Ever Experience Extreme Irritability?

Yes. You are a woman. You have two kids. You have a husband. It is normal to feel this way. Eat healthy. Get lots of exercise. Have an outlet. Do something for YOU. Socialize with other women. You are not alone.

Hi J.,

Im sorry to hear that you are having troubles. I have a great solution for you. Yes there is a natural herbal remedy called Tang Qui. I do Herbalife products and swear by this one. I cant believe the difference it has made with the cellular nutrition in my body. I use it every day and dont ever have to worry about mood swings the irritability, cramps, soreness, bloating and it helps my period last only days. I had tried tang qui before in other brands from off the shelf but it just wasnt working but then I got on an Herbalife program so that I could loose weight and my coach suggested that one to me. Boy am I greatful! My husband and kids might just be a bit more than me! LOL My friend Olivia also had great results on this product. I would totally recommend it to everyone! Let me know if you would like some I can get you the price and have it shipped right to your door. I hope this helps! S. W.

I have been drinking MonaVie and it has totally changed my life. Here is my personal testimony.

Kristi’s Personal Testimony

I started drinking MonaVie in November of 2006. I immediately felt a difference in my energy level and I noticed that I was able to sleep better at night and would wake up feeling refreshed and energized. I noticed that I was no longer sluggish when I got off of work. The aches and pains I was feeling in my shoulder for the previous five years began to disappear and are now gone completely. I was also able to lose the baby weight (46lbs) I had gained with my last pregnancy very easily. I have been working out at home four to six nights a week since June of 2007. I have even been jogging (which I hate) 2-4 miles at a time without stopping. My joints don’t hurt and I have incredible energy. I used to get leg cramps at night and since I have been taking the MonaVie, I have not had one leg cramp. I also had skin cancer and it has totally disappeared. I no longer have PMS or any sort of stomach cramps during my period. I used to have really bad allergies (I’m allergic to the month of August) and I have not had any allergy problems at all, and it’s almost the end of August. I also used to get fever blisters, sun blisters, or cold sores all of the time. I have not had one blister on my lips since I started drinking the MonaVie. I love taking the MonaVie and so do my kids. My 12 year old son has Tourette’s Syndrome and Attention Deficit Disorder. The kids at school were making fun of him and he had no confidence. His teachers wanted me to put him on medication but I refused. Now I have him taking 4-6 oz of MonaVie daily. His symptoms have virtually disappeared and he is able to pay attention so much better in school and is confidant enough to participate in sport activities. He has also started getting better grades. (AN UPDATE ON MY SON…….he is 13 and in 7th grade now and has been drinking 6-9oz of the MonaVie faithfully every day. His Tourette’s Syndrome was improving but he was still having small daily occurrences. I have been asking the Universe to allow his body to be better and NOW I have my miracle. As of April 15th 2008, he has not been displaying ANY signs of Tourette’s Syndrome. He asked me on Sunday night if I had noticed that his Tourette’s behavior was gone for the past three days and I told him I noticed that it has been gone for TWO WEEKS. He asked if I thought it was the MonaVie and I said absolutely YES. He feels better than he has felt in a long time. He drank 4-6oz sporadically for 9 months and then 6-9oz faithfully, on a daily basis, for the last 8 months). My 7-year-old daughter has been telling all of her friends and teachers about it and she wants them to try it and be healthy. She hears me talking with people daily and how it is changing their lives. It helps my kids focus better and enables them to fall asleep better at night and feel rested when they wake up. My kids love taking the MonaVie. They always remember to take it and I could never get them to do that with vitamins. My husband takes the MonaVie, is seeing results, has started telling people about the product and he is very shy. He says everyone needs to be on MonaVie. He realizes how important it is for everyone’s health.

My mom has Distonia and her hands always fall asleep. She drank a bottle in three days and for the first time in over 20 years, her hands didn't fall asleep and her pain is going away. The doctors told her she would have to just live with this pain for the rest of her life. Not anymore. MonaVie has changed all of that.

My sister was taking Prozac for depression. She started drinking the MonaVie and after the first couple of bottles she took herself off of the Prozac and is coming out of her depression. She has the energy to make it through the day. She gets depressed every winter but this time it was different. She was able to make it through without falling into a deep depression because she has her MonaVie. She is no longer yelling at her kids, has more patience, and happily cleans her house. I have another sister who has lost 40lbs after taking the MonaVie for three months. She has also noticed a huge difference in her energy level and she no longer has any PMS.

My step-dad has noticed a big difference also. He has been taking MonaVie since June 2007. He has lowered his blood sugar, lowered his blood pressure, has lost weight, doesn’t feel as fatigued when working out, built muscle mass, and the shoulder that has been injured for the past 2 years has been pain free. He had a kidney transplant over three years ago and the doctor’s have said that his tests are coming back absolutely amazing. They actually have lowered his anti-rejection medication because his kidney function is doing so well. They said they have never had this happen before and to keep doing what he is doing. The MonaVie has changed his life and the lives of countless others.

My mother-in-law is diabetic and has lowered her blood sugar by taking the MonaVie. She has been able to get off of her sleep medication, does not have to take her Metamucil, and is feeling great.

I have seen first hand and experienced the magic of this product and I am very excited to share it with others. MONAVIE FOREVER!

K. Y. (Kuna, ID) 8.25.2007
you can contact me @ ____@____.com or my phone# is ###-###-####.

oh, that is me ON birth control pills!! lol. I can't tolerate those hormones in my body! your periods are my normal cycle my whole life...so that part I relate to but am thinking that may be your regular cycle now? for the mood swings, talk to your doctor yes. There could be a hormone imbalance that can be put back in "whack" and if you do want an herb...St. John's Wart. I would take it for about 7 days starting about a 5 days before my period started.

i have experienced the irritability and irregular periods. i found out a year ago that i have endometriosis, which messes up my hormone levels. i hope that you don't have endo, but if you start having pelvic pain, i would look into it. what i did for the irritability when i wasn't pregnant was to take st. john's wort. it took the edge off so i wasn't yelling at my kids so much. i found that taking progestin-only pills made my moods much much worse, so i warn people to stay away from them. they are depressants. a regular medical doctor will tell you that you can't test hormone levels because they change so much, but alternative/wholistic doctors know how to monitor hormones. it's just hard sometimes to get insurance companies to pay for it. if you have the money for it, i think it's worth it to have your hormones checked. good luck!

This was me ON the BCP. Yuck. I know that I do much better with mood issues when I do the following things to just take care of myself: exercise outdoors regularly (like walking or gardening), eat more fruits and veggies--I aim for 8 servings a day, and take a good quality multi vitamin--[I like the New Chapter brand--they are pricey, but so worth it. You can get them at Whole Foods or Wild Oats. The employees there will often tell you that is the brand that they use.] I have also had good luck with taking 5-HTP supplements--it mellows my husband out incredibly, and me at least a little! 5-HTP is an amino acid precursor to seretonin, the "happy brain" chemical, and also melatonin, so it helps you sleep as well. Also, you could try a supplement with Wild Yam Extract. The Wild Yam contains a substance that is a precursor for several hormones. So, it gives your body what it needs to make and balance out your own hormones. Just some thoughts. Good Luck. This is a really tough one!

J., I know you have a ton of responses already and I may be repeating some, but here is my 2 cents! I went off bc a few months ago when I had a copper IUD put in, and noticed extremem irritability as well. I have 18-mo. old twins (b/g) and just quit my job to stay home since my hubby graduated school. I figured it was just stress and that things would get better once I got used to staying home and got things organized at the new apartment. Well, things weren't getting any better as time went on so I went to our chiropractor who also does acupuncture, herbal remedies, and homeopathics. I was very sceptical when I started seeing him after I got married (he has helped my husband a ton with anxiety and fatigue) but I really think he knows his stuff. He gave me a couple different herbal/vitamin remedies that have helped a ton, without going to a prescription antidepressant or any other chemical solutions. If you are in the Salt Lake area and are interested, I would be happy to give you his info. Like I said, I was skeptical at first but feel so much better and have way more patience with my kids and hubby now. Good luck with whatever course of action you take!

try night primrose about a week before your period

Be sure you are taking daily vitamins and are getting enough calcium! You also want to be getting some sort of exercise, even if it is chasing the kids around a park outside. I had a very similar situation (hubby's V and all) and was starting to question my sanity! For me I think it was linked to PMS even though I was never "diagnosed". Through much reading I found out that these symptoms can be caused by vitamin deficiencies and calcium can be a major culprit too. Once I started taking my vitamins and calcium DAILY, along with some sort of daily exercise I noticed a huge difference. I can also tell if I forget to do these things for a few days. Good luck!

Hi J.,

I'm also an RN and so is my husband. We have both done much research on the hormones (particularly estrogen and progesterone) and how to balance them naturally. I have recorded a free teleconference call on the subject. I give a live class on it as well. My next one is on the 18th of June. Feel free to contact me and also listen to the call I recorded. I've been doing this for the past four+ years and it is a passion to me to help women like yourself. We have also partnered with a company called Arbonne International due to the company's philosophy and research in formulating products that don't interfere with the endocrine system and help balance hormones naturally. My class is very informational. It goes into four ways we get out of hormonal balance and why, and gives a variety of resources to get back in balance without synthetic (prescrition) hormones. Here is the teleconference info:

What you and your mother, daughters, sisters and friends need to know...

Women's Health and Hormone Balance Presentation
Free Teleconference Playback Number: ###-###-####. Access code: 28954#
Press "1" to rewind 30 seconds. Press "2" to fast forward 30 seconds. Press "5" to pause/resume.
Recorded time of 54 minutes.

I hope this helps you! Feel free to contact me with any questions!

Blessings,
J.

I have this same issue myself, usually right before my period, but sometimes in the middle of my cycle as well. My husband aslo had a Vasectomy so I am not on any hormonal bc myself. Sometimes I think being a mom in this day and age is just stressfull and to alway's be pleasant can be a challenge! I know that sounds bad but I do think it is true. Are you doing anything fun for yourself? I know my NP reccomends some herbal teas that are for women specifically. I think there may be some natural ways with food and herbs, since I think estrogen levels relate to mood there are some ways to increase this naturally. Be carefull with the traditional medicine route which will lead to medication like anti-depressants, no counseling or any other tools to deal with life! And do you want to be on the meds your entire life! I think it is scary how easily Dr.s put people on the meds, we need to deal with things! You are ok! Having a job and a family is not easy! Good luck to you!

Sounds normal to me. It is probably just the hormones. I got that way with menopause but PMS can do it too. If being aware of it isn't enough to remind you to ease up then you may want to see the doctor.

There are herbs that can help. I've forgotten which ones but you can check the books or ask around at a health foods store for more. I did get so bad I didn't want to be around me so I really do understand and there is hope for it easing over time. Your body is adjusting to the hormone changes. I would go for the natural fixes before the other medical prescription ones, but it is miserable to go on this way and you do need help.

The first thing you should do is chart your periods (along with symptoms, like irritibility, tender breasts, etc) on a calendar every month, so your health care provider can actually see what kind of pattern is going on. It sounds like you're experiencing some PMS symptoms, which can be helped greatly by simple things like dietary changes, exercise, etc. I think if you google PMS you'll get a ton of info back. Caffiene is a huge culprit when it comes to PMS. As you move into your mid-thirties, it's normal to start experiencing mild, perimenopausal changes. Your hormones start to fluctuate ever so slightly, so that you may have one or two periods per year that are different from normal. Don't freak out yet! This doesn't mean you're going into an early menopause, just that things are starting to change a bit. A very good book that will help greatly is "What Your Doctor May Not Have Told You About Perimenopause" by John R. Lee, MD. In it, you'll read about natural progesterone cream, which could also help you alot. However, make sure that you use prescription cream, not the kind you can get at the store. Call University Pharmacy for a recommendation for providers who can help you. Good luck!

You are probably experiencing the after delivery changes, etc. You are having some kind of reaction to something you are doing. You need more sleep, avoid sugar, eat more whole foods, lose the dairy, etc etc, I get this way month after month and am finally able to pin it down to lifestyle decisions. I can cut out caffeine and sugar and feel 100% better in 2 days. These things only get harder when you age so get some healthy habits now. High quality multi vitamins are good, vitamin E is good for women problems, try making some small changes and see if you improve at all. Diet is always the key for me and my bad moods. God Bless,

J.,
I am NOT a doctor, but here is some medical advise--
(1) Unless there is a medical reason for taking birth control, stay away from it.(2) Go see your doctor.
It sound like it is something hormonal and as far as I know, the doctor is the best one for this. If it is not hormones, perhaps you get to look at your emotional triggers. You might want to check our Dr. Laurie.
She is on Mamasource.
With Joy, C.

I have a friend that has to take medicine just during her period for that reason. It is called something more than pms. You might want to talk to your doctor about getting on something just during your period. It really helps her. I will try to get a hold of her and find out what the medicine is but I think you should just talk to your doctor because it is a real issue.

i would have your thryoid checked too. look into the copper IUD. i have the mirena and love it!

I had to switch to a lower dose bc pill because regular bc was making me depressed, irritable and I felt horrible all the time. I still get a lower level of the symptoms, but(I'm probably just repeating other people) if I'm not exercising regularly that month or not eating right its 10x worse.
I tried a pill, I'm not at home and can't remember the name but that seemed to work it was just $$. I'm sure you'll find something! I feel for you good luck!

I wish I had the answer but I wanted to lend some support. I, too, am struggling with imbalanced hormones and cycles with a host of miserable symptoms. I am older than you, 44, but I remember the shift in my cycles and well-being started around 36. I have severe irritability and depression, breast tenderness, bloating and increased IBS, all swing with my hormones. My cycle is irregular too, so it's hard to clearly see where I am in the cycle when the symptoms ramp up.

I'm going to explore bioidentical hormones in the form of creams. Dr. Mosher, ob-gyn, I believe helps women with these issues and he's with Kaiser. Dr. Kenton Bruice is another MD who specializes in bioidentical hormones but he has a private practice and is expensive.

Let me know if you find any relief. I'm in there with you sister!

J.

Hi there J.,
I have battled the same as you over many years. Man, those periods showing up early and then so heavy, get very annoying, and there's no where to run !! The impatience and irritability were right there, too.
A little over a year ago, I started reseraching natural health supplements, which ones were good and why, etc. I started taking certain types from a health food store and some from an on-line natural health resource.
I started to feel better and then along the way, I found out about Shaklee and began an intense comparison of their products to what I had been using, and ultimately switched over.
I am very pleased to report that I feel better both emotionally and physically, and I attribute the majority of it to my Shaklee supplements and vitamins which are All NATURAL :)
J., if you'd like to know more, just send me an email or call me at 208/549-4359.
Take care and God bless you for improved health & wellness,
L.

hello there-- isn't it sooo frustrating!! I get the irritability too and you explained it to the "t" ! I have talked to my dr about it and he wanted to put me on anti-depressants??!! I got them and and still haven't taken them because i feel like if i take them i am a failure. Maybe you might have more courage than i did and try it. I also decided to get a gynocologist to be my dr instead of a family physican because i felt like i wasn't getting the help i needed. So if you have a reference for my that would be great. I am a mom of four kids--14--10--girls 6--3 boys and i stay at home married for 13 years. Now that my three year old is going to preschool next year i was wanting to go learn more about being a doula or something similar to what you do for a living . Do you have any suggestions??

Good luck

Hi J.,

I had the same experience when I went off BC. I had to because the BC was causing severe migraines (off the pill no more migraines). Anyway, I've done a ton of research on PMS and PMDD. The other thing I have learned is that as I got older my cycle changed - I have the sore breasts now, didn't before; I used to have a long period, now it's 3.5 days. Our bodies just change.

You can try natural hormone creams - Vitamin Cottage, Wild Oats, or Whole Foods will have them (or any health food type store)

A low-carb diet REALLY helps me.
Excercise helps a ton (hard to find the time)
Reducing caffeine and sugar intake around that time
Vitamin B, calcium + Vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids are all supposed to help a great deal.
I was off milk for a long time, but since I have started having at least a cup/day I have noticed my irritability decrease.

Good Luck!
J. R.

To answer your question...YES!!! However, a lot of hormonal stuff can be cured with good nutrition and exercise. A boring answer, I know. I used to have horrible periods and PMS that would drive my husband out of the house. When I started taking better care of myself and doing yoga, I felt normal for the first time in a long time. Good luck and I hope you feel like yourself soon!

quite a bit of your description sounds like you should have your thyroid levels checked. I am on thyroid replacement and so I get it checked rather often. I can tell when the IRRITABILITY sets in that I need a change. The way you describe the irritability is what makes me think thyroid. I have SO been there. Good luck!

I would STRONGLY suggest you have your hormones checked. I know that there are many reasons this can happen. PMS is the first thing that comes to mind and I know that sounds too simple,but it might just be that. However, you can't fully know if there is a bigger problem if you don't have your hormones checked. I know a little bit about this considering I have PCOS and my hormones are all messed up naturally. I swear by estrogen patches, but that is just for me. Good luck!!!

I'm a monster when I'm not on birth control. When we were trying to conceive and I was off of it I was not a happy person. It really helps regulate my hormone levels, I believe. You should talk to your OBGYN to see what they think is best for you, but I don't think you are alone in this.

I have had extreme irritability since the days of my In-Vitro attempts. I take 20mg of Celexa which has no side effects for me. If you don't want to go the anti-depressant route, I would suggest reducing your stress in very real ways(start running, yoga, meditation, bubble baths, dates with hubby, etc). Another suggestion is I have heard that when women take large amounts of B12 vitamin it can help the seratonin levels somehow. Good luck!