Evil Hormones Help!

[puppie]

Just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience as not sure whether to bother my grumpy GP with this.

For the past five months my PMS has been bad...I mean REALLY bad...more so than ever before. I get the usual irritability for around 10 before period but for 3-4 days just before I have been suffering what I call mini-breakdowns! I cry for hours and hours every day, I get awful awful feelings of dread and anxiety and think something bad is going to happen and during the last episode (I must stress that I would NEVER act on it) I thought I would be better off throwing myself in front of a train!

Now the most distressing thing for me is I find it difficult to cope with DS 2.2 during these times as I dont want him to see me in tears so I have to keep running off and hiding in bathroom.

Is this normal PMS? Does everyone have it like this? I'm not sure if I am making a mountain out of a molehill. Around the same time as it started getting bad I began experiencing migraines prior to each period and my cycle has shortened.

I'd love to know anyone elses' thoughts/experiences.

[puppie]

Bump

[puppie]

Anyone?

[AmNOTMissMsOrMrsAmME]

Hi there, I wonder if you could be suffering from something called PMDD www.pms.org.uk/About+PMS/News/2007+bulletins/March+2007/item782/

It might be worth a trip to your doctor to get checked out. HTH

[puppie]

Thanks AmNOTMissMsOrMrsAmME!

That says to be diagnosed you must suffer at least 4 of those symptoms and I am clocking 8!

[AmNOTMissMsOrMrsAmME]

Gosh, then you really should see your GP. I have read that a low dose of Prozac helps. I don't know how you feel about taking natural supplements but 5HTP is known as the equivalent to prozac and it is fabulous, I take it myself. Also, I take agnus cactus. That has worked wonders for me but that is only for 'normal' period problems, not as severe as you are experiencing. I really do think your best stop woul dbe with your GP initially.

[puppie]

AmNOTMissMsOrMrsAmME Have made GP appointment for tomorrow but he is notoriously unhelpful so if I have no joy with him I will try the supplements you have suggested. Going to look online now to see where to get them. Thanks for your advice

[AmNOTMissMsOrMrsAmME]

Oh that's good news. Good luck with your GP and do let me know how you get on

As for the supplements you can get them online from Holland and Barratt or alternatively this is a good reliable source too

www.healthspan.co.uk/search.aspx?query=agnus%20castus

www.healthspan.co.uk/search.aspx?query=5htp

HTH

[SenseAndSenility]

Hi puppie,

I hope you get on okay at the GP

Your post caught my eye as I have also suffered hideous PMT in the last few years (basically since having kids and being in my mid 30s). I don't think I've had it as bad as you, but I am not someone who generally gets depressed, and in recent years I've often felt hopeless and like crying for no reason at that time of the month.

A straw poll of friends has made me aware that many of us have found our pmt getting worse in our 30s, and I know my mum suffered terribly at the age I am now (37).

I've tried Agnus Castus and Vit B complex and had some success with those in the short term, but I'm not currently taking them as I wanted to see how I got on without. I currently have reflexology which seems to help a lot, but I am sure that depends on the practitioner.

Another thing that has made a huge difference to me is going running, which I have only done for the past few months, although I realise that's hard to arrange when your DS is so young. I think just having fresh air and exercise seems to make your body work better across the whole month somehow.

I don't want to imply that I know the answers, I just wanted to give you a few more suggestions and make sure you know that you are not the only one.

I also think that if you don't get a good response from your GP you should definitely try and change your doctor. How awful to be worried about talking to your doctor about a problem you're having, when that's actually what he's there for.

[AmNOTMissMsOrMrsAmME]

Another thing that helps tremendously is a good healthy diet, especially cutting out sugar.

[puppie]

Oh No! I knew someone was going to say cut out sugar Alcohol is another one apparently that needs to be cut out but a glass of wine sometimes is the only thing that relaxes me enough to take a deep breathe and calm down when I am having a bad episode (only at night of course not during the day .

Hi SenseandSenility! Sorry to hear you suffer too and thanks for your comments. I turn 31 this year so maybe it is an age thing as I cant understand why it would start out of the blue. I am quite a keen runner and recently did a half marathon. I go running at least four times a week and it really helps my general state of wellbeing but unfotunately it hasnt been enough to help during the PMT episodes.

Ta for the links! Am not holding our hope for GP, his general response to things is to shrug his shoulders and grimace (on one occasion his apathy led to my DS being in hospital for a week on a drip after him saing there was nothing wrong with him)

[AmNOTMissMsOrMrsAmME]

Sugar is the devil!! You will find that the 5htp relaxes you, it helps me to sleep wonderfully. This is a good site that tells you more about it www.5-htp.org.uk/

Do you have a female GP at your practice. You might find a female a bit more sympathetic than your male one.

Also, hate to be a party pooper but alcohol is actually a depressant so although you may find it helps you to relax it may well be adding to your problems.

And another thing, keep talking/posting. Getting off your chest how you feel will help. I've got you on 'watch'

[puppie]

Thanks AmNOTMissMsOrMrsAmME

So I went to the doc on Friday and it was a different one to my usual which I was pleased about but he's prescribed me something called Zopiclone which is a sleeping tablet/tranquilizer.

Now I agreed to this because I am desperate to fix my problem but I have reservations about taking them as they have quite serious side effects! (addiction, memory loss, depression) and these are the common side effects. Now why would you give someone who is already suffering bad anxiety/mood swings/depression...something that could make that worse? I've done some quick research ( I know I shouldnt google) but nowhere can I see that sleeping tabs should be prescribed for pms.

Hopefully someone might come along and say they were prescribed something similar...that might make feel a bit better!

[Kitchens]

I'm no expert but I tend to agree with you that sleeping pills (especially with those side affects) will be the cure to your problems. Have a look at www.pms.org.uk before you take anything. You may need to gather some information before you go back and see your GP and build yourself up a little case by keeping a diary of how you feel. This website also has a forum so please take a look. I also suffer, very randomly from month to month and am sometimes very weepy and feel rubbish on a daily basis but having said that I've done nothing about it via my GP as I am trying (unsuccessfully I may add) to get pregnant again so I want to avoid any drugs. But I did send off via this website for one of their booklets. Sorry if I have repeated anything anyone else has said as I've not read all of the posts (sorry!)

Good luck

[Kitchens]

Sorry .... missed out a word - meant to say sleeping pills would NOT be the cure to your problems.

Also meant to say that diet can play a huge part in your rehab and excercise too. I do find a trip to the gym sorts my head out and by the time I've showered and changed my head is clearer.

[puppie]

Ta Kitchens,

Yep that website is very useful (not a mention of sleeping tablets anywhere on it!) I agree that exercise is brilliant although unfortunately not strong enough to quash the pms demon 3-4 days before start of period. Good luck with conceiving