Getting Help for Early Menopause and Depression
Q: I am entering menopause quite early as my mother did, at 38 years old.
There are extreme hormonal changes going on with me. My doctor has put me on
the pill but I am still emotionally out of control and nearly suicidal at times.
I have sought the help of a therapist and am on an antidepressant. My doctor
says that they no longer do hormonal testing. I have an HMO, which could be
part of the problem.
I just feel like I need so much more help than I am getting. I really do not
know what to do. I am having personal problems but I watched my mother go almost
insane at the onset of menopause. I'm getting there and think often of suicide.
Can you give me any help at all?
Dr. Donnica: The most important thing here is that you recognize
that you need help. Please forward your message to your doctor. If you are suicidal,
you need immediate psychiatric help. This includes psychotherapy as well as
medical therapy. While your doctor may have put you on birth control pills to
help with your fluctuating hormone levels, they can sometimes worsen depression.
While menopause itself is not a risk factor for depression, it can be a pivotal
risk factor in someone who has a family history predisposing them to depression
and clearly you do.
If you are not getting the help you need, you may also need to send your message
to the customer service representative or even the president of your HMO.
Click here for more information about depression or other mental
health issues.
With best regards,
Donnica Moore, MD
President, DrDonnica.com
Created: 11/2/2003  - Donnica Moore, M.D.