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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by noelle on July 8, 2002, at 13:00:04
Perhaps this has just come to Fruition in my mid twenties, but I have noticed my symptoms of anxiety and depression become so overwhelming about a week before my period and I feel like the ground is moving underneath me about two days before. I also noticed that meds just stop working. I know this is common knowledge but does anyone have any suggestions for someone with Axiety depression and ADD during this time.
Thanks
Posted by judy1 on July 8, 2002, at 14:03:00
In reply to PMS- Anyone, posted by noelle on July 8, 2002, at 13:00:04
Sorry, I don't have any knowledge about ADD, but I do have panic disorder and pms and increase my klonopin 1 week before my period- it seems to help. Good luck- judy
Posted by d miller on July 8, 2002, at 21:28:29
In reply to Re: PMS- Anyone » noelle, posted by judy1 on July 8, 2002, at 14:03:00
I have noticed since Jan. of this year, when I started my med again, extreme anxiety and depression a few day before my period and during. After the period I start to feel a little better. I went to my gyno and she suggested going back on birth control, which I have been off for 2 years. So as of last night I'm back on a birth control pill. I hope it works because the monthly depression sucks.
D. Miller
Posted by chiron on July 8, 2002, at 23:58:12
In reply to Re: PMS- Anyone, posted by d miller on July 8, 2002, at 21:28:29
If hormones effect your moods, it's likely that the pill can make them worse (I learned the hard way). Prozac and related SSRIs have shown to be effective for PMS, even right away. I don't know if any other meds help. Of course, some women only take Prozac for part of their cycle, and others increase the dosage for it. I heard that Sarafem (specifically for PMS) is just Prozac w/ another name?
Posted by lisamb on July 9, 2002, at 4:38:40
In reply to PMS- Anyone, posted by noelle on July 8, 2002, at 13:00:04
I wish I had some grand suggestions, but I'm afraid I don't-- I just wanted to say that I have been experiencing virtually the same thing. I'm on 75mg of Zoloft and 30mg of Ritalin (Ritalin only during my working week) per day, diagnosed a year ago with ADD, depression and social phobia. The week to ten days before my period arrives are horrendous, and the anxiety is hugely magnified... yesterday I had to cancel appointments and leave work early because I was bordering on a full-blown anxiety attack. Today my period arrived and I feel shaky, but certainly more "normal".
It never occurred to me to ask about increasing the Zoloft during the "PMS" (this isn't just PMS) period... I'll be interested to hear what you find out and decide to do. And I'll let you know the same -- unfortunately my doctor's away for 2 weeks, so I can't ask just yet!
Good luck!
Lisa
Posted by katekite on July 9, 2002, at 9:58:46
In reply to Re: PMS- Anyone } noelle, posted by lisamb on July 9, 2002, at 4:38:40
I have experienced a similar thing. Paxil is so sedating for me that I used to use it just occasionally on nights where I couldn't sleep. It didn't seem to work at all the few days before my period but other times would put me right into a deep child-like slumber.
I have heard of increasing your ssri dose starting a week before your period, going back down to normal a day or so after it starts.
I have also heard of birth control pills helping. A new secret I heard about birth control pills is that it is apparently ok to take them for three months straight (the active ones) so that you only have a period every three months. This apparently doesn't hurt you as long as you take the inactive ones for a week every three months to allow your body to have a period. If only I'd known that when I was on the pill -- imagine not having to even think about it for 3 months at a stretch (next possible pms would be october!). But definitely consult your doc first, since I only heard of that recently there's a chance it's controversial or something.
Then as far as non-med strategies go I've heard that sleep deprivation timed carefully, can really decrease pms symptoms. I can't find the reference, but it was something like 4 days before period expected go to bed anytime, but get up no later than 4am. Then after that day sleep as much as you want. Supposedly it helped. I haven't been able to make myself try it, LOL.
Kate
Posted by hildi on July 9, 2002, at 12:44:51
In reply to PMS- Anyone, posted by noelle on July 8, 2002, at 13:00:04
I know exactly what you mean! The SSRI's used to help enormously with PMS, but now things are worse than ever. I have tried increasing my meds/dose about a week before my period but It only seems to make things worse. In addition, my PMS has now extended to about two weeks before and one week AFTER- sort of like a 'post' PMS.
I have taken Vitex to help and that does seem to make a difference- regulate hormones.
I am going in for blood tests at the end of the month to see what's going on with hormones-
Hildi
Posted by Noelle on July 14, 2002, at 21:51:50
In reply to Re: PMS- Anyone, posted by hildi on July 9, 2002, at 12:44:51
Well thats some great feedback, when I got my period this month is was like I woke-up from a strange, anxiety ridden nightmare, and then all of a sudden I had so much energy I couldn't sleep. I saw the advice for Birth control pills but I have a real talent for Weight gain. I did take Prozac and I cried all day long. By the way seraphim is just another name for Prozac, ( they changed the name so women with PMS wouldn't think about the stigmatism of taking "Prozac". We'll see what happens when I switch to the new medication Nerontin, but for now I am dreading next month.
Posted by katekite on July 15, 2002, at 9:55:08
In reply to Re: PMS- Anyone, posted by hildi on July 9, 2002, at 12:44:51
Estrogen is somehow required for serotonin to work, ie, you may have enough serotonin but your brain somehow can not see it. PMS happens to occur right when estrogen levels are decreasing. Not thought to be due to the absolute level of estrogen but to the fact it is changing so quickly that the serotonin system can not adapt.
Two ways to approach: make more serotonin with ssris, or get more estrogen.
Taking lots of estrogen routinely, long term, is a bad idea as high dose hormones seem to cause lots of increases in cancer, etc.
However, a birth control pill might be an option. The doses in birth control pills are different from those used in hormone replacement therapy post-menopause. Each type of Pill is very different in what forms of progesterone and estrogen they use and in what dose and in what ratio. It all matters. Just because one had side effects does not mean another will. One may worsen depression and another cause nausea and another be perfect. Needs to be prescribed by an endocrinologist or obgyn though, regular docs and pdocs likely have no clue how to artfully match hormones to an individual.
kate
Posted by Fuscia on July 21, 2002, at 18:28:44
In reply to estrogen, posted by katekite on July 15, 2002, at 9:55:08
Hi,
I would suggest any woman considering taking oral contraceptives to improve mood or for early premonopause time read the book, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause, by John R. Lee M.D. You can read plenty of excerpt pages from it at amazon.com.
Actually, oral contraceptives contain a much higher dose of the xeno-estrogens and the xeno-hormone progestin.
If one must take hormone replacement therapy, it would be a good idea to get a hormone saliva test for estrogen and progesterone. Normally it is progesterone levels that drop drastically in the years prior to menopause. Estrogen is produced, albiet in smaller amounts, in the body even after menopause, as it can be found in fatty tissues of the body. The more overweight you are, the more estrogen you have.
Avoid Premarin, Prempro and other equine-extracted estrogens, as these contain not only the three major estrogens: estrodial, estrone, and estriol, but also contain steroids that are unecessary and harmful.
Birth control pills can work wonders when you first start taking them, but after a while they can make premenstrual symdrome symptoms worse.
Synthetic hormones have a similar structure to, but not exactly the same as, a hormone produced by your body, which can produce varying, if not negative results. Whereas natural hormones have a chemical structure that is identical to the hormone produced by the body.
I use Fem Gest brand by Home Health for my progesterone needs. There are other brands available from iherb.com and vitaminshoppe.com
Make sure the product contains progesterone, and not wild yam extract. Wild yam extract does not convert into progesterone in the body. Another good brand is Progesta-Care by Life-Flo.To increase estrogen, the herb sage is an excellent source. I've had hot flashes that began about 3 + years ago, (one of the signs of low estrogen, besides vaginal dryness) prior to starting any antidepressant. The sage tea works great for this, as well as vitamin E, dong quai, black cohosh, red clover, kudzu, and sarsasparilla herbal supplements.
To your health,
Fuscia
I suggest taking natural progesterone creme to see if this helps. I could add lots more, but the following link has loads of information about it:
Hormone Heresy
http://www.all-natural.com/estrog-1.html
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