Shouldn't be near children when pre-menstrual

[Nattie]

Does anybody else feel the same? I've just had a foul 2 days and have had zero tolerance for anything my ds (5) and dd (2) do which requires any effort/engagement on my part! The 'mood' usually lasts at least a week and I should really be locked away during this time.

Some months are better than others - but I'm the devil incarnate at the moment and when I'm at full throttle I don't care who I upset and I'm not at all inclined to stop.

It's got much worse since having children and as I'm getting older - I'm 41.

Absolutely know what you mean - it doesn't usually last a week for me but when I'm pre-menstrual the sound of their little voices can be like nails being dragged down a blackboard.

Have you tried all the evening primrose/starflower etc type options?

You are so not alone. I'll be the same age as you next birthday (a mere 40 at the moment!) and have two boys age 4 and a half and 21 months. I am an absolute witch when I'm due on. Although I can be an absolute witch even when I'm not!
I think some of it is down to age. Friends of mine who had their kids 10 or more years ago say they couldn't cope with young kids at 40 as they have less energy now. I didn't have much energy to start with, so all I need is a few bad nights and I am exhausted. I also work p/t so there is all the childcare juggling as well.
I went for a smear a couple of weeks ago and was recommended to take vitamin B6 which I have been taking for about 2 weeks. No idea if it'll help but probably better for me than a pound of Dairy Milk.

This all sounds do familiar, I'm 39 too and a single mum with three children. I am so horrid to them when I have PMT and feel really bad about it afterwards, but it does seem to last for days longer than it used to. My periods have also gone quite irregular recently which hasn't helped. The other night ds1 was being an absolute little sod at the table and no amount of shouting/threatening would make him behave (he would quite like to miss tea, not a great eater, which is why he wasn't sent from the table)and I ended up sat there just howling at the table, weeping buckets. I hate it that for some days everymonth you just cant cope with the crap that life and kids throws at you.

I'm 32 and feel exactly the same, this is the time of the month when I wish my life away (the week really), I feel so guilty because I get so short tempered with DD who is usually an angel, I am sure my mood rubs of on her during these bloody (pardon the pun) days. THat was the best thing about being pregnant, no PMT, oh there were a few more great things about being pregnant as well, loads of chocolate, cakes, etc.

I've only recently started getting cross with my 2 year old dd - she's more demanding/insistant now and I feel like a real heel when she says 'not cross mummy?' putting her head on one side and shaking it and then saying 'happy mummy?'.

My 5 year old ds does get the worst of it, though.

I'm taking a 'well woman' multi-vitamin capsule which contains star flower, evening primrose and b complexes and, generally, I feel a lot better for taking them - except for my week's pmt.

I just wish we were able to go into confinement for a couple of days every month.

Glad I'm not alone, recently pms has been intolerable for me too, I've felt like curling up and hiding away. I have thought it was depression at first but then realised it was only occurring around "the" time of the month and I was OK for two weeks of my cycle.
It has been knocking my confidence too as usually my children are the centre of my world then all of a sudden the Period time raises it's ugly head and I become very tearful and want to be left alone.
I never suffered with PMS until after I stopped Breastfeeding my last child, I am 32 years old and don't want any more children but am hoping for early menopause if this carries on.
I have even kept my 4 year old son off Nursery this week as felt so awful, as if I'm ill, but it is just an awful period-again. I consider leaving my husband, running away, spending hideous amounts of money, allsorts of drastic and irrational measures when I am on my period.
I will try some of the supplements all of you have mentioned, when I visit the chemist these days I don't think about getting anything for me, just nappies, cotton wool, baby rusks, etc!!!!
This time I shall be looking at the supplement shelf!

me too, mine lasts for 3-4 days and its awful. I just want to be left alone and smoke. Or go shopping, on my own! Do anything other than look after the children. I take high strenght evening primrose and this does help as it used to lastabout 7 -10 days. So I shall keep on and hope it gets down to nothing.

Went out today and bought a product called "Magnesium OK" made by a company called WASSEN, £10 for 90 tabs, especially for women, hope it's successful! Bought the product from Lloyds Chemist, it's full of vitamins and minerals that help maintain hormone balances during menstruation.!!!
Shall also try the Evening Primrose, thanks for the tip, at this rate will become mega Fertile and get pregnant again!!!