Last updated:
20-May-2009
Depression, Women, and Menopause -- a Hot Topic We Need to Talk About
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When my late wife was going through menopause in her late 30's the doctor prescribed birth control pills to suppliment her hormones. I don't advise doing that. By the time she was in her early 40's she was a wreck. She was constantly turning the termostat in the house up and down, and the poor gal was miserable all the time. She died at 46 due to a blood clot from a foot surgery that traveled to her fragile lungs. I miss her terribly.
There is no question that depression, mood swings, sadness, anxiety, lack of sleep, aches and pains have all started affecting me at 50. I have never been a 'depressed' type and exercise vigorously almost daily. So its NOT 'in my head' and thanks to the individuals below I am making an appointment with a recommended FEMALE gynecologist of similar age and getting some form of treatment!!!
When I was going through menopause (and peri-menopause), I became terribly anxious and my depression became much worse. I have never felt right for the last 10 or so years, with each year getting progressively worse. Not one OBGYN would help me, always indicating basically that it was no "big deal." I finally most recently went to an osteopathic family doctor who does hormone testing by saliva testing. Sure enough my progesterone and DHEA were low. I am now taking bio-identical hormones which I just started, and I am beginning to feel much less anxiety and depression. I believe that this is something that any woman suffering from a similar experience should definitely consider. It's really going the alternative route as opposed to the traditional, standard route which has a totally different approach to the problems.
I am about to turn 50 and have been getting waves of horrible depression like clockwork. It is very dark and deep but thankfully lasts only a few days - for now. Thanks for the heads up on this. I thought it was just me.
I have been in menopause for 12yrs.I'm 52, with a 82yr. old back,and need a hip replacement.I have a long time to go, and who would want to live like that??? And the golden years?? Forget it unless of course you have insurance.Not on a fixed income, not in this life...