Bipolar AND Menopausal...

[HoosierBj]

I am having trouble findng any information on women who are Bipolar AND Menopausal.
Are we more susceptible to Stress? Rage? Moodiness? Lack of Memory Cells???
It's hard for me to know if what I'm feeling is "normal" moodiness since I have been on a lithium type plateau for 18 yrs. now.
Has anyone seen any studies about going into menopause while bipolar?
Thanks in Advance for any help you can give me,
Bj

[kiehn]

Hello, I've been on Lithium since 93 and I started
into menopause about 3 years ago. I can only tell
you what I've experienced and what I've read. As
you probably know bipolar tendencies can be triggered
by stress or trauma. Menopause does cause stress
on the body mentally and physically. As for moodiness
anger, memory loss. Yes they have all played a part
but as I've read menopause can be different for each
person, so my reactions may be different then yours
or 10 other women. Supposedly going on hormone treatment therapy can help reduce the symtoms of
menopause. I didn't want to for personal reasons.
Hope this helped some what, Good Luck

[HoosierBj]

Thank you for replying!! Its actually helpful just to know that I'm not the only menopausal bipolar female in the universe. I don't plan to go on HRT either (my mom did and developed endometrial cancer) but my doctor will leave me on birth control for the little bit of estrogen/progesterone there is in there.
I ended up turning in my notice at work last March because I wasn't able to handle the stress. I've worked my whole life, but for now this is the right thing for me.
You're right about everyone being different, but if you have any ideas to share that worked for you I sure would appreciate it.
Thanks again! Bj

[kiehn]

Hi again,
Yes it does help to know there are others that are
going thru the same unique situation you are. When
ever I'm feeling alienated by my condition I come to
this site just to know I'm not the only one. As for
the menopause, in the second year (with only 2 cycles) I couldn't stand the hot flashes anymore and decided to try a natural HRT. I was desperate and wanted it to work right away so I took 4 times the dose within a couple of weeks I had a cycle. Being cycle free for almost 2 years was wonderful and I was just a tad bit
upset so I quit taking it. Looking back I'd say at that dose it must have boosted my estrogen levels up high enough to bring on a cycle. It's a year later
and I still get hot extremely easy so I've just started
taking the normal dose of this "New Phase" natural menopause supplement.
Learning to deal with the stress, moodiness, anger and memory issues is a trial and error process and it takes time. I noticed the more rest I get the better
I can deal with the stress, I can control the anger
and moodiness better. My short term memory loss was
hard to deal with and took a while to accepted it but since then it's become a constant source of humor in our home especially with two teenagers that ask Mom where she put something and Mom can honestly say
"I don't know" I love it. One day after looking for
some item for an hour my daugther and I had finally given in to the humor of my memory loss only to find I had put the item right where it belonged in her dresser drawer. The whole incident was priceless.
I guess what I'm saying is don't be hard on yourself, humor has been extremely helpful for me and yes I've been on the verge of tears many times then things got worse the whole senario replays in my head and realized it so unbelieveable it's like a comical cartoon and I got two choices laugh or cry. Yes I've done both at the same time. Laughing doesn't fix the problems but it sure makes you feel better. I didn't mean for this reply to be this long, it's just proves the truth of your comment "It just helps to know..." read and share. Hope something here is able to help you, and thanks for giving me the opportunity to share with someone. Best wishes, Susie

[HoosierBj]

Thanks so much!! It's like having a hand show up when you're going down for the third time!
My real problem is knowing that I can't deal with a "real job" right now vs. the guilt of not working at a real job (if that makes any sense).
I worked through thick and thin for over 28 years and the stress (and I believe menopause) just finally got to me. And the learning curve flattened out. And the concentration and short term memory evaporated...
You're right about the sense of humor helping, but I was raised with this HUGE work ethic and its hard to admit that the stress (mixed with menopause I'm assuming) is just too much for me.
I don't want to "lean" on my bipolar diagnosis. Unless I've chosen to tell people they just have no idea - but my job performance was slipping and I knew it was a matter of time before I had a meltdown.
And, my dad died of colon cancer in Feb. 2001 - that's a whole other subject but probably had a lot to do with the stress level I was dealing with.
I'm taking some extra Vitamin E and soy products - and healthy doses of the Healthboards which make me feel like I have some support from people who REALLY know what I'm going thru!!
Thanks again!
Bj