I can't say I've had temper issues but have experienced extreme emotional issues. A quick recap of my experience:

I'm currently 42 years old. Once I learned about my tumor and started taking medication, emotions that I previously could manage became unmanageable. I've had some tell me it's likely I'm perimenapausal. But I also know that all the changes I've experienced were noticeable to me once I learned about this condition & meds. So I relate my moods to the meds. And I think stress is a strong contribution to how you manage all of this. Once diagnosed to about 2 months of being on bromo my cortisol levels increased to very high levels. I could feel the stress building but until I saw the level increase over the span of months with the blood test, it didn't register with me that I needed to do something to manage my stress. Finding a form of stress management has helped me with my mood swings and other symptoms. They're still there but manageable.

So I completely agree with TigerPaws about managing the stress which is probably an approach to someone's statement of don't let this beat you. I agree!

Pharmgirl, your story its mine as well,I dont know what casusing what anymore its very overwhelming,and frustrating,im very angry dont know what to do it seems like i have no option I refuse to take antidepressants and also cabergoline for life i cant accept da fact that i will have to deal w this,its very hard,from what I hear taking cabergoline and antidepressants its the worst that we could do,but i wanna accept this I think that having this most b like when somebody finds out they have a terminal illness Im moore upset that ppl think that bcuz its not malignat than its not serious :(

I too experience the same things. I was once so laid back and now I get angry/emotional very easily. I've tried to explain this to people and they just think that I'm using it as an excuse. It's hard to to balance the good effects of the tablets (yes tumour is smaller and yes hormone levels ok) with the emotional side effects and sometimes I feel like stopping the tablets. I also find it harder to deal with stress. Anyone have any techniques for stress management?

Melissa

I wish there were an easy answer for all of us. I feel like I'm an emotional wreck a lot of the time now since I started cabergoline. Prior to it I could manage most of it (with the help of the anxiety & depression meds). I was so close to feeling normal again and was ready to stop taking both meds when I was diagnosed. After a month or so on the cab I started feeling overly emotional again. Both high & low really. It's funny because when I started the anxiety & depression meds I felt like I was sorta numb, the highs weren't as high & the lows weren't as low. I didn't feel great by any means but at least life was tolerable. With the cab (and possibly with the diagnosis itself) I feel all over the place again. I cry easily & feel more depressed I think. I think because no one really understands what we are feeling emotionally & they think we can just control it at will. And yes, it's not malignant & no one can see anything wrong with us physically so it's almost as if it doesn't exist. I hate having to explain why I'm so tired all the time, why I'm so unmotivated, why I'm so emotional, why I'm nauseous in the morning...... (and no, I'm not pregnant.......how insulting for people to say that to someone who may not be able to conceive!)

Pharmacologically speaking, there's no interaction or reason not to take anti-depressants with the cabergoline so I'm not worried about that. I just wish there were a solution or a treatment for the side effects of the cab. I hate feeling this hopeless sort of feeling. Will the side effects ever go away or do we just get used to feeling crappy all the time & find ways to manage it?