pre-menoupause question

Do you find with pre-menopause or menopause is worse with your mental illness? Are you symptoms worse or normal?

I had two periods in three weeks. Talk about a hormone over haul. Im getting night sweats, but only now and then. The irritability is horrible.

Please give me advise. This is so new to me still and its only getting worse.

Hey, buzz bee! Have you talked to your doctor about your symptoms?

I was blessed because I was practically through menopause when I developed my mental illness.

YES. My mental illness has definitely been a lot worse since I started peri-menopause. I had a full breakdown not long after starting when I had symptoms of low progesterone, and I am in breakdown mode again three years later. About to get admitted to a residential mental health program next Tuesday and hoping it will help some. I can't control my hormones, but I can try to learn other strategies for coping.

The hormonal changes can wreak havoc with your emotions. I just finished meno and I can't say my depression got worse, but I had wild mood swings, night sweats, and sleeping problems. See if you can up your meds temporarily, that might help. There are natural supplements you could also try.

Great question and thank you for asking! I am almost positive I am premenopausal and started noticing changes last summer. During our long cold winter last year anxiety hit me hard out of nowhere. I'm still struggling with anxiety but have recently started exercising to fight it.

Being a woman is not easy. What is even more frustrating is a husband that does not get it.

My therapist say in her opinion I am in it. I see my pdoc Tuesday and if need be I see normal doc after that. My migraines are from hormones before and after my period, which explains why I had one everyday for four plus weeks.

This bites.

Bee, there is a test you can get at the drug store like a preg test.

My sister is a nurse and she said there are blood test to check hormones levels.

My cycle started becoming erratic in 2009, my depression returned after an 8 year remission in 2010. My cycle is now super-crazy and so is my mood. Anxiety has been a real feature of this depression, that's not been such of a problem before. I definitely think that the perimenopause has made things worse for me. I've not really had many physical symptoms like night sweats, just the incessant bleeding and the mood swings plus depression. I'm having an ablation next month. No more periods - hurray, I'll be able to wear pretty clothes again.

Hi Buzz bee, yes there is a blood test - in fact there are different ones. I had one done recently, as I wanted a bit more of an insight into or knowledge about where I currently am. The test results came back very quickly. I didn't get the stats /numbers, as I wouldn't have known what they meant, but the nurse explained to me instead what my hormone levels are.
I'm glad I had it done, as it gives you some certainty about where you stand and, as a result, you can then take some action if you feel it is appropriate or at least get some advice first on what action to take.

I'd also advise you to speak to your GP.

I hope this helps. Good luck!

Im thinking about see my GP instead of my pdoc. Thanks

Hi. I also tested positive and am only on .5 mg of estrogen. I feel like I have mono. Some days I can take a 4 hour nap. I've lost all my patience and tiny, stupid things are completely overwhelming. I can't tell the hormones from the mental illness half the time. I'm taking 1200 mg of calcium daily because this can effect bone density.

Can you tell a difference?

Saw my MD today. She has put me on a low dose BBP and did some blood tests. Being military hospital it might take time to see the results, if I ever find out. But Im getting answers and help.

Yes, I had a nervous breakdown from what I thought was PTSD. I cried for about 5 months and checked myself into the psych ward. The horrible part was I asked my stupid pdoc whom I hate about my hormone levels and he blew me off. As soon as I left I had 2 blood tests and was positive for perimenopause. Just knowing what the problem was, and that I wasn't going insane was somewhat of a relief. The estrogen helps more with night sweats & hot flashes. I think my regular psych meds help more with the mood swings. Sometimes I get irritated or cry but it passes. The biggest problem is lethargy. I used to exercise everyday and it gave me a lot of energy plus I was losing some of the weight I packed on from Seroquel. I know menopause usually slows the metabolism and adds weight so I hope this will pass.

I started my period again. Three periods in one month. Im finding this very funny now. Bring on the BBP.

buzzbee, what is BBP?

About one year ago I suddenly had a major breakdown. The main features of it were severe anxiety (worrying/a terrible sense of dread) and agitation. Also extreme irritability and edginess. My p-doc called the symptoms "negative mania" and had me on a total of five psych meds. The medication definitely helped, but none of it helped like meds used to help me. My mental illness symptoms were suddenly so severe it definitely occurred to me (I'm 51) that "this must be menopause." Buuut....my periods stayed regular and I wasn't having any noticeable physical symptoms of menopause. In June I had a cyst, ovary, and fallopian tubes removed. I was looking forward to the surgery, hoping that maybe it would relieve the mental symptoms. I haven't noticed anything different since surgery, though. I still have periods. The anxiety, etc. is much better than it was a year ago, but I attribute that to psych meds and my own self-work (going to support groups, for example).

I still assume perimenopause has something to do with the psych symptoms I experience, but I don't know for sure and I feel ...not knowing what to think or do.

I meant BCPs. LOL

My periods stayed pretty regular. They started getting lighter in the last 2 years of meno. Then I'd skip a few, have a few, then went 11 months and had one last blast, then no more. No more severe mood swings or night sweats. I really thought I was going crazy too, but apparently I wasn't. Now all is calm but I notice my depression continues to get worse without meds.

Got it

So were you having severe mood swings and night sweats before that very last period? I'm sorry your depression is worsening. It sure seems unfair that when we already have so much going on, we have to go through a worsening of mood issues, too. Do you not want to take meds?

Actually the night sweats and mood swings let up through the last year before my last period. Not gone, but less frequent and severe.

It's been my pattern to try to go off meds every few years to see if I can do without. I thought maybe at my stage of life things might have changed, but no, they haven't. I don't mind taking meds if I have to, and I've learned I have to permanently. I've been back on zoloft for a month now and feeling much better.

My perimenopause was a slightly less intense difficulty than when I first got my period/was in my 20s. Then I would get suicidal a couple days before my period but in my 40's I only would get slightly depressed, moody, etc. that time of the month.

Yes...I went off my AD with the same thought - that now I wouldn't find myself as depressed. Within a week of being off it I was having very clear symptoms (physical as well as psychological), so went back on the AD. I'm glad you're feeling better, IrisBloom.

Well, at least it's an improvement.