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What could be wrong with me ?

by Joanie Daley
(Newcastle -United Kingdom)

I'm a 44 year old woman .. a bit of a long story , who for the past 5-6 years has changed so much as a person ...I have always had a little pms before my periods but it never affected me really, then my periods started to become irregular.

One month very painful breasts and depression until my period started, then back to normal, the next one again painful breasts and depression but when my period started they didn't go away. In fact they stayed until the next period and then stopped, then no period or 2 periods in one month .. and this went on for a couple of years but I just got on with it ... but my depression got worse and then anxiety and panic attacks started and they got worse and worse.

I went to the docs who put me on a string of ssris over a few months .. and instead of getting better I went out of control ... now I'm terrified of everything thoughts of walking into traffic while walking along the street .. falling from heights, being alone at home in case something horrible happens to me , the list is endless. I had to take time off work because I wouldn't go out at all, or be left on my own. I went back to the docs who wanted to put me on Valium, but my mother bless her put her foot down and said, no, enough is enough. They're not helping you just making you worse and that I need to change doctors.

I did and my new doctor slowly took me off all the meds and got me some counseling, which has helped a lot. I'm back at work with help from my colleagues who stay with me when I'm not having a good day and going out but only if my husband is with me. A lot better than I was, but the erratic periods and depression and panic attacks are sill as bad if not worse. Some months I feel I have pms for the whole month it seems to never end. I have been back to the doctors and had blood tests done and they say I'm not premenopausal or anything in that nature is wrong and that my symptoms are something I just have to live with.

I have recently been reading about progesterone cream and the stories are so similar to mine I'm now wondering if this is what's wrong with me. I know I have had blood test that say otherwise, but I'm wondering if they could have missed something along the way and am seriously thinking of trying some. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Comments for What could be wrong with me ?

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Feb 21, 2011
 Saliva test may help to determine hormone levels
by: Irene

I read your story and can relate. I have been struggling with anxiety and stress for the last 20 years (41 years of age now). The past couple of months have been a night mare - I've been to the doctors office who did a series of blood work and ultra sounds that all came back fine, but I don't feel fine! I ended up doing a saliva test that showed my Progesterone is below averag at 29 and my Estradiol is above average at 15.. I can't tell you how terrible I've been feeling with all the pysical symptoms and am hoping that the prgesterone cream will help. This is my second week and I have not noticed much of a difference yet, but my natropath has stated it has taken me a while to get here and it will take me a while to get back to "normal". I understand what you are going through and wish you the best of luck to get this under control, believe me there are days I wish I wasn't here and the light in me tells me to keep going... I have a great family and good support system.. I was also prescribed manerix which I haven't started taking yet to see if the cream is going to help, if it doesn't then I will start using this medication to see if I can get back on track! I would suggest getting a saliva test done to check your hormone levels...
Good luck to you - let me know how you make out.
Mar 02, 2011
 What could be wrong with me ?
by: Wray

Hi Joanie You're in Peri-menopause, in spite of what your doctors tell you! I went through the same hell you're going through, but not with panic attacks thank heavens. I also had agoraphobia, not as bad as yours though, and constant anxiety and depression too. I found progesterone just in time, as I had continual thoughts of suicide, or doing someone else in! All these and more went once I'd started the progesterone, there are also wonderful nutrients which help too. All these are listed on our Anxiety page, which also explains what's happening to you and why. When you had your blood tests done, did they check your progesterone levels? Often this is omitted, but it's so important to have it done. If it was, please check the ratio between progesterone and oestrogen. We've found from Saliva Tests we run, that the ratio should be 600:1 and over to feel well. The ratio is rarely checked, so both hormones can be in the 'normal' range. But if oestrogen is high normal and progesterone low normal, all hell can break loose. If you should consider using progesterone, please make sure it's sufficient. I recommend 100-200mg/day, dependant on symptoms. But before using it please read this page we have on Oestrogen Dominance. Take care Wray
Mar 02, 2011
 Saliva test may help to determine hormone levels
by: Wray

Hi Irene As I said to Joanie, there's no need for all the anxiety we suffer. There are many wonderful nutrients which help, please see our page on Anxiety for a list of them. Progesterone does work too, stress drops levels, which is probably why you've had the anxiety for so long. The Manerix you've been prescribed is a monoamine oxidase inhibitor. MAO is an enzyme which breaks down serotonin, by inhibiting it, more serotonin is available. The Manerix can't make more, but the body can make more from the amino acid tryptophan. Info about this on our anxiety page. Progesterone is also a MAOI, and far safer too, as it has no harmful side effects. We've found from Saliva Tests we run, that the ratio of progesterone to oestrogen should be 600:1 and over to feel well. Your ratio is 1.93:1!! I'm concerned you might not be using sufficient progesterone, if it's too low it won't work. In fact it could make things worse by ramping up the oestrogen and causing Oestrogen Dominance. I recommend 100-200mg/day, dependant on symptoms. For more info please see our page on How to use progesterone cream. Please consider having a vitamin D test done too, it's something I forgot to ask Joanie to have done, so I hope she reads this too. Low levels of vitamin D cause depression, for more info please see the Vitamin D council and GrassrootsHealth websites. I'm not sure where you live, but Joanie lives in the UK with little sun, vit D levels there are usually very low. Take care Wray

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