I have PMS and I'm here sitting hating myself.

[Chandra]

I hate PMS, and with such irregular periods I can not even predict when this misery is going to finish.

Problem is I become very depressed no matter if I don't have a reason to be. I don't want to go to the doctor because she will give me ADs, can not understand that I really I'm OK or even happy when out of PMS period. I wonder if there is any medication that could help that I can get over the counter (not St John's Wort, it makes me very aggressive...) Do you know of one?

the thing now is hitting in this way, I feel very lonely... have had a bad day, a bad week and a husband who is only away of the computer when playing with DS and 2 hrs a week to talk to me. In other days I really don't mind if he doesn't pay more attention to me but now I feel very lonely.

[Piffle]

Chandra... nothing magnifies it like loneliness huh...
I think Evening Primrose and Starflower are good for PMS
It;s such an unending rollercoaster isn't it
I know I will be where you are in 2 weeks and I dread it :(

[Chandra]

Hi Piffle,

yes, and it seems the last few years of my life has been just that...loneliness, I don't know where I would be without Mumsnet.

How are you doing? are things getting better?

I think I might have Evening PRimrose...

[Chandra]

...

[Chandra]

good night.

[Piffle]

Good nigh honey, I hope you sleep ok I'm off myself now, dd up and down with the heat.
Do some googling on PMS relief, might be too late for this month but for next month maybe.
These men being away it ruins everything...

[gingernut]

Chandra, do you take fish oils? I think they help with my PMS (the ones I take contain evening primrose oil too).

Night night, hope you have a better day tomorrow.

[Chandra]

Hi again, thank you for your posts.

... things look better. The first part of the morning I spent being careful not to cry, then things felt better by midday and I feel fine now.

Piffle, how long do I have to take evening primrose in advance? I have to say that my periods have been so caotic during the last year that next time it could be in a month or 3.

Gingfernut, I do not take fish oils, DS is allergic to fish so we are a fish free household but guess I could get some capsules if they are good for PMS, any recommendations?

thanks again for talking to me yesterday.

[gingernut]

Hi Chandra, sorry I didn't reply before. I take Eye-Q capsules which you can get in Boots. Glad to hear you had a better day.

[desperatehousewife]

oil of evening primrose or starflower oil capsules taken with vitamin B6 helps me a bit. Oil of evening/starflower you can take one every day - vit b6 you need to check how often you can take that. Highly recommend them. Also cut back on sugary things and take exercise (not that I ever do those two things, but they are supposed to help massively).

[foxinsocks]

chandra, the Evening primrose oil will probably take months to work - just to let you know in case you expect immediate results (if it does work). Have also been recommended agnus castus in the past (though again you have to take it for a while).

There is some evidence that people who suffer from bad PMT have a lower level of serotonin and they think this may lead to a sort of progesterone sensitivity (it's not proven and it certainly doesn't apply to everyone). There's no shame in taking ADs - I have read that some doctors even give them to you only for the PMS time but even if you did take them, I'm sure they would only prescribe a small maintenance dose so it wouldn't be like taking full whack ADs.

If it is making your life a misery for weeks on end, it's definitely worth speaking to the GP.

[Chandra]

Thanks Foxinsocks and DesperateHousewife. I believe the thing of serotonine levels have much to do (coming from a excesively sunny place I can really feel my mood changing with the bad wheather and the problem is far worse during the winter months).

The reason I would like to avoid ADs is because they make me feel awful for weeks while the PMS problem disapears in days, now... when I have it, it's a misery I could even spend hours wondering if life is worth living. Few days later I'm perfectly happy.

[opinionsrus]

I haven't read the whole thing but I get exactly the same.

I have even been referred to the hospital about it but to be honest they were completely useless.

For me the best things that work are, and they really do work:

PMS escape sachets. These are amazing its a carbohydrate drink and makes you feel better in seconds. You can buy them in boots and they are worth every penny.

Vitamin b6, though you have to take quite a high dose 100-200mg.

A really strong painkiller.

AD's ok but i can understand why you do not want to take them. For me this is not really the way out anyway, cos like you i only feel bad in those days leading up to period.

I have been told by the top experts that even they do not fully understand PMT so god help the rest of us.

Also sun or lack or it will make you feel worse. If you are stuck indoors sometimes just a walk outside will help.Or you could buy a sun mask although this gave me a really bad migraine.

Oh and of course exercise but when you're feeling so down not always so easy to get up and put your trainers on!!

Good luck with it.