[possum220]

I think I am going crazy. I have suffered from PMDD my whole life. Over the last two years I was taking Lovan to help with my depression/anxiety moods. It seemed to help. I was also taking pill and Klonolpin. I stopped taking the Lovan in late december. I stopped taking klonolpin in August last year. I was falling over too much so that's why I stopped the Lovan. My p'doc was okay with this. At the same time my GP asked my to stop taking the pill as doctors apparently don't like "women of a certain age" continuing due to an increase of other possible events like heart attack, cancers, stroke etc.

Emotionally I have hit the deck on so many levels. Anxiety through the roof. Major irritability. So my p'doc suggested Latuda. Been on that for maybe 8 weeks. Hives are now showing up. Anxiety is really bad. Fear and irritability. I feel like I am losing my mind. I am stacking the weight on yada yada yada. The anxiety is so bad. I cant tell if the Latuda is the cause of the angst or its hormones.

Upshot is........... I dont know what is causing all of this mental madness. Is it the drugs (or lack of) or is it menopause or perimenopause. If this is menopause it's like PMS on steroids. I don't know where to go. My p'doc is away for another two weeks.

Easiest way to tell if it's the perimenopause is to ask for a blood test for FSH = follicle stimulating hormone. And what worked best for me to manage it FWIW was the natural supplement black kohosh. Made a world of difference! Hope you feel better soon.

[possum220]

Thanks for this Little Cat. I have had menopause ruled out. I asked my GP if I could go pack on the pill but he didnt want to do that but he was more than happy to give me a script for Pristiq. What is FWIW? I will check out the black kohosh and see if that can give me some relief. I am not enthusiastic about Pristiq.

Sorry - FWIW means "for what it's worth"
Good luck with the black kohosh!

[baseline]

eeekkk if I feel this bad now I can't even imagine how bad it will be with menopause. (((possum))))

[bizi]

I am bipolar 1 and starting to see signs of menopause. sigh
don't know what is an episode coming of age or a menopause symptom.
sigh
haing late afternoon fatigue bouts having to take a nap in the early evenings.
good luck to us both.
bizi

[fairydustgirl]

Lucky me...I started perimenopause at 43 with a vengeance, went from crazy pms (cussing, yelling, irritable beyond measure for the 3 days before each period) to suddenly laying on the floor in tears. night sweats, hot flashes. this began in March of that year. After a LOT of out of character behaviors that also began in March (online affair with a 23 yr old, major depression, anxiety overloads, bought a plane ticket to see said 23 yr old who lived across the pond, then a complete breakdown) in Oct I was diagnosed with bipolar 1 disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Along with the perimenopause. 10 years later, lots of psych meds, a hospitalization, I am almost 2 years past my last period and I finally stabilized in this last two years. I absolutely believe perimenopause made me crazy, all those old wives stories from the past? there is some truth in the myths. I am SO happy to be post menopausal!! Don't be afraid of arriving on the other side, it's fun here! I"m stable, happy and sex is fun. I was that person who had a period on every vacation I ever went on...to include my once in a lifetime SANDALS vacation, where I was in a taxi at 11pm my first night, looking for feminine products!

[julianneturner]

Mood swings are one of the most commonly experienced symptoms of the menopause. For some, the menopause can be like sitting on an emotional pendulum; up one minute and down the next. Mood swings affect every woman differently, although there are many consistencies in the symptoms with the use of protection like coupelle menstruelle i.e. 100% safe for all women and helps them in doing all the physical activities. Most women experience unexplained moods which are continually changing, reactions far stronger than a particular irritability and less tolerance or patience than normal.