yet another update

[falcongrrl]

Okay, I went to the doctor's office yesterday. She told me to increase the Zoloft to 150mg. She really thinks this is hormonal changes related to my cycle (I meant to ask about perimenopause (!), but forgot, I'll have to do that at the follow up), but she wants me to increase it daily for six weeks and then she'll see me again. Just because it was so bad this time. I agreed and told her that I had dipped low enough to scare myself. I told her about the passively suicidal sorts of thoughts, and that seemed to be something she'd heard before from other depressed folks and wasn't shocked by, so that was good. She also wants me to take 100mg of vitamin B6 daily to help w/anxiety. So I'm doing that, in addition to my multivitamin and my flax/primrose oil supplement. Also trying to eat a bit better.

I'm curious, for the biological females on my fl, and for those of you of a certain age...did you notice your cycle changing in your 30s? Did you suddenly become, umm, batshit crazy before your period when you were in your 30s? Inquiring minds and all that.

To the males on my list, I apologize if I should have hidden references to my menses behind a cut. I don't want to offend anyone. At the same time, I just can't seem to bring myself to be all Victorian about it, when I see it as basic biology.

Anyway. This is what's up w/me.

(Edit: leave it to gleefulfreak to hijack the thread and turn it into a conversation about oral sex. Not that I mind, of course... :-D )

Comments

[iibnf.livejournal.com]

No, I've never had PMS or any other emotional issues with my period.
I do, on the other hand, have serious physical stuff - bleeding like a stuck pig (I have to wear plastic pants) for seven days, occasionally two periods a month, cramps of various intensities, sweating, loss of energy and generally feeling very crappy. Post period I get very weak and prone to illness. But yeah, no emotional stuff. Never have and that hasn't changed.

My mother, on the other hand, never had any physical stuff, could use a cotton ball for the small amount of bleeding she'd get, yet she went completely and utterly insane regularly. And after she got to her mid 40s (she didn't have menopause until she was in her 50s) she went so fucking nuts she hospitalised my father twice, and I was sent to another country to get away from her. I was 6, at the time, late baby.

So yeah, early peri pause looniness seems pretty common. Actually, I think my sister got a mix of both... bled solidly for five years AND went nuts. Poor woman.

[beetiger.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid I still really haven't had a normal cycle since Rhys was born. I have some vague sorts of light bleeding about every 45 days or so. It's probably just the combo of nursing and the minipill, but sometimes I wonder if I just snuck into an early menopause right after teh birth somehow. Tht would make me really sad if it were true.

*big hugs*

[epi-lj.livejournal.com]

Are there really men who are uncomfortable with this level of disclosure about menstrual cycles?

[monkeyman.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've had experience with that, too -- they aren't really as surprised by passing suicidal thoughts when you're depressed as if you're dwelling on them.

As for your cycle changing, I'm afraid I can't help with that one.

[wapsi.livejournal.com]

I have pretty much always wigged out emotionally right before my period. I've been having them for 30 years now. I can recall sometimes believing I could feel the hormone levels dropping as my mood sank. Taking 3000 mg of evening primrose oil per day is a great help. So is eating dark chocolate and having alone time.

I also find that when my period arrives, I need some time to just bleed. It feels like work that I have to be at least somewhat attentive to, and if I don't, I get cranky and start to hurt. I squat and stretch and breathe, all of which help ease the flow.