texas mom, I have one word for you PaxilCR. Trust me, talk to your dr. about what you're going thru & ask about Paxil. It will alleviate your wanting to rant over insignificant things & help you overcome your underlying hostility. Talk to your doc.

I dunno... i hate paxil gave me double vision... she doesn't sound depressed... sounds like mood swings... progesterone cream does it for me. The homicidal urges go away. I get an over the counter progesterone cream, called meno-cream at Walgreens, but there are others out there. Warn your hubby that he'll be in for more of it.... when the homicidal rages go away, you might get to experience crying jags.... anxiety.... so much fun! A circus!

heathen, paxilcr has helped me sooooo much with mood swings. Honestly it has! I do have a question for you...the over the counter progesterone cream...where do you, yourself rub it on? According to you, where is a good place. I may give it a try! :)

Mary... everyone is different... so I am glad it is helping you... Paxil gives me the creeps, it's a long story... :o)
I put the cream on anywhere where the skin is thin, like on the inside of my arms, or neck or breast region...
I take prozac, but only for my PMS (have to have BOTH *swear words*) it helps for that (also helps with the food cravings), doesn't seem to do much for my menopause.... but as long as it works for you, don't listen to me! :o)

It's a long journey for most and you are finally figuring out you need help.. dont let it go any longer..go to your physician and discuss the options.

Honey, you need estrogen! REAL bioidentical human estradiol. Progesterone would only help your mood if you have previously felt your best right before your periods when estrogen dips and progesterone rises. With me, it was the opposite. I always felt cranky before periods and good the first week afterwards when estrogen rises.

I remember when I was losing my estrogen in my late 40's, I went to a gas station where they were advertising the octane rating on big signs, and I thought that was the price per gallon. When I found out that the price was much more, I threw a screaming fit, started crying, and threw my money down on the ground! Well, I am normally the most mild-mannered, quiet person you can imagine, so I knew something was drastically wrong. I was put on Prozac, but that didn't stop the rages, usually directed at DH. I gave up Prozac for estrogen, and all was well again.

I was on Prozac (Sarafem), but all it really did was fog up my brain. My doctor said I'm in menopause, but am still getting my periods. The day before my period, my head hurts to bursting, and I feel cranky. I do feel better the first week after my period, trytryagain. I want something to get rid of the mood swings and crankiness. I bought MenoCream, but am afraid to use it.

I am not familiar with MenoCream, so I Googled it and saw that it supposedly has progesterone in it, but really just "plant sterols". You can't tell how much progesterone is in the OTC products. Usually none that is bio-available unless they add USP Progesterone. Some of these OTC products do have USP Progesterone added to them, but estrogen is prescription only. I can't understand why one hormone is legal over the counter, but not the other. Cheerful, if you feel bad before your period, progesterone is not likely to help your headaches. I had migraines before my periods from age 30 onwards, and practically non-stop at beginning of menopause, but now that I am on estrogen, my headaches have stopped.

Well, MenoCream works for me, I use it every day with consent and full knowledge from my Gyno... it's lovely, because unlike a pill, you can adjust your own dosage... for me, it's a balance of enough progesterone and too much which causes over eating. It's also done wonders for my PCOS. 20 years ago, I tried the 'half pill'for the ovarian cysts, which is just progesterone, and I gained enormous scary amounts of weight... so this is just fine.

Hi ladies,

Just wanted to follow up and say thank you for the suggestions. I have not been as angry lately -- I think job-related stress was a big factor and that has abated. Plus, I am exercising more self-control. However, the hot flashes seem to be getting worse. I'm taking one Vitamin E (400 IU) per day and wondering if a bigger dose would help .... any ideas?

Also, isn't there an herbal tea that is supposed to help with hot flashes? They are really bad lately!

no, you don't want to take any more vitamin E. It's liver toxic if you take too much, it's not washed out like vitamin C.

Ok,I am 44 (will be in less than 2 weeks), periods make me nuts so my dr put me on the pill and I take it straight for 6 months at a time. Worked great for a year and now I get my period ANYTIME even while on the pill. I am crying all the time, can't focus, screaming at my kids. Last night I scared the hell out of my 16 year old for laying into her for not calling to tell me where she was. Ended up sobbing my apologies and wondering who was looking back at me in the mirror. Early menopause? Mom was 42 when she started . . .HELP! I can't live this way!