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[Vivasunflower]

Hi everyone,

I am really hoping you can tell me I am not going completely mad  . Around October 2013 when I had recently turned 43 despite being on the pill my periods got looong and my mood became low. My local clinic (they are fabulous) recommended The Mirena and I had it put in in the December. For a whole year things were better, my mood lifted and my horrendous breast pain disappeared after just 2 weeks, although my hormonal headaches remained they weren't quite as bad. However a few months ago my migraines stepped up a serious notch or two and I have been experiencing crashing into very low moods. I had my bloods done and it turned out I had a vitamin D insufficiency so things improved with meds, but once it leveled out I found that mood crashes were still there. My bloods showed my hormone levels were okay although the tests were done on a day when I was good, so I understand that isn't conducive to any great discovery anyway, unless I'm mistaken they're looking for FSH present which wouldn't be if my oestregen was on the up that day?

Currently my life is a roller coaster of ups and downs. I came into Motherhood late at 39 which means I am parenting a delightful but very spirited and highly emotional 5 year old boy, which is stressful.
I am so up and down that sometimes I feel like I am fussing and over exaggerating and then the next day I want to run and knock on the GP's door and say "HELP ME! I CAN'T LIVE LIKE THIS ANYMORE!!!"

My Husband has been quite understanding, but let's face it he can't possibly know how I am feeling and I don't think he does.


I am experiencing:

Depression.
Palpitations.
Inability to fall asleep and once asleep nightmares.
Anxiety (but I have always been quite an anxious person and have to reign myself in).
Fatigue.
Lack of desire to do 'nice' things, or anything sometimes.
Cravings for salty and sugary food.
Bloating which puts on me 7 pounds in weight overnight.
Rise and fall in libido.
Incredibly sensitive nipples which are so eeekie, it's hideous.
When I hit one of my moods I can not bear to be touched. I had to tell DH "Just leave me to it and I will come back to you when I am ready" poor bloke  When I come back from that my libido is at it's highest.

My GP said that she doesn't think that I am in PM. Everything tells me she is wrong, and hopefully when I see a different doctor on Friday (I booked a double session) they will help me somehow. Last time I went in the depths of depression (with the vitamin D insufficiency) they offered me AD. I didn't take them as I didn't even have the blood results and wanted to find out and treat the cause if possible.

So, please tell me, for those of you who have taken AD for PM, how has it worked out for you? If they do more bloods and my hormone levels look good, is it ever conclusive or do I trust me gut? If the latter is the case I won't be offered HRT anyway.

Daily currently I take:

A well woman vitamin.
2 garlic capsules.
40 mgs of B6 to up it to 50 mgs with the B complex which is in the well woman vitamin.
I also take 1000 mgs of vitamin C a day to counteract chest infections.

Sorry this is a bit 'War and Peace' ladies  I am hoping you have some words of wisdom for me 

Vicki.x.

[SadLynda]

Hi Vicki
Sorry I cant help with the meds as just in 'the system' myself.  But I can share those symptoms, and some... and tell you, you are not going mad but simply hormonal - simple?? LOL, cant believe I just said that.

i too take a mulit of supplements and health stuff, but was told here and I am now inclined to believe, these things work for some, and maybe work for a while but not really long term.

I full intend to take whatever they will give me at my docs appointment next week.  I suspect this to be some form of hrt and AD's for the terrible anxiety and I really dont care what I have if it makes me feel better and gets me some sleep.

If you get no joy from your GP change.  Visit a new one and try seeing the practice nurse too, mine was amazing.

I was also told it 'might' be the pill I take too, so they are going to be looking into that.

Above all, you are not alone with these feelings - sure someone more knowledgable will be here soon x

[Vivasunflower]

Bless you for your quick reply Lynda, not that I am desperate for kindred spirits or anything  . I have read some less than great stuff about the Mirena Coil and I am considering having it removed and going back on the pill, but it seems the negative stuff is only out there written by woman who have had bad experiences with it and that GP's will rarely if ever put any side effects down to the Mirena. It would be my preference to let my body do it's own thing but DH is fighting me on the vasectomy issue as he is terrified of all things clinical/medical  .

Sending you lots of ((HUGS)) and I hope you get the help you need. I'm guessing you have a thread running, I will look out for your results.

x.

[Kathleen]

Hello Vivasunflower and welcome to the forum.

You sound peri menopausal to me and at 45 that wouldn't be much of a surprise so why your GP thinks otherwise is a mystery!

There are many knowledgeable ladies on this site who can advise you so you have certainly come to the right place for support and information.

Wishing you well and keep posting.

K.
P.S My son was also very spirited and emotional and being his Mum was truly exhausting but seriously wonderful too! I am sure your boy is the same.

[Hurdity]

Hi Vivasunflower

I was just about to welcome you but I see you joined 2 years ago with similar symptoms! This is a sure sign you are likely either to be in late reproductive phase or early peri-menopause. Either way there would be hormonal changes going on which can affect your mood. It does sound as though you are still having a cycle but I presume you are not getting bleeding because of the Mirena so you don't know where your periods would have been? This makes it more difficult for a doctor to go just on symptoms, but as you realise blood tests are not a reliable indicator because they are so variable and you don't know which day of your cycle you are on!

I have read about the side effects of the Mirena and it could be affecting you, although if your mood was already low (cyclically) then it is likely to be hormonal too.

There are several other women in your position - similar age and stage and trying to find a hormonal solution that suits you. I am sure they won't mind my saying - Briony is using the Pill with bio-identical oestrogen Qlaira and GypsyRoseLee I think has just started on the BCP having been unsuccessful with HRT at this early stage in her menopause journey. She has started a thread called My Pill Diary which you might like to look at. 

You could have the Mirena taken out and wait 2-3 months to see where you are in menopause ie re your periods, if you can cope that long - and maybe start a sequential HRT and you would know if the oestrogen made you feel better mood-wise? Or possibly try Qlaira if you are OK with the progestogen?

Lovely to have a 5 year old but tricky when you are not feeling on top of things! I had a child (my last) at 40 so I know it's quite tiring. Fortunately my meno (irregualr periods//flushes) didn't start happening until I was about 52-3 so go over the young stage anyway!

Keep posting and ask anything and we will try to help...

Hurdity x

[Vivasunflower]

P.S My son was also very spirited and emotional and being his Mum was truly exhausting but seriously wonderful too! I am sure your boy is the same.

Thank you so much, and yes ^ 100% more of everything including love, affection and humour  .

Sparkle, I hope you stay more well, thank you. I am on prescribed Vitamin D ongoing and tests show it's okay at the moment.

Thank you Hurdity 

Either way there would be hormonal changes going on which can affect your mood. It does sound as though you are still having a cycle but I presume you are not getting bleeding because of the Mirena so you don't know where your periods would have been?

Yes, that's right. I know when I am ovulating as my cyst pain kicks in, and I bloat up and my low moods are probably at their worst around when my period would be.

I will look into those threads, thank you.

If I have the Mirena taken out I will need to go back on the pill, so would a bio-identical one be something my GP would give me because it's a better option? I was on Cerazette which I believe is a synthetic progestogen only pill which worked for me for many years better than others. The Mirena is progestin, so both synthetic hormones, although I must admit I am still getting my head around this subject in full.

The other things you mentioned I will look into, I'm not familiar with all things peri...yet 

Thank you all so much.x.

[GypsyRoseLee]

Hello Viva and welcome.

I completely understand and recognise so much of what you describe. I too get intense anxiety at times, random insomnia, occasional feelings of doom and despair, waves of tiredness, foggy memory, the list goes on and on.

All my symptoms arrived, out of the blue, not long after my 43rd birthday, at exactly the same time my periods started going a bit 'odd'.

I have a long history of PMS, and I had PND after my first baby was born. My consultant tells me my history pre disposes me toward suffering with hormonal mood swings and anxiety during peri menopause.

I tried HRT for just over 4 months. It helped me a bit. But my mood swings kept on coming and were still quite extreme. Also, I was still having episodes of very low mood which could last up to 10 days before disappearing literally overnight.

Conversely I could also enjoy up to 2 weeks of feeling much brighter and upbeat. It was exhausting and too challenging.

I started to read Briony's posts with great interest as our age and symptoms were so similar. She hadn't had much success with HRT and was enjoying much more positive results with the Pill. She has been a huge source of information and support to me, she is very generous with her time and knowledge 

It's generally believed that the younger you are, the harder it is to control mood swings, depression and anxiety. And that HRT is just too weak to properly control the distressing symptoms.

The Pill is more powerful and shuts down your ovaries completely, thus stopping your own hormones from fluctuating and causing the awful symptoms. Instead you get a stable, constant dose of oestrogen and progesterone from the Pill which (theoretically) should make your mood stable and calm.

[Vivasunflower]

I woke up this morning and my 5 YO and I came downstairs. My mood is not good  Last night I was talking to DH about my options and he was glancing at his IPAD intermittently  then got back out of bed last night when I asked if we could just cuddle up. This morning I went straight into an inner rage about this as soon as I woke up. This is not me, I don't know who I am on these days, honestly I don't.  I am usually a bright an breezy person, I try and live my life with 'Gratitude as my Atitude' so it's killing me.

So GRL when I read your reply just now the tears started to free fall. It means so much to be understood, I can't tell you, thank you, thank you. I'm sat here next to my precious boy and I can't stop silently crying.

I also enjoy long periods where I actually feel brighter and happier than I ever have which I guess is the extreme rise and fall of the hormones and having that relativity I guess.

I have suffered PMT in the past but not massively, but as a teenager my periods were difficult and so painful that I have been known to pass out from the pain, hence why I went on the pill at 15 YO.

Having read your reply I am inclined to go to the clinic today and have my Mirena removed, my gut instinct is telling me it's the right choice. The dose of hormone is obviously a lot lower, so my best guess is the pill is the better option for me right now? I would appreciate it if any of you can confirm if I'm right about that?

Do you mind me asking which pill you lovely ladies were given that has worked so well, is it the combined pill? and is it bio-identical hormones?

Much love and thanks to all of you lovely ladies.x.

[GypsyRoseLee]

Sounds like we're very similar and that we're too sensitive to hormones in general. I also get periods of ferling extremely well, almost a bit hyper, which then makes the lows even more hard to cope with.

I had the Mirena years ago. I hated it. It gave me PMS constantly for 9 months before I had it removed. It just might not be agreeing with you too?

I am taking Rigevidon. It's identical to Microgynon I think.

Please keep posting, we all understand how you feel. Sadly most of us are very familiar with it.

[peripenguin]

I used to have Mirena and I had it taken out because my periods suddenly got so heavy that I couldn't leave the house, once it was out they went down to two days of very light bleeding. I been without it for three years now and it made a massive difference.

I've been on ADs since January, they have finally got the dose right and they are making a  huge difference, I can go to work and do stuff without feeling like I am going to cry or have panic attacks. I don't like being on them but without them it's terrible.

[Vivasunflower]

Thank you GRL, that absolutely confirms my decision. PP many ((HUGS)) and thank you, I am so glad that you are at the point where you are feeling better.

x.

[Mrs January]

Hello Viva

Wow honey what a time for you:( I have had a lot of these symptoms too. I also have a mirena ( second one now) and was low after my first, my lovely practice nurse added a small does of Oestrogen to balance me out....I take 2mgs of Oestrogen but once took just the 1mg, may help you?

I aslo had a hard time with emotions, left husband etc, and I take Citralopam now at 40mgs.

SO honey, one hour at a time if it is all you can manage, one day or more as it comes. Utilise the lovely little one you have too baking biscuits, making den's or what ever else littlies like these days. OH maybe a kiss or a cuddle if you can manage nothing more. BUT you will get through the 'change' times as we all are doing too.

For now I send my hugs

Mrs January xxx

[Vivasunflower]

Thank you so much for your lovely, kind words  It seems there are symptoms appearing at the rate of knots which I had no idea may be associated. I have an incredibly itchy scalp today, and I also have itchy lumps which have appeared overnight, and I was thinking we had a flea around the house somewhere ugh  but now I find it is possible they are also related to peri!? They look like mosquito bites, has anyone had this? I got a clump of the on my side overnight a few nights ago and now I have one under my chin, they itch like hell!

What the heck!!! this is getting more bonkers by the day.

I had a fabulous talk with Hubbie this morning whilst I cried like a lunatic. He thinks I should get the coil out but leave it out for a while and see how I am without any contraception. I am rather scared to do that as without any hormonal help I feel I might be even worse.

So I'm off the the SHC this afteroon and I hope one of their fabulous doctors will advise me well.

Wish me luck ladies 

x.

[SadLynda]

Viva, could it be an allergy to something you are using? I have to use Avon SSS to keep the midgies from biting me (I'm a dog walker so out every day), and it does now give me a bit of a rash on the sides of my neck.

Best of luck with your appointment x

[Vivasunflower]

Thank you Lynda.

I have been to the clinic and the Mirena is out. Today was a different story. The lovely nurse I saw said it all could be down to the Mirena, and that she had taken them out of many woman who were suffering awful headaches and terrible depression. She told me that if I am peri FSH and LH should have shown up in my blood test, and that if I was borderline it should have been repeated after 6 weeks, which it wasn't, so one would presume that I wasn't even borderline, or that my GP's have made a mistake, I am so confused  .

Anyway, I am relieved to have had it removed. I was given the mini pill because I can't have the combined pill due to suffering migraines. At the moment the plan is to leave my body alone for 2 to 4 weeks and see how I am. Then use the mini pill for contraception after that and see if it suits me. It used to, so here's hoping and praying.

I am still seeing my GP on Friday, and I am going to ask that they repeat the bloods to make sure FSH and LH aren't present. Although my Sister said she has seen home testing kits in Boots the chemist, so I could also check for myself, although I bet they're pricey little kits!

Any thoughts ladies?

Thank you once again. regardless of the outcome I can't tell how much it has helped over these last few hours to have been on the receiving end of your kindness and wisdom  .
Vicki.x.