Help! Is It Hormones????

Most likely hormones are part of the picture. If you are a busy Type-A personality and have worn yourself out over a long period of time, you may also be in the midst of adrenal burnout. This means your body's "fight or flight" responses have been over taxed and your throttle is stuck on wide open. In more medical terms, you could have a severe drop in the critical neurotransmitter levels, such as seratonin, that your body needs to stay healthy and in balance. After your body runs out of seratonin (the feel-good neurotransmitter) it goes to running on adreneline. When that's gone, you start living on cortisol (a stress hormone) At that point, you start really becoming symptomatic. This is a cause of clinical depression and makes you feel like you're exhausted with your finger in a light socket. Depending on how burned out you are, you may need help to restore these levels through supplimentation or meds to get you back on track for the long term. Now having said all that - don't freak over the word "depression". It doesn't necessarily mean there is a mental or emotional "bad thing" going on in your life and you aren't crazy. You can burn out doing all wonderful stuff too...just like eating too much ice cream will make you sick. To come full circle with this explaination, your thyroid controls the hormones that affect your body's neurotransmitter production. The stage of life you are in, by it's very nature, is a time which predisposes women to have difficulty in this area. Give yourself a break, find a doctor that can check your thyroid, your hormone levels and your adrenal function. Then you will have the info you need to address and treat the problem. Good news! The solutions are pretty simple and not wildly expensive, but you need to know specifically what to address or you will just cause more problems - which you don't need. Balance here is the key. Good luck! ...and take a break, mama.

2 moms found this helpful

I do this at times (33yo). I think the only thing that really helps is to just scream into a pillow and then get some chocolate (the GOOD kind like Silk or Dove).

While it does not really change anything, it just has a way of making you feel like you just got away with something. LOL

I hope it helps (or at least gives you a good laugh).

Blessings,

P. <><

1 mom found this helpful

Yes girlfriend- You probably dont take any time for yourself- You need to do that- even 1/2 hr a day- with a book- a cup of tea- just yourself I used to think it sounds selfish b/c I am all about giving time for my family- but its not - its healthy.I got caught in that- it could be a combination of things- but now I have the hot flashes and I am going to try this product from Soma Life. I have heard a lot about it and think it may help me out. Of course keep up with the vitamins and all and stay away from prescription drugs. I am going to consult with my friend Debbie to find out more about this product, maybe you can give her a buzz as well. She swears by it-Maybe you and I can compare notes later on-lol
but yes take time for yourself and know that its ok to do that. also- i learned to not answer right away - I take a few more minutes to think about the situation which helps me diffuse.
Good luck and feel free to email me-
D.
____@____.com
Debbies info is

Deborah walls-Somalife
###-###-####
____@____.com

1 mom found this helpful

S.,

I wish I could be of more help, but I just wanted to write and tell you that you are not alone.

My PMS episodes have progressively gotten worse. Some months I am an absolute BEAR to be around. My kids know to stay away from me. How sad is that?! Some months, I am fine - other months though, WATCH OUT!

I have suspected some issues with hormones for quite a few years now. My bad behavior also seems to be accompanied by heart palpitations. I don't know exactly what it is, a hormonal imbalance, electrolyte imbalance, or a MENTAL imbalance :)! I feel crazy for one to two weeks out of the month.

I know people say this all the time, and when you hear it, you want to cram it down their throats, but I have found when I exercise regularly, none of this happens. In fact, I have just started exercising *again*, for about a month now, and the only PMS symptom I had was an urge for chocolate. Not much more than that. (Of course, my family might say something else...)

Anyway, I would agree 100% that hormones are to blame. You can talk to your doctor, but good luck getting them to listen on this one.

I think "hormones" should officially be changed to "horrormones".

E.

1 mom found this helpful

Tell me about it. What you wrote sounds like me last week. I have also have horrible breakouts that I never had when I was a teenager. My periods have also gotten heavier than when I was younger. PMS is horrible with very wide mood swings that were not my usual when I was younger. When I have asked around, all the ladies older than me (I am 37..almost 38) have said it is my hormones changing. Other than that I can't think of what it could be. If you are really concerned go to the doctor for a well woman's visit. I plan on talking to my doc at mine this month. But I already know what he will tell me.......hormones. Nothing much to do but warn the hubby not to breathe to loud. Usually once my period starts, I feel like a balloon that has lost all its air. Drained, but no longer tearful, angry or irritated. Feel like my old self. But that week prior, I feel like I could scratch hybby's eyes out, bbq them and feed them to the dog, and then kick him in the shin.
Hope you find something to help. I will check back and see what others had to write.
Good luck,
L.

1 mom found this helpful

S.,
Welcome to the joy of turning 40! I am 41 and I have premenopausal symptoms too. I am moody, have night sweats, HOT flashes, can't sleep, irritable at the drop of a pin somedays, cry for no reason, bloated, loss of appetite, etc. I have seen my doctor and they checked my hormone levels and they look ok but I had a partial hysterectomy so I am taking the guess that this is premenopause.
Some women I have talked to said it gets worse. OMG I don't see how it can get worse but I guess you have to go through it. I did try hormone replacement but it was not really that helpful. Somedays my symptoms are ok and somedays they are terrible.
I do find I try to take some quiet time just for me more often and I have started having a glass of wine a few times a week at night to help me sleep and relax.
I wish you the best of luck. I believe it can be hormones, I am not a doctor or an expert but from my experience... it really sounds like it is.

hope you feel better and remember to put YOU first.
C.

1 mom found this helpful

Sounds like hormones, menopause or "peri-menopause" begins late 30's early 40's depending on your family history. But I know plenty of people who it turns out the issue is pregnancy? But baring that ordeal it sounds like menopause - it's tough, it really is, but if you are already aware of changes you can maybe learn what leads up to it and avoid it? good luck to you, this too will pass and the up side is that once it's over, life is good ageain!

1 mom found this helpful

Yes, it is quite likely hormones. As women approach menopause (which can take 10-15 years to really reachtowards the late 30's/early 40's ), our hormone levels tend to go from low to high fairly dramatically, since the hormones balance one another. For example, if you have low progesterone (very, very common), then Estrogen is not balanced and that can put you on edge. Also, women do have testosterone and it can be high for us and cause the anger.

I don't at all recommend treating yourself with OTC hormone creams (or any other product that can impact hormones), without first having them measured and working with a medical professional. It is possible to get too much of a good thing (e.g., progesterone) and that can negatively impact your liver, as well as imbalancing other hormones. And, we are all different in terms of how our bodies handle the various hormones. For example, DHEA can get converted to estrogen or testosterone. For me, it goes straight to testosterone and it makes me angry like you would not believe. Here's a good overview of the hormonal pathways - it is fairly complex:
http://www.biodia.com/TechnicalCharts/SteroidalHormonecha...

You can get these tested on your own, however, and then take the results to a doctor:
http://www.canaryclub.org/content/view/277/97/
You have to register, but it is free. This was setup by an MD who was just seeing so many women that were having these issues and couldn't get a doctor to listen or test anything (most docs will tell you this is "normal" and "get used to it"). And, most mainstream doctors are clueless about the importance of using bio-identical hormones. Adding the synthetics is where you get into trouble (e.g., the correlation of the synthetic estrogens with heart disease).

The best DFW doctor I know that will treat with bio-identical hormones is Dr. Margaret Christensen:
www.christensencenter.com
She treats only women and having been and OB/GYN for years and being the mother of 4 kids and having been through perimenopause herself.

1 mom found this helpful

I know I was like that when I was taking Hydroxycut. Are you taking any sort of diet pills?

If not, I have a botanically base skin care, health and wellnses company.

We have a natural hormone balancing cream that helps with everything from mood swings, to hot flashes to PMS to cramps to night sweats to much more that is cause by your hormones being out of balance.

We have 2 different forms - Phyto prolief which has estrogen herbs in it for those women that need extra estrogen due to having a hysterectomy (sp?) or just producing low estrogen or we have the regular prolief which can be used by men, women, or teenagers.

The on-going joke I have is I got the prolief because my husband is so moody and I'm going to rub it on his feet while he's sleeping! Haven't done it yet but am going to one of these days. LOL!

Let me know if you'd like more info.

Take care and God bless!

1 mom found this helpful

I had twins at the age of 41! I noticed the same thing when my kids were about 1 yrs. old. I shouldn't have been so upset when they touched something.......I asked my gynocologist for a medicine to help. He prescribed just what I needed. I've NEVER been depressed, just a bit up tight as you said. I call it my "happy" pill & look forward to taking them every day, even 2 yrs. later! Try it! J.

It sounds like hormones to me. I'm reading a book called Before the Change: taking charge of your perimenopause by Ann Louise Gittleman. Maybe you can find it at the library.

Yes--it probably is hormones! I had that myself in my late 30s, early 40s---get some help! It gets worse and you do very "out-of-character" things---make certain the GYN acknowledges PMS problems---HRT works wonders on it!

Go have your thyroid checked. Symptoms I had were irritable, losing more than usual hair in brush, tired and some I don't remember. Stay away from sugar, starches (like corn chips...)and cut down on proteins (up with veggies)and if the Dr. gives your a pill that doesn't get you to feeling like you need to, push to have another one.

Just an idea, I was thinking the same thing this year (since 1-09 cycle, but I started writing down the dates when this started happening and it was normally about 10 days before my cycle started, once it started just cramps. I have had horrible cycles since age 14 so I called my obgyn. and they said if it continued to come in for a blood work up to check hormone levels and then come back in 3 to 6 months to see if they changed. Well, it has seemed to settle down a bit (not 100%) but I heard it could be what is called pre-menoposal (sp?), which could be even several years before we go through actual menopause. I don't know but if it is bothersome and continues I would suggest speaking to your doctor. Depending on what the options are, you may want to check that out or take some (I would use) the all natural cream you can buy in the health food stores to restore some hormones. Don't use the ones they give to wemon that are going through actual menopause (even if you are) because those can cause cancer, but with the technology and studies today, they may not even prescribe the same thing I recall hearing about.

Hope that helps, wish we could all know, but some wemon go through meno. in their late 20's!!!!! Everyone is different but you would know your own body better then anyone else. I totally understand.

Best of luck and just try to take deep breaths :-) It isn't you, just stress or hormones most likely.

S.,

I would like to recommend Arbonne Prolief or Phyto-Prolief to you. These are balancing creams not hormone creams and they work.

I will be glad to send you information if you would like or you can visit my website at www.healthynutrition.myarbonne.com

Have a great day.

Yes!!!! I am 42 and have had the same issue in the past!! I now take all natural supplements from Melaleuca specifically for this and it has made ALL the difference!! Email me or call me at ###-###-#### and I can share how you can try them from the company at wholesale prices! Good luck! T.

Have your thyroid checked. It might be a good idea just to get the whole work up. It does sound like hormones....

are you stressed out? i am in my 40's and i do that sometimes but i just had a baby 5 mos ago and i have to be pushed into a far corner. i would ask your doctor. you may need some meds to help you relax.

OH yes sister!!!! Get thee some bloodwork done and go from there. I have been fretful, anxious, spaghetti-brained, and annoyed. Turns out my progesterone should be a "20" (whatever that means) and I was at a "1". Gave me some cream and my loved ones noticed a big difference. I used Fem Center in Colleyville and a couple of my friends have had great success with D.O. Lynn Berutti in Bedford - I think she is with the Kaner group now. J. D

I also had issues with Hormones when I reached my forties. A close friend of mine who is a doctor devoted to health and nutrition recommended a 100% Natural supplement to me that helped me so much that I joined the company and am introducing this prodigious product to the Texas market. It's patented and guaranteed. If you are interested,please call or email me, ###-###-####. ____@____.com the best!

Hi, S.. A few years ago I had to go through some injections that brought on symptoms as though I was menopausal. The doc warned me of the mood changes, but I thought, nah! I'm pretty upbeat, that won't happen! Boy, did it! My hormones were flying everywhere and nobody, including me, had any warning of when I'd snap from moment to moment. When I stopped the shots, I sighed for relief for the control I had over my emotions. I'm certain there are natural or herbal ways to curb any hormonal outbursts. I feel for ya, though. It's not fun. Best wishes on a solution.

It seems that it is either hormones or anxiety/(fine line with depression). I would definitely get a physical and maybe get more advice from Linda W (loved her knowledge!!) to help you ask your doctor the right questions. Good luck! And again, you're not alone!

I would recommend getting your hormone levels checked. You should also have a glucose tolerance test to check for hypoglycemia which can cause sudden mood swings and irritability. A regular blood sugar test WILL NOT detect hypoglycemia.

Hi S.,

If you're dealing with hormonal issues, it's likely that your body is out of balance. (Linda W's response is a great one to help you understand what's going on with your body). I also recommend an incredible book, titled Adaptogens: Herbs for Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief by Winston and Maimes. It is fascinating. From the book "There is a category of herbs called adaptogens that help the human body adapt to stress, support normal metabolic processes, and restore balance. They increase the body's resistance to physical, biological, emotional, and environmental stressors and promote normal physiologic function".

The 10 most potent adaptogens on the earth, with the highest therapeutic properties available, are now delievered in a fast acting oral spray, called Tunguska Mist. Go to www.VitalHealth.TunguskaMist.com to learn more.

Tunguska Mist Pure will help reduce the negative effects of stress on your body (weakened immune system, decreased energy, mood swings, short temper, anxiety, depression, and fatigue), and help restore balance, or homeostasis. The adaptogens in Pure help to regulate the use of cortisol, allowing the body to maintain a healthy stress response.
Tunguska Mist tastes great and with the intra-oral spray you get over 90% of the nutrients absorbed immediately, which go to work within seconds.

Please let me know if you have any questions. My husband and I have been using adaptogens for a long time. We are passionate about helping people reduce the damaging effects of stress on the body and restoring balance naturally, without medications. Good luck and God Bless:)

Best regards,
N.