Need some opinions: PMDD

Yankee & Proud - How are you feeling? I will probably phase off of my antidepressants after my surgery. What's your status? Are you PMS-free? Really hope you're doing well. --Carrie

Chda and PMSer I wish you both well. I'm excited for you to think you can feel so much better soon. I read how the hysterectomy doesn't help everyone and I wondered if I might not feel better after surgery. That is concerning. All I know is the doc said since I had good results with Lupron, the hysterectomy should work well...and it did. I guess not everyone has the results that I do. Well, I do feel good. I even have this energy that I don't understand. Don't get me wrong, I still have days when I just don't feel like doing anything, but overall...I'm not falling asleep on the couch at 8 pm...I'm doing things around the house...I just have ENERGY most days that I didn't have before. I guess it's because in the past, so many days I just didn't feel good. Every day now I wake up and nothing hurts! I was even using B-12 injections before surgery because I was soooooooooooo tired all the time. The doc took me off that and I'm fine! The Zoloft...well, I was taking 100 mg, but then after surgery I tried to stop it gradually...but I figured out that I was getting short tempered...I decided to maintain the 50 mg a day and I'm doing fine on the half dose. I tried to "cold turkey" the hormones with no ovaries, no HRT, but I was so stinkin' hot I couldn't stand it! So the Vivele is working well. Doesn't make me sick, doesn't do anything but keep me from sweating to death. I live in Okinawa, Japan...a tropical island and it's hot here. One of you asked about weight gain...I did not gain any weight. I exercise frequently and I maintained my exercise up until the surgery and soon afterward I was walking again and started jogging again at 5 weeks post op. Just watch what you eat after surgery while you're healing. Don't lie around with a box of chocolates in your lap, or of course, you WILL gain weight! Be good to yourself. Oh BTW...you will likely be pretty constipated after surgery! I know I was and so was everybody else! That's frustrating, but your doc will give you some stool softner...don't be surprised by that though. I wish you both well. I believe there is hope for both of you! I do not miss feeling horrible all the time! Not everyone has the same results as me, but that's why you must talk to your doctor and do your research. The vaginal route was good for me because the healing was easier than if you have an abdominal hyst. I had my ovaries, cervix and everything removed. I really make sure I take my calcium now to ward off osteoporosis. Take care and God speed.

Chevelle - So glad to hear that you're still doing so well. Appreciate your helpful tips. Hope I get the energy boost that you have! No probs w/ the Vivele? I'll probably be on that , too. Can imagine that you don't need anymore heat on a tropical island!
Finally got my surgery date: Nov. 1, my 40th bday! Couldn't think of a btr way to spend it. Having laporoscopic removal of the offending ovaries and uterus. Keeping cervix. Be in touch - let me know how you're healing.
All the best

No problems at all with the Vivele. It's working "swell" for me!

Wow you ladies are so inspiring! Along with pain I think I may have PMDD. My GP diagnosed me with it about 4 years ago and had me try zoloft whcih didn't help. I haven't really talked too much it with my gyn because I assume I'm too young for them to take my ovaries if I do need a hysterectomy. The current pill I'm on I hate, so my next thing may be lupron. She wants me to try it to see if it'll help my other problems like IBS and fibromyalgia which all get much worse with my period.

Thank you for your stories and support! I wish those of you getting your hyst soon much luck!!

garden1313,

I feel so bad for you. I know exactly what you are going through and it is no fun. I got so tired of trying pills after pills with nothing working, and I was also tired of feeling really bad 3 weeks out of the month. My gyn said that the hyst was my next option. This Monday the 15th I will be going in for a total abdominal hyst. I am scared to death, but am hoping for positive results. Good Luck to you! I wish you the best!!

Chda- enjoy the last minute preparation for your surgery. Do those last minute things you won't be able to do for awhile. You'll have plenty of "relaxing" "healing" time when the surgery is over. (I hope) You will need your family to support you. You cannot lift ANYTHING or Strain yourself for awhile. To all you ladies suffering with PMDD...I don't miss it at all. I'm sorry for you because I KNOW what you're going through. Nobody else would understand. My husband mentioned it to a gal at his work and she said, "it's just a period...it's only a couple days a month" Oh, don't we wish?!!!!!!!!! "Normal" women wouldn't have a clue what we go through! Not me anymore though. Good luck to you ladies and again, the Lupron was the best thing ever for me until the hyst. I pray for a successful surgery for you and God speed in healing.

chda - Best of luck tmw.! I'll be thinking of you and praying for you. You'll be absolutely fine. Just think - your life will be so much fuller & better w/o your symptoms. You're doing the right thing. Let us know how it goes!!

Hey Chda-
Good luck with the op, I hope all goes well for you,
Looking forward to hearing your story how you got on,
I also suffer from PMDD & PCOS and need to know that a hyst is the way for me to go,
I have tried all kinds and Now I am fed up 18 years later. and need my life back like I used to feel before I had Kids.
Hope you are very well, (Thinking about you)
Best wishes
Jo

	Quote:
Originally Posted by garden1313 Wow you ladies are so inspiring! Along with pain I think I may have PMDD. My GP diagnosed me with it about 4 years ago and had me try zoloft whcih didn't help. I haven't really talked too much it with my gyn because I assume I'm too young for them to take my ovaries if I do need a hysterectomy. The current pill I'm on I hate, so my next thing may be lupron. She wants me to try it to see if it'll help my other problems like IBS and fibromyalgia which all get much worse with my period. Thank you for your stories and support! I wish those of you getting your hyst soon much luck!!

Don't assume you are too young... it's not necessarily about age. If you have PMDD, which by its very definition interferes with your daily life, work and relationships, removing your ovaries might be the right decision, no matter how old you are, if you are having a hyst anyway. Not to say it's the same thing, but if you had ovarian cancer, they would remove your ovaries no matter your age, and you'd deal with menopause. No reason why PMDD should be any different. If you kept your ovaries, you'd probably still have PMDD.

I had my TAH/BSO at age 33, and went into full-fledged menopause ten days post-op, with hot flashes, insomnia and not being able to tell when I had to pee. I went on estrogen replacement at one month post-op, and have not had a lot of problems with it. I've had to adjust it, but menopause is not nearly as tough to deal with as the endo and the PMDD. I feel like I am better able to balance my hormones when I "start at zero", ie. no ovaries, than trying to figure it out using my wacked-out ovaries as a baseline.