Depression, brain fog and the hormones that help me

[SamLev]

I'm posting some questions here because of a lack of assistance from my doctor (and now a lack of health insurance).  Over the past ten years I've visited several doctors about my issues in addition to a therapist.  I wound up finding my own solution, but am uninformed as to the long-term effects of such a solution and am searching for alternatives.

I've been suffering from mild depression and HEAVY brain fog for the majority of my adult life.  I'm currently 38 years old.  About five years ago a friend started gushing about how focused the birth control pill made her feel - she had been taking Seasonale for about five months.  Seasonale is the three-month-pill for those who don't know.  Women taking it get their periods four times per year instead of once per month.  Because my periods seemed to cause me to get sick (often severe colds or flu) I thought I should try going on it as well.

I asked my gynecologist to prescribe this pill for me soon thereafter and after a few months found that it worked wonders for my mental health in addition to keeping me physically healthy.  I stopped having trouble waking up in the morning, was more enthusiastic about my work, felt more intelligent and happier, etc...  It felt as though a thick cloud lifted from around my head and my life has changed exponentially as a result.  It was like finding out I had super powers or something!  I was ecstatic.  My libido slowed a bit, but not much.  That was the only bad side-effect that I could detect.

I was on the pill for about five years until about two months ago when I could not get a refill for my prescription.  I decided I should see what would happen if I came off the pill anyway - to see if I would go back to being depressed and confused.  I have also adapted very healthy eating habits and wondered if that would keep me from relapsing.  

Unfortunately, I'm feeling awful.  I recently got the prescription renewed, so I could go back on the pill if I choose, but I want to hold out to see if I can find a better solution.

Has anyone else experienced this?  Most of what I find on the internet are reports from women who become depressed from the pill and not the other way around.

What is it about the pill that has been helping me?  I've taken both Seasonale and Seasonique which has various levels of mock estrogen and progesterone.  I'm not sure what it is about them that is making me feel better.  Is there some other supplement I could take or food I could eat?

I started taking the pill in my early 30s and may wind up taking it for the rest of my life.  What are the risks?  I'm finding that it can cause cancer, but there's so much information about it that I can't find anything concrete.  

I would love to discuss this further with anyone who thinks that they may have the same issue, been taking birth control pills for years or can offer up information about the pill.  I want to take control of this problem and hopefully help others who are in the same boat.

Samantha

[SamLev]

Yes, that sheds some light, or more confirms some of what I've learned.  Every system in the body is interlinked.  Thank you.

It's recently been suggested that I get tested for Mono.  I may have had it as a child (I got sick often and felt sleepy most of the time), which may have caused long-term health problems.  

Overall, I was hoping to find out what havoc the birth control pills might be doing to my system - havoc that I might not be aware of until later on in life.

[MoonlightTears]

You´re problem seems to have been taken care of with an hormonal readjustment witch is  rearranjed your neurotransmitters (the software that operates your hardware body), and therefore working good on your mental state.
A person is a system, everything is connected.
For example, a woman can get seriouly depresed after birth, cause the hormonal changes during this are huge. Or there´s even the case of PMS. The conections between the function of female hormones and her mental state are evident.
Messing with hormones is allways dificult, so it will have difrent effects on diferent people, because each person has its balance. Your balance is not going to be same of other women.

Hope this can shed you some lights.

Stay strong