T & Anxiety issues or other emotional problems.

[Cowboi]

I'm curious about what other people may have experienced when they began T that was not so positive. I am looking at submitting an article to Original Plumbing magazine for their health issue and thought I'd ask about some of the issues other people had regarding emotional problems after starting T. Especially guys who also have mental disorders. It tends to be something that is not talked about much so I felt it was important to try to get them to include and hoped to get more insight for my article from other people before I write something up.

I personally am Bipolar and have some anxiety problems to begin with, nothing severe though. I had anxiety attacks maybe once or twice a year before I began T, and they began when I was a child. I began T in September of 2007 (when I was 22) and by February I had to go on medical leave from my job due to severe anxiety. By the summer of 2008 I pretty much had become a shut in, my psychiatrist was even beginning to believe I may be agoraphobic because I would have terrible panic attacks when I HAD to leave my home. I could leave fine on my own but if I had to go somewhere like work, doctors appointments or whatever I'd have panic attacks so bad that I could not leave the house. I ended up having to leave my job in September of 2008 because I could not return to work and had run out of time off. I am just now getting to the point where my anxiety is under control and I can return to a normal life.

Last fall my endo began changing up when I took my shots in hopes that it may lower my anxiety because I would not have as much of a fluctuation in hormones between my injections. We finally had success with changing my shots to weekly doses. After doing this for about 3 months now my anxiety is almost completely under control and I have not been having any panic attacks at all. We did not change the amount I take monthly, just how often I take my shots to even out my hormone levels more.

Does anyone else have something similar or another emotional/mental issue that was caused by beginning hormones? If you'd like for your information to be included in the article just let me know, I will include whatever personal information you would like so you don't have to worry about your name being put in or anything like that unless you want it included. I'd really appreciate being able to put in stuff like age, doses (how often and how much you take T) as well as any other mental disorders so that other people who read the article can get a better feel for who seems to be more prone to these issues.

[Adio]

I was diagnosed as bipolar I in 2006.  I've been on topamax since then.  Before starting T in December, if I missed even a single dose, it was extremely noticeable.  I would swing from high to low and back without much control.  I also had anxiety attacks once every few months with or without triggers.

However, I've noticed since I started T my moods have evened out and when I miss doses (of my topamax), I have little to no symptoms.  It's only been a month and a half so I'm interested to see how things progress as time goes by.  I would love to be able to stop taking my "crazy meds", as I've jokingly nicknamed them, altogether.

The only problem I noticed on T was my insomnia got worse and the pressure to talk is more present than usual with or without skipping meds.  Not sure why, could be confidence increasing and the increased energy with the hormones.

Age: 20
T Frequency: every 2 weeks (can't say how much, you might want to remove that part)
Topamax Frequency: daily
Mental Disorders:  Bipolar I

[Jamie-o]

I've had severe social anxiety and chronic depression most of my life.  I've been taking Paxil for a couple years now.  Since starting T, nine months ago, I've noticed a major decrease in both depression and anxiety.  Family and co-workers have commented on it as well.  The only negative thing I've noticed is a tendency to act on anger impulses more readily than I used to.  Fortunately, my anger impulses are not violent; I just get really snarky.     And actually, I don't get angry as easily, nor do I stay angry as long as I used to.

I was aware before starting T that my anxiety was exacerbated by the monthly fluctuation of hormones, so I told my doctor that I wanted to keep my hormone levels as even-keel as possible.  We decided on a weekly dose, rather than bi-weekly from the start.