PMS - has anyone tried any remedies/vitamins that have helped?

[NotMostPeople]

For the last ten days I've been feeling increasingly depressed, emotional and tired, yesterday I felt so low I took myself off to bed after collecting the dc's from school. Within a couple of hours my period started and it was like a switch went off and I was back to normal. This has been getting increasingly worse over the last couple of years. I've been tested to see if I'm menopausal am 43, no signs yet, I have an underactive thyroid but my levels have been checked recently and the rest of the month all is fine. About 9 months ago I started taking the mini pill to regulate my periods, stop them being so heavy etc, which worked to some extent.

I wondered if anyone has found anything that helps with PMS? Certains foods, vitamins, standing on your head? eating chocolate? I honestly can't keep feeling so bad for ten days in every month. Help.

Vit B6 and starflower oil capsules both work wonders!

Good luck.

Ooh sounds good, anyone else?

Omega 3 , evening primrose oil. Some people have used maca and a vitamin b complex supplements.

Acupuncture - it completely sorted me out. I was all over the place for years, horrendous pms, had acupuncture around 8 years ago, have been fine ever since.

Agnus Castus is the only thing that has worked for me.

Honestly, cutting out all sugar esp. refined sugar was the thing that helped me the most. It's difficult, but it works.

Artificial sweeteners, additives, colours, msg don't help either, so if you can cut stuff like that out too then it would help.

Other remedies include:

A magnesium/calcium supplement - take last thing at night. Helps the nervous system and acts as a natural sedative without causing sleepiness.

Starflower Oil

Vitamin B complex

5htp - take last thing at night

If you're totally desperate, then SSRI antidepressants also help, but some people don't like the idea of taking anti-ds for pms.

Magnesium OK

Another vote for B vitamins here. I used to long for my period to just start so I could stop wading through treacle feeling murderous. After taking b complex for.a.few.months, it now catches me unawares, as I've not had the week of fatigue beforehand.

Yes to B complex here too. Have run out this month and am already feeling grumpier with 7 days to go. Last month I didn't get any pms at all though. Definitely worth a try.

B6 works well for me - been taking the pills for a couple of decades and haven't run amok with the breadknife even once (which frankly seemed like a real possibility before I started taking them).

Magnesium OK and agnus castus. Still feel rough but this month i ran out of both and didn't take for nearly 2 weeks and have had a terrible 8 days.

I don't really drink anymore anyway but alcohol can make PMT much worse as can sugar. I try not to eat much chocolate 10-12 days before my period. I said try, tis difficult

Angus castus good for me and the effect was practically immediate

interesting about your thyroid, are you sure your levels are as good as they could be? my pms was terrible with hypothyroidism. ideally your tsh should be between 1 and 2, if it's higher than that perhaps that is causing your pms

I now use an implant in my upper arm for contraception and since i had it, i have not had a period, therefore no pms for me. I was wondering if you would consider having one fitted yourself? It really has worked wonders for me!

Thank you all, I'll look into all of your suggestions.