Apologies to everyone I have not managed to read this weekend – which probably is just about everyone I do read. It’s been a busy one and when I’ve not been shopping, going to Christmas Fayres, visiting parents or writing, I’ve been sleeping.
I don’t know if you remember my kind of desperate post from a couple of months ago. Well I’ve moved on a lot and we have finally put the problem down to, wait for it, PMS. Can you believe it? Now all you boys who are thinking of stopping reading at this point please don’t if you can stand it, I promise I’m not going into any gory details, I won’t even use the word red, but it might be worth some of you knowing about the things that can happen in a woman’s body in her early thirties. Ok?
Right.
This has been me for the past 11 months.
Physical Symptoms
- Forgetfulness
- Clumsiness
- Stumbling over words
- Numb empty headed feeling
- Hair loss
- Extreme Exhaustion
- Lack of appetite
- Insatiable appetite
- Prolonged and painful menstruation
Psychological Symptoms
- Extreme Mood Swings that can change hourly
- Deep unexplained depression
- Surges of anger
- Panic
- An urge to self harm/suicide
- Sleeplessness
- Racing thoughts
- Disturbing Dreams
- Migraine
- Hot Flushes
These urges come from nowhere, seriously, I described it to my doctor as like ‘being hit by a plank’. It is instant, there is no warning, it comes from nowhere and it leaves me drained and confused and hopeless.
I mean, I know about PMS, all women tend to get it at some point in life right?, but this is something new and crippling and I didn’t even consider that it might be hormone related. I was thinking Thyroid, MS, Brain Tumour and all sorts of other terrible scenarios, so you can imagine my relief when my doctor told me that all my symptoms pointed towards an extreme form of Premenstrual Syndrome, sometimes referred to as Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. (PMDD)
Symptoms typically start a week prior to the period and last until a few days into the period. There is a noticeable absence of symptoms from days 4-12 (day one being the first day of bleeding). Premenstrual Syndrome or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder is unlikely to be the cause if symptoms persist between days 4-12.
In addition to the symptoms that I experience are;
- bloating
- breast tenderness
- acne
- headache
- gastrointestinal upsets
- palpitations
- dizziness
- irritability
- tension
- unstable mood
- forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating
- oversensitivity
- cries easily
Choices of treatment are varied and include Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and also in my case ‘Cyclogest’ which is helping to sort out my physical symptoms. It was either that or a hysterechtomy which at 33 I am just not ready for. So I’m coming to the end of my first month of treatment on Efexor/Venlafaxine and have struggled with the side effects to the point that I seem to have lost my mojo.
I’m a Jo Jo without my mojo.
So why am I telling you this?
Well, part of it I suppose is to let you know why I’m a little more distanced from the blogging world than I have been. It’s not lack of wanting to read, but sheer exhaustion that is worse for a good part of the month and also due to my new meds which cause drowsiness. (Not good for someone who struggles with sleep at the best of times as I’m already knackered – bugger.)
But also because I know so many of you struggle with periods of depression and I wanted to tell people about this.
Until I described everything to my doctor we hadn’t even looked in that direction.
Until I began taking Cyclogest to ease my menstruation I didn’t even realize there was a pattern.
According to my doc it will take between 2 and 3 years for me to get well, but it WILL happen. The relief is huge. There is hope, and while there may still be underlying issues with depression that I think have been there for most of my life, the extreme will go and I will no longer be locked in this cycle.
And hopefully in a few more weeks when my meds will kick in, I’ll get my energy and my silly back. I miss it.
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November 23rd, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Yeah, I know this one. And it is much more common than most people realize. Hormones can throw people off like crazy. I always have known that I struggle more around my time of the month. I have not needed meds (yet) but sometimes I wonder…
another one, and sometimes people have both is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Simply put, it is not getting enough sunlight. That can actually cause depression as well, and during the winter, I have to make a concentrated effort to combat this in myself…
hmm now I think I have to do a blogpost about SAD..
November 23rd, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Yeah I have heard of this too having done a lot of digging regarding depression etc. lately. Hang in there! It’s funny how it all sounds so generic until it’s hitting you in the gut and dragging you down, then suddenly the symptoms have more meaning. HUGS to you…
November 23rd, 2008 at 4:30 pm
I had not heard f this, but then I am past menopause and had no need to know. I am glad you found the cause of your problems, because these were serious issues you were combating. I am sure you were very worried walking around with these feeling and trying to figure out what was going on with you. It is good that you were able to formulate them so clearly and talk about them in a sensible way with your doctor. Good luck to you. I hope the medication starts to work soon. I take Efexor also and have good experiences with it. Don’t be afraid to increase the dosage if you need to.
November 23rd, 2008 at 9:14 pm
I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never experienced. I hope you get it sorted out ASAP. (hugs)
November 24th, 2008 at 4:34 am
Get well soon Jo!
November 24th, 2008 at 10:13 am
Ooh, I must pass this on to someone who is worried about these very symptoms. Thanks.
November 24th, 2008 at 10:26 am
I’m glad I’m a guy!
Seriously, sorry to hear how very much under the cosh you’ve been and are. It doesn’t seem fair somehow. A woman goes through enough with having a period once a month and then you get this on top.
But you say there’s light at the end of the tunnel so that’s something to cling on to. And don’t feel you have to read my blog or anyone else’s – we know you’re knackered and reading blogs is time consuming, albeit enjoyable. But if you narrow down your reading to, say, just five blogs then mine better be one of them…..
November 24th, 2008 at 11:33 am
When I’ve been on those types of meds before I’m always very tired the first month. Then I adjust, start to feel better and more energetic. I hope you become a Jo Jo who gets her mojo back soon!
November 24th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Been there, done that Jo, you have my complete sympathy honey. x
November 24th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Mie you really should. I have heard of SAD and its effects can also be huge. It’s mad isn’t it, but I suppose it shows what complicated creatures we are.
Hilary thanks, and you’re right, it’s amazing how stuff suddenly jumps out at you and you recognise yourself. I hope you get well too. Hugs.
Boisterous Butterfly thanks, that’s all really good to know. I was going a little mad I think but now I feel like I can go forward.
Maria you’re probably too young to experience it, and I hope you never do. Everyone has something though right? Thanks hon.
Expat Mum I really hope it helps and that she’s ok.
Lovely Dumdad it will be, hee hee. x
Jen that’s what I’m hoping for too, and at least they’re having some kind of affect on me. I feel like that bodes well you know.
Akela, thanks lovely, and glad you got well.
November 24th, 2008 at 2:31 pm
Hope you get your mojo back soon…. I have seasonal affective disorder (i’m SAD, dang it) and it takes weeks on meds to get to feeling better, so hang in there. It helps, ALOT.
November 24th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
My mom has PMDD. She takes Zoloft now and is much more even keel. But, she told me about it when it was bad and she just couldn’t control her emotions. It was awful for her. I hope you can get some treatment, it must be miserable.
November 24th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
It’s also known by the acronym W.O.M.A.N. Not sure what THAT stands for.
Joking aside, I had heard of PMDD, but did not realize the severity of the symptoms nor the amount of time it takes to eliminate them. I wish you a speedy get-well and look forward to reading some more of your exciting and (usually) hilarity-drenched adventures in life. Be well.
November 25th, 2008 at 8:14 am
Lee that must make Christmas so hard. Hope you’re doing ok lovely. And thanks. xoxoxo
Lori it has been, and it’s been quite scary too. I’ve been driving home alone at night and convinced someone was in the car with me to the point of seeing them in the mirror, even though I’d checked the car when I got in and knew no one was there. Glad your Mum is doing ok now.
Ian thanks. And you know me, I’m all about the smiles. I thought I was going mad so it’s good to know I’m not…or at least not totally.
November 27th, 2008 at 8:39 am
Oh dear, I’m certain I suffer from that. And my family suffers more.
November 27th, 2008 at 10:34 am
Charette, mine too, but it can make you so self destructive as well which is very bad.
Hope you’re ok.
December 2nd, 2008 at 12:26 am
Hey there sweetie. I’m getting caught up here. sigh.
your first set of symptoms fit me to a T! the rest not so much. I’m just as forgetful as they get these days, and exhausted.
I’m sorry it has been such a rough go for you these days. I’m crossing my fingers that things will be looking up soon.
hugs!
December 3rd, 2008 at 10:05 pm
I really want to thank you for posting this. Thank you so very much.
“Ooh, I must pass this on to someone who is worried about these very symptoms. Thanks.” That ’someone’ is me.
I don’t have all of your symptoms, but I do have, let’s see, 7 of the physical, 4 of the psychological and 3 of the ‘other’. I have had various blood tests performed and I (believe) I was checked for PCOS. I have been referred to an endocrinologist (a word I couldn’t spell a month ago) and am visiting an Internal Medicine doctor tomorrow before I see the Endocrin specialist. I am fearful and optimistic. Such a myriad of emotions. I am most concerned about my hair loss. It’s not noticeable until I show it, but it’s very noticeable to me. Thank you for listing it all, it’s made me want to list my symptoms similarly for the doctor tomorrow. Because, more than likely, thanks to the symptoms, I will forget.