Feeling really low mentally and in energy before my period

[oObyeOo]

I’m 40 and I’ve never had issues with pmt past the usual irritability.

However I’ve noticed in the past year that I have become much more irritable to the point of depressed, low and feeling worthless. I have no energy to do anything because I can’t be arsed and just think what’s the point!… It’s having an impact on my day to day life
for a good 2 weeks before my period starts!

I’m also getting feelings of anxiety that I’ve never had before! It’s impacting my life so much so that I don’t do the things I enjoy anymore! And when I do do them I don’t enjoy them because of anxiety!

I’m now on day 2 of my period. My mood has improved but my eating habits are awful! I’ve had 6 slices of toast this morning!

What’s going on?!! Could this all be hormonal?

I think it's normal OP, potentially peri-menopause and changing levels of oestrogen etc.

I would say see your GP but unless you have private medical care they probably won't do much other than offer you anti-anxiety medication.

It's worth looking into eating/ exercising for your stage of life if you haven't already. Changing your diet and exercising in the right way for your body can be life changing in terms of balancing hormones and just keeping you healthy as you age.

Thank you. I do eat healthy and varied… but there are times when I’ll just eat too much bread or sugar just before my period. I need to stop this!

I was like this but much worse. I went on the mini pill and this solved the problem.

The sugar itself can be a huge mood disrupter, as the sugar crashes can cause anxiety like symptoms, low mood etc. ask me how I know this!

you might want to try cutting out sugar. (Or just binging on it if you’re me). See if that has any effect. Also carbs, which of course are sugar essentially.

I’ll try to cut out sugar to see if that helps. I’ve been meaning to recently anyway. I’ve cut out caffeine and alcohol for 6 months now and the heart palpitations have reduced to just a few days before my period

I’m going in for bloods next week. I haven’t been on any contraception fora couple of years as I was becoming concerned about it as I hit 40, after being on it since 16. I’ll ask about the mini pill. Thanks.

What contraception was you on before? Perhaps it was numbing the feelings

I was on the copper coil for approx 5yrs.

These feelings have started in the past couple of years and the lack of energy has intensified. It’s a can’t be arsed with anything kind of feeling rather than actual energy

Just had a cry today at the thought of going back to work on Monday… a teacher.

My dh suggested doing something for my self tomorrow and I just can’t be arsed! I’m normally so active but I don’t want to leave the garden chair.

Bread and sugar cravings are definitely hormone related. Estrogen is stored in fat cells so your body is telling you it needs more estrogen storage.

If I was trying to be good and not eat shite I would get horrendous PMT which vanished as soon as I rammed pizza, crisps and chocolate down my neck. And then I'd get my period.