Really horrible depression the week before your period. Any tips on improving it?

[OhioOhioOhio]

After more than 30 years I've realised that the week before my period the intense depression and fatigue I experience needs better managed. Does anyone have any advice? I do try and exercise etc but can't manage very much during that time.

OP my last post to you made me think there must already be groups for this. I found one on Facebook and just asked to join.

I would advise logging your periods really clearly, so you know when to expect the depression. Then every time you feel depressed you can recognise why and know they are not your true feelings. Plan to have as few stressors as possible that week, get in whatever treats cheer you up when you feel low, and get early nights.

Evening primrose oil

You've all been so helpful. Thank you.

47 and had a full hysterectomy at 42. Never looked back.

Like a pp said, a bit extreme but it was a long journey to the actual op.

I really would suggest you see a gynecologist who specialises in this. There's no need to suffer. That said, hormones are chemicals and if you really don't want to take anything, that limits your options.

Agnus Castus.
There is some helpful info on the NAPS website and it says that there is some evidence that Agnus Castus works (as opposed to Evening Primrose Oil and other natural things).

www.pms.org.uk/assets/files/guidelinesfinal60210.pdf

It definitely helped me.

I believe I've tried most things: evening primrose, numerous vitamins, giving up sugar, giving up alcohol, giving up caffeine, diet rich in good fats, regular exercise (lifelong!), healthy weight, magnesium, iron, you name it. My lifestyle is bloody good.

Mirena - gave me low-grade PMS every day of the month!

HRT - v interesting because it highlighted my extreme sensitivity to the progesterone element of it. It's like a switch is flipped within 12 hours of taking it! I felt great the rest of the month and at least the cycle is regular now. So the next step is total hysterectomy - sadly postponed due to Covid. I'm 45 btw and have had severe PMS my whole life but it's definitely worse and worse with age, added to the heavier and heavier periods which leave me weak and pale and which don't respond to tranexamic acid :)

Good luck

I'm so heartened by all of your advice. Honestly, I really feel hopeful that I can solve what I had thought was a bad attitude.

hippospot I could have written your post word for word - apart from the cutting out sugar which I didn't do so well at.

I have never regretted my hysterectomy. Cannot tell you how freeing not having periods is. Being able to plan things without looking at the calendar and thinking I can't do that then, I'll feel shit.
By the end, I was having 12 day periods and feeling rubbish before, after and while I was ovulating too.

@mizu that is so heartening to hear - thank you for sharing your experience.

I usually get 7-10 days of PMS where I do not feel like myself at all (depressed, anxious, angry, clumsy, brain fog, worse-than usual restless legs, sugar cravings, bloating, forgetful...) then a horrible heavy period. I only feel ok for half the month or so.

I hate it, I've been having this for about 3 years and I'm an actual nightmare to be around. I hate how low it emotional it makes me feel

Mine is helped by taking supplements (the ones I take are multi vit, omegas, vit d3, zinc, collagen). I don't know which but I would guess that the d3 and the multivitamin are the most beneficial.

Do you get your vitamins from the doctors?

I found stopping drinking has helped me feel happier. If you drink try that?

@OhioOhioOhio No, amazon. I take a high strength vit d3.

I second the Mirena coil. It was only after 30+ years of feeling suicidal for the days before my irregular periods and having a coil to control the heavy bleeding that I realised how bad the symptoms had been.

Strong high quality vitamin d and evening primrose which I increase the dose of in the week before period is due.
Lots of water and for me trying to control my diet around that time as it’s the one time of the month I can’t stop eating and there’s definitely a link between the low mood and feeling greedy, not in control etc

Also I saw someone mentioned agnus castus. Be really careful with that stuff. It’s a very powerful herb. Someoneonce kindly gave me some that had been made up for her - it sent me absolutely batshit - worst pmt/hormonal reaction ever for me

Well if it had been made up for her, she shouldn't have given it to anyone else to take. Same as prescription medication.

The evidence shows that Agnus Castus helps most people. There will be exceptions of course. Evening Primrose Oil is not advised, on the other hand.

Eating healthily and making sure you're getting all the right vitamins, minerals, iron and stuff does help but it may not be the whole solution.

I can understand not wanting to take anti-depressants if you're fine (or at least coping) the rest of the time. My Doctor is an expert in women's issues and prescribed diezepam, just for the worst few days a month. It really helped. Some Doctors are reluctant as it is something that some people become addicted to, but it's worth asking or finding another Doctor if necessary.

I could’ve written this. Very emotional and down on myself before and I also seem to suffer post natal depression, which is rare but can occur. For a few days I feel what I imagine genuine depression must feel like, then it feels like a fog lifting and I feel normal again, it’s like can write off a week/week and a half of a month. I’ve tried most contraceptive pills but they send me mental or make my tits hurt. Hormones just hate me! Even had a bad reaction to the hormones when they induced me.

Place marking. I’ve been thinking about asking my doctor about this too after a particularly bad bout of depression last month.

I've noticed this since my second child and being on the coil so more natural cycle than I've ever had. It's horrible, some months worse than others but I get a bit of body dysmorphia and I get into such a state with my husband some months, think everything is awful and terrible then it goes away. Personally I find that just looking at the calendar if I'm having a bad day and knowing it's because of the time in the month is enough for me to not go down the rabbit hole. If it was really bad every month I'd go and see a gp.

I had to go on the mini pill due to suicidal feelings related to my period

Within the first month of starting the pill the issue had rectified itself. Also suspected to be peri menopausal