XP: Birth control pills and anxiety

FormerlyAK

Has anyone on here had anxiety that got worse around their period, and if you were on the pill, did you try switching pills to help the anxiety? Did it get worse after having a child or a miscarriage (mine seemed to get worse after my miscarriage in fall 2009)? Any success stories? I've noticed lately that I have panic attacks around the week of my period (the day I end my active pills and a day after I restart active pills). The rest of the month, I am normal and logical. I have been on the same pill for almost 20 years, except when I was trying to get pg/was pg. I am almost 36, so I know hormones can change over time and think this may be having an effect on my moods. I am thinking of talking to my doctor to see about other birth control options, but wanted to see if anyone else had similar experience.

justEK

I do not take any kind of hormone, but I have PMDD. The week before my period can be pure hell. I did not have issues until after my pregnancies that I can remember.

I would talk to your GYN about the possibilities and maybe medications. I personally control mine with positive thinking. Lots of it. And the mantra, "Just get through this week."

GL!

mamarazzi

I was that way on the pill.  It was bad the week before my period, but I was a psychotic beeyatch the day after I took my last active pill.  I would pick fights over NOTHING with my H and act completely irrational.  It took me years to realize it was the same day of every month that this was happening.  I also got really anxious.  For instance, I would have panic attacks about going to sleep because I was afraid I'd sleepwalk and do something crazy while not even conscious. 

I tried other hormonal BC, but all of them made pretty anxious/whacky.  I got an IUD after DD and so far so good with the hormones in that, but they're constant and very low dosage and localized.