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Depression - Hormone related?

Posted , 3 users are following.

emily96162
emily96162

Dear All

I am a 26 year old female, living in the UK. I am currently being treated for depression and I am in the process of finding an antidepressant right for me. I am currently signed off sick from my work as a PA in London and I am eager to get to the bottom of why I feel the way I do.

I have always had an irregular menstrual cycle and did not have my first period until I was 16 with huge gaps until I was 19. I suffered from hormonal acne which I thankfully grew out of but have always had extreme PMS. I suffer with depression, uncontrollable crying, extreme fatigue, memory fog, lumpy and tender breasts, loss of libido, anxiety, headaches, food cravings. As soon as I start to feel better I go back to square one. I have felt like this for years but recently I am worse and needed to go to the GP for help. I have since been on antidepressants which are improving my mood however I am still exhausted. Even my hair il seems like a huge mountain to climb.

I would love to hear if anyone has or is experiencing anything similar to me.

Thank you

1 like, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • dawn57104
    dawn57104 emily96162

    Posted

    Hi Emily,

    Have you had anything major happen recently to trigger the depression or is it something you have always struggled with?

    I am 29 and live in the UK, I also struggle with the Hormones and my PMS can infuriate my other half, i can cope some months or go the extreme way of mood swings, crying the lot. Most of the time it is the latter one of the 2.

    I am wondering if a blood test would highlight any deficiencies since you say that you have extreme fatigue.

    • emily96162
      emily96162 dawn57104

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply.

      I did get married so I think that took my mind off of things but I would say I have struggled for quite a few years it's hard to pin point when it all began. I went to get help around 4 months ago as I couldn't continue how I was.

      You sound like me it's horrible I cry for no reason and just want to sleep as it makes it all go away. I do feel better after exercise but I just can't face the gym lately. Yoga also helps and try to steer away from wheat and dairy. How do you manage?

      I have had blood tests but nothing showed. I once showed a high level of prolactin but this was fine recently. I think I will try and see my GP this week and demand I want further blood tests.

    • dawn57104
      dawn57104 emily96162

      Posted

      your welcome Emily

      Would Counselling help?

      I manage as best as i can, the most important tool i use is my journal, i must admit it has become more useful than ever the last few weeks.

      I log everything whats happened in that day, how i am feeling, what has made me sad, angry, what made me cry. the list goes on as to what i write, for me it makes me feel better and knowing that i have written it down makes me feel more at ease and makes my mind clearer. Sometimes i use it to vent my anger as well, or just rant about what has annoyed me.

      This tool i have used since my early teens as i have had so many family & work issues to deal with i find it is the only thing that helps.

      I would see your GP and advise whats happening, whether there are any other blood tests available i do not know

    • emily96162
      emily96162 dawn57104

      Posted

      I may have some talking therapy once my private consultant has sorted my medication.

      I do write a review of my week before my follow up appointments but I think that is a great idea to record the information you have suggested. I may notice a pattern emerging as well.

      It's just frustrating as I have a perfect life and can't stop feeling how I do but I will get there.

      Thank you for your support.

    • dawn57104
      dawn57104 emily96162

      Posted

      Hi Emily,

      That is why i do it you can always show your doctor this as well it may help.

      Your welcome please message me if i can help any further smile

    • dawn57104
      dawn57104 emily96162

      Posted

      I too also take Evening Primrose Oil and it works wonders for PMS and Period Pains i noticed a change almost a month after i started taking 1 x 500mg tablet but you can take 1000mg of these, might be worth a try as well.

      You can buy these in pharmacies or in Tesco's etc

  • mari34228
    mari34228 emily96162

    Posted

    Hi Emily, my periods were often messed up as a teenager too (and as I got older they became heavier and heavier). PMS was a nightmare (I take a high dose of evening primrose oil everyday which helps hugely, especially with breast pain).

    But it was that plus your other symptoms that have actually prompted my reply. It is very possible that you have a thyroid problem. I was diagnosed in my thirties but it took a long time (years!). Various blood tests didn't show it up, and meanwhile my symptoms became so bad I thought I was dying. Turned out I had an underactive thyroid (like my mum and granny).

    It can cause all the symptoms you describe above (it did for me). Thyroid issues usually run in families and although it is normally thought of as an older womans disease, it can actually happen at any age. Perhaps you have already been checked for this but if not it might be worth mentioning it to your GP and asking for a specific blood test for it. 

    If you aren't sure just google it first so you can compare your symptoms, and maybe ask someone in your immediate family if any of them has thyroid problems.

    Anyway, it might not be that of course, but it could be worth looking into. Meanwhile I would suggest taking 1000mg of evening primrose oil everyday to help with your PMS. It can take around 3 months to notice a difference, but I've notice from the past that if I miss it for a bit, my PMS is alot worse. So now I take it religiously!

    Best wishes. xx

    • dawn57104
      dawn57104 mari34228

      Posted

      Hi Mari,

      I too take Evening Primrose Oil and it also helps with the PMS and Painful Periods that i seem to get, far better than relying on painkillers from the doctors.

    • mari34228
      mari34228 dawn57104

      Posted

      Hi Dawn, yes, it's amazing how well it works! I still get PMS but not to the homicidal degree I used to! I was actually advised to start taking it as my breast pain was so bad I ended up having an ultrasound to check nothing sinister was going on. It was actually one of the nurses who suggested taking it. Godsend!
    • dawn57104
      dawn57104 mari34228

      Posted

      Hi Mari,

      Yes it works for a number of symptoms i found out about it after doing my own research.

      Sick of my GP passing me off with meds all the time.

  • ssk1
    ssk1 emily96162

    Posted

    Hi Emily,

    I know how you feel about seemingly having the perfect life and yet still feeling depressed. I from the outside hava a good life (not perfect but still good) - I got married almost 2 years ago, run a successful and rapidly expanding company and sing in a local symphony choir. If you would have asked me 5 years ago I would have said this is exactly what I wanted. Yet 2 months ago I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. This has something that has built up for a couple of years following a miscarriage and problems with my periods since then. I have been backwards and forwards to the hospital for the past 18 months and always blamed my tiredness on my anemia as a result of my heavy periods but my iron levels are under control now. I've had blood tests for everything from my thyroid to hormones and the only thing they have found is a problem with a clotting agent but that was caused by the painkillers I had been taking and after a month of not taking them the symptoms of that are improving. 

    I never used to suffer from PMS but over the past 2 years have been more irratable around period time. I asked my GP about this and he said that it was probably linked to the depression. I've been on antidepressants for 2 weeks and am still struggling especially with fatigue but I can't sleep. I've just been given some diazepram for my anxiety as it seems to be getting worse and I'be developed a fear of travelling which is problematic with my work as I have to travel overseas every week. Doctor trying to sign me off work but at the moment I am trying to keep going as my husband was off work for months and received no sick pay (we are arguing this with HMRC but both being self employed is problematic). 

    I hope you manage to figure everything out soon

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