To feel THIS bad during period

[PeriodBlues]

Whenever I get my period I feel awful mentally. Not angry but really low.

I am on antidepressants and usually (the other weeks of the month) I feel okay. But when I get my period it's as though the medication makes absolutely no difference and I'm back to feeling depressed and horribly anxious. I cry every day, feel low and miserable, unable to eat, sleep, hating work so much that I daily seriously consider getting signed off.

Physically I feel okay but mentally I just feel absolutely awful.

Does this happen to anyone else?

Yup. As I get older, I feel more emotional effects. Perhaps speak with your GP?

Well I'm sorry for you Vilanelle but I'm glad I'm not alone!

I'm not sure what the GP would do to be honest. It's only for a max of about 5 days but those 5 days are just awful.

I have noticed this over the last year. Though I feel pretty low in the week leading up to my period - on the verge of tears, irritated by everything, want to walk out on my marriage etc. I've just started on the pill in the hope that it may balance out my hormones a bit (fingers crossed...)

I would second speaking with your GP. The problem is that women are 'supposed' to feel bad around the time of their periods, so it can be easy to accept that anything is normal. 5 days of what you are describing sounds extreme to me, and outside of 'normal' parameters. There could be physical factors at play - for example, if you are normally slightly anaemic, this can be exacerbated around the time of your period. Ditto B12, I think. Or there could be a hormonal imbalance. Either way, I definitely think it would be worth getting it looked into.

Yeah, I get it OP. Feel really depressed, absolutely hate my face so much I can barely stand to look at myself, just generally feel like everything is wrong with my appearance. My self esteem just hits the floor! It starts a couple of days before, and I've only just recently made a link between my period and feeling like it, because otherwise, I'm relatively okay in myself. Paired with the crippling pain, it's a nightmare time.

I didn't realise it was a 'thing'. I knew mood swings were common, but I always felt like this was something else...I feel like my face changes and just fucking hate it so much. Hormones, eh?

I would definitely go to see the GP.

Hormone imbalances can play havoc with our emotions at times and can usually be treated.

Would you consider hormonal contraception? Oestrogen levels are very low during your period so you may find that your mood generally is linked to lower oestrogen levels and that a combined pill helps your mood a lot overall. However, each pill has a different type of progesterone and some are linked to lower mood so you may have to try a few. Personally I’d ask for something like Marvelon and go from there.

I can't go on contraception as we are TTC

I know everyone jokes about feeling a bit grumpy at the time of the month etc but this is so much more than that, like some of you seem to know as well!

I feel absolutely horrible. Hate myself, don't know what the point is etc etc.

I think I'll see what the GP suggests. It worries me because I have suffered depression and am on ADs which usually work but it's like they just don't at all for the week.