Reply #68: I think the hormone/depression link is one...

[Hell Hath No Fury]

that has be really looked at and explored by the medical community. I have been reading more articles about men like your husband having depression related to low testosterone.

When I started perimenopause and the hormones started shifting, I got hit with a depression like none I had ever experienced. Everything would make me cry -- I could go off dozens of times a day. As the years passed and I became more and more emotionally vulnerable, I tried every type of non-pharmacuetical treatment I could: exercise, therapy, herbs, supportive vitamins, acupuncture. But it only got worse, and the depression became suicidal. I was so very resistent to do it, but it finally got so bad I opted ofr meds, the first couple of attempts were not good -- the meds were just not the right ones for me. I finally hit on Celexa - within hours of the first dose the racing thoughts stopped, the tears stopped, and I felt more "normal" than I had in around 4 years -- it was truly miraculous. I began to research the connection between estrogen production and seratonin -- it is crystal clear to me the mental health effects of lowered estrogen/testosterone is profound for some folks like your husband and myself.

Interestingly, just a few years ago when both my sister and my Mom had their ovaries removed due to benign tumors, they both tailspinned into massive depressive episodes with weeks after the surgery. Luckily I knew what was going on due to what had happened to me and was able to advise them to seek help. They are both now on Celexa and have had a great result.

I thank the gods daily for my Celexa. If this had been another era, I am 100% certain I would have ended up dead or locked up in the local insane asylum. :scared: