RAGE and tears a week before period

[Chipbutty67]

I’ve noticed a weird pattern and I wanted to see if anyone else had. I’m a year post partum w DC2 (no PND) and a week before my period I feel blinding rage and really really depressed. I’ve never had PMS etc before so I want to check if this is normal.

Today I was late to pick up DC1 from nursery, although I was parked outside, because I just couldn’t stop crying. I got myself under control enough to finally collect him then burst into tears in the car.

I’m also super angry, which I’m not normally. Last month I actually woke up in the middle of the night from rage - tight chest, headache etc. I’m really irritable and snappy even with my poor babies.

I don’t want to go to the GP unnecessarily - has anyone else gone through this?

My mental health is awful the week before my period, rage, anxiety, I feel awful and am hard to be around.
I've been much worse in the last year, I think because I've been off hormonal contraception for the first time in years.
I was thinking about it today and whether l should see my GP.

Pmdd it's a real thing. Sertraline has changed my life

Sorry no advice other than that definitely does sound hormone related and not normal at all to feel such extreme emotions. Definitely go to the doctor and see if they can give you any advice.

My first thought was also pmdd

Thanks, I’ll google Pmdd

I don't get depressed with my period but I do understand the RAGE. It can be blood curdling.

Im not sure about postpartum, as I'm childless but the rage is normal for my period.

I had this, also came on after my second. To be honest it's still a thing but I control it much better since I started keeping a diary of symptoms on my GP's advice - I realised that it's linked to the fact that I really need much, much more sleep than usual that week. I am often drowsy and these days I try to plan for several early nights in my premenstrual week, which helps lots. If I have a couple of late nights I'll be tearful and ready to snap at the slightest thing.

@Thewisewomansfear blood curdling is exactly how I would describe it, and I’m usually not an angry person at all

I developed pmdd after pnd. Antidepressants for a week per month have changed my life!

Yes yes yes. I snap at my children and I hate myself for it, I can almost see myself doing it from above but I can't stop it. I googled PMDD a while ago and felt a tad better knowing it was a "thing". I've started taking evening primrose oil and I've not felt the burning rage for a while now x

Yes sounds like PMDD. See your GP about it.

What fraula said! See your GP - anti-Ds are a lifechanger.

Wow, I'd never heard of pmdd, I just know in the last year my bog standard pms had gone to anger and feeling complete lack of control in my life for up to 2 weeks before my period with headaches and the achiest breasts in the world. I take Agnus cactus, evening primrose oil and starflower oil. They all help a bit.

Do you take ADs just leading up to the period? My mum has struggled with depression for years and I’ve seen her really struggle with ADs around finding the right dose/ brand and I’m so reluctant to try and make things worse

You could try starflower oil and evening primrose oil first. I found they really helped get my rage and crying under control. My periods also seem lighter and my skin is better. I noticed a difference straight away so meybe give it a try and then go to GP if it doesn’t improve.
I hope you find something that helps, it’s so horrible feeling like that

I tried herbal stuff for years. Low dose antidepressants took away all the symptoms and made me able to parent well for the whole month. Only being pregnant helped previously, and that is not a sustainable plan

Took a few days of dizziness and then no side effects. You may have to push your Gp to prescribe. Worth looking for research online: I found good stuff from an Australian university... maybe Canberra?

PMDD is absolutely a thing for some women. Check with your provider, but some women are helped by taking vitamin B6. My MIL was, greatly. If that doesn't work some ladies take an antidepressant for the week prior to their period each month. Now, antidepressants normally take up to 6 weeks to be effective, but for these ladies just taking it that 1 week a month works. We don't know why that is.

Another vote for evening primrose oil, I get like this, not every month but when it starts I know I'm in for a long and painful period to boot! I take it all the time and it's even helped with the bone coldness I get even when it's warm, the constant fatigue and headaches and sore boobs and cramps, I still have some periods worse than others, where my symptoms are worse but with the primrose they're better than they were. Thinking I'll be trying the other suggestions on here as well!

Yeah, I had that. It wasn't diagnosed as anything (it was over 20 years ago), but I definitely had it. Thankfully for me a second pregnancy cured me and it didn't recur.

Definitely get help for it. I'm glad to know that there is help available.

Pmdd it's a real thing. Sertraline has changed my life

Amen sister! And my family's lives, too. I was a nightmare. 😳

PMDD .... for sure ...
Evening primrose oil , Vit B 6 , Vit D , Flexseen Oil capsules , Yoga 🧘‍♀️ and daily exercise of at least 30 mins was what I did/ do .... now peri menopause stage I consume a lot of soya also ...

Hard work doing all this , however I’m now in a routine with it and it definitely helps .

Be kind to yourself , take care and good luck...

chip I take fluorexetine for 2 weeks - about 10 days before period and until it stops.

I tried evening primrose oil, b6 etc first but they didn't touch the sides.

It’s a low dose of antidepressants that is just in the run up to period.