Is this peri menopause, rather than just anxiety and depression?

Hello - I feel like I have just had a revelation!

I am nearly 44 and I have a long history of PMS, and I suffered with PND when my first child was born. When I tried the Mirena coil I endured permanant PMS for 10 months until I had it removed.

So it's safe to say that my hormones have always been very troublesome.

For the last year I have noticed that my cycle is slightly shorter and my periods are much lighter. I no longer have the painful cramps, or aching boobs. But, I have also noticed that I am sweatier than before, and my normal deodrant can't seem to cope.

The emotional symptoms of my PMS have also changed. I no longer get The Rage which stopped the second my period arraived. But instead I feel very low and hopeless, feelings which start a week before my period and continue right through it, and for a day or two afterwards.

Some months I only really get 7-10 'good days' culminating in my feeling very relaxed and happy round about the time of ovulation, then it all quickly slides downhill. My 'good' and 'bad' days seemed to be getting more extreme.

Then suddenly, out of the blue last Autumn I started to suffer with anxiety. It got bad quite quickly and I couldn't cope. My GP put me on anti depressants and beta blockers, and informed me I was anxious because I'd had a stressful year (which I had).

3 months on, and the anti depressants only seem to 'work' for about 10 days a month. The rest of the time I feel anxious, and very low and it's a struggle to get through the day. The anxiety is horrible, it's ruining my life and there's simply no rational reason for it.

But today, which is Day 12 of my cycle I feel relaxed and perfectly normal - and I can tell I am ovulating.

Am I right in thinking the only reason I feel okay and good for only 10 days a month is because my oestrogen levels are increasing? On the days I actually ovulate I feel incredibly chilled out and at peace.

On all the other 'bad days' I feel anything from mildly depressed to full blown panic. It's horrible. I can't take any pleasure in anything.

Do these symptoms sound familiar to anyone? There's simply NO REASON for me feeling so anxious, and with this sense of impending dread & doom in my stomach. I have little interest in sex, and several times have experienced random insomnia, and also hot flashes where my skin feels white hot on my chest and throat.

I don't want to take anti-depressants and beta blokcers when what my body really needs is a bucket full of oestrogen.

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