what I can expect too). Now my cramps are so bad, they feel like the beginnings of labor pains, except you don't get breaks between them like with labor. And I had an ulcer, so I can no longer take NSAIDs (only Tylenol, and that might as well be candy, all the help it does). Yeah, that time of the month just basically sucks for me and my poor husband and daughter too. It's going to be really bad once she starts her cycle. She's in puberty now and already very hormonal, so once she starts her period, I expect it to be bad. Not only that but women living together tend to have periods that sync, which is really going to suck for hubby.

I've found that lamictal helps me a lot with my period and bipolar. I'm totally lax nowadays.

I don't know if medication is the answer for you, but I'm just saying that a mood stabilizer has helped me with the pms mood swings.

[Asteya]

Originally Posted by cln1812

We talk about it some, but it is hard to talk about since we have a daughter (10 years old). She knows about periods and whatnot, but it's not something she cares to discuss. Usually, I will apologize to my husband after my daughter goes to bed and then listen to him if he needs to vent about work or his day. Sometimes, it has to happen the next morning. I am getting to the age where I'm reaching perimenopause, and great, my mom told me she had an extremely long period of perimenopause (around 15 years, and from what I've read, that's what I can expect too). Now my cramps are so bad, they feel like the beginnings of labor pains, except you don't get breaks between them like with labor. And I had an ulcer, so I can no longer take NSAIDs (only Tylenol, and that might as well be candy, all the help it does). Yeah, that time of the month just basically sucks for me and my poor husband and daughter too. It's going to be really bad once she starts her cycle. She's in puberty now and already very hormonal, so once she starts her period, I expect it to be bad. Not only that but women living together tend to have periods that sync, which is really going to suck for hubby.

how long did your mom or her moms menopaus last for?? I heard it’s getting longer now from the earlier generations, which was supposively months and not years. I don’t know how valid that is, but it’s an interesting subject. I’m 32, My mom passed away a few years ago so I can’t ask her. I wish I could.

[Asteya]

Originally Posted by bluebicycle

I've found that lamictal helps me a lot with my period and bipolar. I'm totally lax nowadays.

I don't know if medication is the answer for you, but I'm just saying that a mood stabilizer has helped me with the pms mood swings.

I’ve been on lamictal for 9 years now. I haven’t noticed any difference with my lady parts, but I’ve also tried almost everything in the book. IUD was okay for 6 years, the shot, pills, I couldn’t do diaphragm. They couldn’t fit me. Don’t ask. Yeah, I wish lamictal helped me lol. Lucky

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by Asteya

how long did your mom or her moms menopaus last for?? I heard it’s getting longer now from the earlier generations, which was supposively months and not years. I don’t know how valid that is, but it’s an interesting subject. I’m 32, My mom passed away a few years ago so I can’t ask her. I wish I could.

Menopause always lasts for years. Generally, women are in perimenopause for some years before the actual time of menopause. I don't think it's getting longer; it's just that in previous generations, perimenopause was not a recognized part of menopause.

For some women, symptoms like hot flashes can last for years after menopause (menopause being the time when a woman stops having periods).

[Nola0250]

I used to have only physical PMS symptoms. Now I don’t have much of that but I have horrible mood, like an agitated depression or mixed episode feeling and even though it happ is same fine every month, there doesn’t seem to be anything I can do to “prepare” that really helps. I’m on 2 mood stabilizers. I lost it in public this time, crying uncontrollably. Better that raging I guess, it hurts others less. Considering going on the pill to see if that will help. Somethings got to.

[Blueberrybook]

You have to be careful with the pill though. It can up anxiety if you have panic disorder, even the low dose pills. I noticed that with me. I've been on mood stabilizers some years now, but PMS and my cycle are just getting worse with age. I used the copper IUD (Paragard) some time for birth control, but then we wanted to try for another child, and after I got the IUD removed, I couldn't get pregnant again. I think it's been 6 years on no birth control and nothing. I hadn't expected it to be difficult to have a 2nd child because I got pregnant with my daughter the first month trying. But my daughter is a tough child to parent, so maybe God knew what he was doing and gave me just what I could handle and no more.

My mom told me her perimenopause lasted around 15 years. That is much longer than normal, but it does happen to some women who get unlucky in the genetics department.

I'm 43 almost 44 and I really get the physical part of periods now. Severe cramping. All that goes with it. I didn't get this when I was younger. But I got the mental part really bad in my 20s and 30s.

I can still take ibuprofen and it helps. As for the mental part, I would always warn ppl I was pms'ing. That I didn't feel well.

You can also look into some vitamins to see if they help.

Sorry you guys suffer with it too.

[pirilin]

I haven't dealt with my period, no. It hasn't happened so far, however, with the food we're eating nowadays everything is possible.

[Unrigged64072835]

Pirilin--LOL

My periods were the worst before I stopped. I couldn't take hormones due to genetic predisposition to breast and ovarian cancer. I had the Paragard but I ended up with bleeding fibroids. My GYN decided to do the total hysterectomy at that point because I was a mess mentally and physically. Weird thing was I would be emotional before but I was just grumpy during it.

[GoldenSnitch]

I am on a hormonal birth control pill and I use clary sage essential oil every day to help keep my hormones balanced and I’ve seen huge improvements in my moods around pms times.

I have no hope for menopause though. My grandmother is in her early 80s and still get shot flashes.