Anxiety and depression increase before period

[Truetomyself]

Hi

I currently am taking antidepressants and anxiety medication. I have been on meds since I was 22 and am now 37. My meds have been fine. However I have found as I have got older a week or even 2 weeks before my period my anxiety and depression seem to get really bad and I get teary. Sometimes I can't leave my bed for a week before. I have spoken to my GP and psychiatrist about it but with not much help. I know why it happens but I still don't know what I can do or who to turn to for help. It is really debilitating and I am just at a loss as to what to do. I really would appreciate some help or ideas as to what to do.

Thank you.

[Wazowski]

Hi Truetomyself,

Thank you for sharing what you have been going through at the moment. I’m glad that your antidepressants and anxiety medication have been helpful, but I’m very sorry to hear that your period has started to affect your symptoms.

It is great that you have an understanding of what has caused this change in mood, and that you want to do something about it. I spent many years getting teary and depressed before my period, without understanding the link between the two. I can definitely understand how frustrating it is to not feel in control of your emotions.

I can personally say that going on the Pill helped a lot with my PMS symptoms, not only my mood, but also cramping and heavy flow. Also exercising more frequently, and eating a healthy balanced diet, particularly before the symptoms begin can be really helpful.

It sounds like you can predict when it will begin (1-2 weeks before your period), so you can also try taking extra measures of self-care to ensure that you don’t end up going down the path of ending up in bed for a week. Self-care can include the things I mentioned such a exercise and eating well, but it can also be just doing things you enjoy, like running a hot bath, reading a book, or calling a good friend you haven’t spoken to in awhile.

I hope these ideas are somewhat helpful, and please feel free to post here again if you have anymore questions.

Wazowski

[Truetomyself]

Thanks for your reply.

Thanks so much for your help.

I appreciate it.

I try self care always and am on a pretty strict diet as I have had this for so long. Strict as in I eat nutrtional food, no high sugars or stimulants. No alchol.

I get outside and go for walks. I also have an IUD.

I do everything I am suppose to but just seem to fall into a pit.

I think I might discuss it further with my GP and try to get some answers or my gynaecologist.

I have been looking at PMDD. This is what happens before your period.

I don't plan on having children. So I don't know what other options I have but I feel like I want to jump out of my own skin. It is really tiring.

I do have baths, read and mindfulness. I try with this but it really is hard.

I appreciate your kind and helpful response.

It is my first time on here, so being able to receive some ideas and support is great. I truly appreciate it.

Thanks again. 😊

[Soberlicious96]

Dear Truetomyself,

Welcometo Beyond Blue, and well done for reaching out.

I too notice my symptoms of anxiety and depression tend to worsen before I get my period. In fact, I notice a whole bunch of symptoms tend to get worse before my period; I get clumsy, more forgetful that usual (I'm nearer to 50 now, so I'm peri-menopausal), I get the 'cleans' - which basically means don't stand still or I'll polish you! - and I get the irratables. And if I'm unlucky, I get the whole lot at once. Which means that although my house is really clean, I'm generally covered in bruises but I have no idea how I got them, and I'm really annoyed but I don't really know why!! And I walk back and forth from room to room trying to figure out what the hell I'm doing!

Anyway, on a more serious and slightly different note, I actually found taking a vitamin supplement to be really helpful. Maybe you could think about that, and research some holistic approaches, that could work in conjunction with your other meds? Of course, I'm not a medical professional by any means though, so please make sure you do talk to your health professionals.

And I know you've probably heard it before, but there's a lot to be said for healthy eating and exercise. Perhaps going for a brisk walk around the block, say every second or third day, could help too? Getting active can really help to get your 'happy hormones' going. Plus, it may help to burn off some of that negative energy?

Anyway, I hope that helps at least a little. Take care. I'll be thinking of you. xo

[Nurse_Jenn]

Hi there truetomyself,

It is so great to see you posting here on the forum to get some support. I am sorry to hear you are struggling. As both Soberlicious96 and Wazowski have pointed out, it is really common to have PMDD or symptoms of this nature for people who have anxiety or depression as well as for people even for people who don't. I believe there is a lack of knowledge on the part that hormones contribute to our mood states and the impact it can have on a person. Despite the regular rising and falling of progesterone and oestrogen levels through out the menstral cycle, each person responds differently to the change in hormones.

If you are not getting the right support from your GP, you might ask for a recommendation and visit a GP who specialised in Woman's Health or a Gynaecologist as you suggested? They will be able to assess you and offer you a better explanation of why you are feeling so cyclic in your moods. I really think with persistence you can get some greater clarity on your symptoms.

The suggestions that have been offered already including a healthy diet and exercise are really important and it sounds like you are doing exactly what you should be doing. Make sure you acknowledge yourself for doing this as it is really tough to be proactive under the weight of feeling low. It is great that you are here on the forum and getting some extra support and I encourage you to do this while you find the best path to resolving some of these difficult symptoms.

Be kind to yourself and I hope to hear how you progress.

Wishing you the best possible outcome,

Nurse Jenn

[Truetomyself]

Thank you for your help.

It is really hard. I took a week of work this week as I could not get out of bed for a couple of days, really tired, crying a lot but am still trying to exercise and eat right too. But it is really hard. I absolutely hate it.

I think I will get that referral. I need a deeper understanding and what I can do for it.

Thanks for your time and help.

I appreciate it so much.

[Truetomyself]

Thank you for your response. It definitely helps to know you are not alone. I feel so helpless with this but will discuss with my GP and then get a specialist referral.

I will also discuss alternative therapies with my doctor.

Thanks for your time and thoughts.

It really is appreciated.