Mood and Emotional Stabilizer =O/

Get OFF birth control pills!!! Same thing happened to me......I got off, and within 2 weeks felt like a new person! I am going to get the Mirena put in when I am ready for control again!

On the days I run or crosstrain, my mood is much more stable. When I take a day off of exercise, I tend to feel much more stressed and moody. For me, regular vigorous exercise is a must to keep me from feeling too stressed or even depressed.

I go through hormone imbalances, and getting daily excersize REALLY helps me! Even if it's just walking outside for a mile or two, I definitely see the difference!

"Evening Primrose Oil" is a known remedy for "PMS" and the accompanying mood swings women get. (you can look it up online)

I take it too, once a month a couple weeks prior to my period, because I get moody PMS symptoms which I hate,... and I find it helps.

it comes in gel tab pills that you take...and there are directions on the bottle to say how many to take... each woman being different.

Or, there are homeopathic pills you can take... just go to your natural food store and ask.

But, if you try the Evening Primrose Oil, don't expect it to work instantaneously... you need to take it regularly everyday, a couple times a day... and then see how it works for you.

Or, ask your OB/GYN for advice on what you can take... I"m sure lots of women get symptoms like this on birth control... because it affects our hormone system/balance and the endocrine system.

All the best,
Susan

I've found that most depression, road rage, and just flying off the handle is actually adrenal insufficeincy. From what I've seen, less than 10% of the people who are on anti-depressants have a true serotonin issue.

You may want ot try this Adrenal Support and start off with 1-2 in the am, and possible another one at noon - but no later than that. My husband is such a great guy, but I can tell after 3 days of him not taking it that he's been off it. It's not addictive, but it helps his body deal with being SAHD to 3 kids. Even my 6 year old will comment when his fuse is short, "Dad, you didn't take your adrenal, did you?" LOL

www.worldlifesupplements.com

PS I LOVE their calcium. My doctor sells it to me and this is the only website that carries it, so I have friend all over that swear by this stuff.

The mini pill makes alot of women feel that way. Look into other options.

Hi R.,

Funny that I have been going through something similar, but mostly due to just being tired and therefore moody. I recently went to a local Henry's market and got a B vitamin shot (most Henry's offer it at certain times you must check with your local store). I have to say that I have felt great and am getting another one this week. I also am increasing the amount of hours I sleep and have added folic acid as well as vitamin E pills to my diet. Good luck!

So many great suggestions!!!
Here's my two cents... Any extra hormones, from birth control or now from breastfeeding, in my system makes me moody & depressed. I use the no hormone, 10 year IUD and have for many years. Now, when I get a little kooky, at least I know it's not driven by an outside source.
Good luck! Hope you feel better!

R., I so understand how you are feeling. I was very fortunate that when I suffered from stress many years ago a very good friend of mine recommended DIANETICS (http://www.dianetics.org/) to me. WOW! That was the magic that helped me deal with what was really going on with me naturally and get me back to feeling like my cheerful self. I love that with DIANETICS no one evaluates you or tries to drug you. It's truly about you. You can always watch the DIANETICS video at: http://www.dianetics.org/#/videos

Please free to contact me at: (323) 906~2784 or via e~mail me at ____@____.com.

I'd love to help you however I can.

With love,
L. (MAMA to 19 month old Dylan Orion.......29 September 2007) : )))

I know others have already suggested SAMe and I would highly recommend it! It takes about a month to really kick in before you see a difference. I've taken them starting in my late 30's & I'm now 41. My close friends also take it & we all remark what a difference the SAMe makes. You can pick it up at CVS or any other pharmacy as well as at Costco when you buy in bulk. The nice thing is that it's all natural too! Good luck.

R.,
I'm prone to minor bouts of depression, as well. I've done the prescription route, but ultimately stopped after a few months when I thought the worst was past me (I'm not really big on long-term prescription use). What has helped me is omega fish oils in capsule form, or krill oil, also in capsule form. I prefer Carlsons for the fish oil, specifically because it comes from fish in the deep waters off of Scandinavia, where mercury would be at its lowest. I have found Carlsons at Henry's Market, Whole Foods, Mother's Market and online, as well. Also, if you aren't already doing this, a regular exercise routine is truly imperative to keep mood swings/depression at bay. With the added benefit of a healthy body, of course!! Best of luck to you!!

The many benefits of fish oil:
http://www.womens-health-fitness.com/omega-3-fish-oils.html

Kava works for some people. Ask your clerk behind the counter at a good health food store. They are usually very knowdlegeable. 5HTP only made me irritable because I was soo sleepy, even if I was well rested. Make sure you are well rested and eating right. Another thing, my husband has always been an irritable, Type A personality, but recently he has become very sweet, reasonable and loving. I thought it was just the maturity of middle age, until I realized he is taking huge amounts of Essential Fatty Acids (omega 3-6-9) in fish oil capsules, at his Dr.'s direction, to reduce his cholesterol. EFA's have been proven to improve mood and emotional stability in schizophrenics (can't spell that word) and behavioral improvements in autistics. Hmmmm - worth a try. Maybe you are just undernourished.

Dear R.:

There is a link between the use of BC pills and depression and anxiety
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/birth_control_overview/pag...

I wish you the best in finding the solution to this imbalance. In my case, I unfortunately had to stop the pills because we found no solutions, neither natural/holistic or pharmaceutical.

Best wishes,

M.

you may want to look into vitamin B 12 or complex.... also something important is omega fatty acids like fish oil or a blend of flax, borage, etc....they help with the nervous system. Regular acupuncture can be extremely helpful as often little outbursts and a feeling of being pent up or stressed has to do with the liver energy being blocked. the liver stores blood and is also related to the storage of emotions so when it gets full and there's no release, you have those pissy anger flare ups. They may put you on herbs too that will help smooth everything out. Also some type of yoga or tai chi or chi gong could really help. good luck and I've been there!

Hi R.

Sorry to hear that you are effected by stress. I'm not sure where you live, but I am a clinical hypnotherapsit with a private practice in Calabasas. (I also have success with long distance phone sessions.) Hypnotherapy is fantastic for reducing stress and getting to the root cause so you can disconnect it forever. Give me a call if you would like to discuss it further.
All the best, J.
###-###-####
wwww.innerroadtochange.com

You are probably deficient in something..I would go to a herbalist

Hi,
I have started taking sublingual B12 tablets, as the B12 is easier to get into your system this way, rather than the non-sub lingual, and it helps to keep me from getting mad and stressed. I still have some feelings about what is causing me to get angry, but I don't react so violently. I am a much nicer person.
You can look up the specs on B12 on the web.
Good luck with this.

Hey R.,
Bless you for taking care of your nieces!!! SAMe works well, it does take time to really feel it though, so don't give up on it. You can even buy it at costco. I hope you feel better soon. Thanks for caring enough to raise your nieces, you are one in a million and I admire you,
V.

The VERY best way to help yourself is a two-prong approach- counseling and medication- whether that is an OTC herb or a prescription drug. Counseling doesn't mean something is wrong with you, I personally think we could ALL use some counseling at different points in our life. Studies show the 2 work together better than either one alone. I know working full time while taking care of two girls gives you minimal extra time, but a session or two might really help! Also, don't rule out prescriptions- there are a TON of safe drugs that won't make you feel like a zombie at all! I have been on a few and felt like myself for the 1st time in a long time. The goal is not to make you have a flat affect or make you weirdly happy all the time- it's to have you be yourself with normal ups and downs. The thing is that it's trial and error- some drugs work great on some and not so well on others, so you might have to be patient and try a few, or you might get the right one right away! Whatever you decide, be aware that herbs are definitely drugs too and can cause harm when not taken correctly- so check with your doctor. Good luck!

Hi R.,

I take Bach Flower Remedies and they work well for me. They are available at health food stores. (They also have remedies for children - I give my 4 year old the children's "rescue remedy" with good results. You can read more about the remedies by clicking the link below. Best of luck!

http://www.bachflower.com/38_Essences.htm

~F.

Hello R.,

I can not take medications do to a heart problem and run a Boys & Girls Club. I was facing the same issues you talk about...I talked to my doctor and she said to take Ginkobaloba (???) It has helped tremendously my son now calls them mommies Happy Pills.
Just what I do...

C.

I think your best bet is to talk with your doctor about this and follow his/her advice. The medication that works well for one person may not work for another. There also may be other medical issues going on that cause you to have mood swings. Your doctor is the best person to help you.

Best of luck,
J.

Natural sources need about 3 months for them to show up because they are working with instead of overriding the body. Check in to SAMe, possible b vitamin complex?

J.
www.HolisticWellnessAndNutrition.webs.com
Nutritional Consultant

Great book call the Mood Cure. 4 quick test to see where you are and then has amino acid recommendations. I seen this change people's lives. 5HTP maybe wasn't the right choice for you. You may need Gaba instead. Get the book, its great.

Good Luck
N.

I didn't look at any of your other responses but just thought I would throw this out there too....any of the things you are trying or going to try take time to build up in your system. They say it takes 4-6 weeks to stabilize the hormones in your system so don't give up on it if it doesn't work in a day or two. Give it a couple weeks! Hope you are feeling better soon! :-)

Hi, R.,

I have not noticed an improvement in mood while taking mood stabilizers so I cannot advise you on which medications or supplements to take. One thing that has helped stabilize my mood is practicing mindfulness (meditation and guided imagery). My sister, a clinical psychologist, as well as my graduate psychotherapeutic techniques professor recommend reading Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn and listening to CDs by Belleruth Naperstek and then practicing the techniques mentioned in these resources. I've had 30 psychotherapists and been in and out of therapy for 20 years. Mindfulness practice and therapy with my last (current) therapist seem to be the only things that have really helped me.

Good luck!

Lynne E

Hi R.,
When our body & brain chemistry are out of sync, it profoundly affects our moods & behaviors. I am reading a book called "The Diet Cure" by Julia Ross, M.A. It addresses rebalancing our chemistry by temporarily using specific amino acids & other supplements until our body can help itself. It to make a lot of sense & has questionnaires to help you establish what is deficient in your own body & to help you make your own plan. Good luck!

I suggest you visit your local vitamin store and seek guidance from an educated staff member. There are some amazing natural supplements that will help you with your stress level. You may want to re-evaluate what foods you are in taking and your eating schedule, I know that a large in take of carbs and/or sugars can limit your body's ability to function at it's highest level, thus causing stress.

Good Luck!

After years of trying different products, I use Think Straight. (impaxtherapy.com) It really helps. I can feel the difference in my ability to deal with things. The REAL test however is when I run out- those SAME issues seem bigger and harder to deal with.

Me- ADD/Hyper Mom of 3 kids -3 schools-36 hours of responsibilities a day...!