Why am I always tired, moody, depressed, unable to concentrate, and never get my period?

I'm a 23 year old girl. And lately I find that I've been moody - one minute I'll be happy and pleasant, the next unhappy or sad or irritable. And little things annoy or offend me quickly. I try to be more pleasant, but I don't know.... Why am I like this?

I'm wondering if it has to do with my current situation. I was a Law student but failed my first year on three attempts. After the second attempt, I didn't want to try a third time, but per my parents' wishes I tried a third time and failed. I barely studied because I was frustrated and had no motivation and I just wasted my time.... even though I didn't mean to. This my parents don't know. But I always felt guilty that my parents spent their money and it just washed down the drain. I'll be 24 in September and I'm still far from getting a Degree. I blame myself, I feel like I'm a burden. Instead of trying a fourth time, they decided I should pursue another Degree. So we're in the process of applying for me to do Graphic Design. My parents think that's right for me because I'm quiet and I like the computer and am creative and whatnot.

But they still think that I can do the Law. And I feel guilty that I'm doing something else. I mean, in High School I wanted to do Law. But when I failed a second time, I decided it wasn't for me. And now I'm confused, frustrated and feel like a burden on my parents. I'm withdrawn, I keep to myself mostly. And sometimes I just.... have thoughts like I want to die and I'm worthless and what's the point of living. I have no friends, no one to talk to and I'm just.... fed up and I hate this feeling. I don't know what to do :(

Thank you so much, Dr. Heller for your encouraging words. I am doing my best to live one day at a time and not borrow trouble from tomorrow which may never be mine. I must focus and live one minute at a time and do the best I can for others and not think about myself. When we take the focus off ourselves we are free to focus on the needs of others. Some days this is harder than others, but I will keep trying. I sometimes let my roommate walk all over me and let her make me feel like I'm incompetent, like I was raised to believe and have tried to get past all my life. It is a constant uphill daily battle, but one I can overcome when I receive encouraging comments from wonderful people like you. Thank you.
bbnrse

I have read this whole comment line and feel like you are all talking about me. I have been depressed all my life. First situational, then bipolar and now chemical. I am laking a neurotransmitter, or it is very low. I have been through enough therapy and hospitalizations and shock treatments that I don't think there is any hope any more. I have pretty much given up. Sometimes something will work, but it is always short term and every time I find a good social worker I can work with something happens and the relationship is ended, leaving me in limbo. I recently moved to another state. I keep trying to convince myself there is nothing wrong. I am desperate at this point. I have moved in with a roommate, someone I've known since 1989. We have been living alone most of the time, except she lived with her son for awhile. She is very controlling and I find it nearly impossible to stand up and express myself, because she just puts me down. She acts like she has all the answers and I',m just plain stupid. I have a LOT of medical issues that are incurable, although they are not severe yet, the sypmtoms do cause problems. I have central sleep apnea, myasthenia gravis, COPD, fibromyalgia, degenerative disc disease, bulging discs and generalized degenerative osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. With the constant negativism from my roommate I question myself and abilities all the time. I have no self confidence and fight with myself everyday as to whether it is worth doing anything about all these issues. I want to give up and just live as best I can without all the medications, which put an extreme financial burden on me. No one really cares what happens to me and I fall through the cracks all the time. I don't know how realistic it is to be optomistic about having a positive, loving, caring life. I am a giver. My life has been spent helping others. I was a nurse for 30 years on and off, as I missed a lot of work during hospitalizations and treatments. I have also been in and out of outpatient programs. All temporarily effective. I just think that there isn't much help out there for someone like me, after all the years of trying. Nothing has stayed consistent and so many people have given up on me. A few have believed I was worth saving, but somethimg always interferred and treatment was halted. I really would like to go to sleep and not wake up. It would save a lot of problems for others. I am against suicide, although I have tried it in the past. I am very tired, from chronic lack of sleep, restorative sleep. My brain waves do not indicate any deep sleep in my sleep studies and my oxygen sats drop into the 70's. I use a BIPAP machine with 2L of oxygen at night. I don't mean to ramble on but it is a long, unsuccessful story that I am in desperate help for some possible answers that will help. I thank anyone who can offer some suggesstions. I do have medicare and a supplement. I do not have a good support system and feel very isolated and alone. I do have a good church family though they are new. I have only been here 6 weeks. Please, if there are any people out there with hope I'd love to hear from you. I was an abused child in everyway you can conceive of and unloved, unwanted. My mother did not want me as a baby...I was an intrusion on an already difficult life during WW II. Plus, I am the typical middle child with all the complexes that go with itl Thank you for any help you might be able to offer. I am at a loss. I am on many, many medications...maybe too many.

Anonymous, it is true that hypothyroidism can cause these symptoms. In fact, it is the great imitator, it can cause so many symptoms. A complete workup would include TSH, testosterone, insulin, as well as a simple anemia workup. General symptoms like this can result from several different conditions.

Thanks,

Dr. Daniel Heller
www.pmscomfort.com
www.drdanielheller.com

Hi there, is just googled the symtoms that you described yourself and was reading the following link: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/12244306/ns/today-today_health/t/tired-moody-heavier-might-be-your-thyroid/

It has all the symptoms you described, so maybe that is worth beeing tested for.

Good Luck!

Mia, I wonder if two years after your post you are still reading this thread, and I hope you're feeling better! It's so very hard for anyone to accurately say what might be the cause of your health problems with just a little information - even though you've done a fabulous job of describing what is going on with you. I don't disagree with the others who suggested looking into PCOS, though if your hormones were properly tested, your testosterone and insulin levels would be abnormal in PCOS usually. As a naturopathic doctor for 16 years, I have seen many women and girls whose systems get very out of balance when they have amenorrhea (no period.) And amenorrhea is a result of an hormonal imbalance, which by itself can cause many of your symptoms, even in cases where it doesn't cause amenorrhea. One of the most common types of hormonal imbalance is PMS, premenstrual syndrome, which can cause several of the symptoms you mention: acne, depression, migraines, moodiness, and changes in appetite. You can learn more about PMS at my website, http://www.pmscomfort.com. The reason I mention it is that I've seen many women in whom all symptoms of hormonal imbalance resembled PMS, and when a natural health program was able to bring their hormones into balance, all their symptoms got better, regardless of the name of the condition. Best of luck to you!

Hi
did you explore the possiblity that it could be PCOS. My daughter has it and they need to do extensive tests before saying you don't have it. It is very hard to diagnose and does cause alot of the symptoms that you have. It also causes hair to grow in unwanted places such as a unibrow or on your back and stomach. Good luck and I hope this helps

Rosa

I am close to tears reading this! I relate to this so well, I had to read it a few times to make sure it wasn't an old blog I posted years ago, and had long ago forgotten! Please email me!

Hello,
From your description it sounds like you have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) although your doctor will need to run a series of blood tests (usually at least 3 over 3 months) to confirm this.

Also, you would need at least 1 external ultrasound scan of your abdomen and possibly an internal vaginal ultrasound scan. I appreciate your dilemma regarding health insurance and realise this may not be possible.

Consequently, it may be more beneficial to attack your PCOS, if indeed you do have it, from a homeopathic POV. Switching to a low GI diet should start to shift your excess weight, even if you feel unable to exercise. You can simply Google "Low GI Diet" for a food chart to indicate what you can and cannot eat. This will also indirectly help your depression as the hormone problems associated with PCOS will exacerbate this.

Hope this helps. There are plenty of websites which offer more info regarding PCOS so make sure you check them out :)