Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Fortysomethibg]

Hi

Please can someone help. I have dreadful mood swings. I never know how I am going to feel from one day  to the next. I can wake up feeling really really depressed to the point of feeling totally hopeless and bordering on suicidal, can't stop crying and just feeling dreadful and anxious, angry and paranoid.

The next day I can be on top of the world. Then another day am 'normal'.

Its definitely the menopause as my periods are all over the place (have been for about 2 years) and I recently  missed 2 months. Had really depressed episode Monday then started on Wednesday and mood picked up Wednesday.  So its like a really severe case of pmt which I never really suffered with before.

Doctor offered me hrt but I don't like taking medication.

There must be something herbal that is effective?  Tried homeopathy but didn't do a thing for me.

Thanks

[AgathaC]

If you are trying to avoid HRT like me, and I also suffer from mood swings, then I think not being tired helps, eating and drinking properly and getting outside. I say getting outside where others might say exercise because I think you get a different perspective outdoors. I'm not one for the gym but some gardening and a fast walk and a look up at the sky can change your mind. I suppose it's mindfulness mixed with exercise. Some ladies like St. John's Wort, others Agnus Castus. I think magnesium helps the mind and also Vitamin C. Sorry about your mood swings. I have them too and they are getting worse.

[Bring me Sunshine]

Hi there
I ment this lady at a menopause conference I went to earlier in the year with Meg Matthews.  She specialises in alternatives to hrt and regularly emails tips and advice Dr Marilyn Glenville PhD <[email protected]>  I am on hrt and am really well on it but not everyone wants to go down that path and I understand that.  She may have some good tips for you, check out her website. x

[CLKD]

If herbal medications were reliable they would be on the NHS 

How is your eating pattern?

[Roseneath]

It really sucks Fortysomething. I can relate totally to the up and down. I was fine a few weeks ago, out running and feeling 'me', now I am a shivery, scared whippet, fearful, mind racing, sleep disturbed. Hard to keep it together. Be careful with trying any herbal/ vitamin fix. There is non I think and they can mess with your liver. I understand that you just want that magic bullet to get the old you back. You are not alone with this and it is unfortunately totally normal. If HRT was the solution for most women I would give it another go myself but my first attempt was awful anxiety wise so I am cautious to try again.  X

[Fortysomethibg]

If herbal medications were reliable they would be on the NHS 

How is your eating pattern?

I eat really healthy 95% plant based (some fish) sugar free, very few processed foods, teetotal, don't smoke, normal weight and exercise regularly.

Don't know where I'm going wrong

[Ladybt28]

Fortysomething - you're not going wrong, that's just how it is - just when you think you nailed it, it all starts to slip for no apparent reason.  I think we all seem to blame ourselves because we think we should know what to do. You know the voice in our head - "I'll up this dose"/"I'll skip that"/"I'll eat this"/"I wont' eat that"/"I didn't take that at the right time"- when you are 2 minutes late. We think that it is something we are doing or not doing and that it is inside our control. Sometimes it might be us cos we did something we know we shouldn't like get drunk/stay out too lateor eat something we know really doesn't agree with us deliberately but I've come to the conclusion that some of the symptoms and issues are just plain random and occur for no flaming good reason!  I'm actually exhausted trying to control this meno nonsense - please turn the frown/sad face upside down!    Don't view it as going wrong somewhere - its the menopause and it's pretty tough going trying to manage without meds - I can't - it wouldn't be mind over matter - it would be game over for me.
Some women can manage with the herbal stuff - I know what you are saying CLKD but I don't totally agree altogether - even some pharma drugs arnt available on the NHS and they are known to work (we can have a whole new post for that discussion  )  My view - what's the harm in trying if you research what you are doing and it works for you - go for it!