Ladies - PMS and WLS?

I get horrible PMS. Nothing physical at all, but for about a week out of every month I turn in to the most depressed, angry, anxiety-ridden mess. And it seems to come in cycles - month 1 is ok, tolerable. I'm still sane enough to recognize the symptoms for what they are, and tell myself it's all in my head. Month 2, a little worse. I'm having a harder time coping with the public at large, and the fact that I know this is PMS seems to have fallen out of my head. Month 3... watch out. I'm a lunatic. I should be locked up. One second I have taken to my bed, weeping inconsolably. The next second I am up and ready to walk around punching everyone I come in to contact with. Although I never do, and anyone on the outside of my head can't even tell I'm angry (maybe a little irritated?) but inside my head, I'm the most angry I've ever been, over everything. (It's a good thing I'm able to work from home most days!) I've been on the pill to no effect, I've been on antidepressants and mood stabilizers... Nada. My doctor has never even heard of such a thing as cyclical PMS symptoms, and I can't seem to get anywhere with medication so I try and use diet to help, but while I'm in that week of pms hell all I want are carbs and sugar, and I'll take out anyone who tries to stand in the way of me getting them. It's actually like I go crazy for awhile.

So my question is, for those of you with a lot of PMS symptoms, did they improve after wls? Did you notice any changes at all? 

Poor Katie,

I feel your pain, I too used to be the poster woman for PMS,,,until one day several years ago while browsing through a magazine I noted an ad for PMS,,,,prozac! This was an American ad of course and prozac was not approved in Canada for use for PMS. (My doctor informed me of this when I presented the ad to him) I said, really, well I don't care what it's approved for in Canada but I NEED IT NOW!!!!!! Tee hee

It worked, sometimes I do still feel an edge, but nowhere near the crazed, wanting to murder beast prior!!!!!

10 to 20 mg a day keeps the ***** in me away!

Good luck

Terri who truly understands your dilemma

Thanks :) I'm glad Prozac has worked to take the edge off for you! I've heard the same thing from a lot of women I've spoken to. Unfortunately it didn't even touch my symptoms. Just made me feel like I had a wet blanket on my head for the rest of the days I wasn't experiencing pms! But the search continues for something that will help. I'm hoping as I start to get some of the excess weight off, maybe that will help my crazy hormones ;)

Lupron Depot monthly or quarterly injections are, according to my gynecologist, "the treatment of choice for severe PMDD".

There is a gynecologist in Toronto who specializes in collecting data on people taking the drug and has for 17 years now - Dr. Robert Casper - he also prescribes partial hormonal add-back to try to prevent the inevitable loss of bone density since Lupron induces complete chemical menopause - hot flashes and all.

Lupron isn't for everyone, but it saved my life & sanity.  Very few MDs, even gynecologists know that it's the treatment of choice for severe PMDD though.  I just happened to discover its effects when I took it for severe endometriosis.

Jenn.  :)

Awhile ago I read an article about another women taking Lupron shots, and it worked for her. At the time I thought, "there's no way I could go through menopause now!" but then on days like today... My doctor has never suggested it obviously, but I think I might do more research and print some stuff off to show him. My only thing is that I don't suffer other symptoms like a heavy period, or a lot of skipped periods so I'm not sure they would even prescribe it based on psychological symptoms alone. The first thing my gyno thought was that I had endometriosis, but I don't have any other symptoms. Something to look in to though. My doctor put me on Yaz, thinking it was PMDD, but that didn't do anything to help so he referred me to a psychiatrist who said, "Well of course it's PMDD, go back to your gyno and get him to put you on birth control." Round and round and round...

Anyway, thanks for the info - I will definitely do some research! Glad you have found a solution that works :)

Katie,

Honest, menopause isn't that bad to go through - I've done it 3 times - it's mainly just hot flashes (which you can't complain about if you're in your twenties, like I was  the 1st time I went through it).  You do get drenched with sweat, and some people ask you if you're sick, but the hot flashes do go away, leaving you feeling normal, just without any periods or PMDD.  I suspect you have Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, the more severe form of PMS.

Your MD and 99% of gynecologists probably wouldn't prescribe Lupron based on PMDD alone, but others, who are more knowledgeable might.  I really, really recommend Dr. Robert Casper of TCART highly.  He's the kindest person you'll meet too and has actually referred 5 or 6 of his patients for WLS - probaably because they were having trouble getting pregnant.  If you want, try to get a referral based on PMDD & Lupron and here's his name, CV (200+ publications), phone number, & photo - http://www.tcartonline.com/about-us/team/dr-robert-f-casper. html  He runs the fertility clinic, but is very interested in the long term use of Lupron and wants to gather info from all Lupron users.  But, he also prescribes partial add-back hormonal therapy to help prevent/slow bone loss, and monitors your bone density for you - unlike TWH's bariatric clinic... 

Yazz wouldn't do much, I don't think.  I took it too, before it was taken off the market.  Before Lupron, I used to be a crumpled heap of suicidal woe and then suddenly a near homicidal maniac the next second for 1/4 weeks of the month.  My psychiatrist couldn't help me for that, only my gynecologists, Dr. Kay Lie and Dr. Robert Casper could.  They are both in downtown Toronto.

I hope you find some solution.

Jenn.  :)

My Mom's in the middle of menopause right now and if it's anything like what's she's going through... Oh my. She's even more of a depressed lunatic then when she was my age and suffering the same PMDD problems. (My PMS stuff is the same as hers was, to a tee) of course she is trying to manage the whole thing with herbal remedies and diet so she could feel better than she is if she went to her doctor. But anyway, if it was just hot flashes I think I could cope. You didn't suffer the memory loss or other symptoms like that?

Thanks so much for the info :) After doing some research after you first mentioned his name I've made an appointment with my gynecologist to see about getting a referral to Dr. Casper. Even if he wouldn't put me on Lupron for the psychological symptoms alone I think it would still be advantageous to talk to him about other options. Luckily I had zero negative reaction from Yaz, but none of the positive symptom improvement they market either. After I was taken off that, everyone kind of threw up their hands and told me to try managing things through diet and exercise. I know getting the excess weight off would help some things, but I was like this before my weight was out of control too. Anyway, thank you again for the suggestion of talking to Dr. Casper. Glad you have found a solution that is working and doctors who you really trust. Finding a good doctor is half the battle, I think! 

I just wanted to say your post i could have written myself..I am on month 2 and i hope it gets better not worse because i feel exactly the same as you.. I am a manager of and i deal with customers and my 18 employees . I have ZERO patients right now..I talk to my workers and they some what ..I have never had PMS this bad ...On a funny note my husband says i better get lots of drugs ...but not for me for him lol...Good luck Krista....

I just wanted to say your post i could have written myself..I am on month 2 and i hope it gets better not worse because i feel exactly the same as you.. I am a manager of and i deal with customers and my 18 employees . I have ZERO patients right now..I talk to my workers and they some what ..I have never had PMS this bad ...On a funny note my husband says i better get lots of drugs ...but not for me for him lol...Good luck Krista....

Oh man, when I worked retail there were days I had to just call in sick. About every third month, at least one shift during the pms week I had to stay home for the public's safety! I don't know how you can manage people, it must be a struggle. lol I can just imagine what it would be like to live with a women with pms this bad - I don't know that I could do it, it's hard enough to live with myself when I'm like this! So your husband's need for drugs makes sense ;)