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menopause and depression

Posted , 7 users are following.

kat50
kat50

I have had bouts of depression for a few years but I am having a terrible bout of depression starting my menopause. Anyone the same?

0 likes, 19 replies

19 Replies

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  • MenoWoman
    MenoWoman kat50

    Posted

    Hi kat50 - 

    I have swung back and fore between anxiety and depression as I have "progressed" through peri/menopause.  I would love to know what stage I'm at on this b. awful journey.

    I think it isn't surprising that the menopause (or perimenopause) would exacerbate any tendency towards depression (or anxiety).  It's messing around with our hormones on a monumental scale after all.

    Perhaps it might be worthwhile dosing up on Vitamin B6 and B12, or investigating other menopausal supplements?  If you are prone to depression you should also see your doctor.  What about seeing a counsellor?  I did that rather than pop pills for anxiety (my female GP was prepared to give them to me on my first visit to her surgery without even checking where I was at in terms of the menopause - given my age, 53, I would have thought she should have ....)  My counsellor, a female nurse, asked the question, "Could this be menopause?", we got to discussing my symptoms and everything began to fall into place.

    I wish you the best with this, but if you're feeling your depression deepening you should really let your GP know and why not try some supplements to see if that takes the edge off?

    Good luck.

    MenoWoman XX

    • kat50
      kat50 MenoWoman

      Posted

      I'm already on medication for depression. I think that it is the menopause that has really got me down this time. The only thing lacking in my blood tests was my folic acid of which I'm now on folic acid tablets.  
    • AVR1962
      AVR1962 kat50

      Posted

      I think this is part of the early stages and at the same time it is a really changing part of our lives as women and moms. Hand in there, as there are alot of ups and downs but it all places us where we need to be. We gain strength thru this phase in our lives.
  • AVR1962
    AVR1962 kat50

    Posted

    Yes, I too have been prone to depression and what I can tell you is that at points in Peri-menopause it has been awful however, I feel I am starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Gesh, what an awful horrible thing to put women thru but ratheer that being my focus I have tried to plow thru. Not easy and not always possible, I have had some very bad days. I have found reinventing myself, finding new interests and new hobbies has helped. I have also found I really ahve to concentrate on me and what I need to eet my needs at this time. I have 2 adult child and a child in her late teen, all demanding in their own needs from me but I have had to drawn some lines and I don't think thoose lines have been unreasonable but I realize I have to care for my needs. Yes I listen and we we stay in contact but I guess I have placed boundaries. I think this has lessened my anxiety and depression.
    • MenoWoman
      MenoWoman AVR1962

      Posted

      You are so right - we need to focus on caring for ourselves, but it's a difficult lesson to learn when you've spent a lifetime focussing on the needs of everyone else.

      My mindset has always been that I can have fun when all the chores are done.  Nowadays, the chores ain't getting done (reference to house like bomb site in another post), I feel racked with guilt about that, so don't feel I can reward myself. frown  I am so exhausted all the time and can barely formulate a thought.

      I can hardly believe what the process of peri/menopause is doing to my life (and consequently that of my husband) ... it has turned my world upside down and me (formerly highly-organised, confident) into an anxiety-ridden shadow of my former self.  Oh for a set of testicles! (well, perhaps not lol)

      MenoWoman xx

       

    • kat50
      kat50 MenoWoman

      Posted

      My housework has gone to pot. I just dont want to do anything. Especially cooking as I have no appetite at all. No interest in anything at all!
    • MenoWoman
      MenoWoman kat50

      Posted

      Agree with everything you say except the appetite bit ... I am eating like a horse!  I've always been a bit of a comfort-eater, but it's like it's gone into over-drive.  Definitely relate to the "no interest in anything at all" remark.  I was a pretty creative person, but that's all gone by the way-side.

      I hate to keep banging the drum, but why oh why, when I visited my doctor (a woman!) and explained my symptoms did she not suggest that it might be the menopause, rather than prescribing me a heavy-duty anti-anxiety drug (which I stopped after 4 days because it caused a massive bleed into my left eye - one of the rare side-effects apparently)?!

      Conventional medicine is not sympathetic to the menopause ....

    • kat50
      kat50 MenoWoman

      Posted

      What are you taking if anything to help. 
    • MenoWoman
      MenoWoman kat50

      Posted

      Nothing so far, but I will be hitting the health supplement shelves in the supermarket tomorrow.  Others have recommended vitamins B6 and B12.  I believe there are other specially formulated menopausal supplements - I need to do some investigating.
    • marlene21102
      marlene21102 AVR1962

      Posted

      I sometimes wonder if female Drs get on these sites for menopause symptoms they suffer themselves and got no answers all females end of the day,not all want HRT.its not the bees knees to the meno.,at some time you have to stop HRT,so I'd go Vit Way,Jay on site has had good look  say they've helped her so I say try the Vits a go  got to be far better than trying to wade on through this mire were all in.difficult all round,yes good to set boundaries if you still got kids around  got to put your own needs first feeling like this.
    • AVR1962
      AVR1962 marlene21102

      Posted

      It's been kind of strange for me.....my male docs have said for year that they felt my syptoms might be peri- symptoms while my female GYN docs say "no" and i think that is based on the labs tesats now that I have been in this group. I do not think the labs show the symptoms of peri-menopause until we are missing menstruation from what I read.
    • AVR1962
      AVR1962 MenoWoman

      Posted

      I was the same way, always hunger. I actually got to my higest weight, was hungry and could not understand why. I wenr gluten free and it aliviated so much of my digestive issue and without trying I lost 15 lbs.
    • AVR1962
      AVR1962 kat50

      Posted

      Yep, I went to eating out, microwave dinners, asking hubby to help but I guess I was tired of investing it seems. I do cook now as a duty and hubby does not like to cook at all so he is more willing to go out but I have gotten quite tired of the deamdns of cooking. I raised 5 kids and seems I was alway responsible for the meals and after so many years I drew a line.
    • AVR1962
      AVR1962 MenoWoman

      Posted

      Yes, yes, yes I do hear you. I am in that same boat, something can distract me so easily but we have to try try try to keep focus on us and out health.
  • joanne92896
    joanne92896 kat50

    Posted

    Hi kat, I too suffered a really bad episode of depression when I started perimenopause, in fact I had to have counselling for it and anxiety. I honestly thought I was going mad it was really frightening. But just realising and accepting that it was down to my hormones been all over the place helped. I had such anxiety about been on my own and luckily I spent time with my husband who is self employed, so during the day I helped him. I wasn't sleeping, had terrible headaches and generally felt terrible. A year on I still have all the usual symptoms and suffer with headaches but my depression has lifted and I feel a lot more happier. Just accept it all Kat and know that it will pass because it will. Also this site is a god send. Hope you feel better soon 
    • MenoWoman
      MenoWoman joanne92896

      Posted

      Reading your reply to kat50 was like reading my own words.  As you say, this site is a god send.  Like you the realisation that my hormones were at the root of the misery was liberating.  Now it's just a case of holding on for dear life and looking forward to the return to normality.

      Best wishes.

      MenoWoman xx

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