Anyone else grind to a halt from severe PMT?

[beanstalk]

I always suffered with PMT but it was greatly improved by the pill. But since having DD 16 months ago I have got such bad PMT it is making my life stop once a month - and I am back on the pill so that is no longer helping. I get so low I consider whether I could be depressed but it lifts once my period starts, but last the whole week before. I can't get out of bed some days (today), can't work, my mind freezes over and I feel so bleak I can't function. Even as I write this I feel silly, like I should be able to snap out of it as it isn't real depression but it has such a hold on me. I have an appointment with my GP next week but will he be able to help or is this something i have to deal with. Anyone else suffering out there? I feel so pathetic sometimes.

I have suffered like you with PMT since I was 13, and it has made my life a misery, Any progress i seem to make in the other three weeks of the month is ruined by the "bad" week.
I've just started taking St Johns Wort, and last month had no PMT at all. I'm not sure if it's coinsidence, but I'm going to see how this month goes

I am horrific for a few days a month - short fused in the extreme - and it is now basically just a joke in my house which as you can imagine doesn't exactly help ! If you find anything that helps - I need to know too!

Couple of months ago I was really bad, felt SO low. MN helped me pin it down to being related to menstrual cycle ( for me it is 2 weeks before pill free week that is low point).
DH also think it is seasonal and that I am worse in winter.
Not silly at all. GP should be able to help. And there are supplements you can take.

Thanks for your replies. gordieracer - am I right in thinking St Johns Wort interferes with the contraceptive pill? I am still taking the pill for contraceptive reasons but also because it makes my periods slightly lighter, without it they were just too painful.
tigana - how have you addressed it having pinned it down to a specific time in your cycle? Do you have any tips?
I just don't know how to explain to my boss tomorrow why I haven't done any work today - instead I slept a lot and stared at a blank computer screen completely unable to get my brain to work. DP says I should be honest but I don't feel I can be "yeah sorry boss, I had bad pmt so couldn't do that assignment" - it sounds so lame. I just need to hear I'm not the only one who struggles with it.

THere is a syndrome called PMDD which is a step further than your average PMT and linked to cyclical depression. In the states they give out low dose Prozac to combat it, but it is not so readily recognised over here it seems.

I have found that cutting out all the junk (cake, biscuits, chocolate and general processed crap) REALLY helps, but is very hard to do in the first month at least as it is what your body craves. The intense fatigue and pinned to the sofa feelings I had for the 2-3 weeks before my period have lifted. As I was down to one good week a month, something really had to be done. I have also given up bread where possible and am trying to cut down on the alcohol with a lot less success!

I am also taking Starflower every day (2 x one a day tablets...) Agnus Castus, Magnesium complex and fish oils. When the fatigue was really strong I also took iron tablets.

This combination seems to be working for the moment. I found a good book about eating your way out of PMT (Beating PMT through diet) that had some good salient points and also identified 4 different types of PMT and the foods that seem to trigger/exacerbate them. I will try to summarise it when I have a bit more time. Basically it is healthy, fresh food, no processed crap and 'womens' supplements as a boost. Common sense really, but the desire to cram as much junk into your face as possible sometimes overwhelms even the most sensible of us at times!

Oh - and exercise & fres air....

This

PMDD

TBH just realising that it was hormonal, that the misery I was feeling was caused more by that than by 'genuine' problems has helped. I can rationalise it more now. Don't think I am 'going mad'.
Also, I think what DH said about it being seasonable might be right ( took him long enough to bloody tell me I am miserable in winter! Tsk!) so I am a bit better now.
HAve you tried keeping a diary? I record my mood, scale of 1 to 10. Decide on your own definitions. The lowest I have rated myself was 2/10 at end March. Highest has been "pushing 9 occassionally". Just doing this sort of puts you 'back in control' in a way.

I've been really suffering with PMS since my periods came back when DS was 9 months old (he is almost 4 now). I did see my GP about it last year & she was pretty dismissive about it tbh & suggested I stop bfing & just suggested I try vitamin b6...which had no effect at all . I tried every other supplement I could think of but they didn't make any difference either & things have been pretty grim at home.....but then I saw the other GP at the practice about something else & she made a point of asking me how I was & seemed really interested in how I was doing, wanting to spend time with me etc so I mentioned I was really unhappy with my PMS & it was ruining things really but I was trying out some evening primrose oil & would see how it went. She did mention ADs but I didn't want to think about them really....

...anyway I tried the EPO & some other things but had no luck & the more I thought about it the more I thought that ADs might be worth a try if it means life gets better. So I went back to see her & have a chat...had a really really long appt with her & had a good cry & told her all about my mood swings, feeling sad a lot, feeling like I wasn't in control etc etc & she said that it sounded like I might be depressed generally, possibly PND from having DS 4 years ago that was never diagnosed/noticed and that is making my PMS 10 times worse than it usually is (I have suffered from PMS since I was a teenager but nowhere near as bad as after DS was born). I went prepared with a list of BFing friendly ADs & we had a good discussion about which ones might be suitable, side effects etc & I started taking Setraline. 4 weeks on & things aren't perfect, but I have certainly noticed my usual hell in the lead up to ovulation has been very much reduced . The sertraline has made me quite tired so far which isn't helping things...but the control is back & my mood swings are very much reduced. I feel rather numb atm...but my GP assures me that after a while I will level out & start feeling normal again...it just takes a while for the pills to take full effect.

I'm not saying that you are necessaily depressed as well...but it's well worth going to see your GP if it's affecting your daily life. I felt the same way as you up to last month - feeling I should just snap out of it....but just couldn't...and now I am beginning to see why....

I used to get really bad PMT,low moods,anger, being clumsy,huge food cravings especially for chocolate and after trying to change my diet,exercise etc I went to the docs and have been put on the Yasmin contraceptive pill and I feel a lot better. I think it contains only oestrogen so is good for women who have PMT.

Hope this helps.

excellent advise from Bootsmonkey.

I also am horrific during my PMT week. My DH says I am divorce worthy & I can actually feel myself turning into a witch.

It's so difficult trying to cut out the sugar, but I believe that this is one of the key problems with me - I crave it desperately.

I was on citalopram last August to this April & whilst I was on a higher dose - 40-20 mg a day, I didn't really suffer. I hated being on the AD's though, so am off & would advise other avenues to be investigated before reaching for them.

What I don't understand is why dr's don't do more investigating to help us.

Dh wants the laptop...but I'll be back

i am on citalopram for depression, but i find the week before my period i revert back to being almost suicidal, and nothing can lift my misery. The ADs clearly dont work on my PMT. Doc doesnt seem to care..

Sorry was offline for a while whilst I dealt with my hideous mood :-( So far this week have failed to deliver an assignment at work and then cried on my boss, snapped at friends (who were doing nothing more than trying to arrange a meet up), moaned at DP, argued with my mother. And despite going to bed early all week still feel so exhausted I want to crawl back into bed.
So cutting out junk food and eating well seems to be consistent advice. Which I can see makes sense but trying not to eat chocolate when I'm tired and grumpy is so hard. I did resist chocolate ice cream last night though!
I am seeing GP next week and will discuss changing my pill, but so disappointing that some of you are finding GPs are not helpful.
bootsmonkey - your link was very interesting, I took the screener and ticked every box.
Think I will look into the diet issue. Any other tips welcome, want to avoid ADs if at all possible. Thanks for everyone's input.

I can totally sympathise. I keep a diary of my moods and with me it's PMT just before my period starts and also the week around ovukation so it's almost 10 days a month. I have tried cutting down on sugar, caffeine and processed foods. Exercise really helps but I have to force myself to do it and sometimes just can't. I'm a single mum and during these times I am absolutely flooded with self-pity, which is one reason why I actually enjoyed pregnancy. I have no real advice, but you are definitely not alone. I absolutely hate it.

beanstalk - this is such a helpful thread. Like you I have always suffered with PMT but since my periods came back after DS (17mo) it is getting progressively worse each month. Last month was hideous and I felt so depressed I couldn´t stop crying for days and if it wasn´t for my DS I wouldn´t even have got out of bed.

Please don´t feel pathetic

I have been considering seeing a doctor for a few months now but I live in Spain and this sort of thing isn´t spoken about as much. Anyway have to be brave and get something sorted as it really is ruining my life and that of DH too.

bootsmonkey - off to read you link

whats st john owrt pls.I dont have enough time to read all of this.I have terrible pmt right now.

bignose- st john's wort is a herbal remedy proven to help with depression. It is quite strong though I think, and I'm sure it can't be taken in certain circumstances (like on the pill!). But you can buy it in places like Holland & Barrett.

bebespain- thanks, it is good to know others feel the same isn't it?

Yes it is good to know you´re not the only one suffering. Sometimes it feels like you are

Oh thanku well im not on the pil so iv gotta try something.Im a depressed miserable cow every month for about 2weeks!!!!

Yup...i am a bitch outta hell for much of the month.

I have tried many different 'remedies'.
Prozac is the only thing that has made it easier chez talcy.