Really dark thoughts before period

[Littleblackdress04]

Does anyone else get this? It’s got loads and loads worse the older I have got- I am 47 and some months I am almost suicidal in my thinking, feel like no one cares about me etc. Even though I can rationalise in my mind that it’s probably PMS, I can’t seem to control it and feel myself spiralling downhill in the days before my period.

Aibu to think it’s linked to age? Perimenopause? It’s definitely worse than it’s ever been at the moment

I had a hysterectomy a few years ago but still have my ovaries so I do have a cycle still. I wonder if this has affected my PMS?

I’ve had this for many months, last month I started on a well woman multi vitamin and St. John’s wort. Been a lot better this month. Not sure whether life is just a bit better, or the tablets have worked but it’s worth a try

Apologies for not RTFT but I’m so glad other people have said this. I actually made a post about it recently but deleted before posting as I thought people would think I was mad. I’ve been looking into supplements to help, anyone taken anything?, I’ve read about starflower oil and evening primrose oil.

Yes!!!

Taking hrt has improved it so much. Your age is classic peri.

You need to look at the cause (falling oestseogen) not just treat the symptoms so NICE guidelines recommend take hrt rather than anti depressants for your age

@Newgirls what HRT do you take? My doc refused to give it me as my bloods were normal

I’m almost crying with relief reading this. I get some very similar symptoms: heightened anxiety, thinking everyone has poisoned my food/drinks or will come and kill me in the night (currently living in lockdown with ex husband), extreme fatigue, irritation, black moods, hot sweats, palpitations. My GP wouldn’t even take bloods as said I was ok young for peri-m. I’m 39.

When I was younger and on the pill I had similar experiences and came off the pill. Gift years all was relatively normal, but I’ve had these new symptoms for several years now. If I remember to take EPO that does soften the symptoms, but nothing takes it away. I don’t want to take anti depressants as I have a very addictive personality. Agnus castus makes my heart race.

This thread has persuaded me to track my symptoms and then go back to my GP. Although sounds like options are limited. How typical for females.

I saw this thread last night while suffering in the same way, am also 47 but can remember having this problem for years and years (though I didn't use to realise what it was). Also consider divorce every month. I wish there was some kind of solution as it is so unbearably cruel.

OP Idk why GPs do bloods (mine does too), NICE guidelines say none needed after 45yo.
I'm 52 and get the same, have been googling 'perimenopause paranoia'! I think this may be what used to be referred to as 'loss of confidence' in the menopause discussion. I feel unloveable, like I have no friends, that even my closest loved ones are barely tolerating me (there is no evidence that this is the case). My periods are so odd (random spotting, bleeding for two weeks etc) that it's hard to tie the feelings to a specific part of my cycle.
Wondering if you've been offered ADs instead of hrt (as I was). I'll go rtft now

Why would peri menopause cause oestrogen levels to drop lower than normal in pmt ?

What pawpaw said - the NICE guidelines specifically say women over 45 experiencing low mood especially LinkedIn to cycle should be offered hrt NOT anti depressants.

I take a gel pump and a tablet for progesterone. My bloods were normal too and blood tests are notoriously useless for peri.

So much advice out there google De Louise Newsom on this.

Peri and meno is oestrogen levels falling naturally until your periods stop and then it continues to fall. It’s natural but has many negative effects on the body inc low mood, dry skin, osteoporosis etc and hot flushes too

By the time your periods stop on av in your early 50s you’ve been through the worst symptoms often with no help and many GPs are useless on peri having had very little and sometimes NO training.

Yes, yes and yes. I never used to notice pmt but now it is awful.

Also consider divorce every month
My periods are all over the place but I know it's about to arrive when I start googling divorce procedures.

Can I add a sicky headache to the list. I get all of the above plus a sicky headache. Feel like I have flu. And yes re the total brain fog. Also I’ve noticed that since my mid 40s if I catch a virus just before my period it totally floors me. Three in a row last year. God only knows what will happen if I catch CV just before period.

Sicky headache now. Considering divorce yesterday. Threw a snail down the road in a complete rage because it had eaten my plant yesterday too. I’m an animal loving vegetarian at other times!

yes this is me too. I get awful intrusive thoughts, shouting proper terrible things at the kids and so teary a day or 2 after ovulation. last month I had to take a mental health day as couldn't be on conf calls with work without crying.

not every month as bad as that.

Ive noticed ov day im in terrible form. Dont want to be here everything is awful etc etc. Grand the next day. Around p time am so moody and ragey and going from could easily murder someone or hide in bed and cry.
After reading stuff for nutrition courses ive added in a b complex vit, with high b6 level, extra efas, and 5 htp at night along with magnesium. Dp got me on really good female multi too and noticed big difference with that.
I also take chromium daily too to help with cravings. Cutting out sugar also helped

Ladies i would highly recommend patrick holfords books. In particular, optimum nutrition for the mind and optimum nutrition bible. Fantastic advice in them which have helped me rather than going to gp cos quite frankly they are fking useless with this stuff.

We used to have a brill supp called calm and recharge. Dp would have put up a dose of it for me when i was feeling really ragey and frazzled and i swear 10-15 mins later i was feeling all zen and relaxed again. Allergy research group i think was company name for that one. Cant get it here anymore though. Awesome stuff.

I used to get this when I was on the contraceptive pill, I'm older now ( 44) and came off the pill - it no longer happens.
I take oil of evening primrose for the usual PMS symptoms and it works really well, I just get a bit angry sometimes in the run up to my period but nothing major.

Yep, me too

Had it since I was 13 and I’m late 40s.

It is so distinct, and so accurate that I have never needed to track my periods on a calendar. I will literally get a huge hit of rage and suicidal self loathing and know that I’m due in almost exacly 48hrs.

Yes, same here, for a while now. GP says I am in perimenomause.

Yes ( & for the first time reading all these comments made me feel normal!
For me each moth can be slightly different less intense. But some months I’m awful.
‘Normal me’ calm reasonable once a month me - horrible.
I have had a mirena coil fitted for years for endometriosis- this has helped. But every so often that me reappears.

I am almost your age. Few days before period I get these thoughts about how my life is total mess, DP is horrible, house is not suitable, I don't want to live in a city I am living, etc. Period comes- and I am fine again. My DP always knows when my period is coming, as I become irrational. Don't know what it is, but it's definitely hormones. Did private test early this year. My hormones were out of whack according to that. Went to my GP, who did NHS tests, but it came back completely normal. Then Covid came and I let it rest. Started taking Boron, which supposed to balance hormones, but it's early days. I do have hormone imbalance, as have other symptoms, but according to NHS I am fine.

I’m convinced my 15 year old dd has PMDD-we were dismissed by the GP as her being far too young for it but her behaviours definitely fits the pattern. She is now taking a mini pill which I understand isn’t always the right approach but it has worked wonders for her.

I have this but 'only' 37. It got worse this year my cycles are pretty clockwork and they shortened. Now intense depressed every 4 weeks on clock.

Googling divorce made me chuckle... I do it too!