pmt, depression and menopause?
July 15th, 2010 | 
Author: depression started for me 30 yrs ago with the birth of my daughter. Nothing has ever helped. Now im peri menopausal and the symptoms are BAD. I take black cohosh for sweats and starflower to help mood. Im also on prozac. My life seems to be one hellish day after another with an odd good day thrown in. Im not suicidal ,(today at least). i find some comfort in my spirituality. But weighing up pros and cons ive spent 90% of my 50 years on earth more mizerable than i could ever describe.
i think ive heard all the advice there is. dr,s are useless. if you can come up with anything new, pills, potions or other id like to hear it… no…im desperate to hear it
. thanks in advance
this is something that has crossed my mind and i believe you may have a point… but where do i go from here,?
I am where you are, but I am 43. I have bipolar disorder and am in mixed moods almost 100% of the time, which is hell on earth. I am suicidal very much of the time. I have tried over 15 different meds, also in combinations, and none of them have worked.
My psychiatrist told me to go inpatient at our university hospital. (university of minnesota). She said my case is a hard one. Your case also must be a difficult one. Universities also have outpatient clinics, so if you are not on your last rope that you need to be inpatient, that is probably the way to go. In a university setting, they will rethink your medical history and spend more time with you, plus you will get the young doctors with fresh ideas. Their will possibly be a team of docs who look at your case. The other option my doc told me was to go to NIMH the national institute for mental health in washington DC and she would arrange for it. I guess you go in clinical trials and they must give you housing and stuff. Anyhow, that is my suggestion – hit up a top-notch medical school for help.
I hope you get some help. I am in the same boat you are in. I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to navigate that area of town now that my favorite route is wrecked (the 35W bridge collapsed) and I live 3 hours away & get hyper driving now that I don’t live in a city anymore.
If I were better, I would be able to work harder at oil painting than I am now. I could learn to make more kinds of pies. I could help my husband on remodeling projects. I’m sure you will have a list to think of too.
So I hope you do look into going to a nearby medical school for help. The professors there are a LOT smarter than most of the regular docs you see in private practice.
All the best to you
Posted in Menopause Depression
Maybe you stay the way you are because its all you know, I had a therapist friend who used to ask "what will you do when you are well" if they couldnt answer he wouldnt treat them, because he said their illness had become their life and they didnt want it removed, they lived through it, and got attention for it, this was a while ago, I thought it was pretty harsh back then, but the older I’ve got [49] and the more people I have known it makes perfect sense, maybe a fresh approach is what you need….
Edit… set yourself small goals, dont expect 100% straight away or you will fail, small steps are the way, what do you want the most, a new job? to learn something? look into it, small steps and you will suceed, I know that with any mental health issues, its two steps forward and one step back, but you are still moving forward, thats the main thing..
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Menopause like childbirth can be a really rough time. Peri-menopause is what kicked off bipolar in earnest for me. It came way to early so no kids. If you have not seen a psychiatrist who specializes in mood disorders, see one. Prozac is one of the mildest antidepressants and there are A LOT of other options. Although therapy may sound like paying someone to listen to your problems, it is a lot more than that. Find a therapist you connect with and one who is experienced. It will make a difference over time. As for over the counter stuff, try Omega3 fatty acid fish pills. What you want is 2000-3000 mg of the EPA ingredient. There is some science behind it which is why my psychiatrist recommended it to me (I can’t take ADs so I go with what I can get). It works for some, not for others. You should notice a mild difference in a week or so if it does work for you. Seriously, though, find a good mood disorder psychiatrist. That will make the biggest difference.
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I am where you are, but I am 43. I have bipolar disorder and am in mixed moods almost 100% of the time, which is hell on earth. I am suicidal very much of the time. I have tried over 15 different meds, also in combinations, and none of them have worked.
My psychiatrist told me to go inpatient at our university hospital. (university of minnesota). She said my case is a hard one. Your case also must be a difficult one. Universities also have outpatient clinics, so if you are not on your last rope that you need to be inpatient, that is probably the way to go. In a university setting, they will rethink your medical history and spend more time with you, plus you will get the young doctors with fresh ideas. Their will possibly be a team of docs who look at your case. The other option my doc told me was to go to NIMH the national institute for mental health in washington DC and she would arrange for it. I guess you go in clinical trials and they must give you housing and stuff. Anyhow, that is my suggestion – hit up a top-notch medical school for help.
I hope you get some help. I am in the same boat you are in. I’m trying to figure out how I’m going to navigate that area of town now that my favorite route is wrecked (the 35W bridge collapsed) and I live 3 hours away & get hyper driving now that I don’t live in a city anymore.
If I were better, I would be able to work harder at oil painting than I am now. I could learn to make more kinds of pies. I could help my husband on remodeling projects. I’m sure you will have a list to think of too.
So I hope you do look into going to a nearby medical school for help. The professors there are a LOT smarter than most of the regular docs you see in private practice.
All the best to you
References :
post-natal depression is highly associated with bipolar depression,- however, there is a strong personality component to most mental d/o-
dr’s are not useless, but have their limitations as has the treatment of all conditions, be they mental or physical!
would it not be good if you concentrated less on your own misery? looking at one’s own belly all the time causes tension headache and neck-problems!
perhaps you may jwant to join a charitable orginisation (salvatioon army or such like) and learn about the suffering
of others,- that might put your own into perspective.
it may help to up the dose of fluoxetin to 60mg, in addition you may try some CBT or other psychotherapy. but it is finally up to you, whether you wish to spend the rest of your life in misery. sad really, as there is so many things to do that need doing; and remember: there is nothing good unless it is done and it is easier done than not done!
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Depression with menopause `a wrought one i know.
Keep taking the meds ,but you have to help them to help you.
Prozac or whatever tabs needs your help,Neither of you can work alone right now.Maby in the near future. if not keep working together.I f you had eg heart trouble you would keep takeing tabs to keep well.Today is a new start for you.The past is gone, let it go.Menopause can be very uncomfortable.You will have your mood times,but you can help yourself through life(.I KNOW) little by little.Write 5 things you think you would like to do:if you were feeling better,even if you don.t. Do 1 of them".eg look in mirror,i am going to love myself,i`m worth it. 2 l am going to get better.Start writing feelings down for your self,good or bad,its a good way to see even a little improvement.(50years )now it`s time to start the next half .
lt`s your new Birthday "a bit day by day.lf you have a bad day,it`s ok".Tomorrow is another day. JUST TRY IT.even if y
ou don`t want to,its a small start to help you get well It will take time.and it will help.
Good luck
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