Has to be PMDD

Hey everyone. Recently had my third ever trip to the hospital in a cop car, after breaking some stuff and making some vague allusions to not being an issue for my former significant other anymore. It was the culmination of the building sadness and anxiety that led up to my last period. This happened about 24 hours after the very light start. (My period is a crazy beeyatch these days. It taunts me for a week before it *really* starts. Gotta love peri-menopause!) I've read some folks saying their doctors tell them PMDD's not a real disorder. Well those doctors should go back to the 70's and tell women that uterine cramps are all in their heads if they get the chance, too. Really go back to their roots.

I think I'm just posting because I see that this particular part of the forum is a little inactive. If I had to guess, I'd guess it's either because women are reluctant to talk about such personal stuff, or women are so crushed under the illness as to not feel like communicating at all sometimes.

These days, I take 350 mg Bupropion XL and 40 mg Fluoxetine. Things are still pretty bad at certain times, so I'm adding a third Fluoxetine in when things are just intolerable. The tears, sometimes, make me think, how can I continue to live and work this way??? I'm going to see my psych nurse again soon, maybe sooner than my August appointment, and ask her if we can up my Rx so that I actually have enough Fluoxetine to do that third cap when things feel hopeless.

I have a question. Anyone ever take a combination like I'm taking? Bupropion's a Dopamine elevator (if I understand correctly) and of correct Fluoxetine's an SSRI. Until about 7 months ago, the Bupropion dose was only 100 mg/day, and the Fluoxetine was only 20 mg/day. Is there much chance that these higher doses could be making me think about suicide more? Has anyone run into that with these or similar meds? Thanks for reading. It would really be nice if people could give me some feedback. If you don't have experience with these meds, please feel free to just tell me what has worked best for you? Thanks again.

Nobody, huh? I understand. It's hard for me to know what to offer anyone, either. :}

I have read and thought I posted but I always forget to "post" my messages lately.

I take Bupropion with lithium. I can't say it has done much for my PMS/PMDD. I have even brought it up to my dr but she never addressed it really. I have just accepted the fact that for a few days every month I have to go easy on myself and expect less. With the lithium, I can't take NSAID's which are what helps me some.

My friend who is in menopause doesn't understand when I say I can't wait for menopause. It can't be any worse, can it? Yikes. I can't imagine.

Take care!

Hi JustmeJ. Thanks for giving me your thoughts. I know that feeling when we think for sure we've posted. (Oh boy, it actually happened when I finally finished this post and tried to finalize it! Stupid website time-out. :) )

When you say you go easier on yourself, do you mean strictly, like you said, expecting less? Forgiving yourself if you get emotional or have conflicts with people?

I wouldn't expect the Bupropion would necessarily do anything for my PMDD, although, maybe I *do* go around thinking, "Okay, I've got this extra dopamine boost that may help." When I went on Prozac in '03, I definitely did it in the hopes it would help with what I considered just PMS, and it seemed to, for a good while. My former bf and I discuss whether my more recent escalations might be menopause setting in. I don't know if the change is going to help or hurt me in the end.

Btw, I wish your doctor would address your concerns.

By going easy on myself, I just try not to feel guilty about not doing stuff and lower my expectations of what I can do. If I want to sit and play on my computer all day, then I just let it be. If it means something easy for dinner, then I try to let it be.

It is odd because I will have an occasional "easy" month with less physical and emotional problems. I do think it is better than it used to be.

I have heard Prozac helps but it made me manic.

Take care!

Thanks, JustmeJ. You take care, too. :}

If you are having that intense of an emotional reaction even on the meds, I'd say you need to talk with your P-nurse either about getting a higher dosage or adding another med, like oral contraception. have never heard of higher dose Wellbutrin increasing suicidality. Prozac has been known to increase thoughts of death and suicide in some people and this is of highest risk with young people (adolescents/ early twenties). If you are having thoughts of death or suicide, you should definitely call your p-nurse!

I was put on Prozac for PMS and it worked wonderfully to reduce/eliminate my depression, irritability, and anxiety that corresponded with my period. I got these results at 20-30mg. It also (surprisingly) reduced my bloating and weight gain, changed my flow from heavy to light, and eliminated cramping. You'd think it was the miracle drug! BUT... I'm going off Prozac because the side effects were unbearable for me. Prozac gave me PLMD (periodic limb movement disorder) and wrecked any semblance of sleep I used to have. I almost never get into deep sleep anymore. During the day, I am exhausted and have lost motivation. While I don't feel heavy waves of sadness, I don't feel joy or interest in much of anything either. I have learned to force myself outside in the morning to take 3 mile walks in order to counteract the extreme fatigue. Ironically, one if the reasons I started on the SSRI was to stabilize my mood when I couldn't bring myself to exercise! Trying to exercise on Prozac is like trying to run in quicksand for me. I have been on Prozac for 10 weeks, so I don't have any confidence that these are side effects that will wear off at this point.

I am sorry that you aren't getting more relief at the dosage you're on, but I know you could go up to 80mg on the Prozac if your p-nurse advises it and it is my guess that you should probably be on a steady higher dosage, not just "as needed," (presuming this is not increasing your thoughts of suicidality).