Re: perimenopause & depression ?
Hello! I can only tell you about my experience with menopause, perimenopause.
I began having hot flashes, severe mood swings and
Depression when I was about 40. My doctor tried to prescribe an anti-depressant and I refused. He also wanted me to go on hormones which I also refused. Every year at my annual checkup he tried again and I refused again.
It took several years to get through the symptoms, my blood tests show that I am in menopause, and at last I am feeling "normal" again and I'm glad I didn't take the hormones.
However, if I had to do it again, I might go for the anti-depressant because I was so hateful. I ended up getting divorced from the husband that I will never get over. To this day I love him and wish we could still be together in the relationship we had before I messed it up.
There are many anti-depressants out there. Please do the research and in the meantime, find out why you are depressed. If it is not hormonal (your levels are normal?) then perhaps you should get counseling or start meditating on a regular basis.
I am a firm believer that anti-depressants are over-prescribed. But sometimes they are needed for a temporary period of time. Think it over carefully. Good luck!