Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS) What do people think about it?

[LauraStorm]

Hi! Im a 3rd year anthropology student at University College, London (and mumsnet member!)
I am writing a dissertation about PMS and how it affects women's lives and I was wondering if there is anyone living in the London area who would be willing to chat to me or share their ideas?
Thankyou for your help!!

Ooooh, I'll be back later this evening to answer this one! If I don't forget, that is

Have just started dealing with this - am early 40s, probably peri-menopauasal and I hate it.

Well my partner considers me to be psychotic (hence the name) pretty much all the time, but litteraly 'takes cover' when I am suffering from PMT!

i'm a psychology grad and did my dissertation on attributional patterns in women who self diagnose with PMT. found there was a predictable and consistent pattern of attributions vs women who didn't report PMT. i believe it is a socially constructed experience rather than a physiological one.

Feel free to speak to me.....

smitten, please share more....am v interested.

mmm smitten I am interested

If it is socially constructed, I would love to know how I am constructing all my horrible symptoms all starting day after ovulation. I am open to the idea of 'female problems' being socially constructed, it just doesn't actually chime with my reality.

Socially constructed?

The feeling that I could kill someone/cry about anything & everything 24hrs before my Period???

smitten i take it you don't suffer at all??????????

Smitten did pinpoint "women who self-diagnose", which I dont think is quite the same as saying "PMS doesnt exist AT ALL", but perhaps she'll come back and clarify?

But don't most women with PMT self-diagnose??

After all it is blatantly obvious to some of us.

I don't understand why a Woman would need to go to a GP to be diagnosed with PMT?...Is it not obvious?

Actually, isnt it our loved-ones that normally spot it first

If I didn't think that my PMT was related to the hormonal fluctuations that my body experiences at a specific time of the month (which I happily self-diagnose and which disappeared entirely during my nine months of pregnancy), then I would have to look for truly scientific causes for my one day a month experience of rage - like a full moon or an alien life form temporarily inhabiting my body for a day. I have never done any studies on the subject so this is pure conjecture but I really don't think that most women would willingly create a social construct that reinforces the idea of women being irrational and overemotional. I personally hate it that I act this way every month.

Self diagnosis versus denial?
I'd far rather have someone admit there may be an underlying cause to the 'wanting to kill something' feelings that surge through the system. Never suffered pre DS. Suffer occaisionally now when my head and emotions are clashing....
Situations ie demands placed upon women are a contributory factor I'm sure. I could be quite happy left to my own devices feeling grumpy, with a good book and glass of wine and no interruptions to trigger the short fuse and I hate it.

Well I self diagnose - having kept a diary for 6 months and guess what every 2 days before AF arrives, I have sudden irrational urges to shout at everyone over trivial stuff, on the good days, and rip someone's throat out with my teeth on the bad days.

Perhaps its just that society expects me to get crabby, so I have an excuse to let go of my externally imposed yummy mummy persona [ha! hollow laff} for those 2 days and channel my inner wolf

In answer to opening post - what do I think of PMS? It sucks!

When they put on a hard hat and dive for cover, hmm, yes, VVVQV

twinkle

I once hollered at DP, because he switched the bedside lights on before I had switched the main light off. I was sooooo angry.

Absolutely no idea why it made me so angry. He PHSL of course

In reply to the OP, I never used to think about PMS until the symptoms would catch me by surprise, like reacting to something irritating with extreme annoyance, not my usual easygoing self. Normally something like this would happen and then set me thinking and checking diary dates etc. Also breast tenderness reminiscent of early pregnancy where the least pressure is soooo uncomfortable, even painful.

Sometimes womanhood is just such a bundle of laughs. Not.

thank goodness i dont suffer with this anymore after being given a wonder drug by my doc 3years ago. the straw that broke the camels back was when i threw a hot iron across a room and it missed my then 8year old by inches

brandy7 - what wonder drug are you talking about?

To answer the OP.

I started to experience PMS (imo) about 1½ years ago, never having previously suffered.

It does affect the whole family, especially the children as I now have a very short fuse about 3-4 days prior to my period. And my periods are no longer regular, whereas they previously there were.

I am moody, shouty, opinionated, self-absorbed and easily upset during this time - and then just downright moany and grumpy for the first 2/3 days of my period! What a lovely person I am .

I have been off the pill for 7 years or so and the PMS has only kicked in recently so in my case I would say it's menopausal. And I'm too tired to express myself properly.

bw my children are three and nearly 6 if that's relevant.

twinkling star, its called Danol, it stops your hormones working. side affects listed included, enlarged clitoris, facial hair, deep voice luckily i havent experienced any of those and after taking it for about 6months i stopped having periods altogether and dont get any mood swings, other than usual strops.

my g.p said it was a bit of a radical treatment but because i was so bad she gave it to me, i still thank her now

Hadn't ever heard of that one, brandy7. Does sound radical, but then your symptoms must have been bad to require something so drastic. Just as well that you haven't experienced the stated side effects, not much help to swap one problem for another, is it?

Oh the joys!

Hey everyone, thankyou for all the chat so far. Im interested in whether PMS is socially constructed. Like smittenkitten i think the experience is definitely socially influenced. Thats not to say the physical and psychological symptoms don't exist... they do! i can vouch for that but that turning it into a medical 'syndrome' has come from somewhere.

In your experiences do you think the doctor is the best person to help with PMS? And do the men in your lives and your co-workers take your symptoms seriously?..!

LauraStorm - the severity of symptoms has a lot to do with a woman's decision to consult her doctor, imo. Women can recognise that problems such as mood swings, breast tenderness and so on are happening in a regular monthly pattern and be able to define it as PMT. Media sources have meant we are easily able to substantiate that this is a normal phenomenon. But for some women, the extreme nature of symptoms means they need help and I would guess a GP would be a logical first port of call.

If a woman prefers natural methods of dealing with PMT, she would probably get some herbal remedy to try. Or just put up with it and let off steam to others who understand

As for the men in our lives, well, sometimes they can seem oblivious to the obvious, but there comes a time when even they will notice! Mine does!

oh piss off!