Intense anger/rage before period - help :(

[Unwantedmoodswings]

NCd for this.

I'm feeling awful and helpless. I'm due on my period and once again I have feelings of intense anger (rage!). For background, I am 32 years old, several stone overweight and not currently on hormonal contraception. I've been feeling angry all day, and things came to a head when I snapped at my partner for taking too long and not answering me when I offered to help him with something. I called him a few choice words, turned off the computer at the wall and stomped upstairs like a stroppy teenager.

I'm now laying here in tears wondering why this happens to me once every couple of months - it truly feels like I've been taken over by a different person. I just want to throw things, swear like a sailor and storm around (although obviously I restrain myself from violence). I'd consider myself a gentle and happy soul and a good partner generally. I feel so guilty. Are these severe mood swings just part and parcel of PMS/PCOS? I also suffered from intense rage as a teenager and regret many arguments that I put my parents through. I really don't want to have to do this again. I'm at my wit's end.

I guess I'm just after some advice on steps to take to stop these mood swings, and to see if anyone else out there has experienced similar. Thank you 🙏

Sorry - meant to mention in background info that I have PCOS. Diagnosed 16 years ago.

You're just like me, and you have my sympathy. I've found myself storming around and shouting and I know I am being irrational but I can't stop myself.
Low carbing helps.

@stellardella You have my sympathies back. Thanks for the advice re carbs. It's shit isn't it. It's literally just my partner that gets it and he is such a lovely, sweet person... Just wrong place at wrong time. He deserves better.

Ahhhh this is me today unfortunately. I flit between feeling very anxious to feelings of anger, lose my rag easily. Luckily dh knows it passes and he laughs it off, or doesn't take me on when I go off on one. I would never be violent though, it's not in me.

Might be hidden allergies. Gluten can mess with the cycle. Worth a punt for a few months.

@thevolturi Sorry you suffer too.

@spaceshiptomars I'm sure gluten doesn't help my PCOS anyway, so I should probably cut it out more. My diet is dreadful at the moment due to stress at work and lack of time in evenings. Thanks.

Yes.
Me too.
A calm, gentle, logical and kind person 99.9% of the time but one day, not even every month but one day frequently I could rip the fridge door off and batter that tin of beam that I dropped to death.
I also become very clumsy, dropping things, knocking stuff over, banging into things.
The rage though , the rage over absolutely nothing. Nothing that would bother me at all in any shape or form usually.
I am absolutely taken over by it.

Awful awful awful.
I recognise it and tend to be alone on that day. Keep myself to myself as I know it will pass but cannot accept it as it comes because it’s so alien to me.
It’s rubbish op, I sympathise

You have my sympathies. I learned to split the PMT personality off and actually look upon it as a different person who didn't necessarily have to be at the steering wheel. At least, I could do that when it came to other people. When it came to how I treated myself, that wasn't so effective.

Ask your Doctor, if they will, to prescribe you some diazepam just for the few days before your period.

Have you researched PMDD?

It may not be that but worth a Google

I think vicious cycle is an org with info on it:

www.viciouscyclepmdd.com/

I would strongly suggest you get your blood pressure checked, if not already - I used to have severe PMDD - but after discovering I had high blood pressure, I went on medication for this and since my blood pressure dropped to normal range, my PMDD eased too.

I have a couple of friends who have been diagnosed with PMDD. Medication has changed their lives.

Look up Pre Menstrual Dysphoria Disorder (PMDD) and see if it resonates.

I've heard the herbal supplement agnus castus helps with this, waiting until I stop breastfeeding to try it.

PMDD!!

Just the knowledge that it's a thing helped me. But you can get medication too.

For me it doesn't really materialise as rage but as absolute and complete hopelessness. It's horrible and took me years to notice the pattern.

Look for the books by Dr Maryon Stewart, she also used to offer a nutrition, supplement, exercise program. It cured my really terrible PMT - similar symptoms to you. I’m not sure if she offers it any more but 3 months after starting I was PMT free

Please look up PMDD. Track your cycle really accurately for a couple of months to identify your pattern/track your symptoms. Then try and get an appt with your GP to discuss.

There's a really useful NICE guideline.