So fucking irritable!!!

[DtPeabodysLoosePants]

I feel like I have PMT every day. I'm so tired and irritable and I feel like s shit mother as a result. I'm a single mum of 3. Lots of stress from exH that is hopefully being dealt with by solicitor/women's aid. My youngest doesn't see his dad so apart from when he's at nursery 2 days a week in school hours, I don't get any breathing space. There's n
I came off fluoxetine about 2 months ago as the side effects were affecting my quality of life. I hadn't felt depressed, just irritable mainly. And here I am again feeling like I want to scream.

Oh ffs. Posted too soon.
I was adding that there's no one at all to look after LO. My only family is my mum who's 80 and I've no friends to speak of.
I could do with a good rest I think but it's just not possible.
How can I get a handle on this irritability? I feel so awful about it. The kids wind me up something rotten and the eldest has been very challenging lately because of her dad.
My only respite is a bike ride one day a week. I love it and find it helps. I do an 11 mile route and also walk 5 miles a day during the week. I'm in bed by 9 every night, sleep ok, eat ok.
How can I help myself be a better mum?

Poor you. I would definitely get back to the GP and discuss. You might need to go onto a different anti-depressant. Sounds like you are going through a very demanding phase and that alone can be enough to bring you to your knees. The uncontrollable irritability can be part of depression.

How old are the kids?

Thank you for your reply. The children are 12, 10, and 4.

LO still has a bedtime breastfeed so I'm limited in choice although he knows that once he goes to school there's no more feeds. Sertraline gave me palpitations and horrendous headaches, citalopram I could t keep awake past 7.30pm, palpitations, headaches, sweating. Fluoxetine was the best one but still the headaches which were just miserable as nothing shifted them. I might just go back on it and see how I go. I've got a weekend away coming up and I can't be like this as it will spoil it.

It would be a good idea to see your gp see if there's any help or medication to make you feel better
Im a single mum I used to struggle to get time to myself instead of fighting it dear I say embrace it
Yes you need time out but your a mum so when you have to what family stuff do you enjoy as a family.
Stimulation for all do you so your not in a rut of the same old.
Remember it's a temporary stage.

Can you find something for you when your child's in care you enjoy or get into a group and make some friends... people will lift you and support you.
Going through you personal stuff is a huge downer it is one of life's biggest shit storms, make it a Temporary shit storm.
Buy a tasty treat, take a different route home, go sit in the park and have a laugh with your children.

Also it's very important to get as much rest and sleep as you can. Fatigue is a big part of irritability, and running around after 3 kids is no picnic.

@mumsie2019 so far I've had 6.5 years of shitstorm from my abusive exH so I don't think it's temporary at all. My single parent status is not temporary either. My LO is 4 and I am his only parent so I'm not sure how it's a temporary stage?
We walk to and from school. We walk to school along the road and come home via the woods and canal and park. We mix it up all the time. Sometimes we get the bus.
We have movie night every weekend they are all with me with lots of treats. When I have time to myself I go on a bike ride. If I have to go into town for something I treat myself to a Starbucks. All these things are making no difference to how irritable I feel. The bike ride is the only thing that gives me proper time for just me.

How old are you OP?

Have your periods changed at all? Could you be perimenopausal? It might be worth talking to your gp about that if it is possible.

43 and periods regular as normal.

I went to the doctor for the exact reason and they put me on setraline and they have definitely helped started 50mg but i do still get a little ratty so am expecting to be put on a higher dosage.

Honestly the relief in not being pissed off ALL the time is amazing.

I've started back on the fluoxetine this morning. I'm going away next weekend with the children and my mum and don't want to be grumpy. Perhaps now I'm not on the pill too then I won't have as many side effects as the headaches, hunger and weight gain were the pill too. My period is due any day so that won't be helping 😩

I tried to put it as temporary because some of us have been there and being told it's not for ever helped.

Enjoy your break

Thank you. I felt better by yesterday being back on the fluoxetine. I don't feel depressed so I guess I don't need the build up over weeks to reach the point where they start having an antidepressant effect. I think I'm just exhausted and very stressed along with chronic pain s

So it's no wonder I'm irritable. I have a cracking headache today though which isn't good but I'm hoping it's a one off and not going to be a regular thing. Dd12 has gained a little perspective on her own behaviour and is realising it's not ok and that she needs to do things differently so that's a major step for her.