Really really bad PMS

[fishandlilacs]

I have had issues with my mental health for years. two major episodes of depression, once before children, once PND and PTSD after dc1.

I now have Dc2 who is 9m-I have been having periods again for 4 months and i am slowly becoming more and more mental each time. I can feel it coming on about a week before my period and i have few days where i know i am being ratty, ragey, emotional and shouty then it passes over to a point where I am no longer aware of it and i just do it anyway. By day 2 of my period it stops and I am left feeling guilty and sad that I have behaved badly. I spend the next 2 weeks being normal before it all starts again.

I had quite a severe episode last month and DH and I ended up rowing about it. He says I need anger management and that he doesn't think i'm safe with the kids. I admit to raising my voice too loudly sometimes, I admit i shout but I have never hurt either of them. It's usually him that gets it the neck-but thats not fair either.

I'm sure the PMS is confounded by the fact that DS is not a great sleeper. He still wakes every 2 hours every night and rarely sleeps past 5am. He also often spends some proportion of the night awake for a couple of hours on end.

Its getting to the point where I am a afraid of what each month will bring-its like the devil in me.

I am thinking of the coil-we dont want any more children but I read so much on here that mirena makes these symptoms worse.

any advice please?

[ledkr]

I'm the same and on top of all the symptoms I sometimes have a meltdown just as I start to bleed,I literally feel a rag I can't control. Prozac helps a bit and also vitamin b6 I also warn dh and kids and they try to stay away from annoying me. It's truly terrible ill watch your thread with interest

[ledkr]

Rage not rag

[fishandlilacs]

I knew what you meant-I feel it too.

My dh knows better than to annoy me but my dd is only 5-I cant expect her to know any better. Shes dealing with her own shit for want of better expression-Yr 1 is stressful for her as shes the youngest in her year and she doesn't like her teacher. She needs a calm and consistent warm loving mum that she can trust-all the time, not just 3 weeks a month.

[MissRee]

Fish, I really don't think it's a MH issue - it's a hormonal issue. What contraception (if any) are you using? If hormonal (pill etc) then it clearly isn't doing you any good. Speak to your GP.

In the meantime, get yourself some evening primrose oil and take it religiously! Honestly, it works.

[anxiousant]

There's a herbal supplement called agnus castus. I've been taking this for almost a month and my PMS this month is nothing like it has been for the past few months. It's supposed to balance your hormones, a bit like evening primrose but not as well known and supposed to be more effective.

[MissRee]

Very true Anxious, Agnus Cactus is usually taken by those with PCOS to try and regulate cycles. I'd forgotten about that one

[startlife]

Do see a GP about this - I was in a similar position and I was prescribed a different pill which seems to have helped. I also take Evening Primose but it has to be high strength. Pop in Holland & Barrett and see what they can help with.

Lack of sleep is definitely a factor although I find a symptom of PMS is that my sleep is disturbed so it's a vicious cycle.