If you have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, what has been your experience with effects of menopause?

I have suffered with mostly the depressive side most of my life. Now in menopause, I have found that my coping skills are not working. Also, I have never felt such a huge mental fog as I do now (forgive any grammatical errors).

Things have become so bad that I cannot work right now. I'm feeling pretty sad and hopeless.

Anyway, if anyone can share her experience, I'd appreciated the input. Thx.

i am not bipolar but i have experience depression and anxiety at times in my life. i went over 20 years between these episode until i was in my 5th year of peri. yes it is hard . my moods are all over the place and i am on meds for anxiety now. sometimes i look back at a situation and think, why did i do that. or say that. my ability to make decisions is poor. so is my concentration. it is like i have a d d. this is normal. have you tried hrt to regulate your hormones? i take an otc estrogen and have at times tried the progesterone cream. hope you find something that helps. God bless:angel:

Climbing the walls. I'm going to get a proper hormone evaluation. I've had enough of this!

Hi Colleen,:wave:

I can really sympathise with you, I too am experiencing depression and anxiety due to the menopause.

Just like yourself I've had to take time out from work, just wasn't coping.

For what it's worth you're not alone and hopefully in time things will improve for you.
I suppose that's all we can do, again my thoughts are with you.

Take care,
Barbs.:angel:

Hello again Colleen! I am bipolar and am experiencing TERRIBLE depression symptoms for about 6 months now. I have skipped 2 periods and feel WORSE since that. I am hardly able to work, I get so anxious and afraid. I don't want to be around people at all! It's been suggested that I see a specialist for the menapausal symptoms, which I think I will do. I can't go on like this for years, that's for sure!
Best to you-hang in there!

i get confused as to which way to go. i am starting celexa for depression but should i be looking into some type of hormone therapy instead? i don't know. i know that i don't want to go through this all the time. add to that the fact that i have thyroid issues and my med was changed for that about 2 weeks before i started getting down. but the new test showed i'm in the right range with the lower dose. so what do you do? God bless:angel:

Hello,

I feel your pain. I am 46 years old, and I am Bipolar 1. In the last six years I have had 4 severe manic episodes following by long periods of depression. For the last three years, I have not had periods for 4 months out of the year. I am definetly perimenopausal. I also feel that I am losing my mind--I can't concentrate and most of the time I am in a mental fog. This is horrible when you are a graphic designer in a detail oriented, high pressure job.

What am I doing to alleviate the pain:
-I am looking for a psych who specializes in menopause
-I exercise
-I eat well and take a lot of vitamins perscribed by a md
-I am planning on going to a hormone clinic
-I am restarting my business so I can have time off for depressiive episodes and all those visits to doctors :-)
-I take repiradal, depakote, lamictal and a new drug seroquel. If you take the right dosage, 300mg, it's great for depression.

Tell me what works for you. Where are you looking for answers? [removed] Books?

Thanks