To ask what you do about hideous PMT?

[WhereIsMyTVRemote]

Just that really. I am late 30s and for the week leading up to a period now I find myself completely losing it over nothing.

I feel like a terrible person and a terrible mum sometimes.

I have tried evening primrose and it made me feel absolutely awful. I've tried just retreating when I feel awful but it's impossible with multiple children.

I am not on any contraception as they all make me feel very unwell.

I swear it gets worse as I've got older but I can't afford for this to get worse than it is now. I just don't know what to do :(

[MontyBowJangles]

I have been on 20mg fluoxetine for 7-10 days before my period, since the end of last summer.

The first time I took them I had awful side effects; dry mouth, headache, anxiety and nausea. I felt like it wasn't worth it! But the next month the side effects were far less. They're a bit hit and miss now, but they do stop the rage and help the sad feeling. Agree with the pp who said about feeling a bit numb sometimes. It's a positive and a negative.

For example when the kids are squabbling or messing about at the dinner table (they're 5 and 8) when I'm not on my Prozac I will lose my temper quickly and shout at them. When I'm taking the Prozac/fluoxetine all the drama goes over my head and dh will be like "aren't you going to say something?!" And I'll smile and mouth "nope! On my Prozac darling!".

However ! I've been seriously low this past six weeks so am seeing my GP in ten days time (it took over four weeks for me to get an appointment) to discuss going on them permanently, or trying Sertraline or Citalopram as I've been getting the aforementioned side effects again recently (along with insomnia and restless legs...So I'm very tired on top of it all).

I'm almost 38 and have had enough of it. I'm on Yasmin as dh refuses to have the snip, despite us being done with having children. I don't know it the pill is helping or making my pmdd worse

OP try to make some of the changes others have suggested, upping your exercise can never be a bad thing. Also, try to make sure you have enough you time, even if it's just a 45 min bubble bath once a week or something.

[WhereIsMyTVRemote]

@Harry I saw one before and I am supposed to follow a certain way of eating but when you factor multiple children in and not much time, I fail regularly.

On the plus side I just sat on the sofa and burst into tears reading this and dh and I had a chat and I've let it all out. Showed him the Mind pages on it and he agreed with it all. He is going to help. He actually said he doesn't know how lucky he has it with all of this to echo your point above about being a man!

Exercise wise I am going to try. I am just so tired in the evenings and morning and all the school runs, clubs, work, getting tea ready etc. We don't have any help. Not really a lot I can do about that unfortunately. I need to schedule time perhaps and just routinely stick to it no matter what.

[WhereIsMyTVRemote]

@monty the side effects scare me. I hate feeling out of sorts. I'm so sorry you are feeling low. I hope that gets sorted for you.

I saw on Mind there are online support groups and am thinking I might head over to one of those if any of you did want to as well. I will look into it in the morning.

[WhereIsMyTVRemote]

The next day my period came and like a switch going off, I was so much better and myself again.

This resonates so much.

[Moralitym1n1]

I'd try contraception- though I'm wary of mini pill etc because progestogen only pill seemed to make my mood low.

Can you take combined pill?

While some people feel it works I read that adsate actually an inappropriate treatment for PM's - it's the cycle that's the problem, so it should be dealt with eg stopped.

Vitamins and minerals associated with it also include calcium, magnesium, vit d and some others I can't remember offhand.

Maybe contraception and supplement those vitamins and minerals?

Exercise is also supposed to help, pref outdoors.

[Moralitym1n1]

*antidepressants

[Bobbiepin]

I've been the same since having dd but the week after my period. It's so bad I've told my husband to leave, repeatedly walked out etc. Its been incredibly tough on my dh.

I'm taking sertraline now. Citalopram made me so sick I lost half a stone (not the worst thing but not sustainable long term) but sertraline is better. I don't feel wonderful but I'm coping better with life. I'm also taking the pill back to back and not having periods. My wonderful GP has recommended the copper coil - no hormones (which we think is exaggerating the problem) but should stop my periods whilst its in.

I'm sorry there's so many of you feeling like this but I can't tell you the relief of knowing I'm not alone. Thank you.

[Bobbiepin]

Whoops also taking magnesium, B6 complex and a high dose of vitamin D (I was previously tested and vit D deficient). No idea if its helping but not hurting so I'll keep it up for now

[Moralitym1n1]

The other thing I find that helps is awareness is use a cycle tracker app and identify your pms'ing days on it (usually from ovulation til period) - that simple awareness that you're pms'ing and seeing the pattern (you can record mood and see it on the same cycle days from month to month) seems to help. It's easy to lose that perspective when you're under the influence as it were.

[CookieWarbler]

I've suffered with this for years and felt it getting worse as I've got older (43 now). I did B6 and magnesium, exercise, meditation, you name it and nothing had really worked. It's come to a head in the last few months as I'm also dealing with my Mum being terminally ill and I was living in fear of my PMT coinciding with key decisions/ appointments/ procedures where I knew I would just not be able to cope.
I went to my GP after a heart-to-heart with DH who was very worried about me and I'm now on a low dose (10mg) of Citalopram. I felt better within a week and for the first time in years like I was on an emotional even keel. It's a v low dose so after a couple of months I felt the PMT return and now take 20mg the week before my period and then back down to 10 for the rest of the time.
No side effects, just feel like I can cope again.
I hope you can find some help OP. It's a very real thing and you don't have to just put up with it. Good luck.

[WhereIsMyTVRemote]

@bobbiepin me too, not nice to know others are suffering though.
The period tracker app sounds like a good idea too.
Thank you @cookie. I am glad you have some relief. We have a lot of big life decisions too and I want to be able to keep a rational head!

I've had the morning to myself today and that was very useful. Off to do some whole family exercise shortly too and have eaten fairly well. I had to sneak a few sweets earlier though as I couldn't go without any sugar! Oops.

[Itwouldtakemuchmorethanthis]

Drinking more water in an active way helped enormously. (Something like large glass of water when you wake up, another before breakfast, lunch, evening meal. Add a glass before any sweets/sugar and you will soon feel very different....though you pee endlessly). I find my rowing machine helps squeeze in exercise.

[Fraula]

It's so incredibly comforting to hear from women who experience this too! I am a bit nervous as ebf my 6monyh old ds(4), and worried that I won't be able to medicate until I wean him.

[SingleMumFighting]

Exercising and spirulina made a difference for me.

[SingleMumFighting]

Plus I stopped the pill. The hormones made pmt worse.

[Bumbalaya]

I do 4 hours of cardio a week and don’t eat sugar but my PMDD is only controlled with low dose sertraline. I feel so much better for it and not so self destructive for one week in every month.

[BellMcEnd]

I’ve had awful PMT for years. I’ve tried the usual starflower / evening primrose oil and the pill all to no avail. I loved being pregnant as I was so much more of a even keel mood swings wise.

I’ve been getting a lot of joint and muscle pain recently and was advised to take a heavy duty magnesium supplement. It’s helped my aches and pains a lot but the biggest effect has been a big reduction in my PMT. Hoorah. I take the full dose of the Solgar brand one.

Good luck to all of you with PMT. it’s rotten.

[MontyBowJangles]

Thanks to the person who recommended a period tracker app. I've just downloaded Flo, where I can track my moods. Should be helpful to take to show my GP when deciding about antidepressants.

[WhereIsMyTVRemote]

@bell how did you find evening primrose? I hated it.

I might try that app. I've eaten better the last couple of days since the recommendations on here and have felt a bit better. Had a headache from less sugar (I think!) though. Although I wonder if the headache is linked to the pmt. I've never really tracked headaches.

[Lellikelly26]

Go to your GP but try acupuncture as well. It’s worked wonders for my hormones

[Iheartlondon]

I have symptoms like this not every month but some months, definitely this month with some awful arguments with DH. I feel like the incredible hulk! Fine, then something triggers rage. I've been reading about pmdd. I definitively think sugar is partly to blame, which is hard because I really crave it. In regards to ADs I've taken st John's wort for mild depression which has really helped and is a herbal remedy so you can get it in Holland and barrett. I've also read about magnesium and b vitamins helping. Also a bit out there but I've had reflexology in the past when suffering with infertility and noticed an improvement with pmt then.

[Bobbiepin]

I can empathise with the rage @iheartlondon. My dh says it's like a switch is flipped and I completely bypass upset and angry straight to full on rage. I almost feel as though rage isn't a strong enough word.

[Iheartlondon]

It's not @bobbiepin, I honestly feel like I'm going to explode sometimes. Poor DH is treading on eggshells. When I look back on our arguments I can't believe I got so angry. We've actually done a relate session as things have been so hard but agreed to focus on trying to sort my pmt/pmdd because that's the root of the problem.

[Bobbiepin]

I could have written that too. Almost all the problems with our marriage are coming down to this. The anti depressants are helping but it's not a long term solution. It's got so bad I've wondered to myself if a hysterectomy and early menopause would solve things. I'm not even 30 yet ffs.

[AnotherEmma]

There is some useful info at www.pms.org.uk

According to their treatment guidelines, Agnus Castus is the best alternative to drugs. I started taking it recently but it's too soon to report back.

Interestingly they say that Evening Primrose Oil should be avoided.

I'm trying the "natural" approach (Agnus Castus, Magnesium, diet and exercise) and tracking symptoms using an app. If it doesn't improve within in few months I'll go to the GP and try antidepressants.