Mood swings and hormonal headaches - please help!

[millypip]

Hellos,

I've noticed lately that I am getting moodier and grumpier around my time of the month. I also get headaches (not migraines, just really annoying pressure headaches) before and afterwards.

Can anybody recommend any vitamins or natural remedies?

Thank you!

(and I'm sure my husband will too!) :-)

Really strong chamomile tea and or supplements , evening primrose oil, magnesium. Cut out junk foods, alcohol too much coffee, tea etc.

I'm afraid that I've got no advice but just wanted to say I started to get hormonal headaches (which always last for 3 days) during my period. The GP said it was probably because I am perimenopausal (I'm 43 & have been getting the headaches for appeox 3 years). I have been taking a general "female" multivitamin, plus a mega GLA supplement (think it's borage oil?) plus a P-5-P complex (which is B6, B2, zinc & magnesium). I have found that when I take the supplements regularly they do help with my PMT (especially my mood swings which can be very bad - my DH could sympathise with yours I'm sure!). HOWEVER, I have not found any improvement with the hormonal headaches at all, so I hope someone will suggest something. At the moment I usually take Boots or Syndol tension headache relief tablets which usually help but I find they make me feel a bit odd - think it's the codeine.

Thank you both! I think a healthier diet would do me good in many ways but will try some of the supplements too.

I'm 34 this year, I think so may be too early for menopause (does perimenopausal mean something like early stage?) but you never know. Anything is possible! :-)

Perimenopause is the years leading up to & after the menopause I think. I am sure you're too young to be perimenopausal but it might be worth a quick "google" or you could mention it to your GP?

Thank you! I'm going to look into it. The time has definitely come for me to try to do something about how grumpy I get! I've had 3 children in the past 5 years so my hormones are probably all over the place anyway! The things we have to go through hey?

Apparently beer (hops) is full of female hormones!!! A two pronged attack is best if it's getting unbearable!

I get awful headaches just before and after my period and even though i can now do things to improve my pmt - no alcohol, less sugar etc the headaches are always there whatever I do.

Mizu have you tried evening primrose oil? Also google the earth clinic it has loads of good (some weird!) remedies to try.

I'd also recommend looking at your diet. Nutrition, health and behaviour/mood are very closely linked and if the fundamentals are wrong you can spend a lot of time and money trying to medicate and supplement your way out of it.

Start with the basics.... five-a-day fruit and veg, add in 3-a-day wholegrains/pulses, moderate amounts of fish, meat, eggs and then use other foods relatively sparingly. Drink more water, less caffeine, alcohol and fizz. Wholefoods beat processed foods.... the cumulative effect of the colours, flavours and preservatives in processed foods is not fully understood.