I think they work together. I'm now experiencing the joys of Menapause and baby..it's rough. PMS and bipolar together are enough to run you ragged.

Wow, I'm dealing with that right now. I've been paying closer attention to my cycles - have them for 2 weeks, off 2 weeks, etc. And 4 days before I start, I'm irritable, aggitated, depressed, and just not fun to be around. I know that hormones affect our brain chemicals too (no I don't know for sure how it works, and am sure someone will enlighten me? Please?) So it makes sense that hormones f**k with our brain chemistry.
I just want to know if we can adjust our meds with our Pdoc to compensate or if there is a hormone that can help...just don't take progesterone!! Can send us into a deep depression (I talk about that a lot as it was a horrible experience!).

I would really like an answer to this too - anyone? Pdoc referred me to OBGYN. But, I don't know if any Dr.'s really know! Help!

Since I no longer have the "cycling" problem (YAY FOR ME!) I can say Bipolar Sucks anytime! It's just as bad as it was in my "younger" years. I don't see a difference at all.

W/o periods, you just cry irregularly. They work seperate at times and together at times but mostly together and diroses, if that's a pic. of you, you're beautiful.

yes they do go together. I found that out when i went to my last DR visit i get homicidal and suicidal then she upped my xanax and there is a BIG difference

Yeah, referring to Dobie's answer - I don't think it does affect us all the same way. Granted, I have PCOS which could affect it. I've just met so many women on here with the same issues. It's like we don't just have PMS...it's worse. Mydol doesn't do much of anything for me either. *sigh* What's that song.."I love being a girl?" Screw that!

Hi Ireland80, of course I'm not a doctor, so I don't know for sure, but I can tell you that the ONLY times in my life when I have ever felt true depression with suicidal thoughts/attempts is during PMS. I am bp, but experience far more manic (not hypomanic, but manic) times than depressed times, but when depression does creep in, it is always at the exact same time as PMS. Coincidence? Maybe, but I don't think so. I can pretty much plan on having to combat some fatigue, irritability and depression at a certain time each month and just knowing this seems to help a little. It seems like the hormone fluctuations cause my bp to cycle and throw me off balance. It was the worst of all when I tried to take birth control though, you're not on the pill by chance are you? Anyway, you're not alone with the PMS affecting you this way and I bet it does this to a lot of women. My sister who is bp also has the exact same problem. I hope things even out for you and you start feeling better, I know how miserable it can be!

my gyn said the hormones definitely affect the brain, and apparently mine go into complete overdrive...i don't understand how or why...i can't take bc pills, so i don't know what to do to treat the PMDD part. neither do my doctors. the pill usually helps with PMS, but for me it has the opposite effect. drives me batty!!

that's interesting to hear...i always thought, from my friends' and doctor's experiences, that the pill helped that. so apprently a lot of people have the moodswings from the pill???

I don't have the cycle deal. I haven't since I was age 30, after a radical surgery. I've been on hormone replacement for 16 years.

There are some hormones and other chems that are produced by the ovaries that I don't have. Ones that are crucial but that men can not reproduce. So first off.. if you have ovaries you are truly blessed. As I don't have any and it's pure hellish chemical warfare inside my body.

I went through a serious chemical change which was the beginning of the onsought of BD for me. Hormone related.

Any kind of horror moan makes me depressed. This is just one reason I could not take the pill.

i had no idea hormones could be that powerful. that's scary.

Ireland,
I had always heard that too and in fact that was the original reason I went on the pill (to help with the bad PMS.) I have since come to the conclusion that this approach must only be working for "normal" women and not us bipolar gals unfortunately. It seems to drive us nutz instead ;)

From what I understand, I can only take birth control pills WITHOUT progesterone(which means no periods - and that could cause problems longterm).
Progesterone was what sent me into the worst depression ever in my 39 years a few months back. Within a week, I could not function and was in the ER (couldn't get a hold of my pdoc - asshole). Anyways, the quickest way to get me out was to stop the BCP's and start Lithium. Has kept the suicidal thoughts away.

Just wanted to share my story with hormones - some are good, some are bad...

how did the doctors know it was prog.? can they test that? i'd love to know. i'm on lithium now and i hope to God it works.