PMT, I need to sort this, Any ideas how?

[PagingDrFaggot]

I am 37 and for the past couple of years the week before my period has been hellish. My mood is horrendous I'm like mrs angry but not only that I feel sweaty,nauseous with raging insomnia and feel like the smallest tasks are insurmountable . I have just come on this morning and honestly it's like the biggest weight has been lifted from my shoulders and the fog has lifted. It's not just that I'm a "bit snappy" this is genuinely ruining my life for one week a month. I shall get a GP's appointment in the next week and see if she has any suggestions but does anyone else have any experience of this and if so any ideas of treatment or things I can do to help myself .

[sittinginthesun]

Acupuncture can be very helpful.

[poachedeggs]

Sympathies! I suffer badly from this since my youngest was born.

My GP was brilliant, really sympathetic, and said there are a few things which may help (although nothing short of the menopause will fix it!).She's asked me to keep a symptoms diary (google it, there are a few online although I'm using ovuview on Android) for 3 months then we'll review things.

In the meantime she's suggested vitamin b6, exercise (ie making this a serious priority that week or two), and sticking to complex carbs then too. She said some people just find it helpful to mark on the calendar when they will be bad, so it's a reminder that you need to pick battles and be kind to yourself.

It's early days for me but I'm feeling much more optimistic (as is DH, not sure about my poor confused DC :()

[TheElfOnThePanopticon]

Regular exercise (outdoors in daylight if possible), no sugar or refined carbs and minimal alcohol. Meditation and yoga help a lot with the craziness and a bit with the physical stuff. And knowing in advance and planning for feeling pretty shitty for the week makes life a bit easier, eg avoiding parties, getting a nice comforting book.to read and insisting on lie-u.s that weekend.