Call me a doctor, cause I'm angry.

[charbie]

Well, I could be PPD.

But you sound exactly like I was on birth control pills.

Angry, irritable, and no sex drive. I was literally filled with rage, to the point where I was throwing dishes at my husband (then boyfriend). I was out of control. I stopped the birth control pills and have never felt that level of rage again. We've agreed that I will never be on birth control pills again, and that was almost 6 years ago. I believe that some women react very badly to brith control pills. It might be worth it to try another form of birth control and see if it improves things for you.

Eek. That sounds awful Unfortunately, I was like this before I got on BC. It hasn't gotten better or worse since I got on it, though I do feel like it may be related to my cycle somehow.

I know anecdotal advice isn't always great, but if you could very much so be onto something about your anger/anxiety/whatever the hell IT is going on and your cycle. I know my anxiety is completely tied to my cycle, and even on the Celexa I had some minor exacerbation around my cycle.
My sister was diagnosed as bipolar at age 13. Turns out in all actuality she has PMDD and the right combination of BCP and a low dose SSRI clicked for her and she's been fine. Her symptoms were so severe tho that docs gave her that bipolar diagnoses.

Im glad you started this thread. It helps me feel at least a little more normal to see that so many women experience anxiety or depression or anger or something tied to hormones, whether is can be diagnosed as PPD or simply something else that doesn't require a label like generalized anxiety disorder. Whatever it is, I hope your appointment is enlightening

Charbie - how long were you on Celexa and how much were you taking?

20 mg/daily for about a year and a half. I started on Buspar and HATED it. So another doc I went to switched me to Celexa. I did have a bit of trouble coming off of it (increased anxiety, heart palps, uneasiness) but I knew I did not want to be on meds while pregnant, so I trucked through and now am doing ok.

Okay, thanks. My dr. prescribed it on Tuesday and I took 10 mg that night and couldn't even get out of bed the next morning. I felt terrible and googled it and read that it's known for a lot of sedation & weight gain so I tossed it in the garbage. lol!

Oh wow! sorry it didn't work out! The only thing I really noticed was the lacking sex drive, which was probably from the combo of BCP and Celexa...but betteer than the alternative. Hope you get something that helps!

 

[anchor31]

Hey MP, when do you expect to get your results back?

 

[MonkeyPie]

I was supposed to hear back Friday, but no one called me. I'm going to call them on my lunch break today and see what they found out.

 

[somethingshiny]

MP~ Hoping for good news!
At this point, anything that can be fixed is good news!

 

[MonkeyPie]

No one is returning my calls I'm so frustrated.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Well, I could be PPD.

But you sound exactly like I was on birth control pills.

Angry, irritable, and no sex drive. I was literally filled with rage, to the point where I was throwing dishes at my husband (then boyfriend). I was out of control. I stopped the birth control pills and have never felt that level of rage again. We've agreed that I will never be on birth control pills again, and that was almost 6 years ago. I believe that some women react very badly to brith control pills. It might be worth it to try another form of birth control and see if it improves things for you.

Eek. That sounds awful Unfortunately, I was like this before I got on BC. It hasn't gotten better or worse since I got on it, though I do feel like it may be related to my cycle somehow.

I know anecdotal advice isn't always great, but if you could very much so be onto something about your anger/anxiety/whatever the hell IT is going on and your cycle. I know my anxiety is completely tied to my cycle, and even on the Celexa I had some minor exacerbation around my cycle.
My sister was diagnosed as bipolar at age 13. Turns out in all actuality she has PMDD and the right combination of BCP and a low dose SSRI clicked for her and she's been fine. Her symptoms were so severe tho that docs gave her that bipolar diagnoses.

Im glad you started this thread. It helps me feel at least a little more normal to see that so many women experience anxiety or depression or anger or something tied to hormones, whether is can be diagnosed as PPD or simply something else that doesn't require a label like generalized anxiety disorder. Whatever it is, I hope your appointment is enlightening

Charbie - how long were you on Celexa and how much were you taking?

20 mg/daily for about a year and a half. I started on Buspar and HATED it. So another doc I went to switched me to Celexa. I did have a bit of trouble coming off of it (increased anxiety, heart palps, uneasiness) but I knew I did not want to be on meds while pregnant, so I trucked through and now am doing ok.

Okay, thanks. My dr. prescribed it on Tuesday and I took 10 mg that night and couldn't even get out of bed the next morning. I felt terrible and googled it and read that it's known for a lot of sedation & weight gain so I tossed it in the garbage. lol!

Oh wow! sorry it didn't work out! The only thing I really noticed was the lacking sex drive, which was probably from the combo of BCP and Celexa...but betteer than the alternative. Hope you get something that helps!

Glad you didn't have horrible side-effects from the Celexa. There are some scary experiences described online! Anyway, went back to that dr. and told her about the Celexa and asked for something else (non-SSRI) - even asked for Lithium - lol - and she refused and said that only Celexa will work and that most of her patients are on it and wrote up another RX. I got up and walked out. lol

 

[MichelleCarmen]

No one is returning my calls I'm so frustrated.

May take longer b/c of the holiday. Can you go into the office? When I had lab work done, they never contacted me and it turned out that unless they see numbers out-of-range, they don't bother to call back. Best thing to do is go in and sign a release so you can get a copy of your test results.

 

[MonkeyPie]

No one is returning my calls I'm so frustrated.

May take longer b/c of the holiday. Can you go into the office? When I had lab work done, they never contacted me and it turned out that unless they see numbers out-of-range, they don't bother to call back. Best thing to do is go in and sign a release so you can get a copy of your test results.

I finally got someone - test results aren't in yet

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Well, I could be PPD.

But you sound exactly like I was on birth control pills.

Angry, irritable, and no sex drive. I was literally filled with rage, to the point where I was throwing dishes at my husband (then boyfriend). I was out of control. I stopped the birth control pills and have never felt that level of rage again. We've agreed that I will never be on birth control pills again, and that was almost 6 years ago. I believe that some women react very badly to brith control pills. It might be worth it to try another form of birth control and see if it improves things for you.

Eek. That sounds awful Unfortunately, I was like this before I got on BC. It hasn't gotten better or worse since I got on it, though I do feel like it may be related to my cycle somehow.

I know anecdotal advice isn't always great, but if you could very much so be onto something about your anger/anxiety/whatever the hell IT is going on and your cycle. I know my anxiety is completely tied to my cycle, and even on the Celexa I had some minor exacerbation around my cycle.
My sister was diagnosed as bipolar at age 13. Turns out in all actuality she has PMDD and the right combination of BCP and a low dose SSRI clicked for her and she's been fine. Her symptoms were so severe tho that docs gave her that bipolar diagnoses.

Im glad you started this thread. It helps me feel at least a little more normal to see that so many women experience anxiety or depression or anger or something tied to hormones, whether is can be diagnosed as PPD or simply something else that doesn't require a label like generalized anxiety disorder. Whatever it is, I hope your appointment is enlightening

Charbie - how long were you on Celexa and how much were you taking?

20 mg/daily for about a year and a half. I started on Buspar and HATED it. So another doc I went to switched me to Celexa. I did have a bit of trouble coming off of it (increased anxiety, heart palps, uneasiness) but I knew I did not want to be on meds while pregnant, so I trucked through and now am doing ok.

Okay, thanks. My dr. prescribed it on Tuesday and I took 10 mg that night and couldn't even get out of bed the next morning. I felt terrible and googled it and read that it's known for a lot of sedation & weight gain so I tossed it in the garbage. lol!

Oh wow! sorry it didn't work out! The only thing I really noticed was the lacking sex drive, which was probably from the combo of BCP and Celexa...but betteer than the alternative. Hope you get something that helps!

Glad you didn't have horrible side-effects from the Celexa. There are some scary experiences described online! Anyway, went back to that dr. and told her about the Celexa and asked for something else (non-SSRI) - even asked for Lithium - lol - and she refused and said that only Celexa will work and that most of her patients are on it and wrote up another RX. I got up and walked out. lol

I just gave up on celexa (I'm sooooo going to get a lecture from my doc). I was recently upped from 20mg to 40mg and the side effects are so much worse. I literally feel like I've been hit by a truck in the morning, like worse than a hangover. I've been late to work consistently since going on it because I can't get out of bed in the morning. And I've definitely noticed weight gain over the last 3 months. I didn't put the two together, but now it makes sense...

And I know I'm not supposed to just up and stop taking them but it was really bad. I haven't noticed any problems since stopping and my morning headaches/sleepiness immediately resolved once I stopped.

grrrr...why can't they make a pill that 1. makes you happy, 2. makes you horny and 3. makes you skinny?

Oh wait, they do but those are illegal. DAMMIT!

 

[somethingshiny]

HH~ when I went off my ssri, I noticed withdrawal symptoms about 4-5 days out. Keep track of what's going on and how you're feeling so you can tell your doc. IIRC, It takes 3-4 weeks for it to be completely out of your system. That's why I went off for 6 weeks before going back on.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Thyroid came back fine. CBC was a little abnormal like I'm fighting off an infection (or cold, allergies, etc.). So they will call in a prescription, I'm guessing for antibiotics, if I call them Monday.

Sigh. I was actually hoping it would be my thyroid so we could just fix it. I'm more depressed now that I was before.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Sorry. I know you are disappointed b/c we all like the quick fix. Hopefully you will have some solutions soon.

 

[anchor31]

Sorry MP. Do you plan on seeing a therapist?

 

[MonkeyPie]

Sorry MP. Do you plan on seeing a therapist?

Yes. I will likely be speaking to my doctor tomorrow to see about a referral.

 

[applequeen]

I'm so sorry about your test results (that probably sounds a little weird since your results were normal). My thyroid levels are normal too despite having all the symptoms. It took 3 years and a crying breakdown in my endocrineologist's office to get him to agree to put me on a trial dose of synthroid. I take a very low dose (12.5 mcg) but it's been amazing. Do you think your Dr. would agree to something like that since you do have so many symptoms?

If that's not an option you really should consider something like Celexa. I was on a very low dose of that as well and it really did help me. I started to enjoy life again. It was important to me that I felt better.... my son and my husband are too important to me to be feeling (and acting) the way I was.

I really hope you feel better soon.

Edit** When I first started noticing (as in couldn't ignore any longer) the PPD symptoms. I saw a therapist to help me determine if it was hormonal or just behavioral because I really didn't like the idea of taking a drug to help me feel better. She helped me see that there really was no logical reason for me to be feeling/ reacting the way I was and that the Celexa was needed (and OK to take). I actually have a lot of support and help with my son and I have a job that is a working mother's dream. I am very busy and we discussed things to do with my schedule to help take some of the stress away.... stuff like running errands or cooking dinner before I pick my son up from daycare. She was a mother of 4 so she really seemed to understand my problems. I've seen a therapist in the past for some relationship issues (to help me deal with some baggage that almost cost me my relationship with my now husband) and I saw a male therapist then. I considered going back to him but decided a woman would probably be more helpful in this case.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

HH - that sucks that the Celexa didn't work. At least you've been fine cold-turkeying it!

Have you tried Wellbutrin? It's suppose to do all three that you mentioned!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Sorry MP. Do you plan on seeing a therapist?

Yes. I will likely be speaking to my doctor tomorrow to see about a referral.

MP - sorry that you weren't able to figure out what's going on. I stand by my thoughts that researching meds is important. Like I said above, I read horrible things about Celexa after my dr. put me on it so I tossed it. A friend of mine is on Cymbalta and which is an SNRI instead of an SSRI and also has had weight gain. There are a few out that may work better like Wellbutrin or Lamictal. Neither cause weight gain and Wellbutrin can give you energy!

Good luck.

 

[Circe]

HH - that sucks that the Celexa didn't work. At least you've been fine cold-turkeying it!

Have you tried Wellbutrin? It's suppose to do all three that you mentioned!

Heh - that's exactly what I've heard! I've actually seen it referred to as the HappyHornySkinny drug, verbatim.

 

[sugarpie honeybun]

I've been on 20mg of Celexa for 6 weeks and, so far, so good. Everyone reacts differently to meds and you just need to find what works for you. Good luck.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

HH~ when I went off my ssri, I noticed withdrawal symptoms about 4-5 days out. Keep track of what's going on and how you're feeling so you can tell your doc. IIRC, It takes 3-4 weeks for it to be completely out of your system. That's why I went off for 6 weeks before going back on.

Yep, SS is right. I cut back on my med 8 or 9 days ago and all has been cool, so i thought i was magically exempt from withdrawals. Well, this evening they're setting in - guess it took a while tfor the extra to flush out of my system. Not what i expected either None of the common ones... Instead my i have a continous windchime sound throbbing in my left ear. It's tin like/metallic. Ugh.

 

[AGBF]

I just found this thread. It's a great one for me. I, myself, have had a relatively uneventful history with antidepressants. (I needed one. I took it. It worked. ) My daughter, however, has had a roller coaster ride that started, very suddenly, when she was in seventh grade at about age 12.

My daughter, who was adopted from Colombia at seven weeks of age, had a happy childhood. Except for some separation anxiety, she never presented any problems. She was always a cautious child, but she loved to go to school. I never received any phone calls or notes from school about her. I was never told she was in trouble or that she needed to be placed in a talented and gifted program. She went and was happy and did well all through elementary school (fifth grade). She was praised by adults for her exceptional good manners. She was well-spoken. She could concentrate for long periods of time. She took care with her homework. She played many musical instruments. She never seemed to feel the need for close friends as I did growing up. She saw my parents at their house after school every day, was very, very close to them. They adored her. Her life was rich in adults. She did have friends, however, and playdates were arranged with them.

Menarche occurred very early, at age 10. I mention this because she went for two years after getting her period, before having a change in personality. At 10 she was in fifth grade and doing fine. In sixth grade when she started middle school she was fine at the start, then she became boy crazy. She was still able to concentrate, however. She would come home from school, go right to her room, and do homework for at least two hours without a break. She earned straight A's except for a C+ in an advanced math class because we had allowed the school to place her in pre-Algebra, above grade level, due to her performance on a placement test. (Never again!)

I was to find out later that the only reason she was doing her homework so dilgently was that she was giving it out to the boys at school and didn't want it to have any errors! She was also giving them money! It was pitiful! She wanted so much to be liked, and was was going from being a well-liked girl to a social outcast. By the end of sixth grade, that is what she was. Then we moved to Virginia. She had a chance to "start again". Only at her new middle school, and on the bus, things got worse.

I hadn't planned to tell the whole saga. She got very depressed. She didn't want to go to school. She was bullied, or felt bullied. (In reality, she was very pretty. Some of this may have been started by teenage boys who were attracted to her.) She had no social skills and couldn't get along with her peers. The OCD I had always known she had showed itself in bizarre ways, with her cutting up her clothing and throwing out valuable items. She was volatile and angry. Finally she made suicide attempts. And we followed along with hospitals; day treatment; psychotherapists; psychiatrists; private school; special education; medication; etcetera. The key word that got my attention once I started to read this thread was, "anger".

Psychiatrists all wanted to rule out bipolar disorder with her because she had, suddenly, in seventh grade, become so angry! The psychodynamic view of depression is that depression is anger, turned inwards. I had and have been depressed. But never have I had a problem with unmanageable anger. My daughter did and does. And, as I keep saying, it appeared so suddenly! She was such an easy child. All I could think was that she became mentally ill. But I certainly wish that I could just give her some hormones and have her become normal again! (She is, by the way, currently on the birth control pill.)

Thanks for listening!

Deb/AGBF

 

[somethingshiny]

Deb~ It's unbelievable how much you described my best friend's daughter in your post! I've been talking with my friend about her early puberty, boy craziness, subsequent anger issues and she has now put her on a bc pill. I hope that with the hormonal corrections, her daughter is able to live normally again. I can't imagine being so "off" at such an early age. It must be very difficult and lonely.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Deb, that sounds remarkably like my school experience, except I never "acted out" in anger and I never had the signs of depression or anything. Everyone reacts to things differently...I am so sorry for her experience and how she has struggled. I hope life is better for her now.

 

[AGBF]

somethingshiny and MonkeyPie-

It is reassuring in some, small way to hear that a friend of yours (ss) has a daughter who had a similar experience or that you (MP) had a similar experience. Right now I am in the middle of a divorce because of the problems caused by my daughter's having rocked our already shaky marital boat. My husband could never withstand adversity, and he blames me for failing to bring up our daughter correctly. (If I had done a good job, wouldn't she be a lady and a scholar?) He totally forgets what a peachy child she was before her problems set in when she was in middle school.

Deb/AGBF

 

[movie zombie]

Monkey, my thyroid results always came back within normal range....low normal but normal. it wasn't until i found a dr that went by symptoms rather than test numbers that i got relief by finally getting thyroid meds.

you're doing the right thing in exploring everything. just don't rule out that numbers don't always tell the truth.

MoZo

 

[somethingshiny]

Deb~
I'm sorry for your current circumstances. I hope you're able to find happiness with your daughter no matter what occurs with your husband. (((hugs)))

 

[ladypirate]

MP, one thing to think about...

My mom has thyroid issues and went for years without it being caught because her levels would come back in the normal range. If I recall correctly, it turned out that the issue she had was actually that her body was not producing the correct amount of the thyroid stimulating hormone so it was causing her thyroid gland to work way overtime just to produce enough of the thyroid hormone for her to actually function. (Sorry if that sentence makes no sense!) I seem to recall that there are two types of thyroid tests, one which only measures the standard thyroid hormone and one that measures for the stimulating hormone or something along those lines. It isn't an issue I've dealt with but you saying that your test came back normal made me think of my mom. If you want, I'm happy to ask her for more details about what the actual issue was. The good news is that she now is on synthroid and her issues have disappeared.

 

[MonkeyPie]

MP, one thing to think about...

My mom has thyroid issues and went for years without it being caught because her levels would come back in the normal range. If I recall correctly, it turned out that the issue she had was actually that her body was not producing the correct amount of the thyroid stimulating hormone so it was causing her thyroid gland to work way overtime just to produce enough of the thyroid hormone for her to actually function. (Sorry if that sentence makes no sense!) I seem to recall that there are two types of thyroid tests, one which only measures the standard thyroid hormone and one that measures for the stimulating hormone or something along those lines. It isn't an issue I've dealt with but you saying that your test came back normal made me think of my mom. If you want, I'm happy to ask her for more details about what the actual issue was. The good news is that she now is on synthroid and her issues have disappeared.

LP, I'd love some more info. I know that it's so common for thyroid to come up as "normal" when it really isn't.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

MP, is there anything else you might find helpful to deal with your issues in case your thyroid is normal?

 

[MonkeyPie]

MP, is there anything else you might find helpful to deal with your issues in case your thyroid is normal?

I've actually been talking with DH for about an hour every night the past week or so. And I feel SO MUCH better emotionally, like I got what I needed to say out of my mind so now I can feel happy again. That isn't to say that I feel better physically, I still feel like crap. But now I feel like a lot of it has to do with my weight, especially since according to my doctors records I gained 15 pounds in a year. So I'm working on that, too.