I'm wondering if anyone has found SSRIs helpful for mood caused by hormone changes?
I've had a complicated time with HRT because I have chronic menstral migraine which has been really stirred up by peri, and was made worse by cyclical utrogestan.
I'm now on 100mg evorel + 200mg utrogestan daily, which (cross fingers) has really stabilised my migraines. This is a really big deal for me so I'm not inclined to change my HRT. In general I feel much more stable.
I still (somehow) get a period every month with some very minor spotting mid-cycle for a couple of predicable days.
The issue I have now is basically one of pretty extreme PMS mood swings. The week before my period I get really extreme rage / crazed sobbing. It's also a bit of a problem mid month (comes the same time as the mid-month spotting).
I completely and absolutely recognise this as PMS. It's really familiar from being a teenager! However, I now have a teenager of my own. There's some pretty severe hormonal clashing going on right now !
I'm wondering if just trying to treat the mood issue separately with SSRIs might be successful? I really do not want to stir up my migraines again. Aside from the PMS, I feel much more myself, more grounded and sleep brilliantly. Hot flushes are mostly gone - I now only get them triggered by The Rage.
I read that you shouldn't use SSRIs as a first line response for menopause symptoms as they don't work, but when you read academic papers, it suggests SSRIs are really effective for PMS.
Migraine makes me live a terribly healthy and well balanced life in terms of sleep, diet, exercise, no alcohol/ caffeine anyway. I take magnesium, vit D & B vitamins. So I feel there's no real other improvement I can make there.
Just after some personal experiences really. I was going to try Zoley if continuous utrogestan didn't work, but I'm largely quite happy with it.