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Hormones/Anxiety...
Hey everyone. So this is the story. Last summer, I went on Loestrin Birth Control Pills.I was on it for about three months, then stopped taking it. Since them, I've had bad anxiety/depression. This might sound crazy, but I was wondering if the hormones could have somehow permanently altered my hormones/moods? And if there's anything I can do to reverse it. Thanks for the feedback everyone.
I went off the Loestrin b/c I was having a lot of mood swings/anxiety/depression, which wasn't really present before. I recently went on Zoloft for about two months to try and stop the anxiety/depression, but stopped taking it as of about a week ago because I felt it might be making me worse.
Can any doctor check hormones/thyroids or does it have to be a specialist?
Can any doctor check hormones/thyroids or does it have to be a specialist?
How do you go about getting your hormones checked? Can normal doctor do this or do you have to go to a special doctor? Thanks!
Remar asks a good question...did you start having symptoms of anxiety and depression while you were still on the Loestrin, or only after you went off?
Most definitely hormone replacement therapy of any kind (or hormonal imbalances, like those related to the thyroid) can cause anxiety. If indeed you felt anxiety after starting on the BC pill, it should have resolved after you came off of it.
HOWEVER, sometimes, even when there would be a clear and obvious CAUSE of anxiety, like a BC pill, even when the pill is discontinued, the anxiety can stick around. At that point, it becomes more of a fear/emotional reaction. The anxiety symptoms were scary, and a person begins to fear those sensations. That could be what's possibly going on with you, as the hormones (from the pill) would be long gone by now. Unless your hormones were way out of whack to start with, before you started the Loestrin, your hormonal levels should not be affected long term after taking BC.
I would recommend a thorough physical with your doc (if you haven't already), that includes bloodwork, checking for things like thyroid imbalances, anemia, glucose levels. If you get a clean bill of health, and no medical cause can be found, then it would be a good idea to get yourself into some therapy to start addressing the anxiety.
You may think therapy is a strange suggestion, but therapy isn't always about spilling your guts and exploring deep rooted issues, but a lot of times it is to help a person learn how to cope with anxiety/depression symptoms...and learn different things they can do to minimize their anxiety. That would be a good starting place for you, IMO. The quicker you start addressing it, most likely, the quicker you can get it to a more manageable level, and also prevent it from worsening.
Of course, there are medications used to treat chronic anxiety...but I think considering a med at this point is a bit premature, especially if you haven't had ANY history of anxiety before the Loestrin, and haven't tried any other avenues to address the symptoms. The decision to use meds as part of anxiety treatment is a very unique and individual one for every person. I would just recommend ruling some other things out first, and trying some other approaches before trying a med. Just my opinion.
Very best to you, hope you get to feeling better soon. Please update us when you can!
Most definitely hormone replacement therapy of any kind (or hormonal imbalances, like those related to the thyroid) can cause anxiety. If indeed you felt anxiety after starting on the BC pill, it should have resolved after you came off of it.
HOWEVER, sometimes, even when there would be a clear and obvious CAUSE of anxiety, like a BC pill, even when the pill is discontinued, the anxiety can stick around. At that point, it becomes more of a fear/emotional reaction. The anxiety symptoms were scary, and a person begins to fear those sensations. That could be what's possibly going on with you, as the hormones (from the pill) would be long gone by now. Unless your hormones were way out of whack to start with, before you started the Loestrin, your hormonal levels should not be affected long term after taking BC.
I would recommend a thorough physical with your doc (if you haven't already), that includes bloodwork, checking for things like thyroid imbalances, anemia, glucose levels. If you get a clean bill of health, and no medical cause can be found, then it would be a good idea to get yourself into some therapy to start addressing the anxiety.
You may think therapy is a strange suggestion, but therapy isn't always about spilling your guts and exploring deep rooted issues, but a lot of times it is to help a person learn how to cope with anxiety/depression symptoms...and learn different things they can do to minimize their anxiety. That would be a good starting place for you, IMO. The quicker you start addressing it, most likely, the quicker you can get it to a more manageable level, and also prevent it from worsening.
Of course, there are medications used to treat chronic anxiety...but I think considering a med at this point is a bit premature, especially if you haven't had ANY history of anxiety before the Loestrin, and haven't tried any other avenues to address the symptoms. The decision to use meds as part of anxiety treatment is a very unique and individual one for every person. I would just recommend ruling some other things out first, and trying some other approaches before trying a med. Just my opinion.
Very best to you, hope you get to feeling better soon. Please update us when you can!
I don't know about the birth control but I am going to have my hormones checked soon bcus I have been having a lot of panic attacks and stuff! It would be great if it was only hormones causing all of this bcus all these meds I am on suck!!!
Did you stop taking the birth control because you started having anxiety and depression. Or, did this happen after you quit taking? I have heard that birth control pills can cause anxiety and depression in some women. You have been off of it for a long time though so I really doubt what you're going through is from the pill.
Have you been under a lot of stress since last Summer?
Have you been under a lot of stress since last Summer?
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