menopause symptoms & Bipolar......

[2johndeereboys]

I am a soon to be 41 year old (next month) wo had a hysterectomy in 2009. I went to my PCP this past Friday (3/13) complaining of night sweats & hot flashes. My PCP put me on 1MG Estrace once daily.

I am also Bipolar......12 years now. I've been in a really good place for quite a while. Taking my meds daily (Abilify, Topamax, Zoloft & Klonopin) I started the Estrace on 3/13 and since then I have had mood swing & crying spells so bad. The tiniest little things set me off......I HATE being this way. It FEELS like I am strting to cycle but is it just a coincidence that I started the Estrace & this starts happening?

I have a regular appointment with my Phsyc Dr on 4/3 but I called this morning and got it moved up to Friday 3/20.
ANY insight ANYONE can give is GREATLY appreciated!!

Lisa

[2johndeereboys]

thank you so much for taking the time to comment. I am trying really hard to take things one day at a time and I am trying to enjoy the calm good moments and relish them.

My Psych DR is soooo good to me and I know if I can just make it till my appt I know he will do whatever it takes to get me back on the right track!!!

Thanks again!!
Lisa

[persephonedemeter]

Hi. I am at the tail end of menopause, and all I have now is very rare, not bery intense (feeling slightly uncomfortably warm, light sweating)and very short bouts of hot flash, usually during sleep or after eating a more heavy meal than usual. I am not prescribed any hormone therapy.

I had a lot of things going on that were pretty stressful and I was still going through some cycling at the time, so I don't really know if menopause contributed to the cycling or if it didn't. My psychiatrist knew about it as well as my PCP, but it wasn't terribly bad or persistant cycling. I did notice I got very upset with certain things, that I thought back then, it was "reasonable" to be upset about, but in hindsight now, maybe a little bit too upset about.

I think my menopause was prettty tame, though. I say that, because I know quite a few women who went through it and who did not have bipolar disorder and were emotonal stable until the menopause hit. It really threw them off and they were intensely emotional during it. They also poured sweat during the hot flashes, and had to have a change of clothes to work when it got really bad.

Get a portable hand held battery operated fan. It is just a great thing to have as well as a small fan for the bedside table directed at you for the middle of the night sweats.

When I had psych med issues that caused gynecological issues, especially with the hormones, my pcp, psychiatrist and my  consulting gynecologist tackled it together and hashed out a treatment plan and suggestions for me. It wasn't done with menopause, because as I said, it was pretty tame, and my psychiatrist did have experience and knowledge in treating psychiatric concerns with his female patients going through menopause. The hot flashes were a bear, so I am very glad that is nearly over with.