Are there ways to beat PMS without using any hormonal treatments?

[Bintymcbintface]

Pretty much just this. Hormonal anything doesn't agree with me. Mirena coil, gained 2 stone, had constant migraines and was an all round grumpy bitch. Contraceptive injection, again migraines and constant bleeding.

I just need help. Currently using the copper coil and it is great, set it and forget it with regular periods that aren't too heavy but my good god every month I turn into a monster. My anxiety goes through the roof, I'm a paranoid mess, my cramps go right down into my hips making me a grumpy limping mess and I'm weepy as hell. I can't go on like this but googling around is showing that virtually all treatments are hormone based, I don't want these, they make me a fat, grumpy lump with a constant headache. Has anyone else with similar issues found something that works?

Antidepressants can work really well. Talk to your GP.

I have been on antidepressants before for depression, they made me an emotionless zombie

Vitamin b6 and magnesium helped me, but I did end up on hormonal treatment for PMDD

@AdamRyan

Vitamin b6 and magnesium helped me, but I did end up on hormonal treatment for PMDD

Thank you I'll look into those. I can't cope with being a psychotic wreck for a week+ of every month

Vitamin b6 evening primrose oil.
Plan your cycle cut out wheat in the days before, take a walk in the fresh air, meditation.
Read up on PMDD.

Oh I hadn't read about wheat, what effect does it have on things? Thank you for the advice I'll look into the evening primrose oil too

I know it's not what anyone wants to hear but cutting out refined sugar and eating healthy meals at regular intervals makes a huge difference to my PMS

You could try star flower/borage oil but I would image if it's bad you'd need something more.

www.simplysupplements.co.uk/healthylife/women-and-health/starflower-oil-benefits-for-womens-health

I do try to eat quite healthily on the whole but might need to cut down on the caffeine/red bull a little... Thanks, I'd rather be down on the sugary drinks than be this irrational whack job

Fluoxetine has made a subtle difference to my pms. Hasn’t eradicated it and my anxiety remains horrendous during the week before but it’s improved it a little

Vitamins and all the oils primrose

St. John’s wort
Exercise
My MIL swears having a baby sorted her period pain
There are 24 different types of hormone contraception but only a few available via GP have you thought about a private specialist consultant ( get recommendations not an quack )

I'm glad it's helped you a little. I was prescribed fluoxetine before for different issues, wouldn't take it again if I was paid to

Very boring but

Cleaner more nutrient rich diet
Exercise

Diet - cut out refined sugars and processed foods, bulk up on rainbow veg, perhaps make smoothies? Juices? Cut down on wheats and grains, maybe dairy also, replace with plant based alternatives?

I don’t know that you’d need to do this the whole month but being way more conscious of your micronutrients is only going to be of benefit overall. I personally feel a lot better when I up my plant intake and cut down on sugar and dairy.

Exercise - increases all the good hormones, helps sleep, improves mood, helps with cramps etc.

Walking, swimming, Pilates or yoga, jogging, running, tennis, home HIIT work out? Anything where you get a bit of a sweat on, endorphins pumping etc.

For cramps you can buy sticky pads you attach to your stomach, back etc - they are natural pain relief and they heat up a bit too I think, just look on amazon for natural PMT pain relief pads

Starflower oil is a more concentrated source of GLA than evening primrose oil which is the bit that's supposed to help to balance hormone levels.

How old are you ? My PMT went haywire peri menopause

I'm just shy of 35 so not sure I'm quite at peri-menopausal stage yet, it's been an issue for a couple of years now

Improve your gut health. Cut out all seed oils (sunflower etc - it is in so much processed food), use good olive oil, increase fibre, fruit, veg, real food, eat fish or take high quality fish oil supplement.

I used to have it terrible. It's an awful thing to have. I got onto a research programme at st Thomas's hospital. For two weeks of each month I took evening primrose capsules b6, magnesium zinc, vit c and vit b a multi one. Also avoided carbs and anything too sweet or yeasty
Good luck, hope you get some relief

Some of my friends swear by a special diet. Eat more of certain types of foods. I haven't had any issues myself, so haven't paid much attention!

@DetailMouse

I know it's not what anyone wants to hear but cutting out refined sugar and eating healthy meals at regular intervals makes a huge difference to my PMS

@DetailMouse - yes - I had a book years ago that did this - had recipes etc.

It can be very hard to stick to though.

Super complex vitamin b - high dose of all the b's.
Try red clover capsules, not tablets. The capsules are more effective.
Both help hormonal fluctuations & the b vitamins help with hormonal headaches.

Thank you for all the suggestions, I will grab the recommended supplements when I'm out and about later on and watch my carb/sugar intake

There's a specialist combination called Magnesium OK that has all of these in but not the evening primrose oil

My doctor prescribed me estrogen gel for PMDD which did work well but unfortunately set off my pancreatitis. It was the only thing that worked for me.

Does nobody else notice they really need carbs when premenstrual?

I am mostly careful with carb consumption the rest of the month due to type 1 diabetes. But it makes my mood so much worse on the run up to my period if I don't eat more then. Eating toast literally makes me a saner, calmer, more cheerful person

I did think carbs helped optimise serotonin, or something, when you have pms?

Maybe it's different for different folks.