Mood Changes in Women

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Understanding Mood Changes in Women

The stereotype is true: menopause messes with your moods. It’s that simple.

Mood issues comprise a particularly difficult cluster of symptoms in menopausal women because they impact those around you—particularly your loved ones. When your moods are out of kilter, everyone comes along for the ride.

Common Mood Changes in Women

Changes in mood can mean different things for different women. Some women will have moods that fluctuate unpredictably. Some will experience depression. Others will have anxiety, or irritability. And then there are myriad combinations of these.

Mood Swings

Mood swings are simply abrupt changes in mood. You might be laughing one minute, and crying the next. A moment ago you were perfectly calm, and then out of nowhere you lash out at your significant other.

When you’re suffering from mood swings, your response to situations is often disproportionate to what’s actually going on. You sob over a sad commercial. You yell because someone left the cap off the toothpaste.

Depression

Depression is different from mood swings. Rather than swinging up and down within a short timeframe, depression means being down for an extended period. When women are depressed, they feel sad, empty, unmotivated, and like they’ve lost interest in the things they used to enjoy. Decreased energy and low sex drive are also common. When someone feels this way, it’s hard to imagine feeling good again.

Anxiety

Some women are anxiety prone prior to reaching menopause, and find that hormone imbalance amplifies what they’ve dealt with previously. But even women who were never anxiety-prone earlier in life can struggle with anxiety during menopause. You may feel edgy, jumpy, nervous, or overwhelmed. If these feelings sound familiar, and they’re causing you significant discomfort, anxiety may be to blame.

Irritability

As much as we may dislike the stereotype that characterizes menopausal women as being cranky and difficult to be around, there is some truth in it. Hormone imbalance makes many women impatient and irritable. And sometimes their loved ones want to run for the hills.

Causes of Mood Changes

Serotonin

Serotonin is a mood-regulating neurotransmitter, and is an especially big player when it comes to maintaining stable moods. It also regulates your sleep cycle and your energy level. In summary, it’s critically important to your sense of wellbeing.

You may be wondering what serotonin has to do with menopause. That’s a valid question, since serotonin isn’t one of the hormones we typically hear about in relation to menopause. Estrogen, however, is a hormone familiarly associated with menopause. And our bodies need estrogen to make serotonin. So when estrogen levels drop during menopause, serotonin levels drop, too.

Other Hormones

There are hormones other than serotonin and estrogen that also have a pronounced effect on mood:

Progesterone acts as a natural anti-depressant, and has an anti-anxiety effect, as well.
Testosterone lifts mood when present at healthy levels.
Low thyroid is known to actually cause depression, anxiety, and irritability.

Other Symptoms

The emotional distress that comes with other symptoms of menopause and perimenopause can also be enough to cause mood issues. Hot flashes, insomnia, fatigue, weight gain, and low sex drive can make a woman miserable and can drive her to feeling depressed, anxious, and irritable.

Stress and Cortisol

Stress can result in excess cortisol production. In turn, excess cortisol can cause adrenal fatigue, and adrenal fatigue can cause depression and anxiety.

Treatment For Mood Changes in Women

Trying to live with unstable moods during menopause is miserable, especially if your loved ones are affected. Neither you, nor those close to you, should have to suffer through this kind of turmoil. Let’s find some solutions together.

Frequently Asked Questions

I have done a lot of reading about hormone therapy, but does it work?: Yes—if it’s done correctly, and under the supervision of an experienced doctor.

Hormone therapy is not a fanciful search for the fountain of youth. It is medical science at its best. It is trained doctors using sophisticated lab tests and treatment protocols developed and used over many years to produce life-altering results.
When should I think about replacing hormones?: Historically, our answer to the “when should I start” question has been to begin once you have symptoms, regardless of age.

However, the idea that we can manage the aging process is gaining momentum. An outgrowth of that is that we have an increasing number of clients who contact us initially because they wish to take control of the aging process early, long before symptoms have emerged.

Whether you want to head off the aging process early, or you’re just beginning to experience symptoms, or your symptoms are severe and you’ve had them for a long time, we can design a treatment program to address your unique needs.
What does Bioidentical mean?: Bioidentical means that molecularly the hormone that you’re replacing is exactly the same as what your body produces naturally. The molecules of synthetic hormones are slightly different.

There are hormone receptors all over your body. Think of these receptors like they’re locks, and hormone molecules like they’re keys. The synthetic molecules don’t fit into those locks quite right, which means they don’t work the same way in your body—often with detrimental consequences. You may be wondering…why do pharmaceutical companies make synthetic hormones with molecules that are slightly different? Because it’s the only way they can patent them. Bioidentical hormones can’t be patented.
Do I have to treat all hormones?: Hormones can be treated separately or in combination. However, we do emphasize that hormone therapy is about having balanced hormones—better results are obtained by taking the proper amount of a combination of hormones, depending upon what your lab results show, and depending upon your symptoms. All of your hormones will function better if they’re all present at healthy levels.
How are hormones replaced?: The short answer is that it depends. For some hormones, there are one or two optimal and safe methods of delivery. In other instances, client preference may come into play. You will be informed as to what the pros and cons are of any particular method of delivery, so that you and our doctors can decide what makes the most sense for you. Regardless, our doctors will not allow you to do something that isn’t safe.
How much of any given hormone will I take?: Your Renew Youth doctor will prescribe the amount needed to optimize your levels. Our doctors use a combination of lab testing and feedback from you with regard to how you’re feeling to dial in just the right dosages.
Is hormone therapy safe?: Yes. There are countless studies that have shown not only the safety of hormone therapy, but also the long-term health benefits. This assumes that treatment is done properly, and monitored on a regular basis. Again, the only way we do things is safely, and correctly.
Are there any side effects associated with your therapies?: When hormones and other treatments are administered correctly—and correctly is the only way we do things—there should be no side effects.
How long must I commit to hormone therapy?: Your commitment to hormone therapy should last as long as you want the results. If this thought is daunting, consider that men and women of previous generations had the same age-related challenges that we face today. They could not, however, do anything about it. When you consider the improved quality of life that hormone therapy affords, not to mention a longer life, making the commitment becomes easier.
Where and how do I get my lab testing done?: Renew Youth has national accounts with two of the largest lab companies in the country. We will arrange your testing at a location that is convenient for you.
Where will I see my Renew Youth doctor?: Renew Youth has doctors located across the country, and we will determine which one is closest to you.
Are diet and exercise important?: Yes! Establishing and maintaining good lifestyle habits is critical to achieving optimal results from your treatment. This means eating a healthy diet, getting enough exercise, managing stress, getting adequate sleep, and drinking lots of water.
Will injectable nutrients be a part of my program?: That’s largely up to you. Many of our clients augment their better aging efforts with injectable nutrients. Our doctors will discuss your goals with you, and will review the various options available to you.