PMT: how do I cope?

[thea]

Can anyone offer any advice on coping with PMT and the ill effects it has on my children. Despite trying so hard to control it and do anything I have heard/read/seen to help, my PMT affects me, my relationship with my husband, and the worst of all with my children. I become, at times, a monster towards them, with actions I am ashamed to speak of. Please, can anyone help - especially if you have medical advice. My GP was sympathetic, but did not tell me anything I don't already know. I take B6 and Evening Primrose capsules. I am desperate as it is affecting my relationship with my eldest son who is six, and gets the brunt of it. Any help would be gratefully accepted.

Can anyone offer any advice on coping with PMT and the ill effects it has on my children. Despite trying to hard to control it and do anything I have heard/read/seen to help, my PMT affects me, my relationship with my husband, and the worst and heartbreaking for me, the relationship with my children. I become, at times, a monster towards them, with actions I am ashamed of. Please, can anyone help - especially if you have medical advice. My GP was sympathetic, but did not tell me anything I don't already know. I take B6 and Evening Primrose capsules. I am desperate as it is affecting my relationship with my eldest son who is six and gets the brunt of it. Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

thea - I know excatly how you feel about actions that you're ashemed of, it's almost like feeling possessed. I cringe at some of the things I have said and done and every day promise myself to try harder. I did see my GP about it and went back on the pill, just to control things. Have also been taking Starflower oil which has the same active ingredient as Evening Primrose Oil but in higher quantities. Plus, in the last month or so, have started taking St John's Wort. I have definitely noticed an improvemnet in my moods, or at least, my ability to control them a little more. Took me ages to realise it was likely to be PMT since I never suffered with it pre pregnancy - the I just had Permanent Menstrual Tension

Thea, I am so glad someone has posted about this. I am in exactly the same position. I have started taking Vit B6 and Evening Primrose Oil but I don't want to go on the pill as we're trying for another child.

I feel so nasty and horrible and my poor partner is trying his best to deal with it. I keep telling him not to take things I say personally but there's only so much he can do and eventually he loses it too. It's an endless cycle of destructiveness. I really hope someone out there can offer a light at the end of the tunnel.

Tinker - do you think the improvement is from the St Johns Wort or the Starflower Oil?

I have never suffered from PMT until I had my second child. This is only my second period since I stopped breastfeeding and I have noticed that I have been incredibly short tempered with the children for 3 days and my husband. (I don't mind the latter as he usually deserves it and I'm a saint to him for the rest of the month!)

The worst thing is the cramps I'm experiencing. i have terrible backache and pains that feel like I'm in labour. Fortunately they only last for a day.

Does anyone know of anything that can ease this?

thea, I really sympathise too. I used to get PMT really badly, it went away after I stopped drinking coffee and cut food additives out of my diet - not sure which was to blame. For post pregnancy changes to the menstrual cycle, all I can say is that after my 2nd pregnancy, my menstrual cycle was awful, really heavy periods. But after my 3rd baby, it went back to normal!
Hope you manage to find out what's causing it!

AtkinsR, I would also like to know, on behalf of someone else, how to stop the post pregnancy cramps. Has anyone found a solution, and is going to see the doctor a waste of time?

I've used the Bach Flower Remedies for PMT and a host of other things!! You have to find the one which is right for you so best to check in a book - or I think some Boots stores have leaflets. I always use 'Olive' when I am exhausted and it really seems to work. There are ones for irritability etc so may be worth looking into.

I went through something very similar early last year and my GP offered Prozac - bless him - I refused. keep going with the B6 and also I used the seven seas formula of evening primrose and starflower oil combination of their highest dose. Also you may find that Agnus CAstus (herbal) which is renowned for PMT assistance is very good (I rattled for a better Britain but felt tons better)

I will come back to this thread with the organisation I subscribe to called NAPS which is the National Association for Premenstrual Sufferers and is a great comfort to know they are out there they have a helpline etc and I receive 1/4ly newsletters. As I am now pregnant I don't take those remedies but as soon as I can I will be on them again I can tell you.

There was a piece in the last newsletter about which homeopathic remedies help and I'll try to transcribe some of it here but I recommend you see a homeopath too as mine helped also (told you I rattled!!)

You can find help, you will feel better - don't be too hard on yourself its a bitch of a thing to have to go through but you do not have to suffer on your own.

Thankyou, everyone who has sent a message (especially as this ended up in the Travel section!) I will try everything that everyone has suggested; and am returning to my GP to ask for more help.