There are many things a women can do to help herself once you have established that your depression and anxiety is hormonal in origin. Some people use anti-depressants and some people prefer to use a more natural or holistic approach. However my depression was so chronic, long term and debilitating, I was suicidal which is why I decided to turn off my whole hormonal system in the hope that it would give me a cure that I so desperately needed.
Once I had decided to have a hysterectomy, my consultant wanted me to try an implant by the name of Zoladex which is inserted under the skin of the navel. I was far more worried by this than having a hysterectomy as I knew that it was a synthetic hormone which is used in Zoladex preparation, and in the past had suffered terribly from any synthetic intervention. However, my worries were simply unfounded and immediately I felt a great and welcome respite from the hormonal spikes and lows which had left me with the hormone sensitivity and subsequent mental illness.
Here's what happened. Once the nurse had inserted the implant I was able to carry out my day quite normally although as I lay on the bed, my legs were visibly shaking as I was so worried about it making me worse. Within a couple of hours I was walking around the local supermarket which was something which would always leave me feeling extremely anxious and stressed. I know that sounds ridiculous, but my depression was so entrenched that a simple trip out would always require meticulous planning and would often leave me tearful, irritable and completely overwhelmed. However this particular day, I was able to cope so much easier and I was noticeably serene without the usual 'mental chatter' that had surrounded me for so long.
At first, I wondered if I was experiencing a placebo effect or even if it was psycho-symptomatic but by the time I was home I knew that indeed something miraculous was happening. I felt, quite literally all the depression, anxiety, anger and sheer frustration leave my mind in an almost physical way, and it felt as though my whole body gave a huge sigh of relief. This I can tell you was something that had been some 25 years in the waiting, so you can only imagine how that left me feeling. I knew then that my initial worries about having the injection were simply unfounded and indeed, I wished I had done it sooner.
For anyone thinking of having their hormonal system switched off in this same way, I know how hard that decision is and I also know that some have an adverse reaction. However, I still believe that its worth a shot and anything that can help in the battle with this all consuming illness is surely worth it. It will also help you decide whether you should have a hysterectomy and is the perfect experiment enabling one to see just how you will feel once you've decided to have surgery. I hope this blog is helpful, please leave a comment.
Have a great weekend
Suzi x
Friday, 30 May 2014
Saturday, 10 May 2014
Natural Hormones can help with depression and anxiety.
Natural Hormones can help enormously when one is suffering with depression and anxiety, particularly if the depression is hormonal in origin and is cyclical. Once a women has ovulated, there are immense changes in her hormonal profile and for reasons not yet understood, in some women these changes can have a critical effect which then makes the sufferer feel anxious, depressed and extremely irritable. The symptoms are so similar to Bipolar, there is often a misdiagnoses and the hormonal element to this illness overlooked, which in my opinion is a great shame.
The two hormones which are known to profoundly effect our state of mind are progesterone and oestrogen, although there are others which also come into play. As some women are sensitive to their own hormones it is the spiking, or even the dips which causes the women to have the sudden mood changes which we are all familiar with. We can now give and use natural or Bio-identical Hormones which are made from soya and yam and they fit our bodies exactly the same as our own original hormones. if we give them in a controlled dose, we are then avoiding the so called spiking which causes us to experience a great hormonal wobble.
In my case I use natural progesterone and natural oestrogen (in the form of a patch) and this has had a massive effect on my whole life, indeed transforming it to such an extent that I am now symptom free. You can use this powerful and natural therapy whether you have a womb or not, and they are known to have a protective effect on our bones, heart and our libido as well as a stabilizing effect on our mind.
To find out more anyone suffering with PMDD, PND or PMS should ask for a referral to a gynaecologist. For further reading my first choice would be 'It must be my Hormones ' by Doctor Marion Gluck who explains the difference between them and the more synthetic HRT which so many women are reluctant to take. Synthetic hormones are those that are in the Contraceptive pill, depro-vera contraceptive injection, the contraceptive implant and too many others to mention and in my opinion should be avoided like the plague if you have depression or any mood disorder. Next week I will be explain how you can turn off your entire hormonal system if you are severely affected by this awful condition.
Have lovely weekend, Suzi
The two hormones which are known to profoundly effect our state of mind are progesterone and oestrogen, although there are others which also come into play. As some women are sensitive to their own hormones it is the spiking, or even the dips which causes the women to have the sudden mood changes which we are all familiar with. We can now give and use natural or Bio-identical Hormones which are made from soya and yam and they fit our bodies exactly the same as our own original hormones. if we give them in a controlled dose, we are then avoiding the so called spiking which causes us to experience a great hormonal wobble.
In my case I use natural progesterone and natural oestrogen (in the form of a patch) and this has had a massive effect on my whole life, indeed transforming it to such an extent that I am now symptom free. You can use this powerful and natural therapy whether you have a womb or not, and they are known to have a protective effect on our bones, heart and our libido as well as a stabilizing effect on our mind.
To find out more anyone suffering with PMDD, PND or PMS should ask for a referral to a gynaecologist. For further reading my first choice would be 'It must be my Hormones ' by Doctor Marion Gluck who explains the difference between them and the more synthetic HRT which so many women are reluctant to take. Synthetic hormones are those that are in the Contraceptive pill, depro-vera contraceptive injection, the contraceptive implant and too many others to mention and in my opinion should be avoided like the plague if you have depression or any mood disorder. Next week I will be explain how you can turn off your entire hormonal system if you are severely affected by this awful condition.
Have lovely weekend, Suzi
Wednesday, 30 April 2014
Panic Attacks.
Is there anything more horrible than a panic attack? Millions of people have them and yet there is still very little known about these horrible episodes which can be serious and extremely debilitating.
For years and years I would awake at night with my heart banging in my chest and a great feeling of impending doom. Sometime later, after the birth of my first child they seemed to take on a whole new meaning and were much, much worse leaving me scared out of my wits and an underlying sense of going 'crazy' or 'mad'.
At one point, my attacks were so severe I had to go to A and E as I was so convinced I was having a heart attack. This of course was highly embarrassing and left me with that all too consuming sense of shame as I felt that I was wasting everyone's time!
So what is happening when you have an attack? Or should it be, what has happened.?
It is my understanding that an attack is left over from our predatory days where the flight or fight system was highly active and we were running from danger. This highly complex strategy becomes abnormally active and floods the body with cortisol and adrenaline (stress hormones) which is why you get the terrible palpitations and shortness of breathe. The feeling of terror (which can come out of nowhere) is a reaction to these chemicals flooding the body and so now you have created a perfect chemical chaos which interferes massively with brain chemistry. This can leave one feeling horrendous, often for days after ,and the cycle can even create another attack,so now we have an awful situation where one attack creates yet another ! Nasty!
The main component when speaking to people that have suffered, is quite often STRESS, which somehow interferes with the natural bio-rhythms of the body and I urge the sufferer to look at what is currently happening in their personal lives ( and really look) to see what is the bigger picture. Do you have unresolved issues for example, or childhood baggage? Do you smoke cannabis or drink too much? Maybe you have a stressful job and are emotionally and physically exhausted. Is there an imbalance of some kind? Sometimes however, a panic attack can come without reason and that is why I'm hoping that more funding and research will become available in the near future. For further help you can contact ' NO PANIC on 0800 1388 889 and they will assist you and help you discover the real reasons for your crippling anxiety.
Incidentally ( and I know this may not be true for everyone) my panic attacks stopped immediately as soon as I stopped using the contraceptive pill which came as a huge, but more than welcome surprise. See....... I blame the Hormones.
Peace and love
Suzi xxx
For years and years I would awake at night with my heart banging in my chest and a great feeling of impending doom. Sometime later, after the birth of my first child they seemed to take on a whole new meaning and were much, much worse leaving me scared out of my wits and an underlying sense of going 'crazy' or 'mad'.
At one point, my attacks were so severe I had to go to A and E as I was so convinced I was having a heart attack. This of course was highly embarrassing and left me with that all too consuming sense of shame as I felt that I was wasting everyone's time!
So what is happening when you have an attack? Or should it be, what has happened.?
It is my understanding that an attack is left over from our predatory days where the flight or fight system was highly active and we were running from danger. This highly complex strategy becomes abnormally active and floods the body with cortisol and adrenaline (stress hormones) which is why you get the terrible palpitations and shortness of breathe. The feeling of terror (which can come out of nowhere) is a reaction to these chemicals flooding the body and so now you have created a perfect chemical chaos which interferes massively with brain chemistry. This can leave one feeling horrendous, often for days after ,and the cycle can even create another attack,so now we have an awful situation where one attack creates yet another ! Nasty!
The main component when speaking to people that have suffered, is quite often STRESS, which somehow interferes with the natural bio-rhythms of the body and I urge the sufferer to look at what is currently happening in their personal lives ( and really look) to see what is the bigger picture. Do you have unresolved issues for example, or childhood baggage? Do you smoke cannabis or drink too much? Maybe you have a stressful job and are emotionally and physically exhausted. Is there an imbalance of some kind? Sometimes however, a panic attack can come without reason and that is why I'm hoping that more funding and research will become available in the near future. For further help you can contact ' NO PANIC on 0800 1388 889 and they will assist you and help you discover the real reasons for your crippling anxiety.
Incidentally ( and I know this may not be true for everyone) my panic attacks stopped immediately as soon as I stopped using the contraceptive pill which came as a huge, but more than welcome surprise. See....... I blame the Hormones.
Peace and love
Suzi xxx
Tuesday, 22 April 2014
Amazing Anti-depressants.
My blog this week is about anti-depressant medication which I feel has often had a negative press and an even worse reputation. In my view however this is a great shame as this medicine can be a powerful weapon if you have suffered from clinical depression, and is often greatly misunderstood. In case your wondering, I am speaking from bitter experience and tried every known holistic and natural remedy in the hope of self treating. Indeed my husband spent hundreds of pounds paying for treatments which were costly and only helped for a while before losing their efficacy. I'm not saying that these treatments are worthless, only that my illness had become so entrenched and critical that to not take medication would have been dangerous and extremely serious. I believe that my reluctance to take medication also worsened my condition and allowed my symptoms to become worse with every passing day. Time is of the essence when one is dealing with a serious depressive episode, particularly if it is Post-natal Depression or there is an element of psychosis and suicidal urges.
The problem is, anti-depressants are known to have side effects and some are often quite severe, even though it is my view that once the initial first couple of weeks has passed, the side effects do leave the sufferer as they get used to the medication. This quite often puts people off taking them which is a great same in my opinion. The newer SSRIs are also known to have fewer side effects and are so good at doing their job, I often wonder why it took me so long to take them ! I could have saved myself weeks of misery if I had known what I know now, and I hope that anyone worried about taking them will be comforted by this and not curtail their treatment. If you are suffering from any depression whether it is hormonal or otherwise, I would certainly not try to fight it alone and would not hesitate to take medication, even though I know that some people would and will disagree with me.
As a general rule. life for me without them had simply become unbearable and I couldn't go on which is something to bear in mind if you are trying to reach a decision on whether to use this powerful and amazing medicine. If life is simply too hard to bare, you are suicidal or you believe that your depression is out of control, then you should always see a medical professional who can talk you through the options that are open to you. And of course, it goes without saying, that you can use your medication with any other regime, holistic or otherwise, as a multi-dimensional attack.
I sincerely hope that this blog gives the positive aspect to the use of anti-depressant, even though I fully and wholeheartedly understand the sufferers reluctance to use them.
God Bless
Suzi xx
The problem is, anti-depressants are known to have side effects and some are often quite severe, even though it is my view that once the initial first couple of weeks has passed, the side effects do leave the sufferer as they get used to the medication. This quite often puts people off taking them which is a great same in my opinion. The newer SSRIs are also known to have fewer side effects and are so good at doing their job, I often wonder why it took me so long to take them ! I could have saved myself weeks of misery if I had known what I know now, and I hope that anyone worried about taking them will be comforted by this and not curtail their treatment. If you are suffering from any depression whether it is hormonal or otherwise, I would certainly not try to fight it alone and would not hesitate to take medication, even though I know that some people would and will disagree with me.
As a general rule. life for me without them had simply become unbearable and I couldn't go on which is something to bear in mind if you are trying to reach a decision on whether to use this powerful and amazing medicine. If life is simply too hard to bare, you are suicidal or you believe that your depression is out of control, then you should always see a medical professional who can talk you through the options that are open to you. And of course, it goes without saying, that you can use your medication with any other regime, holistic or otherwise, as a multi-dimensional attack.
I sincerely hope that this blog gives the positive aspect to the use of anti-depressant, even though I fully and wholeheartedly understand the sufferers reluctance to use them.
God Bless
Suzi xx
Monday, 14 April 2014
Misophonia or hyper sensitivity to sound.
Misophonia is something which I have been learning about just recently as it has effected me to some degree but is also affecting several friends of mine (particularly those that also have received a diagnoses of depression).
When I was extremely poorly after the birth of my second child and before I was diagnosed with Postnatal depression, I started to feel extremely angry and unhappy when certain noises presented themselves. At first it was a mild irritation which then became more serious and the slightest noise would leave me feeling edgy and agitated to the point that I would have to cover my ears. Since I have been researching for my book, this phenomenon has cropped up time and time again, particularly with women in the reproductive years, although it can present itself at any time.
The sounds which are the most disturbing to the sufferer are chewing,sniffing, tapping and even breathing. There are many other sounds which can create a feeling of incessant anger and are so disturbing they can have a catastrophic effect on the sufferer and even destroy relationships. It somehow creates a feeling of intolerance and rage which is obviously very distressing and can even become physically painful.
From what I can gather there is no known cure for Misophonia, however several forums and helpful sites are now springing up which offer support for the sufferer and those who simply don't understand how distressing sound irritation can be. Coincidentally, I have noticed that the first symptoms show themselves around puberty when the hormonal changes are paramount. Saying that, from what I can gather no single cause can be found for Misophonia which makes it all the more unpleasant. I hope in time that will change and there will be more help available and even a cure which will help people who suffer from this horrible condition.
Blessings as always. Suzi
When I was extremely poorly after the birth of my second child and before I was diagnosed with Postnatal depression, I started to feel extremely angry and unhappy when certain noises presented themselves. At first it was a mild irritation which then became more serious and the slightest noise would leave me feeling edgy and agitated to the point that I would have to cover my ears. Since I have been researching for my book, this phenomenon has cropped up time and time again, particularly with women in the reproductive years, although it can present itself at any time.
The sounds which are the most disturbing to the sufferer are chewing,sniffing, tapping and even breathing. There are many other sounds which can create a feeling of incessant anger and are so disturbing they can have a catastrophic effect on the sufferer and even destroy relationships. It somehow creates a feeling of intolerance and rage which is obviously very distressing and can even become physically painful.
From what I can gather there is no known cure for Misophonia, however several forums and helpful sites are now springing up which offer support for the sufferer and those who simply don't understand how distressing sound irritation can be. Coincidentally, I have noticed that the first symptoms show themselves around puberty when the hormonal changes are paramount. Saying that, from what I can gather no single cause can be found for Misophonia which makes it all the more unpleasant. I hope in time that will change and there will be more help available and even a cure which will help people who suffer from this horrible condition.
Blessings as always. Suzi
Sunday, 6 April 2014
PMS OR PMDD
This weeks blog is trying to help the reader or sufferer decide if they have Pre-Menstrual Syndrome or the far worse PMDD, Pre Menstrual Disphoric Disorder.
Most women at some stage in their lives have suffered some form of tension in the week before their menstrual period and when those symptoms become extreme, that would then be called PMS. As much as we've all heard the jokes about this syndrome, to actually be a sufferer is far from funny and it can have a serious effect on any women's day to day life. PMDD however is more critical and can even be life threatening with a devastating knock on effect for the suffering women and their families.
Once I had established that I had PMDD, my life had become unbearable and I was only feeling well 1 week out of every month. I was often bed ridden as I was suffering from lowered immunity and had a huge amount of emotional difficulties which were extreme and very frightening. At times I would wonder if I had indeed lost my mind and became suicidal on many occasion. The symptoms were too many to mention but would include severe irritability, temper tantrums, violence and even the occasional hallucination.
As a rule of thumb, if anybody reading this blog is feeling this way then you need help and should ask for a referral to your gynaecologist who will be able to help you, and will have seen others with the same symptoms.
For further help and support if you tap PMDD into your search engine you will find many forums and online support which has been invaluable and life saving. It also helps a great deal to know that there are others out there with the same illness and that you are not alone, which is a great comfort.
Thankyou so much for reading my blog. I can now see on my tracker that I have a big following which helps me as my only intention is to reach out to other sufferers.
I hope that one day soon there will be a cure for the terrible and misunderstood condition that is PMDD
Blessings as always, Suzi x
Most women at some stage in their lives have suffered some form of tension in the week before their menstrual period and when those symptoms become extreme, that would then be called PMS. As much as we've all heard the jokes about this syndrome, to actually be a sufferer is far from funny and it can have a serious effect on any women's day to day life. PMDD however is more critical and can even be life threatening with a devastating knock on effect for the suffering women and their families.
Once I had established that I had PMDD, my life had become unbearable and I was only feeling well 1 week out of every month. I was often bed ridden as I was suffering from lowered immunity and had a huge amount of emotional difficulties which were extreme and very frightening. At times I would wonder if I had indeed lost my mind and became suicidal on many occasion. The symptoms were too many to mention but would include severe irritability, temper tantrums, violence and even the occasional hallucination.
As a rule of thumb, if anybody reading this blog is feeling this way then you need help and should ask for a referral to your gynaecologist who will be able to help you, and will have seen others with the same symptoms.
For further help and support if you tap PMDD into your search engine you will find many forums and online support which has been invaluable and life saving. It also helps a great deal to know that there are others out there with the same illness and that you are not alone, which is a great comfort.
Thankyou so much for reading my blog. I can now see on my tracker that I have a big following which helps me as my only intention is to reach out to other sufferers.
I hope that one day soon there will be a cure for the terrible and misunderstood condition that is PMDD
Blessings as always, Suzi x
Saturday, 29 March 2014
Why I wrote my book.
I decided to write my book about 5 years ago but wanted to wait until my third child had reached pre-school age so that I could focus on getting it right. I didn't tell anybody I was doing it and I think it has taken a few people by surprise mostly because not everyone knew that I had suffered from depression. So how do you write a book?
For anyone that wants to do the same I would firstly order a copy of The Writers and Artists yearbook which is the Authors 'bible' in terms of what to do and how to do it. This gave me further insight into what writing entails, how to find agents and publishers and what to expect within the whole process. Secondly, once I was happy with my manuscript, I enlisted the help of The Writers Workshop who help writers like me and give tough and honest feedback in the form of a report written by an accomplished and published editor. This has been immensely helpful and has helped me structure the book and strengthen the narrative,so worth every penny.
For anyone that is thinking of doing this business of writing, I found scheduling the time extremely important and stuck rigidly to writing on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays once I had the children in school ( coffee mornings are out) and I found that was the only way to maintain focus . I am extremely lucky as I also have a very supportive husband who has helped me when I've felt like giving up (which is also part of the whole process of writing). Trust me it is hard and has given me many sleepless nights , particularly as its a memoir and so I am essentially laying myself bare!
Lots of people have been asking me when the book will be published and I can only say at this point that I have signed an agreement and the book will be published, but as yet I have no release date. Its a long slow process and has taken even longer to get here, some eight years of research and two years writing, which is the harder business of writing a book as patience is the key. As soon as I hear more I will let everybody know, but in the meantime I will still be raising awareness and hoping to help anybody that has depression. It is because of my own illness and the subsequent misery, that I have now dedicated the rest of my life to helping people with this dreadful affliction which is all too prominent in society today and on the increase.
Have a great weekend. Suzi x
For anyone that wants to do the same I would firstly order a copy of The Writers and Artists yearbook which is the Authors 'bible' in terms of what to do and how to do it. This gave me further insight into what writing entails, how to find agents and publishers and what to expect within the whole process. Secondly, once I was happy with my manuscript, I enlisted the help of The Writers Workshop who help writers like me and give tough and honest feedback in the form of a report written by an accomplished and published editor. This has been immensely helpful and has helped me structure the book and strengthen the narrative,so worth every penny.
For anyone that is thinking of doing this business of writing, I found scheduling the time extremely important and stuck rigidly to writing on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays once I had the children in school ( coffee mornings are out) and I found that was the only way to maintain focus . I am extremely lucky as I also have a very supportive husband who has helped me when I've felt like giving up (which is also part of the whole process of writing). Trust me it is hard and has given me many sleepless nights , particularly as its a memoir and so I am essentially laying myself bare!
Lots of people have been asking me when the book will be published and I can only say at this point that I have signed an agreement and the book will be published, but as yet I have no release date. Its a long slow process and has taken even longer to get here, some eight years of research and two years writing, which is the harder business of writing a book as patience is the key. As soon as I hear more I will let everybody know, but in the meantime I will still be raising awareness and hoping to help anybody that has depression. It is because of my own illness and the subsequent misery, that I have now dedicated the rest of my life to helping people with this dreadful affliction which is all too prominent in society today and on the increase.
Have a great weekend. Suzi x
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