To expect to not have to have PMS for half of every month?!

[Scottishtanguera]

It's day 14 and already my boobs are getting sore and my temper shorter and I know this is what I can expect for the next fortnight as I noticed the change so checked the calendar. Last month, by the time I got to the actual few days before my period I was a basket case.

I have always suffered from bad pms and, according to my GP, am "oversensitive to hormonal influence" (I had what I called ante-natal depression when pg both times) - so for the last few years have taken herbal remedies Agnus Castus(quite effective actually)and St Johns Wort, B-Vitamins (high dosage) and Evening Primrose oil but they seems to be having little effect now.

I know we all have to go through it but does this seem a bit too long to anyone? (not my GP, apparantly)

[valiumredhead]

I'm peri menopausal and experiencing the same. It's rotten.

[harryhausen]

I have this. For me it's tender boobs. I say tender, lets just say downright agony for 2 weeks out of every month. My boobs are massive (34hh) which doesn't help. Then I get a permanent headache for 3 days before my period.

I've never found the answer. My GP wanted to put me on the pill, but decided against it due to my family medical history. She only suggested paracetamol instead

I haven't tried anything else. Am open to suggestions.

[Scottishtanguera]

harry I would recommend Agnus Castus, it may help-of all the things I've tried its probably the only one that's made any difference.
I tried the pill too, it only made me worse-with bad skin to boot.

[aliharris]

I would definitely try the Pill (if you're not trying to conceive!). I have a 22 day cycle and always had PMS for over a week each time, followed by a week long heavy period, so only one week off in three. However I now have a Mirena Coil which has progesterone on slow release and this has been really good for me. I still have my usual cycle, but the PMS is much, much better and I don't actually bleed apart from perhaps a small show, and I can't believe what a difference that makes to my general happiness! I did have to persevere with the coil to start with - for the first three weeks I felt hideous and was on the point of getting it removed, but since then it's been great.

[dawntigga]

YANBU it sucks big green eggs.

NoPatienceAtAllTiggaxx

[drmummmsy]

i'm day 13 and snappy already, seems like my last period was only just over - i took prosac for 6 months and it was great but the gp wouldn't prescribe it for longer as i'm so young

[notsofrownieface]

I had it for two and a half weeks last month such a ball ache.

[amillionyears]

I find more portions of leafy green veg help with some of the symptoms.

[LizaTarbucksAuntie]

last month I religiously took Angus Castus (for the first week) then a hormonal supplement I got in Sainsburys and it made the most fabulous difference to me. I've felt almost human for the first time in months.

A lovely friend posted this link to a website talking about the perimenopasue on fb earlier, I found it massively helpful [[http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/help_yourself/articles/perimenopause_ovarys_grand_finale perimenopause}}

[LizaTarbucksAuntie]

perimenopause

no cure for ineptitude though apparently

[EuroShagmore]

I get tender boobs from about 12 hrs after ov until about 24 hrs before AF arrives (it's nice to have a warning sign).

I do find B vits and EPO help a lot though, but I see you have already tried those.

[Bunfags]

I'm 36 and get this. Is it really the perimenopause. Isn't 36 a bit young for this?

[binger]

Me too, it was hellish until I started taking antidepressant when symptoms get too much for me. I take citalopram each evening the week before and it's made a massive difference to me. Like you I had tried everything else and at 43 to old for the pill.

GP advised that they usually prescribe prozac for pmt but I requested citalopram as it worked well for my anxiety a few years ago. Thankfully she was happy to let me try.

[Scottishtanguera]

Thanks for the replies and suggestions.
The one about the coil reminded me of someone at work who had said it made a huge difference to her but I read mixed things about it and was a bit scared of the pain when getting it fitted
I should give up caffeine but I'm hopelessly addicted
I will be re-reading this thread when I have more time and trying some of the above.

[irishchic]

Scottish how weird, I have been having exactly the same thing myself. Usually the pms would start up around day 20, but this month it started up around day 10 or 11, prob around ovulation, incredibly sore boobs and irrational irritation and mood swings, it is SO BLOODY UNFAIR! I take evening primrose oil and a multivit but i might give that Agnus Castus a try to see if that help, i cannot live with this for 18 days of every month!

[Loislane78]

Go see a different GP. The same thing doesn't work for everyone and it might be trial and error at first but you shouldn't have to put up with that, sounds tough.

Two of my sisters have v heavy bleeding and PMS and between them have tried all sorts. For one of them it got so bad she couldn't commute to work some days as needed to change every hour and was soiling clothes. GP fobbed her off with 'women's troubles' for fat too long i'd have f off him alright Long story short she ended up with a hysterectomy, luckily she'd had her kids but she was only late 30's and its been a struggle with HRT etc.

If you're not happy, see a different GP.

GL :)

[tametortie]

I have suffered with PMT since I was 17. I can be violent, agressive and slip into terrible depression. It controls my life to the point where we book holidays round my cycle Yet, the rest of the month I am lovely placid, calm, giggly. Here are a few things that I have tried....

1. progesterone supplements e.g norethisterone and dydrogesterone- research is limited and there is no reason why they should help but some women report that they do. Never helped me.
   2)Fluoxetine- SSRI antidepressants can ease PMT symptoms. Made me sleepy and felt 'flat' all the time.
   3)Supplements- magnesium and vitamin B6 helped me slightly. Still felt very low but this is supposed to improve the longer you take them.
   
2. As mentioned here Agnus Castus- however, consider looking at //www.herbs-hands-healing.co.uk They do a combination of herbs for women and they were recommended to us by the nutritionist at the Zita West clinic (we have been TTC for years). There are 2 formulations- raspberry leaf and agnus castus and vitex and black cohosh. You take one for one half of your cycle and the other one for the other half (cant remember which way round but sure they would tell you if you called up). And I can honestly say that I felt amazing when I took them- NO PMT. for the first time in 14 years. I only used it for 3 months but it ballsed my cycle up a bit which isnt good for TTC but if you are not TTC, I would HIGHLY recommend. Just call them for advice and chat it through.
   5)Acupuncture- still use this now. Fab for levelling your mood and calming you down. Or as my sister says 'turning the emotional temperature down'!!
   
   Good luck xxx

[BIWI]

What is your diet like?

I can't speak from personal experience, but a lot of people who do the low carb Bootcamp report that their PMS symptoms disappear/are massively reduced.

If you're eating a lot of carbs, perhaps cutting them right back might be something to consider?

[MamaBear17]

Take a look at the PMDD info below. I have this, cutting out sugar and caffiene really helped with my mood swings.

www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/depression/pmsorpmdd_000011.htm

[poppypebble]

I literally screamed at my DP because he had wrapped some cheese wrongly. I then sobbed for an hour about what a bitch I was, before yelling at him again because he was being too nice about it. Then I cried myself to sleep. Agnus Cactus and Evening Primrose Oil just about take the edge off now, but you still don't want to cross me about cheese for 10 days a month.

[mercibucket]

Did you already do thyroid checks? Esp if you are very sensitive to small hormonal changes, it could be a thyroid disorder

[mercibucket]

Did you already do thyroid checks? Esp if you are very sensitive to small hormonal changes, it could be a thyroid disorder

[IfNotNowThenWhen]

Sugar. Sugar, sugar sugar.
I too am a sufferer, and cutting out sugar (and booze) is the only thing that has made a real difference.
It is hard, because the minute your PMS symptoms arrive you immediately want to neck 3 pain au chocolates washed down with a half a bottle of red (or is that just me?), but DON'T!
Plain porridge for breakfast-I mix it with mixed seeds (flax, sesame etc) because protein is your friend.
Think high protein, slow acting carbs (don't give up carbs because you will kill someone) and lay right off the chocolate.
Little and often-a handful of nuts when peckish. Also apples, oatcakes, cheese, eggs. But not sugar.
Also evening primrose, but in BIG doses, and all month round, not just pre-period.
The other bad thing sugar does is fuck with your sleep, and you NEED more sleep when PMSing. Like LOTS of sleep.
Also exercise. Walking is fine, but something a bit aggressive is better, like boxercise or martial arts.
On the plus side, when I am pre mental I am more creative, and the dietary changes mean I can actually utilise that, rather than alternating between sobbing and screaming.

[HestonsFatCock]

The mirena coil works well for me, but I do remember being crazy with PMT for two weeks of the month. It is awful.

When I was having a "repair job" and mentioned the dreadful PMT to the young female gynecologists on the ward, they strongly encouraged me to seek another gynae referal from the GP. I don't know what their solution would have been, apart from hormones or mirena coil, but they seemed keen to help.

Very hard, regular exercise will work somewhat too, but if it's not your thing, then it will be hard to motivate yourself when feeling already shite.

Ask for a Gynae referal from the GP. You have my sympathies OP, it's rotten.