How do i handle perimenopausal mood swings ?

[lovelymumof4]

Getting sick of my mood swings. One minute i can be quite happy and upbeat and the next i plunge into doom and gloom and tears. It's like having PMT all month long. Anything sets me off. Someone may look at me funny or say something mean and i just well up and feel all sorry for myself. Have got HRT and anti depressants from the doctor, neither of which i have started yet as i'm still clinging to the hope i might just be able to fall pregnant again. I know this is very unlikely and i should stop thinking about it. Not really keen on anti d's at the moment but would HRT help out with the mood swings ?

Hi. Can't give you advice on the whole falling pregnant thing - good luck with however that goes.

I found HRT sorted out my mood swings almost immediately - it gave me space to think properly again without the awful irrationality - I felt like me again. It took a couple of tries to find one that didn't make me really depressed for a couple of days a month (that is something I've always had a problem with) and the realisation that it was hormone related was a real help - even if it took me about 20 years to work it out. Doh. So now on much more of an even keel. Till night sweats though - the joy.

Iv'e been prescribed Prempak C. My doctor says this is more suitable for younger women and most seem to do ok with it. Think i just have to forget about babies, bite the bullet and start the HRT.

I thought I was going mad when I was perimenopausal, after 35 years of problem free periods I was flooding, severe cramps and manic mood swings (at one point I was so angry I was banging my head on the door to ease my rage). I spent ages sobbing on my poor GP, convinced I needed sectioning... after some trial and error with different meds what helped me was having a Mirena for the physical symptoms (which stopped within a month) and Fluoxetine for the mood swings, which I took for three months. I can't take HRT because of the high breast cancer rates in my family. The Mirena is obviously not relevant to you if you want to conceive but the ADs may be worth a try?

Take the hurt you will feel much better ,I did. I am only vile now for about 3 days when the double dose starts

Doh h r t

I cut out caffeine and started on menopace vitamins, plus eating little and often high tryptophan food. (wholemeal bread, bananas, turkey, fruit and veg). plenty of exercise but as much rest as possible, since sleep patterns at night are now haywire partly due to hot flushes.
So far it's improved mood without going to the hassle of hrt. but early days yet.
PS am I the only person here going thro m at average age - 50?