Hormonal Prison – by Lisa Kelly

In two weeks, our little poot will be a year old.  What a roller coaster ride this has been, especially emotionally.  I think when we have babies at “advanced maternal age”, our hormones are already starting to pack up their hand basket to Hell then we place the additional stress of a pregnancy on them.  I thought I was peri-menopausal when I found out I was pregnant.  My periods had picked up considerably and I was suddenly suffering night sweats, severe insomnia, heavy bleeding and mood swings like you read about.   My pregnancy went great and I felt very happy during and in the immediate weeks following delivery.

After delivery, my OB/GYN put me on the progesterone mini pill.  That turned out to be a bad fit as I found myself ready to spit nails and breathe fire at a moments notice.  I changed to the estrogen patch about six months ago and now the same thing is happening again.  I am not myself.  I’m stressed out and very unhappy despite having a near perfect husband and a beautiful baby.  Now school has started for me again so my stress is magnified a thousand times and most days I just want to run away from home.   I’m curious if anyone has experienced this and if you have found any relief.