WOMENS-HEALTH Messages for September, 2003: hormones, contraceptives, PMDD and anti-depressants's

hormones, contraceptives, PMDD and anti-depressants's

From: Elizabeth (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Fri, 26 Sep 2003 09:18:44 -0500 (CDT)

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Previous message: anonymous@obgyn.net: "Re: lower right quadrant & lower back pain, several negative tests, low grade fever and pain persists 2 weeks."

I'm amazed at the lack of knowledge on women's problems even today. I suffer from PMS/PMDD.

Contraceptives i've never got on with and it makes me angry when i tell my GYN the side-effects i've experienced and she tells me that the pill can't cause them?? I've read loads of reports on the net that say pills are likely to exaberate mood-related symptoms yet doctors won't ackowledge this?

Prozac (SSRI) does help a lot of women with very severe PMDD but the reason it works has nothing to do with serotonin levels as some doctors still believe. SSRI's increase the levels of a neurosteroid called allopregnanolone which is a derivative of progesterone. This neurosteroid reduces anxiety. Fluctuations/low levels of allopregnanolone are thought to play a major role in PMDD/PMS. Elli Lilly have admitted that PMDD returns as soon as their SSRI is discontinued. Also if the only cause of PMDD is allopregnanolone then taking an anti-depressant is going to be risky because it plays around with a lot of other neurotransmitters in the brain and can cause personality changes.

Interestingly alcohol also increases allopregnanolone levels which i believe is why i get cravings for alcohol when i have PMS. The only other drugs which increase allopregnanolone are benzodiazepines (eg Valium) or anti-pyschotics (eg clozapine) which have severed side-effects or are addictive.

Allopregnanolone levels increase when progesterone increases. I've tried really hard to get my GYN to prescribe me natural progesterone which she promised to do when i saw her last..i'm waiting for her to ring me back.

Also cognitive behavioural therapy is supposed to help with PMDD but i don't know if you can get this on the NHS?

Next message: teebee: "experienced adhesion md?"
Previous message: anonymous@obgyn.net: "Re: lower right quadrant & lower back pain, several negative tests, low grade fever and pain persists 2 weeks."

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