Bloody PMS & Period about to ruin holiday

[Questiontellme]

So my period has been all over the place since my covid booster and altho I carefully planned it, it now looks like I am going to be on my period at the start of the 2nd wk of a 2 wk holiday next month. Meaning the first week I will probably feel shit due to PMaS.

F'ing great! I know I know first world problems but I suffer from horrendous PMS and my periods are heavy. We are going on our first foreign holiday since 2017 and only our second ever holiday with our children, I just feel like it's ruined.

Tried to plan it initially to give me leeway to have hopefully just finished, then periods went to pot after my booster in Dec looked like they were settling and I would be mid cycle, fine but now they seem to have changed again and last two have been short 23/25 day cycles meaning if this continues or even if it goes to 28/30 I am going to be where I am 😑.

My symptoms are the rage (sometimes very severe) and or severe anxiety/depression the week before, sometimes both intermittent sometimes one or the other. Very bloated can gain around 4lb, and the odd spot, weird akin rashes. All that together is clearly uber shit.

Does anyone have any solid gold recommendations for anything which I can do to mitigate these symptoms.

I'm not on the pill, I know there is nothisterone but as I remember it has progesterone in and after seeing a specialist derm for adult acne they think I am progesterone sensitive.

I also suffer from acne and am currently on a course of antibiotics and gel to shift it....again. Nothisterone is the same for me, but I'm going on a long haul holiday the day after I'm due to start my period, so I'm going to run the risk of having a few spots rather than bleed the whole time I'm away

Have you ever taken Norethisterone before? I don't get any side effects at all with it but on threads like this others report bad PMS and bloating... which you're trying to avoid. So, it might not be the right choice for you anyway!

What contraception do you currently use a d when do you go?

The implant has been brilliant for me. I only have about 6 instances of spotting over 3 years

I had the implant and bled heavily for the 4 months I was on it, had to beg the doctor to take it out.

I just had a lomg holiday (3 weeks) & my GP was not keen for me to take norethisterone for so long so put me on the pill for the time before I went and the time we were away. It worked perfectly, no PMS, some v slight occasional spotting (but missed a couple when ill and not on habit before we went) & some mild but impressive temporary boob growth.

I wasnt sure as had had terrible experiences on the pill many years ago, microgynon (sp?) turned me into a fat, depressed monster. This time was fine, although I did find I was stuffing my face the whole time. This could have been tiredness/extended jet lag/holiday greed though. Im still chipping away at a few lbs gained now, a few weeks later.

When I stopped the pill I wasn't sure whether to expect an even worse period than usual, but all was fine, maybe even less heavy but a day longer.

Why don’t you go on the normal combined pill? The oestrogen in it offsets the effects of the progesterone, plus the oestrogen is what helps with acne (I also have adult acne, helped by the pill).

Plus, even if it doesn’t necessarily help with the acne, surely it would be worth it to help with all your PMS symptoms? All pills are different so it’s just about finding whichever one works for your body.

I guess it’s too late to start that though if your holiday is next month :(

Thanks for the responses people. I don't think a new contraceptive is going to help as it is probably too short notice.

I just need things that actually work to alleviate some of the symptoms like the rage/dperession and the bloat!

@SoupDragon years ago, it was just reading that it's basically progesterone and the dermatologist and endo thinks that's what is causing the adult acne.