Extreme Mood Swings - please advise

that makes sense.

I've been unable to find a homeopath local to me.

For the record, I didn't read the remedies I was researching based on my symptoms. The LT thing came about while I was re-reading the sepia indications, was where the text mentioned very specific things that would not be a good fit for sepia. So I researched those and ended up stumbling on LT

At any rate, I go to a homeopathic vet for my animals, and WISH I could find a local homeopath that treats humans =)

My reason for posting on here was exactly that, hoping someone would want to ask the questions that would help decipher if either of those remedies would be appropriate for me, or if something else entirely is indicated.

Thank you for taking the time to read and respond

I'm 100% committed to figuring this out!

I am very grateful for your time.

Thank you.

I will get to work and fill these out!

I hope I was thorough enough. I cannot thank you enough for looking this over for me. This is difficult for me to talk about, I hate feeling like a failure, or letting anyone know I'm struggling. I do not think I could have been this open if I was sitting in front of someone face to face.


1] Your Complaint:

Mood swings – Usually starts with anxiety & stress and feelings that I don’t have control of a situation. Anger/rage builds up and I lash out at the people around me for ridiculous reasons. Even as I’m yelling I know Its crazy, but its like I’m out of control

• I’m not positive, exactly when, but at some point after I became a mother, perhaps not when my first child was a baby, but definitely by the time he was 2. He is 7 years old now.

• I associate helplessness, emptiness, sadness, frustration. I don’t think that I am really angry I think it’s a completely ineffective coping mechanism that I use to try to control the people around me. To make them realize how sad/frustrated/etc. that I feel.

It definitely occurs the worst leading up to and during menstruation

Being by myself makes it better, being around adults in a completely relaxed social setting makes it better. Exercising/walking/hiking/breathing fresh air -nature helps too.
• Constant feelings of dread leading up to having to do something like going to a party, getting ready for school, or as mundane as grocery shopping, because I know they (kids) won’ t put their shoes on, the dogs need to be walked before we leave, I need to feed them (kids) so they aren’t hungry during the errand. When it takes 2 hours longer than it should to get everyone out the door and I explode then I feel guilt and sorrow and remorse, and even more out of control, since I can’t get my kids to do what they are supposed to and I can’t keep my own self in check.


What are the issues in your life that bother you the most. Not physical issues but mental or emotional ones. List each one separately and describe why each one bothers you so much.
isolating myself. I take things so personally, I get offended so easily I miss out on opportunities and friendships. Other times I decline invitations to avoid the stress I feel having to prepare to go to the event.
Obviously I don’t want to be angry, I don’t want to foster those kinds of emotions towards my family. I don’t want my children to know that I am frustrated, or worse for them to think that they are frustrating or deserving of my anger. I don’t want to sound like a monster, but I need help finding balance. I am always so UP and DOWN. I go a million miles a minute for as long as I take on so much, and then take on some more until I just can’t and crash and burn.

2. What emotions are the most troublesome for you? What situations provoke these emotions. How do these emotions make you act? Do you feel any ill effects from expressing or not expressing these emotions. Probably the emptiness is the most troublesome, the feelings of no one caring I think is what is the driving force behind everything else. My innate desire to please and take on and do for everyone, wear all the hats, etc. I think its rare when I don’t have either
a pit in my stomach from guilt, light tingly-aching in my forehead (after screaming/crying), my mind racing as I go over all the multi-tasking lists and deadlines, or extreme excitement over a thing/event in the near future

3. What incidents in your life have had a deep impact on you? Describe each incident in detail and how they made you feel? What did you do in those situations? What effect have they had on your life?
I was sexually/emotionally abused by an older friend/mentor/love in my early teens for years. It destroyed my self-esteem and eagerly accepted relationships with practically any man who was interested. I was very promiscuous throughout my teens and early 20’s I fell deep into the underground gutter punk scene as a safe community and belonging that I never felt before. I began squatting (living on the street) with other teens, while I still had a part time job, was an honors student in high school, and attending college on a bridge program. I still technically lived with my mom, but I came and went as I pleased.
My mother had a live-in boyfriend who was leaching off of her and turned our garage into a meth lab. My mom was completely blind to it until he was arrested. But I had no desire to be around him or his friends, so that also plays a huge part into my need for somewhere safe to be. Sad that it felt safer to be sleeping in alleyways and abandoned buildings with other teens and adults than in my own bed at home.
I graduated high school early top 3% of my class and finished my AS before I was 18, I went to a trade school so I could get to work earning a decent living so I could afford to put myself through a 4 year degree program and then onto med school. The career was in a highly male dominated industry, but I’ve always been very capable with construction, and mechanics, and I did very well at the trade school, graduating valedictorian. However despite my job performance being excellent I found that many jobsites offshore didn’t allow women, and I was barely able to get on enough jobs to pay living expenses let alone save for college on what I was earning. I gave it 3 years, by then I was old enough to apply for school loans in my own name, and decided I would get my degree that way and quit. Quitting that job was one of the hardest things I ever did. Even though I knew it was never going to be a long-term career for me, it felt like I was saying that I couldn’t hack it. I am SO competitive, and I was SO frustrated that men were able to log more hours than me, because of red tape created by 3rd party contractors. My now husband still works in that career, it is a constant reminder of what I left behind.
I was never able to finish my BS. I thought I would be able to manage my final semester worth of classes and my baby, and I couldn’t make it work.
Becoming a mother. I live far away from mine & my husband’s family, and my husband is away for business for weeks-months at a time. I’ve had difficulty finding a long term sitter/nanny as college students tend to graduate and start their careers or their own families. As wonderful as having children is, its like a prison sentence – feeling trapped, unappreciated, stressed - when there is never/rarely an opportunity to get away from them. This year my youngest will be starting a preschool program 2 days a week, so this will be the first time in 7 years that I will have a few hours scheduled a week that are mine.

4. What are you afraid of? Especially important are phobias, but it might be objects, situations or events that just produce a high level of anxiety. How do you manage your fears? How do you react when confronted with these fears? What would be the worst situation for you to be put in that would provoke these fears? You may need to talk about each fear/anxiety separately.
I don’t think I’m afraid of anything.

5. What hobbies do you have? Why do you like each of these activities?
I’m an artist – I love creating things, and I love the praise that my creations receive.

6. Do you have any persistent thoughts, ideas or beliefs that are difficult to stop or cope with? What are they? No.

7. Do you have any unusual gestures or movements of the body? Do you feel any unusual sensation or pain throughout your body? What exactly does it feel like is happening in your body?

8. When you experience your fears, persistent thoughts, or difficult emotions, what kind of sensation or reactions do you get in your body? When I start to get angry, my chest fills with heat, my pulse races, and my muscles tense up. I feel light headed predominantly in my forehead but really diffused throughout my head.

9. When did you feel at your best in your life? What was that like for you? If you imagine the complete opposite of this feeling or moment, what would that be like?
When I was a student, so many options still ahead of me, so much success and so much freedom. The opposite is exactly where I am now. I want so badly to feel success in home making, and I think if I could just find a way to focus, and not be spinning in so many directions at once that I could find balance.

10. Do you feel like you are stuck in a pattern of behavior, especially when trying to deal with your problems? What is this pattern? Definitely there is a pattern of me becoming overwhelmed (by my own doing!) and then anxiety – stress lead to depression and anger. I do try to not take on extra stuff, but I get bored with being a house wife. I can’t seem to figure out how juggling a job, the house, and the kids would be any more fulfilling, and we don’t need the income. I feel guilt thinking about putting my kids in a daycare before and after school so that I could escape from them.

11. What difficulties or problems do you have in relationships? Talk about your family, your romantic relationships, your spouse or partner, your friends, and your work colleagues. You may need to talk about all of these separately.

I think most of my difficulties come from me being too sensitive. I also seek approval, and when I don’t get it I try too hard or I pull away and isolate myself. I am becoming increasingly aware and trying to stop myself from falling into that cycle.

12. List 5 positive things about yourself. Are there any situations where this positive attribute becomes negative (is a problem)?
1. Creative – have difficulty taking criticism
2. Perfectionist/Over-achiever – set unrealistic expectations
3. Prompt – EXTREME stress if running late
4. Smart
5. Compassionate/Empathetic


13. List 5 negative things about yourself. Are there any situations where this negative attribute becomes positive (is useful)?
1. Difficulty focusing (this is since motherhood I used to be able to focus) but my mind is always zooming. Sometimes multi-tasking is a good thing, but it feels inefficient.
2. Hold a grudge
3. Overly sensitive/easily offended/take things too personally
4. Procrastinate
5. temper/short fuse

14. Do you have any reoccurring dreams? Describe them in detail, including any feelings that come while dreaming. No.

15. Did you have any reoccurring dreams as a child, or earlier in your life? Describe those in detail including any feelings that came with them.
Yes they always revolved around my mom leaving my brother and I, and then her coming back to kill us. She usually came back riding on a dragon like creature and there would be flood waters crashing all around.

16. What were you like as a child, your character, your personality, your fears, your dreams, your problems?
Strong moral compass, I was always a leader, teacher’s pet, creative/artistic. My biggest fears were people not liking me. I remember living in the now, not dreaming of tomorrow/future when I was a kid. By the time I was a pre-teen I had really poor self image. Super pale, skinny –flat chested, no hips, tall, freckle faced, red head. I had started getting acne, and I became the target of one bully. I still had a lot of friends, and a good social life, but I wasn’t happy with what I saw in the mirror.

17. What kind of environment did you grow up in? What problems where there at home, with your family, with your parents, with your siblings, with school?
My parents divorced when I was a pre-teen. My father always had a short fuse, and was also addicted to drugs and alcohol. Lots of addiction/abuse throughout my family tree on both sides. I don’t drink/use never have – but I am addicted to coffee!
My relationship with my father got better after the divorce, he made time for my brother and I throughout my teen years. By the time I was an adult though he cut me off, as he didn’t approve of my punk rock lifestyle. I haven’t spoke with him in 15 years. He has made a couple attempts to contact me, but I have zero desire to accept his apology. He missed out on my early childhood by being wasted, and chose to abandon me while he was sober when I was needing guidance the most. I owe him nothing, and I would rather protect my children from ever having to know him. He won’t have the ability to let them down or abandon them.
I already spoke of my mother and her codependent relationships. She always means well, tries to take care of everyone, tries to help everyone -but she’s a poor judge of character and I think is afraid to be alone, so she extends herself for everyone, ultimately letting down/not protecting her own and while not taking care of herself (gee sounds familiar!).
I only have one sibling, my brother who is 2 years younger. Growing up we never got along. Horrid fighting. As adults we aren’t close, but we keep in contact a few times a year, and do genuinely care for each other.
I always loved school, and excelled at it.

GENERAL SYMPTOMS

(Symptoms that don’t fit anywhere else, but are things that tend to affect all of you as a person, but are not emotions or thoughts)

1. Sleep - what position do you tend to sleep in? usually on my stomach & on both sides, I switch throughout the night, but I prefer on my stomach
- what position can you not sleep in? on my back unless I’m propped up
- do you do anything unusual in your sleep? no
- any problems with going to sleep, staying asleep, or waking up? Only if I’m in front of the computer screen/tv do I have difficulty falling asleep.

2. Appetite - What foods do you crave/desire strongly? Sweets! Coffee! Meat (I’m a vegan)
- What foods do you hate eating (have an aversion to)? Pineapples.
- What foods have a negative effect on you or cause symptoms? Wheat, caffeine, sugars
- What foods have a positive effect on you or seem to improve your health or symptoms in some way? No fat foods – fruits, veggies, whole grains, when I’m well hydrated

- What is the effect of hunger or fasting on you? I have had success w/ intermittent fasting, but if I’m hungry I do lose my temper quicker…. My body adjusted to the fasting just fine though.

3. Thirst - What drinks do you crave/desire strongly? Coffee!
- What drinks do you hate to take (are averse to)? none
- When are you most thirsty? When I wake in the morning & late in the evening
- When are you least thirsty? When I’m rushing throughout the day too busy to notice.

4. Stool - Do you have any problems with your bowels or passing stool?
- What is the shape, color, odor of the stool? no

5. Urine - Do you have any trouble passing or retaining urine? no
- What is the color, odor of the urine? Currently I am not hydrating myself properly so it is darker and a stronger urine odor than when I drink 3+ glasses of water daily.
- Do you have any sediment or debris in the urine? no

6. Sweat - How do you feel about the amount of perspiration you have? fine
- Where do you have the most sweat? armpits
- What is the odor? Not extremely offensive.
- What color does it stain clothing? no
- Does anything in particular cause you to sweat abnormally? no

7. Sexuality - Any problems with your sexual desire? I’m rarely in the mood, but oblige out of partner’s desire. Our sex is very mutually enjoyable .
- Any problems with your sexual ability or function? no
- Any history of sexually transmitted diseases? no

8. Menses (Women)
- How many days is your cycle? 29
- How many days does the flow go for? 4-5
- What is the appearance of the flow? Since menses returned after the birth of my 2nd child my flow has been very heavy, clotted, dark (for the past 2 years) my current cycle was very very light, like it has been my entire life.
- What is the odor of the flow? Normal –blood smell
- What kind of stain does the flow leave? Yellow/brown
- Any discharge before, during or after? no
- Any pain before, during or after the flow? no
- What symptoms come before the flow? This is when the anger cycle starts
- What symptoms come after the flow? Near the end my patience returns and I begin to function closer to normal.

9. Environment – How does the weather affect you? I enjoy all kinds of different weather. I love rainy days! I also enjoy overcast days, and full sun. I love being outside.
- How does the temperature affect you? I’m always cold. When its cold outside it chills me to the bone, I get tense, my muscles contract and I ache.

- How does the season affect you? I live in the south I don’t have extreme seasons. Fall & spring are most enjoyable, but summer & winter are tolerable as well.

- What physical activities affect you? I cannot tolerate running/jogging. But walking/hiking are wonderful. I love extreme sports – snow boarding, skate boarding, surfing, sky diving, BMX offroad, roller derby, etc. but do not get to do them now that I have children.

- Is there anything else in the environment you are sensitive to? no

Yes sepia did seem to help.

But perhaps not for the whole 2 months.

Last cycle I was extremely sad, but I never got to the angry phase. Its the angry phase that bothers me the most, because I can't hide that from everyone else around me.

Of course I want to be neutral. I hate all the ups and downs.

This month I was really angry a little anxiety a little sad but mostly just angry.

A little more about me that I don't think I had a place to write about in the intake form - although if you met me in person it would be the first thing you noticed -

My mind and my mouth go a million miles a minute. I've always been a speed talker. I easily get excited as I'm talking and my fast talking gets even faster.

I used to love that about me, but as I got older I realized that was the up part of my cycle where I take on so much whether it be studies/class credits, volunteer hours, helping friends, extra animals, extra work, a 2nd or 3rd job, etc, etc. I don't sleep because I'm too busy, and I'm not tired. I am always rushing, there is never enough time.

I thought of a few more things that may be relevant....

1. After the birth of my daughter in 2010 I had a copper IUD placed (non-hormonal) My cycles returned about a year or so postpartum.

They were SO heavy, I can only compare it to postpartum flow, and it was so painful. It felt like my body was trying to expel my uterus from my body. I would fall to my knees & curl into a fetal position in pain if I was walking when a contraction would come on. Nothing I did could help the pain. I just had to wait it out.

I had natural childbirth for both of my children. Neither of those experiences were painful.

About 6 cycles with the IUD and I had my midwives remove it.

I have not been able to use tampons since, I feel like my body is trying to push them out. Sometimes I get that feeling, like I'm going to turn inside out when bearing down for a bowel movement or during certain exercises. I do pelvic floor exercises often to try to strengthen that area and keep that from happening.

2. My grandmother took the miscarriage drug, diethylstilboestrol while pregnant w/ my mother (DES Daughter). My mother began going through menopause in her mid-thirties and was completely done before she turned 40. I know I had read some information about DES still having affects on the 3rd generation, but there isn't enough information for anything conclusive.

Thank you so much for responding.

I searched all over the forum, because I recall reading this question before but I cannot remember the answer.

What type of alcohol - does the proof/percentage of alcohol matter? Specific food/grain?

Also, what foods/beverages do I need to obstain from while taking this remedy? And for how long?