Hormone CHAOS a year after a baby - twice. Anyone else had the same?

[jollytea]

Hi all - I'm new here but I need to know whether other mums have experienced this or if its just me....

After my second child was a year I gave up breastfeeding and a month or so later my hormones went mad. I was so ANGRY and felt really down and despondent. There was no pattern to my feelings. Some days I felt normal and great, and life felt good. But for about 3 weeks out of 4 I felt pretty shit. Also it would vary throughout the day. I'd still be able to laugh with my kids etc, but then also have 4 hours of despondent sit them in front of CBeebies and I'll just lie and feel shit. I was so up and down. And I'd feel so angry I would throw things and hit things. Not normal for me. Anyway. I went to a naturalist GP who did test my hormones and found that my pregesterone was low which he told me was the 'calming' hormone - hence the anger. He prescribed a pregesterone cream which my normal GP was a bit pissed off about but I would say that it did help, and things calmed down. Anyway after another 9 months I was pregnant again and decided to go onto a pregesterone only pill fairly soon after birth because I thought (not sure why) that this might regulate my hormones after stopping breastfeeding (this time after 6 months). Things seemed fine until this last month (nearly a year after my son's birth) and all the anger and feeling down have returned.

Do other mums get this too. I am not depressed because it is not every day. And it is not all day. Its just my hormones going mad. Am I the only one? I hope I haven't rambled on too much. Any feedback would be great.

[Marie12]

I often feel this way but don't know the reason why. I have 2 children under 4 and am still breastfeeding. I am on the mini pill - cerazette and thought that might be the cause....

[MrsJonnyDepp]

Hello!

I'm low in progesterone too - and feel terrible on and off too - had not thought that it may be the reason, but makes sense. Will talk to my doctor - some days I'm so angry, especially around ovulation and before a period. Lets be angry together

[NotABanana]

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss having depression tbh. I have some really good days and think I can do this, I am fine, and then some really low days that just drive me to despair.

I would have a chat with your GP to see what can be done to help you.

[jollytea]

I'm not too sure my GP can help. They will just suggest anti depressants which I don't think are the solution. It just makes me feel stupit talking about it with any of them. I feel its up to me to sort it out.

[artydeb]

Jollytea - yes! Ds is 13 months, bf for 7 months, periods only returned 3 months ago and exactly the same as you - angry, up and down. HV diagnosed PND after 8 month check for ds and thought there were hormonal issues but gp dismissed hormonal question with antidepessants (which i didn't take). Being intensely itchy 'down there' before periods led me to another gp who has given me oestrogen cream. Interested in the progestorone / oestrogen thing though - I thought prog. was the angry one! I'm currently having acupuncture to try to balance out. I feel like I was fine whilst breastfeeding and everything really went bump when the breast feeding hormones went. It feels like i'm in a state of emotion that can't really be expressed and gp's seem unaware of any hormone problem after breast feeding.