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[GypsyRoseLee]

Just been chatting with Honeybun, about how it's likely that many of the women who end up on here are only here because menopause/HRT is still problematic for them. Whereas I am sure that millions of women are lucky enough to have some meno symptoms, get the right HRT straight away and never look back.

My consultant explained to me that because of my history of PMS and PND that I was ' a classic candidate' to now go on to suffer with hormonal low mood/anxiety during peri/menopause.

This has got me wondering how many of us on here have actually always suffered, to some extent or other, with our hormones e.g. with PMS or PND? And whether there is a definite link between that and now struggling in our 40s/50s and 60s with our crazed hormones once more?

[CLKD]

Right - off to move my answer in the other thread 

This is it:

Fortunately: having suffered extremely bad period pains, flooding, nausea, depression : any meno symptoms have been and gone or been treated successfully.  Sometimes I feel I ought not to be here when I read how others are suffering.

Had forgotten about the PMT. NAPS advised me to eat 3 hourly throughout 24 hours to keep blood sugars level as it was thought that if the body is 'hungry' then anxiety surges happen.  It would cause intense nausea to the point I would be looking for a bucket when shopping 

[Annie0710]

I suffered ever so slightly (but didn't realise it at the time) during puberty

Then I had a hormone inbalance aged 16 when I was put on a pill that was too strong, but was quickly rectified

I've never (fortunately) suffered pmt so this has been the biggest shocker to me
Naively, I always thought menopause = no periods and hot sweats and vaginal dryness

No way did I ever imagine it could also feel like trying to function every day as though you have the flu without the sniffles , I don't mind admitting, it's floored me
Xx

[Sunnydays]

Hi Gypsyroselee,
I've wondered the same thing. Firstly, is it just women who had PMT etc who experience the worst meno symptoms, and secondly is it just women with the worst symptoms who use this site!
I would say I was always hormonal, and after the birth of my two sons, whilst not officially PND, I wouldn't be surprised if I was borderline. My meno symptoms are I believe borderline compared to others.
One friend suffered badly and meno symptoms severe but straight on to high strength hrt and she was sorted. Two other friends, minimal hormone problems but are sailing through meno with no medication/vitamins and life, healthwise, is rosy!

So we're a mixed bunch I should say! I guess more women experiencing problems would turn to this site but CLKD, it's really important that ALL women contribute, no matter how severe or not severe their meno. The site isn't called the hrt site; ok it might lean towards that discussion a bit because so many ladies do have such a bad time but it gets balanced by other discussion.

Annie, I always thought meno meant liberation from periods. You sum it up well - like having flu every day but without the sniffles! I too am floored a lot of the time.

I remember when I first started having periods thinking to myself, wouldn't it be great if I could press a button and have my periods all in one go for about 2/3 years, then no more! Thank goodness I didn't have that choice, I'd have been like this for the past 40 years aaagh!

[Ju Ju]

Yes! My periods didn't start till I was 16. Late enough for my Mum to get worried. I was told by a councillor I saw that it is possible to suppress puberty subconsciously. Certainly I was severely depressed at that time. At 19 I started having severe period pain, as bad as labour pain at the onset of my period and very frightening, particularly as there was no support, information etc.. The pain was relieved by going on the pill, then child birth. It is possible in hindsight I had pnd, but not surprising as DH was away, new baby and toddler and no support system. I was virtually on my own for many months.My periods continued to be erratic and problematic, with pmt. I believe my emotional state set me up for all these problems. I was told that if I could sort myself out emotionally, then everything would settle down. Yeh right, that's far too simplistic. I'm happy and peaceful now, but the problems continue..... All I can do is accept it, get on with it and be as positive as I can. One wonderful thing is I no longer get monthly migraines.

[Sunnydays]

I forgot to ask - what's PMDD?
And yes Ju Ju - I don't miss the migraines before periods........

[Taz2]

There have been a few members on here with this condition. This explains it http://www.psychguides.com/guides/living-with-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder/

Taz x

[GypsyRoseLee]

Sunnydays PMDD is like weapons grade PMS. Severe enough that it dramatically affects your ability to lead a 'normal' life in the luteal phase of your cycle. It often doesn't disappear until you've actually finished your bleed. In many sufferers they ovulate quite early on days 10-12, so most months they only get about 7 days of 'normality'.

I don't know if I had/have it? I had certainly experienced many months where I had to schedule my social life/holidays around where I would be in my cycle because to do anything much in my luteal phase would have been pointless. I simply would not have been able to enjoy anything at all. Unusually, for the last couple of years I have never felt especially irritable or angry. Just desperately flat and low and like a statue just going through the motions.

[SallyG]

Really good point and I have often reflected on this over this past 6 months of menopause madness.
There is a fascinating case study on Dr Annies website by Prof Studd (I know!!what a name for a gynaecologist) where he talks about all of this stuff about the links to depression and hormones/PMS/depletion. Some of the women in the research, before being given HRT, were treated for depression with AD's some for 3 decades before they were given HRT which turned them around very quickly. Definitely worth a read. It really helped me see and feel very lucky to have been informed after a few months - by this blog and Dr Annie what was really going on.

Sally Gxx

[GypsyRoseLee]

Very interesting SallyG, could you link to it please?

It was only after I read Prof Studd's own website that I recognised my symptoms for what they really were, and that they were very likely due to hormonal fluctuations. I expect with my long history of PMS and then PND he would think I was a poster child for hormonal anxiety/low mood during peri menopause 

[SallyG]

Yes absolutely Gypsy Rose.Me too. Exactly the same with me. Reading about links to PMS/feeling good in pregnancy and then PND afterwards it all makes so much sense. http: //www.drannieevans.com
 If you click onto resources at the top of the webpage on Dr Annies site (above) on the left hand side click on "Whats new" and Prof Studd's study is in the journal articles:
"Severe premenstrual syndrome and bipolar disorder: a tragic confusion".Its the one at the bottom of the list currently. Hope this is enough info.

Sally Gx

[GypsyRoseLee]

Thank you so much I will go and have a look 

[GypsyRoseLee]

That article is so interesting. I recognise myself in so many of his case studies. I suffered with PND and was put on ADs. I took them for nearly 3 years but never once felt 'cured'. I just felt numbed and like a zombie much of the time. Very wooden. In the end I went cold turkey off them and was actually much better 'off' them than I had been 'on' them. At least I was able to feel the normal spectrum of emotions again.

I bet I would have felt much, much better within weeks if I had been treated with hormones instead. It makes me very sad that the first couple of years of my children lives were just a miserable drudge for me