So my sister and I are trying to exorcise the rage demon

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

Have any of you ever had this perimenopausal rage issue? I hate to make light of it but I seriously need a priest to take up residence with me and keep the holy water handy.

It's horrible. I finally put the pieces together when I had another episiode within two months of one another and realized it was right before that time of the month.

Dr. Oz had a segment on it several years ago and I was beyond fascinated that it could be a real thing. That memory clicked as to what was going on with me and now, I could be a follow up guest and take my baby sister with me.

She has it much worse than I do. I have had only four episodes in the course of 4-5 years. I chalked it up initially to sugar rage (I am now off all sugar) and work stress. She says she has maybe 5 good days a month.

I googled and progesterone cream came up the winner. I started the happy cream last week and I have to say, it may be placebo, but I do feel a bit better, calmer, more in control. The real test will come in the next two weeks when it gets close to that time again. I've never had PMS ever but, after last month, I could have outdone Satan himself for the day.

My sister is going to the doctor today to get some more advice after a male doctor told her she needs psychiatric help. She told her husband the proof she is not crazy is that she didn't kill the $#@! right there in the office when he said that to her.

Anyone else get this awful rage over literally nothing around midlife? It's beyond description and scary as heck. I'm ashamed to even tell you what I've done when it happens and overtakes me.

I am hoping I have seen the last of it with the progesterone cream but, if you have any other tips and tricks for dealing with it, baby sis and I are all eyes.

KentuckyWoman · ‎03-13-2010

I experienced a range of emotions when I started through the change. My temper flared a lot but not something I would describe as rage. I went to my doctor and he told me to eat healthy, take daily walks for 30 to 60 minutes and to stay busy. That is what I did and it helped me a lot. I didn't want to go with a chemical solution to the problem. Some women do have to take medication to help ease them through and there is certainly nothing wrong with that. Do what works for you.

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

@KentuckyWoman Thank you. I am no fan of meds either which is why I'm trying the OTC natural remedy first. I hope it is working for me as it seems to be.

My sister is completely debilitated and her husband is personally driving her to the appointment today because she is just becoming unlivable.

I'm not that bad but on the occasion it has happened to me, it is beyond a range of emotions. It's like watching and hearing yourself become like the men who beat their wives in a fury and there is literally nothing you can do to stop it as it is happening. It's horrible and beyond scary being that out of control.

My sister said she found where it is only 1-2% of women who experience it. Most get what our other sister has which is the hot flashes.

I was just hoping someone else had already been there and done that and survived to tell the tale. It seems to be one of the rarer aspects of getting older as a girl. Lucky us.

Katcat1 · ‎07-21-2011

@Laura14, You should be a raging lunatic when you get into full blown menopause. Just make sure you are not having manic episodes (I am not trying to be funny) but it's better to check and eliminate. Please do not take the wrong way. I say, you are your hormones. I had problems and could not take progesterone so for a couple of years I took nothing and woke up with cold sweats, lack of sleep made me very tired out. Finally, I had a full hysterectomy and I was placed on a tiny estrogen patch which made me normal again. I could take estrogen with no problems. I was so thankful. I never had rage. I was somewhat irritable when I was not taking anything. I hope you find relief.

kindness is strength

SeaMaiden · ‎03-10-2010

@Laura14 I never had any rage when I went though menopause at 47. Now 62 I am well past menopause and have no symptoms at all.... There are natural supplements which can help you go through the change by normalizing your homones. I started using during peri menopause( for me about 5 years prior to full menopause at 47) Super Primrose oil, Black Chohosh extract and used NATURAL topical Progesterone cream. I continued this regiment at full menopause for another 5 years and then just continued taking just the progesterone cream.

I still use the natural progesterone cream topically at 62 once every day.

After a few months of using the cream and talking internally the primrose oil and the Black cohosh you should start to see your hormone stabilize and feel better. Hopefully after about 5 years or so of being in full menopause you should be able to stop the natural supplements and you can decide if you still want to take the progesterone cream. All of these supplements are natural... not synthetic like the doctor prescribes. It is an old wives tale that these cause cancer... but many women want to believe that theory that is out there. You can decide for yourself of course.

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

@Katcat1 I take zero offense! That has actually been on my mind that maybe I was becoming or perhaps had always had a mental health issue that was rearing its head. No shame in being sick either way, mentally or hormonally. I really appreciate you pointing it out. I love the opinions here because others can see possibilities that I maybe don't or won't consider so thank you. I actually do have several mental health books that I have bought or borrowed just waiting on me to work through them.

@SeaMaiden Thank you for sharing this. I think there is actually primrose in my oil supplments that I started taking but I have not heard that one. And I just started the natural progesterone. I will have to look that one up.

Black cohosh is for hot flashes, correct? Those I do not have. In fact, I have no symptoms at all that I would recognize as starting into menopause and I am 47. I was a little in shock that my younger sisters have started way younger than I have. Maybe not having children makes you last longer because your body is still holding out hope for a kid? LOL

SeaMaiden · ‎03-10-2010

@Laura14 I also had no children... I do think that not having children causes early menopause... the good thing about this is that with early menopause less estrogen is circulation in your body... and so it is a plus plus as far as cancer causing excess estrogens that women who start menopause much later in their 50s have. I would guess that the negative of starting full menopause at 47 as I did is that your bones and skin may suffer more as estrogens help in this regard....

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

@SeaMaiden I was actually thinking I was late. I've heard most women start getting symptoms around when my sisters have in the mid-40s. I've had nothing other than the rage and only a few times for that. Other than that, I'm the same girl Ive always been but the rage is something else.

I was actually grateful when researching that I seem to be low in progesterone and not estrogen so far. As you said, bad for the cancers but great for skin and bones although my skin is starting to look a bit sad in some areas.

I'm not liking this whole aging thing. I think I look much better younger. Have to change that mindset and quick.

jubilant · ‎06-10-2010

I once had a woman confide in me that she was going through menopause and it was affecting her greatly. She had visions of suffocating her husband with a pillow while he was sleeping at night. She was dead (pun intended) serious. One night the impulse became almost uncontrollable and she realized this was bigger than she could handle. She knew at that point she needed help. She was put on medication and, as far as I know, that never happened again. My advice is to see a doctor.

Laura14 · ‎06-09-2014

Posting this in case anyone is lurking...

My sister just got back from her doctor who apparently is the third unicorn on the planet who has also experienced blind rage during perimenopause. Doctor totally got it and was personally offended by the male doctor's advice.

The doctor gave her Celexa which is a mild antidepressant and diagnosed her with an endocrine disorder. Basically her hormones are out of whack and also responsible for her horrible stomach.

In my sister's case, she was told not to do progesterone because she is already quite heavy and that would increase her symptoms there.

I don't have the bad stomach or the heaviness so I'm experimenting the other way with my happy cream.

Hopefully, the state of Georgia will have two less psychos by nightfall.

Isn't being a girl fun?