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Perimenopause Hell

Posted , 4 users are following.

CCinCal
CCinCal

Hi there,

About 8 months ago I went into deep depression. The "can't get out of bed" kind. I was so fatigued I could sleep and sleep and not get enough. All of a sudden I got this along with very extreme mood swings. Multiple times a day I would feel severe anxiety, weepy and despairing. I would get sudden warm tingling sensations in my upper arms and neck. I thought I was going crazy. I was crawling out of my skin. It was followed by several more months of this and just sitting on the couch all day with no energy or motivation. During this time I pushed myself enough to go see a gynecologist and was put on birth control pills. The first 4 months or so it helped my PMS symptoms and the migraines during my period stopped. It seemed that overall it helped. But for last couple of months every symptom I used to get pre-pill I'm getting again. This last time I went into deeper depression. And so my gyn has given me estrogen to take during my placebo time. I will start it next week. I'm hoping it will prevent more depression. Has anyone used this method before: birth control plus HRT estrogen during menstruation?

I've tried ADs and the side effects are too horrendous to continue it. I have absolutely no energ everyday and the sudden mood swings even on the pill is making my life a living hell. The only options my gyn gave me were to keep on the pill all month (so skipping my period), go on estrogen or to try another brand of birth control.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

CC

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • CCinCal
    CCinCal

    Posted

    I forgot to add I'm 46 years old. All my life I've had bad sinus pain and extreme tiredness during my periods to the point I've had to take days off to test. I realize now I've probably had PMD all this time.
  • tricia51298
    tricia51298 CCinCal

    Posted

    Hey. It sounds like you do have a hormonal imbalance. But I highly recommend not doing the hrt and estrogen. I've known too many people to develop breast cancer that way. I'd suggest an antidepressant for your depression and a progestrone only birth control. Either pills or the mirena Iud. Good luck !
    • CCinCal
      CCinCal tricia51298

      Posted

      Hi Tricia

      Thanks for your response. What does progesterone only do? I'm still having periods. I was put on the pill to help the mood swings. I don't know if it's helping though because I'm still having sudden drop in mood and energy.

      Thanks

      CC

    • tricia51298
      tricia51298 CCinCal

      Posted

      You're welcome. Progestrone can stop yoir periods all together ( if you're luckysmile especially if you get the mirena iud. But it sounds as though you are very estrogen dominate and the progestrone can help balance it out. The last thing you need is more estrogen. Progestrone helped me I feel so much more stable and balanced and dare I say happy since I got the mirena iud.
  • tracy5858
    tracy5858 CCinCal

    Posted

    Yeah i am too having the same issues; my cycle would stop for three moths at a time and they put my on birth control first progestrone and i strated my cycle no mood swings at all..then th BC had me up and down so i told my GYNO and she said that it was a error i didnt have to take the pills she thought i didnt start with the progestrone andyway i got off them too qucik so my body went into shock..i mean anxiety, mood swings, depression i am feeling a little better i take provera 10 days out of the month that for progestrone it helps but the other days im like ugh... it cfrazy becuase i can actually feel when i am about to hae an episode and it last abut 15 minutes maube longer. I have to get a edometre biospsy in a few weeks to see if something is going on to keep from having a cuycle then they will put me on a routine to help. I thing the natural progestrone cream is helpfull. I just try to get through it daily i know exercising and keepin busy helps me becuase if i sit around thinking about it i will go crazy quote unquote. I also found out B12, caclcium, flax seed and magnesiuma nd vitgamin c and D helps with hormone. Does not correct the problem but helps with building up your system. I cant wait until i am fully back to normal. Well keep us posted on your BC. i hate them but the Mirena i heard is good. 
    • CCinCal
      CCinCal tracy5858

      Posted

      If you are peri though isn't the cycle stopping every 3 months "normal"? Why would you want to start it? Sorry if I missed something.

      CC

    • tracy5858
      tracy5858 CCinCal

      Posted

      Well from the doctors they state that since my walls are still thick it may cause pre cancer cells. I have all the peri symptoms but that are using me as a test dummy if you ask me.
  • deirdre01438
    deirdre01438 CCinCal

    Posted

    Hi, how are you? I'm just wondering how you are getting on? I'm going through similar thing at present. Would love any advice if you have any. Thanks. Dee

    • CCinCal
      CCinCal deirdre01438

      Posted

      Hi Deidre well I stopped BC soon after since it gave me a 18 day period! Which gave me uti also. Then developed cervical dystonia. Then had gallbladder out. Then Started on otc progesterone cream which may be helping slightly esp with mood. But overall not too much improvement. Still in hell. Over last several months my gerd and LPR ( another peri symptom) got SO bad had endoscopy last week. Nothing is helping with that either. I just think it's all part of going through peri as so many of us have similar issues.

      Wish I had better news to report.

  • deirdre01438
    deirdre01438 CCinCal

    Posted

    Sorry I seem to have misse this update. Thanks for the info. I hope you are doing better now. This peri is awful. Worst thing ever.
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