Is this normal PMS after a baby?

[Lorettda]

A year after having a baby I feel like my PMS seems more extreme. Its always been quite bad but now a fog of depression and paranoia seems to descend for 7- 10 days beforehand. I've emerged from it today and reflecting on myself over past couple of weeks, it's like a crazy woman took over. Like I was possessed.

I've been to doctors in the past about this before baby and they suggested antidepressants for half the month but I didn't want to take medication. I managed to control it through exercise, diet, reflexology etc but those don't work so well as a new mum who is sleep deprived and trying to juggle everything.

After crying in a couple of internal meetings at work last week in the midst of this Pms fog, I wonder if I need to reconsider my options? I'm mortified by how I behaved and can't understand why I was so upset now my logical brain is back.

Could this be PMDD? My thoughts get so dark in this fog too, it's quite frightening.

Does anyone have advice that's not antidepressants? Is there some magic vitamin that will fix me?

I read that hormonal "treatments" e.g. the pill etc. can be used (and might actually be more appropriate for pms than anti depressants).

Are you on any contraception? Have you ever tried any of the pills before and did they make any difference?

I think the progestegen only pill made me worse mood wise, but the combined pill helped.

I took the anti depressants. They work but they made me lose a lot of weight very fast so I had to stop (it wouldn’t stop me now!). Then Yasmin pill was recommended which was a game changer for me. No more unreasonable anger or depression, no more anaemia and as a bonus, my hormonal skin problems cleared too. I’ve stopped taking it now but it really helped me for a long time.

If you only want natural treatments, cutting coffee and alcohol have made a huge difference to me recently.

Could this be PMDD? My thoughts get so dark in this fog too, it's quite frightening.

Could be.

Though from my experience I think really bad pms can almost overlap with pmdd at times. I felt like I had pms but occasionally it almost overlapped with pmdd - if I was stressed or depressed.

as a new mum who is sleep deprived

Sleep deprivation is a major factor in pnd. I'd imagine you're still just about in the time frame for depression to be considered pnd.

It could be pnd on top of/interacting with your pms

You are also more prone to get pms, I think, if you suffer from pms.

Unfortunately I can't take the combined pill due to migraines/ risk of stroke . I've not taken hormonal contraception since I was 18 due to this