So, having spent the last few hours feeling 'weird' and crying I think something's not right... but I honestly don't think it's depression rearing it's ugly head again (and I've had a fair bit of experience).

Instinct (and the calendar) tell me it may be hormonal. But I'm not really sure what's normal, what's not any more.

Nor do I know who to go to: psychiatrist (don't really want to, have had bad experiences with psychiatrists and the whole 'single Christian female' thing in the past); gyneacologist (seems a bit ott); regular doctor (don't have one at the moment, the one I was seeing left the practice)...

So is anyone willing to share experiences or suggestions? I know I'm being a bit vague, I'd rather give more details by PM, please.

Thanks... hopefully now I've asked for advice I'll be able to sleep.

Estrogen and Progesterone are the natural female hormones. Their levels vary throughout the month. They're responsible for the female curves and figure, nice skin, desire, menstrual cycle and obviously pregnancy.

They're also downright responsible for emotions and mood swings and have nothing to do with genuine depression.

Once a month, circa 3 days before the beginning of menstruation, those hormones can make a mess of emotions. Feeling nervous and tense with a bout of tears is completely normal. It doesn't last.
It requires some tender loving care, a hot water bottle, a massage and telling off who ever is in the way (usually a it's a man, they make the most clumsy mistakes when we're hypersensitive, and they usually don't have a clue why we can get fussy).

At the office, smile brightly and go on silence mode for a few days till it passes.

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"Il mondo è fatto a scale, chi le scende e chi le sale"

Hon, sorry you are feeling a tad dodgy again...let me know if you want to get a cup of coffee, really, you know I am like few mins away.

I can only say from my own after labor/weight shifts/chemical works experiences, that mental health can be directly influenced hormonally, sure - but before you start thinking hormones and how difficult it might be to influence them positively, think body mass, body weight, metabolism. I think body weight shifts, metabolical wellbeing -> hormones -> chemical imbalances...

So, it is actually good news, without putting yourself on hormonal therapy, try to influence your metab. and see what it does. Eat healthily, exercise every single day and I mean something up beat, cardio or so and shift your body weight to a standard you always had that your body/mind was the happiest. See what that does. That would also include sex life (and I don't necessarily mean the good ol' christian dating etc coz I don't know the availability, more like self service) , sorry to be a tad blatant about this, but healthy fit body/hormones functioning well through sex will put your chemical imbalances, that are right now bringing your mind down, in order me thinks.

Try it for a while, and see if it works. There is always enough time for happy pills laters. Good luck and hugs.

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"L'homme ne peut pas remplacer son coeur avec sa tete, ni sa tete avec ses mains." J.H. Pestalozzi

“The only difference between a rut and a grave is a matter of depth.” S.P. Cadman

"Imagination is more important than knowledge." A. Einstein

MusicChick are you suggesting a bout of lovin' instead of happy pills ?
Tss tss.. .. not a bad idea at all

always..

Thanks for the advice everyone, both here and via PM...

Saw a (new) general doctor today, who was very sympathetic, didn't mind me walking in with my list of 'issues' at all...

Her view was that the hormonal problems might be caused by the fact that last May my gynaecologist put me on a 'stronger' dose of the pill, because the anti-depressants were messing up my cycle. But now she thinks it's too strong, as I've come off the anti-depressants. So she's put me back down to a lower strength and see how things go for three months.

Nice to have a doctor NOT send me to a specialist (my last general doctor even asked me 'Have you spoken to your psychiatrist?' when I twisted my ankle...)

I wonder if you got off the pill completely, would your cycle be ok? Some pills put some chicks into crazy frenzy...