Lived Experience Forum

[pahwa]

Hi all just wondering if anyone else suffers both PMDD and Bipolar ? I can't take antidepressants for the PMDD , which is the most common treatment, due to the bipolar. I am on an anti-convulsant mood stabiliser, which is great to control bipolar but still struggling to find anything suitable for PMDD. Psych asked me to get help via GP, as it effects the mind but is caused by female hormone imbalance. Have referral for endocrinologist, maybe they can help regulate hormones. If anyone else suffers from PMDD, would be grateful to hear what you found to help

[Former-Member]

Hi @pahwa

How are you going? I had to look up what PMDD is, sorry to hear that you have it 😞 Obviously i don't have it and so can't offer my help for it! I was wondering though if it might be worth seeing a psychiatrist who could then workwith your endocrinologist to work out what meds would work for you? (this is assuming that by psych you mean psychologist!!)

Hopefully the endocrinologist will have some helpful ideas though and things can be managed. 

Good luck,

lj

[pahwa]

Hi @Former-Member, thank you for your reply. It was my first post on here and it's lovely to feel some support. By psych, I meant psychiatrist, and your advice is great. I will definitely ask if they would collaborate to decide the best form of treatment. Thanks so much
pahwa

[ThirtyOne]

I'm sorry I can't give you any advice but you are the first person I've met that also suffers PMDD. I've just started medication very recently, this in conjunction with seeing a psychologist fortnightly. Slight changes I've noticed, but I'm feeling hopeful now at least. I hope that you can get onto something that will help the PMDD side of things.

[pahwa]

Hi @ThirtyOne, thank you for your reply. While we can't mention medications, may I ask if you were given something hormonal or an antidepressant to help? Do your symptoms make you feel alone and isolated, while having the PMDD? I am not working as I break down for around half of my cycle. I am doing a course of study but fear I may never be able to use it if I am unable to get some control of the symptoms. I suffer severe brain fog with it and memory loss. The symptoms are very similar to the bipolar but are due to my cycle which can be extremely erratic at times, ranging from 11 days to 60 days. So irregular periods etc. I have not met anyone else with this before either, and appreciate very much, your input. Thanks again

[ThirtyOne]

@pahwa Hi, I recently started an antidepressant which the doctor said would be the best form of treatment as it targets the hormones and my depression.
So far I've been through 1 cycle and didn't really see a difference, maybe slightly, but as I've only just started medication the dose will be going up gradually. My cycle itself never changes, very regular but absolute hell, so much pain.
Yes I was feeling very alone and like no one really understood me, which is hard because I didn't even understand me! I initially thought that I might have bipolar or dementia which is why I started getting help my memory is terrible and I forget things constantly, during a conversation I can completely forget what words I'm about to say or what we are talking about - mid sentence. I've driven past my destination, forgotten kids etc.
My moods during the 1 to 2 weeks before my period are horrific I feel like I hate everyone, I have so much anger and everything annoys me, I struggle to have any patience what so ever and I feel very negative. I find it hard to even manage small tasks like going to the supermarket, sometimes I just wonder around feeling lost, as soon as the period comes though I feel the tension subside and I have 2 weeks where I'm mostly my patient loving self. I've started now to try and work everything around my cycle.
I work full time from home so that helps being able to hold down a job, but I find I can't cope with too many things at once, I'm trying to only focus on work and my family and myself. Now I know what's happening to me, I know that it's coming and I allow myself the time and space to ride the wave, I know there's an end to the bad part of the cycle just around the corner which helps a bit. But every month is different too, some are worse than others, my husband and kids know now what I need and this helps. Right now I'm feeling hopeful.
I can't give much advice but I hope you know you aren't alone, this made me feel better when I read your post.

[pahwa]

Thank you for sharing what has been happening for you @ThirtyOne, I hope things will settle down for us both. Will post some more if I get more help with it.