Posted by polarbear206 on August 24, 2002, at 10:37:27
In reply to Re: PMDD-sarafem disaster, posted by Tuck on August 24, 2002, at 8:58:30
> > > I have been reading through these messages all day hoping I have found some answers. I am at my whits end. I have three kids, am 34 years old and have been miserable for the last year and a half. Prior to that I was either pregnant or on the pill. Since then I have always suffered my worst pms the week after my period. (the moodiness part of it anyways) The uncontrollable eating is the week before. I went to the doctor with a card that I had torn out of a magazine about Sarafem. He (who is always in a hurry) gave me some samples to try and hurried me out of his office. This was in Feb. 2001. I took the Sarafem for not even a week and had a herrible reaction to it. It was the 2nd week in Feb. and I was driving to the mall with my 2 year old. I felt like I was going to pass out, sort of. Like I couldn't concentrate on driving. I had a hard time speaking and basically felt really out of it. Well the whole thing was chalked up to side effects of the drug and I quit taking it obviously! But, I still have the same problems around the middle of the month.(2 weeks into my cycle) I have to have someone drive me places, I feel like I am spacing out....
> > > This has been going on for a year and a half now and I don't think a weeks worth of Sarafem can mess you up that bad, but now that I read some of the other messages about concentration and driving I am wondering if I do have PMDD. I didn't think I needed the Sarafem for the depression. I have a great hubby and kids and I am not at all depressed. Confused maybe! I have been to many doctors. I have had an EEG of the brain and a MRI done, both were read as normal. My big thing is that these spells (so to speak) are always in the middle of the month......
> > > If anyone out there has any info. I would love to hear it!!!!
> > > Kathy
> >
> >
> > Kathy,
> >
> > You could have an underlying mood disorder, I had
> > some of the same problems starting mid cycle. Confusion, lethargy, concentration problems. some antidepressants can exacerbate underlying mood disorders. Prozac and sarafem are the same drug. I couldn't take prozac at all. The week after my period was worse also until I started taking Lamictal in addition to my antidepressants. Make sure you have your thyroid checked before starting
> > any drugs for depression and bipolar disorders. I hope this info helps.
> >
> > Laura
>
> Laura, what is Lamictal?
>
>
Kathy,Lamictal is a mood stabilizer used to treat bipolar disorders. Many anticonvulsants are used for bipolars. What is so great about this drug is that it acts as a mood stabilizer/antidepressant. It is also being used for severe pmdd. pmdd and bipolar mood disorders mimmick each other as far as some of their symptoms. So pmdd can look like bipolar and bipolar can look like pmdd. This can be very confusing for a proper diagnosis. Track you moods with a calandar every month. Write down what symptoms you are experiencing. You need to see a psychiatrist and not your regular primary care doctor.
Laura.
poster:polarbear206
thread:3315
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020821/msgs/117646.html