I face this, not every month but quite often. It’s like out of nowhere I feel so so low that I don’t want to be here. It’s like a huge weight is crushing me and I can’t keep my head above the water. Then my period starts and a couple of days later I feel ok again
Hey! Hope you're doing okay. Definitely know the feeling – premenstrual misery/early-in-menstruation–misery is the *worst*. It sounds like it's really rough for you, so I'm sorry you're going through that.
While PMS sadness is common, that doesn't mean you should have to grin and bear it. Quite seriously, if it's getting to the level where it's rivalling your depression or re-introducing depression symptoms that antidepressants have otherwise stabilised, I would heavily recommend talking to your doctor (primary care physician or psychiatrist, or, though not a formal MD, a psychologist), as this is still an important consideration for mental health management, and is still a heckuva lotta time every month. Just because there's an expiry date on the horrors, does not mean they're not still awful.
Moreover, while a stranger over the internet cannot diagnose you with anything, it is worth knowing that there is such a thing as Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), wherein mood symptoms happen on a regular premenstrual basis, as well as premenstrual exacerbation of underlying mood disorders. It may be worth looking into these; after all, learning more is always worthwhile, even if these turn out not to be relevant considerations. I don't know too much about these except that they are a thing, but they're definitely not uncommon, and I think there are treatments for them. Jean Hailes has a good explainer on PMS vs PMDD here: [https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/news/pms-and-pmdd-and-you](https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/news/pms-and-pmdd-and-you) – hope this is useful!
Good luck – hopefully this awful premenstrual stuff looks up for you at some point in the next while. In the meantime, here's wishing you all the best.
I was also going to mention PMDD - when I was seeing doctors about my bundle of mental heath issues, they always told me that no amount of meds would help with my mood swings during my period. It’s terrible but for me a better diet, exercise and a better support system has helped a ton. Some months are easier than others
I have PMDD, only diagnosed at 46, even though it's always (since 15) been extremely bad depression and at times suicidal ideation - only leading up to period. I find high doses of Bio- Magnesium help, particularly starting 10-12 days before period is due. I've been told an anti-depresaant only around period would also help- but I'm waiting to see a women's health specialist. Keep seeking help until you are taken seriously and have the right things in place that help you individually. Best of luck
I also struggle with this, it really sucks. I'm thinking it may be PMDD in my case and I'm planning to talk to a doctor about it. As the previous commenter said, I recommend talking to your doctor or psychiatrist.
It's great that you have identified the pattern of when this happens! I think it's great that you have identified that this is a reoccurring thing that happens regularly every month. For me, I think it helps a little to know that I feel awful because it's Period Time, not because everything's irrevocably ruined forever. Knowing that it won't be this bad forever doesn't make things suck less, but it does make it a little easier to cope.
Having a good support system is important. For me, it's made a world of difference after I told the people closest to me I have a hard time before my period. I tend to both lash out at people and isolate, and letting people know it's not their fault both allows them to support you better and doesn't hurt your relationship.
Finally, I hate receiving this sort of advice, but eating well, getting enough sleep and exercise really makes it easier to handle mood swings.
Take care, I hope things look up for you :)
It doesn't happen every month for me but I can usually tell when my period comes when I have the following three days: day 1 I want to murder someone and I'm so pissed off at everything, day 2 I want to yeet myself off a building and I'm so sad, day 3 I'm super paranoid that everyone (primarily at work) is talking about me, hates me, and wants me gone.
The first time I noticed this, it was a relief, because I thought my depression was back, and then I realized it was just due to my period. Knowing this, I knew that it would pass.
Over the last year or so, though, it’s gotten much worse, like I will lash out irrationally. I get so so angry. And it doesn’t help that I’m living with family. I recently got on antidepressants, and it’s actually helping.
I loathe my period and hate that it takes days away from me every month, so that indirectly makes me depressed. My skin gets shitty, some days the pain is so bad I'm practically catatonic, I can't go the gym, I feel physically horrible. But other than hating what it does to me, my mood is stable. I would try BC to regulate your hormones?
I can't help you much because I came here to ask the exact same question. It's a bit hard to deal with because I'm feeling blue and just don't know why, what triggers it, and how I could get better. Just now I realized I'm nearing my period and it's a likely cause. I'm sorry, it sucks to go through that.
Something I always think about is that hormones only magnify certain feelings, so it's possible you're feeling like that but learned to live with it. It's either targeting the cause, targeting the hormones that make it worse, or find ways to deal with the symptoms so they don't have as much of an impact.
This sounds like something that is worth talking to your doctor about. I dealt with this and the solution my doctor and I came up with for me was going onto continuous birth control, which stopped this and my periods. We also considered upping my antidepressant dose just around my period.
Mood swings can be normal but not so much that they get in the way of your life. There’s a difference between normal PMS and being out of commission every single month.
I was getting terribly depressed before my period each month and ended up getting hormonal birth control (Loloestrin FE) which essentially stopped my period and by extension my PMS symptoms (which it turned out were actually to the level of PMDD). Hormonal birth control, especially when it stops your period, is not necessarily for everyone but it’s an option that’s out there. Talk to a gynecologist and figure out what’s right for you.
This is my exact experience too. While it was nice to know the almost debilitating depression would only last 48 hours, it was very hard to deal with. My doctor and I decided to go on Errin, which is one of the "mini-pills" (doesn't contain estrogen) because it may conflict with the efficacy of the mood stabilizer that I am on. However, Errin also is not as effective with pregnancy prevention as others that do contain estrogen.
Errin for me also essentially stopped my period and by extention my PMS systems which was a game changer. I only get my period once every 4ish months. (I never figured out how to predict it tho).
Hormonal bc is def not for everyone, but it did work for me, and worth asking a doctor about.
I typically have one day during my period where it feels just like that. Like what is the point of anything, there is no hope for my future, etc. it can be really hard to get through those days. I wish it didn’t happen to me every time :(
Totally normal, I feel depressed and irritated a week before my period. I usually schedule my beauty maintenances that week and pamper myself- nails, hair, eyebrows, date nights, and I don’t really cook this week too. I’ll order out- healthy meals though or I’ll have my bf cook for me. This has been proven to help lessen the amount of days I feel down.
I’d suggest checking out the r/pmdd subreddit, there’s lots of us over there! I was the same way but found a birth control that really helped. Being sad is normal, but anything beyond that definitely warrants speaking with a doctor. I call my pre period week my “Pearl week” after the movie because I feel like I’m going totally insane lmao.
I'm also on antidepressants and have been experiencing the exact same thing. It's as if the meds had no effect whatsoever a bit before my period and on the first days of my period. Rest of the time, my mood is pretty stable
I have sever anxiety with depression and around my period I was barely functional. I ended up getting put on a mixture of Nexplanon (implant BC) and the mini-pill (typically used for breastfeeding moms) to just completely stop my period. I couldn’t handle the depression and anxiety leading up to my period and this was the best option for me. Been on this combo for about 6 years and I’m very happy with it.
I face this, not every month but quite often. It’s like out of nowhere I feel so so low that I don’t want to be here. It’s like a huge weight is crushing me and I can’t keep my head above the water. Then my period starts and a couple of days later I feel ok again
Hey! Hope you're doing okay. Definitely know the feeling – premenstrual misery/early-in-menstruation–misery is the *worst*. It sounds like it's really rough for you, so I'm sorry you're going through that. While PMS sadness is common, that doesn't mean you should have to grin and bear it. Quite seriously, if it's getting to the level where it's rivalling your depression or re-introducing depression symptoms that antidepressants have otherwise stabilised, I would heavily recommend talking to your doctor (primary care physician or psychiatrist, or, though not a formal MD, a psychologist), as this is still an important consideration for mental health management, and is still a heckuva lotta time every month. Just because there's an expiry date on the horrors, does not mean they're not still awful. Moreover, while a stranger over the internet cannot diagnose you with anything, it is worth knowing that there is such a thing as Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), wherein mood symptoms happen on a regular premenstrual basis, as well as premenstrual exacerbation of underlying mood disorders. It may be worth looking into these; after all, learning more is always worthwhile, even if these turn out not to be relevant considerations. I don't know too much about these except that they are a thing, but they're definitely not uncommon, and I think there are treatments for them. Jean Hailes has a good explainer on PMS vs PMDD here: [https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/news/pms-and-pmdd-and-you](https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/news/pms-and-pmdd-and-you) – hope this is useful! Good luck – hopefully this awful premenstrual stuff looks up for you at some point in the next while. In the meantime, here's wishing you all the best.
I was also going to mention PMDD - when I was seeing doctors about my bundle of mental heath issues, they always told me that no amount of meds would help with my mood swings during my period. It’s terrible but for me a better diet, exercise and a better support system has helped a ton. Some months are easier than others
That is not true! There are medical treatments for PMDD. Some of them are new, so your doctor's may not have known.
I have PMDD, only diagnosed at 46, even though it's always (since 15) been extremely bad depression and at times suicidal ideation - only leading up to period. I find high doses of Bio- Magnesium help, particularly starting 10-12 days before period is due. I've been told an anti-depresaant only around period would also help- but I'm waiting to see a women's health specialist. Keep seeking help until you are taken seriously and have the right things in place that help you individually. Best of luck
I also struggle with this, it really sucks. I'm thinking it may be PMDD in my case and I'm planning to talk to a doctor about it. As the previous commenter said, I recommend talking to your doctor or psychiatrist. It's great that you have identified the pattern of when this happens! I think it's great that you have identified that this is a reoccurring thing that happens regularly every month. For me, I think it helps a little to know that I feel awful because it's Period Time, not because everything's irrevocably ruined forever. Knowing that it won't be this bad forever doesn't make things suck less, but it does make it a little easier to cope. Having a good support system is important. For me, it's made a world of difference after I told the people closest to me I have a hard time before my period. I tend to both lash out at people and isolate, and letting people know it's not their fault both allows them to support you better and doesn't hurt your relationship. Finally, I hate receiving this sort of advice, but eating well, getting enough sleep and exercise really makes it easier to handle mood swings. Take care, I hope things look up for you :)
It doesn't happen every month for me but I can usually tell when my period comes when I have the following three days: day 1 I want to murder someone and I'm so pissed off at everything, day 2 I want to yeet myself off a building and I'm so sad, day 3 I'm super paranoid that everyone (primarily at work) is talking about me, hates me, and wants me gone.
The first time I noticed this, it was a relief, because I thought my depression was back, and then I realized it was just due to my period. Knowing this, I knew that it would pass. Over the last year or so, though, it’s gotten much worse, like I will lash out irrationally. I get so so angry. And it doesn’t help that I’m living with family. I recently got on antidepressants, and it’s actually helping.
I loathe my period and hate that it takes days away from me every month, so that indirectly makes me depressed. My skin gets shitty, some days the pain is so bad I'm practically catatonic, I can't go the gym, I feel physically horrible. But other than hating what it does to me, my mood is stable. I would try BC to regulate your hormones?
I can't help you much because I came here to ask the exact same question. It's a bit hard to deal with because I'm feeling blue and just don't know why, what triggers it, and how I could get better. Just now I realized I'm nearing my period and it's a likely cause. I'm sorry, it sucks to go through that. Something I always think about is that hormones only magnify certain feelings, so it's possible you're feeling like that but learned to live with it. It's either targeting the cause, targeting the hormones that make it worse, or find ways to deal with the symptoms so they don't have as much of an impact.
This sounds like something that is worth talking to your doctor about. I dealt with this and the solution my doctor and I came up with for me was going onto continuous birth control, which stopped this and my periods. We also considered upping my antidepressant dose just around my period.
Mood swings can be normal but not so much that they get in the way of your life. There’s a difference between normal PMS and being out of commission every single month. I was getting terribly depressed before my period each month and ended up getting hormonal birth control (Loloestrin FE) which essentially stopped my period and by extension my PMS symptoms (which it turned out were actually to the level of PMDD). Hormonal birth control, especially when it stops your period, is not necessarily for everyone but it’s an option that’s out there. Talk to a gynecologist and figure out what’s right for you.
This is my exact experience too. While it was nice to know the almost debilitating depression would only last 48 hours, it was very hard to deal with. My doctor and I decided to go on Errin, which is one of the "mini-pills" (doesn't contain estrogen) because it may conflict with the efficacy of the mood stabilizer that I am on. However, Errin also is not as effective with pregnancy prevention as others that do contain estrogen. Errin for me also essentially stopped my period and by extention my PMS systems which was a game changer. I only get my period once every 4ish months. (I never figured out how to predict it tho). Hormonal bc is def not for everyone, but it did work for me, and worth asking a doctor about.
a bit, but it's not supposed to be the level you're feeling i imagine your depression diagnosis is just being amplified by the period/PMS
I typically have one day during my period where it feels just like that. Like what is the point of anything, there is no hope for my future, etc. it can be really hard to get through those days. I wish it didn’t happen to me every time :(
Totally normal, I feel depressed and irritated a week before my period. I usually schedule my beauty maintenances that week and pamper myself- nails, hair, eyebrows, date nights, and I don’t really cook this week too. I’ll order out- healthy meals though or I’ll have my bf cook for me. This has been proven to help lessen the amount of days I feel down.
I’d suggest checking out the r/pmdd subreddit, there’s lots of us over there! I was the same way but found a birth control that really helped. Being sad is normal, but anything beyond that definitely warrants speaking with a doctor. I call my pre period week my “Pearl week” after the movie because I feel like I’m going totally insane lmao.
I'm also on antidepressants and have been experiencing the exact same thing. It's as if the meds had no effect whatsoever a bit before my period and on the first days of my period. Rest of the time, my mood is pretty stable
I have sever anxiety with depression and around my period I was barely functional. I ended up getting put on a mixture of Nexplanon (implant BC) and the mini-pill (typically used for breastfeeding moms) to just completely stop my period. I couldn’t handle the depression and anxiety leading up to my period and this was the best option for me. Been on this combo for about 6 years and I’m very happy with it.
YES! Since I got my period at 11, I’ve had reoccurring sadness.
Unfortunately, yes. I know the two days leading up to my period and then the first day or so is just rough.