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[Bananacarnival]

Hi, has anyone taken a good low dose AD that takes the edge off irritability and anger? I'm perimenopausal, unwell with a chronic health condition, single mum and 70% of the time I'm really lovely to be around. Warm, caring, affectionate etc.

The rest of the time I easily fly off the handle, increasingly more over trivial things but when something really bad happens my anger is uncontrollable and my swearing and shouting is awful. Really awful.

I'm reluctant to go onto hrt for various reasons but would consider bio identical hormones not that I know much about them..
. Is there a low dose ad that a) doesn't completely numb you /zone you out and b) doesn't cause weight gain?

Thank you for any advice

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome to mm

How old are you? Have you had any blood tests to see where you are in the menopause journey? What is your chronic health condition? Would this condition prevent you using HRT?

If your mood swings are hormonal - and it sounds as though they are - then antidepressants are not the front line treatment.
Don't be frightened of HRT as most now have bio identical oestrogen and though many women love the bio identical progesterone it doesn't suit everyone. ADs can be beneficial if anxiety and depression are dominating your life but a low dose of maybe Femoston 1/10 sequential might well balance your hormones and help you feel more on an even keel.  Do remember that HRT can protect your heart, bones and urogenital health and can ease you through the menopause journey.
DG x

[CLKD]

Mood swings 
HORMONES   

Maybe keep a mood/food/symptom diary and decide which symptom you would like to ease first.

Put it into the search box on here to see what pops up.  Make notes ;-)

Consider how old you are: early menopause does need HRT in most cases to protect bones etc. as DG has mentioned.

[Bananacarnival]

Hi, thank you both. I'm 48 and tests have so far come back normal although my periods have been all over the place - extremely heavy back to back, then gaps of 2 months...
My illness is intersticial cystitis, trigonitis, bladder sphincter dysfunction and a Prolapse of everything! Grade 2 cystocele, rectocele, uterus and bladder prolapse. Urethra is kinked. All physical examinations so far have  concluded that I'm "well estrogenised" but have been taking estrogen cream and pessary for more than a year, no impact.

Painful bladder, weeing so many times day and night. Bladder really hurts on filling up. Repeat Urinary infections that have once become antibiotic resistant.

I feel broken and my hospital is doing absolutely nothing, private hospital just want to do more bladder biopsies which I find painful. And instillations which only 30% success rate.

Fed up hence really snappy and like a witch when yelling at my poor daughter.

[Dancinggirl]

Oh Bananacarnival!!  You poor thing, what a miserable time you're going through. I think proper HRT may be a good option for you as you really can't afford to be missing any oestrogen with these problems.  There is a good chance that your hormones are fluctuating greatly ( blood tests are not reliable in peri meno because of the fluctuations) and this really won't help your urogenital problems. Sadly you may have to make a big fuss to get someone to sit up and take notice. Too many women suffer with urogenital problems, particularly when menopause hits, and treatment is very poor on the NHS. Quality of life is very important.
Keep us posted.  DG x

[Bananacarnival]

Thank you DG, I'll speak to the GP to see if they will. Yep it's been a totally miserable time to say the least..

[sheila99]

I would ask to be referred to a meno clinic for specialist help. Muscle tone reduces in meno which I think would make you more prone to prolapse? Testosterone seems to be prescribed only for low libido but I found it helped with muscles too, I used to pull them too easily and I haven't had to do pelvic floor exercises since I've been on it. If your mood swings are caused by low oestrogen (mine were) increasing oestrogen would be more appropriate than ads. Va can appear as repeated urinary infections, presumably they have ruled that out? I hope you can find some improvement, meno on top of your other problems is really tough.
Can I ask what they did for your prolapse? Sorry to go a bit off topic. We had 2 ewes that prolapsed this year, advice from the vet was an inflammatory injection and a harness, if they don't work (they didn't) PTS - not an option in women! They needed something to stop them straining.

[Bananacarnival]

Hi Sheila I'm sorry I didn't even see this reply.
They haven't done anything for my prolapse. Two and a half years worth of promises to refer me to gynaecology but no appointment ever materialises.
The urologists and urogynaecologists I've seen privately all squirm at the idea of prolapse surgery saying its highly risky.

One urogynaecologist wants to put in a device into my back, she's refusing to accept that it's prolapse related - but that's exactly when my bladder problems began.

They've ruled out estrogen being low because a) I've been on the cream and pessary for over a year and no response, and b) I apparently look "well estrogenised" down there when they examined...

[CLKD]

Keep up with the vaginal atrophy treatment and do read our bladder and atrophy related threads.  As oestrogen levels drop muscles may become lax = aches and pains as well as the tendency to hiatus hernia and prolapse.  Plus the body may be dry, inside and out 

Are you having the need to wee often feelings? If not, then the treatment is doing it's job.  I don't feel any more plumped up down there [it was like razor blades  ] when using 'ovestin' but are aware if I forget!!

What AD has been suggested?  I used to have rages pre-period  - 1 day everything would be OK but the same thing the next would have me OTT      DH knew when to duck!

Why not give an AD a try for 8-12 months?  Keep a mood/symptom/food diary to chart progress.