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[vintagefiend]

Hello- I'm desperate!
I'm 44 and since late 30s awful pms now diagnosed as pmdd. It begins couple of days after I've ovulated- horrible anxiety- then when period begins, the anxiety goes but I'm left feeling extremely depressed- this only really lifts towards ovulation and i have maybe 3 or 4 goodish days.
so obviously i'm completely fed up- it's just got worse and worse as i've entered my forties- there's a blending of perimeno and pmdd, i think. i cold manage one bad week a month but this is soul-destroying!
tried mirena- awful
i have tried oestrogel 2 pumps, then 3, then 4 over the summer- made me worse, prob didn't suppress ovulation and maybe i should have persevered but it was unbearable.
had zoladex for 3 months which made me the most depressed i've ever been.
i've tried qlaira which made me crazy
just tried evorel patch 200mcg to suppress ovulation but after a couple of days just felt horribly depressed- in fact like i did with the zoladex which seems odd as one is an abundance of oestradiol and the the other is total absence.
i am on 40mg citalopram which doesn't help much so am thinking of changing to venlafaxine (which has worked for a friend)
i've always had a bit of an anxious personality but NOTHING like this- the only other time i've felt so bloody low is postnatally- a severe depression which cleared after a few months with each of my 2 children
i desperately want rid of ovlation but i can't seem to handle the treatments that might get me there!
my gynaecologist  was still keen for me to have full hysterectomy but that scares me given my experience with zoladex (i was suicidal)
so that's where i'm at and wondered if anyone has any bright ideas or is even in the same boat and can commiserate!
i've had great trouble getting onto this site and am not very computer- literate so if i don't acknowledge a reply it might be that i'm struggling to navigate site but should get to it eventually!
Thanks.

[Briony]

As someone in a similar situation, and the same age, I wanted to send sympathy, even if I cant offer answers.

I too tried patches to suppress ovulation, but it didnt really work. Qlaira was effective for me, but caused spotting (probably because the estrogen in it is so low compared with other pills). Have you ever tried Yaz? It's the one pill listed as a potential PMDD treatment.

Have you seen a specialist? If not, it could be worth emailing Dr Currie via this site. It costs £25 and I foudn it ever so helpful.

Hope you find a better solution soon x

[Lizab]

Hello! You've come to the right place. I personally can't help with what you've tried or should try, but someone will pop in withbideas. I do understand that soul-destroying feeling, as do many ladies here.

[vintagefiend]

thank you both for replying- i realise i've tried most things so it's not an easy situation to remedy but i really do appreciate that you replied and understand.
yaz is definitely something i will think about- i'm just not sure how i handle progestogen but i'm hoping that i can find an anti depressant that works well enough to allow me to try things like yaz or maybe even the patches again.

[Clovie]

Sorry to read this 
I have PMS which is now lasting longer and longer each month it seems, not to the same extent as you though, but I do sympathise.
I'm just wondering if you might be progesterone intolerant? I am, and so are lots of ladies on here. It's just a just a thought - it  might be making things worse with you?
Apparently women who get PND then PMS are more likely to suffer in this way on any kind of progesterone containing meds in peri-menopause. Worth a google, or do a search of this site in the search  box up the page on the right.

The answer to most ladies who are intolerant of synthetic prog is to use Utrogestan for the progesterone you need if you're on HRT.

I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will be on soon with more advice.
My sympathies, again   

[Mary G]

Vintagefiend, welcome to MM!

Sorry you are going through this hell, I know what it is like when you start to run out of options.

I am afraid I can't help with PMS because I have never had it and I have never been pregnant either but I am severely intolerant to all types of synthetic progestins and also to bio identical Utrogestan if taken in large quantities.

To be honest, you seem to have tried virtually everything and if this is ruining your life and the venlafaxine does not work, then a full hysterectomy might be the only answer.  I don't know much about this condition but from what little I do know, it would seem that you need to completely shut down your own hormone system and then use HRT for the rest of your life.  You mentioned that the oestrogen gel did not work when you took it before but that would probably be very effective once you have got rid of your own progesterone/oestrogen and you are not ovulating anymore.  You could even consider oestrogen implants which a lot of women have after a full hysterectomy.

I would suggest you consult Professor Studd in the normal scheme of things but I think I know what he will recommend and that is a hysterectomy, which he also recommended for me and other suffers on here. 

I'm sorry I can't make a more positive suggestion.

[vintagefiend]

thanks Clovie and Mary G, really appreciate your taking the time to respond
I think you're right and that i have great difficulty with progestogens and my own progesterone!
I wouldn't be against a hysterectomy at all but i'm just so worried that it won't work given that the zoladex was so awful- or maybe that was because my add-back oestrogel just didn't cut it- I dunno- it's all trial and error, isn't it?
i will try the venlafaxine and if that works i might be able to stand the rocky first month of suppressing ovulation with patches (and if that works then i would know that a hysterectomy would work- if that makes sense)
i sometimes think about saving up to see prof studd but in the meantime i'll definitely email dr currie on this site.
so thanks ladies- i have a plan!

[Briony]

Worth a read if you have not done so before x


http://www.pms.org.uk/assets/files/guidelinesfinal60210.pdf

[vintagefiend]

thanks briony x

[Trufflecat]

How awful for you. It does sound as though you have a severe version of what Prof Studd calls'reproductive depression', having had pmt every month since I was 12 (apart from when pregnant) I sympathise, as pmdd is so much worse. Good luck with Dr Currie, the email sounds like a very good plan.

[vintagefiend]

Thanks trufflecat- i'll definitely see what dr currie says. Sorry you've had pms for so long. It's weird because I didn't suffer any premenstrual "stuff" at all until late thirties so i think it's combi of my age, perimenopause and pmdd
cheers x

[Niamh]

Hello I just wanted to say hello and say i have lots of similar symptoms to you. I'm 41 suffered worsening pmt from mid 30s til off the scale post my no 2 baby 2 years ago, I also got PND after him am prog intolerant and lasted 48 hours on the Mirena coil. I see Prof studd and im on ostrogel 2 pumps per day, Utrogestan vaginally for 7 days a month and testim gel (testosterone). He is brilliant for ladies like us and totally understands the prog issue!! I wouldn't say things are perfect but are a million times better and I can function. Do pm me if you'd like any advice or just to vent. He has re commended a  hyster but I can't do it now with 2 little boys and is never get it in the nhs Definately email Dr Currie too :)x

[Kathleen]

Hello vintagefiend and welcome to the forum.

I see you have been given lots of good advice from fellow sufferers so hopefully you are feeling less alone.

I would add that before you are allowed to send a personal message ( ie p m someone ) you need to have made more than twenty posts on the forum, I think that's right isn't it ladies? I wanted to mention it because I wasn't computer savvy when I joined and I needed a lot of help navigating the site at first.

I'm sorry to see that your hormones are giving you such a difficult time and I hope you soon  find a regime that is right for you.

Take care and keep posting.

K.

[GypsyRoseLee]

Lots of sympathy from me, as I am in the same boat.

PMS all my life, then PND after my first baby was born. Finally recovered, but only a few years of wellness before perimenopause reared its ugly head.

I had a few warning shots of anxiety across my bows 4 years ago. Then 3 years ago noticed PMS was getting so much worse, real deadening depression for nearly 2 weeks per month. Then 2 years ago the awful anxiety came back too.

Since then I have just been on this hateful rollercoaster. Some good weeks and some evil weeks. Some days I have just wanted to step under a bus to make it all go away.

Seeing Annie Evans in 2 weeks and praying she can help.

[vintagefiend]

Wow! thanks ladies-

Niamh, hope u don't mind but it's strangely reassuring to know that the mirena drove someone else batshit crazy! I've lost count of the number of doctors tell me it has no impact on mood argh!! It's interesting that you're on testosterone- that's def on my radar- i did ask one doctor but he flat-out refused but i'll see what dr evans says when i get around to emailing her. thanks for offer of PMing you- i may well take u up on it x

Kathleen, thanks for the info re number of posts needed to PM people- I didn't know so you've prob saved me more technical angst! it's literally taken me about six months to get on here!!

gypsy rose- i saw a recent post of yours that resonated with me and i was going to reply - but you've beaten me to it! i've never been a glass-half-full kind of person but i realise now that i wasn't bad! now, i don't go out, i can't face driving, i can't hold a job down and i can no longer do the school gate - i can't keep relying on people- luckily i have a lovely partner but i can see that it's taking its toll on him. don't know what my point is- i'm letting off steam but, yes, i know how u feel. really hope the dr evans appointment goes well x