How much does PMS cramp your style?
 

(pun intended :rolleyes: )

I realized that part of the reason that today is so crappy is because I'm most likely PMSing. When I get PMS, my mood shifts almost imperceptively such that I can tell that something is off, but only when I think about it do I attribute it to PMS. What is PMS like for you guys? Does it affect you seriously, or do you usually don't notice it aside from the occasional cramp?

The thing that really gets me about PMS is that I break out a lot, and I bloat like crazy.

I'm not really rude or harsh to folks when I'm PMS-ing... but instead I'm typically emotionally distressed, over-worry about stupid things, and generally NOT myself. It's also incredibly difficult to think rationally around that time of the month.

so frustrating!

I picked number 2 but I have to say premysn is the only thing that helps me, not motrin etc

it affects how I sleep, because my boobs swell up so big and hurt like hell and it def affects my mood, its lot easier for me to fly off the handle, get snarky or cry for no reason

I said it cramps my style somewhat, sometimes more than others. There are times when I just want to curl up and cry, times when I want to throw things around the house, and times when it does not seem to bother me at all. The times it bothers me, it sneaks up on me and I don't realize what it is until it is too late.

It used to be much worse - mood swings like crazy! - but now it's mostly just a little irritability, or more like...over-sensitivity. Emotions are amplified but not so much out of the blue and changeable as they used to be. If I just take a little time and take care of myself I can manage it.

And thank God the cramps are gone! I used to get cramps that dropped me to my knees (literally) and made me almost pass out. Changed birth control and viola! I can sleep through the night without drugs!

Oh! And while I'm at it- I should plug B-6, B-12, and Folic Acid. My mom said they help with woman stuff, and I've been taking them every day for a couple of months and they've made a HUGE difference in my periods. My PMS is less noticible, my periods are shorter with less cramping and bleeding. I highly recommend!

I was gonna ask you about those suppliments, Sage. Can you share the doseages you take? I take Evening Primrose Oil, but I honestly don't know if it helps at all. But any relief from either the physical or the emotional effects is very welcome.

I think PMS/the whole cycle thing is actually Eve's curse from the Garden of Eden. Not really kidding.

I get it all...bloating, cramps, tender breasts, extreme irritability, major cravings, and sometimes headaches and fatigue. I heard that evening primrose helped, but I tried it and would get an upset stomach afterwards. Hubby has told me it's like I'm a different person when I have PMS...I'll be normal one day and bitch from hell the next. I'd be willing to try the B vitamins and folic acid if it would help!

I usually have 2-3 a year where they are very intense and I an literally in pain 24/7 for 3-4 days - then I just want to curl up and die.

Most of the time, I just try to stay as active as I can and sit as little as possible - the exercise feels good, it balances out my tiredness and helps with my cramps a lot. I agree with a lot about over sensitivity.

I went on bc when I was 14 because of severe cramps. Now I got myself on yasmin, which I take 9 weeks on, one off because of PMS. When I met my sometimes SO, I was off it. He actually thought I was going to hurt him one night, I was so angry.
My constant headache gets unbearable, I bloat, I'm extremely irritable and people generally stay away from me. But no cramps unless I blow a cyst that cycle. That's known as The Alien Baby Syndrome amongst my friends, because I feel like Sigourney Weaver in Alien. I've tried the supplements, even a full milligram of folic acid, with little success. So, I just make sure I schedule my five cycles per year so that they don't fall on holidays and also make sure that I don't plan any big presentations or make big decisions during that time. Um, I chose option one.

My Prementrual body has changed over the years.

12-25 SEVERE cramping and heavy bleeding but regular (27 days for me) cycle so no BC. Cramping and bleeding was so bad one time during finals that I passed out in thd middle of my final. The nurse said my blood pressure about 15 minutes later was still only 60/30. She was amazed I was coherant and conscious.

25-28 No periods. Breastfeeding for the 3 years and even though the last year was only once a day I still never got my period back until I stopped breastfeeding completely. (I was on bc but it was progesterone only.)

28-31 Birth Control - it was good to begin with. I was on Seasonal for most of the time and had only 4 periods/year which was heaven. I developed a problem with migranes. Every period would begin with mild cramps, by day two I would inevitably wake with a migrane. Until I got Imitrex I lost the whole day in misery in a dark room.

31-32 My body is still adjusting to having no bc. My cycle has returned with perfect regularity but this time it's 26 days. My periods last for 7 days without any intervention but I've discovered that a mild progerone cream started when my period begins seems to lessen the length to about 4 days on average. I have no more migranes with any regularity. Unfortunately I have noticed a definate mood swing about 2 days prior to my period. Hubby has noticed it and can just about perfectly predict when my period is coming because my mood becomes so giggly/wierd/bitchy. It is MUCH worse when I'm stressed so I attempt to plan my days just before my period with as little stress causing appointments and responsibilities. The day after my period begins is usually the worst for cramping but the Thermacare heating pads are heaven and as long as I have some sort of heating pad stuck to my belly or back I'm able to push through the day. If I take a few Aleve I can sometimes forget about the cramps completely.

I am not looking forward to Menopause. Except I'm in better shape than my mother ever was at my age. When she went through menopause it was hell for all of us - to make matters worse I was getting married when she was at her peak. What a nightmare. I really hope my moods don't get so terrible or drastic as hers.

Here's what I take:

B6- 100mg
B12- 500mcg
Folic Acid- 400mcg

All those once a day plus a generic multi-vitamin. I also exercise 2-3 times a week, drink a lot of water, and get plenty of sleep. I've noticed that the better I take care of my body, the better my PMS is.

I know there's plenty of books out there on menopause and how to ease through it- I definitely have heard from so many women how bad it is go on false hormones when you hit menopause. There's a reason your body is doing what it's doing- adding extra hormones isn't going to help matters.

I chose "somewhat-sometimes worse than others." Since I've been on BC, I have very little cramping. Before BC, I'd spend a day in bed. However, these last couple months I have noticed how irritable and emotional I feel about two days before my period and until about the second day after my period. I get so moody and crabby lately. I hate it because I know I'm acting crazy, but I can't help it.

i get all cuddley wuddley and mushy and i just want to be held,and i get all emotional.during my period, don't even try and get on my bad side...

Since I was twelve, I've had incredibly painful cramps, so bad that I would miss at least one day of school each month because of it. When I was sixteen, I was put on birth control for it, which made the cramps about 90% better, but it also caused me to gain a LOT of weight. Right after graduation, I think, I switched BC, and I didn't gain any more weight, but with the same effectiveness of the other pill.

Generally, from 16 up until recently, I haven't really had PMS issues. But lately, the cramps have gotten slightly worse, and the past couple months I've noticed that I'm a lot more irritable and weepy in the week and a half before my period. It's not so bad that I'm rude and lash out at people. At that time, if somebody is irritating me badly enough, I just walk away for a little while, until I can calm down a bit.

PMS tends not to really cramp my style at all seeing as my PMS moodswings generally aren't terribly different than my normal mood swings. :D

PMS doesn't affect me at all as far as I know. I have very little cramping and no perceptible changes in mood or sensitivity at that time. Not to say that I'm never a bitch, depressed, over-emotional, etc., just that these conditions can't be attributed to my menstrual cycle.

And I must say, it annoys me to no end when a man attempts to attribute my less "attractive" moods to PMS. It always prompts me to shoot back, "perhaps you're right.....so what's your excuse?" :lol:

I never had pms until I had to start taking hormones..... sometimes being a woman just... sucks :(

I get have severe bipolar mood swings, with the depressive end very bad, my breasts get tender and swollen, and I'll get a monstrous migrane. I somehow escape the irritability that most get with the mood swings. I used to have cycles that varied greatly in length, but over the past year or so my cycle has come into synch with Grace's and the symptoms have lessened slightly.

Gilda

I never used to notice my cycle at all... I miss those days.

Now, it sneaks up on me ala sportswidow. I will be fine, but out of nowhere I start getting irritable and snappish over nothing, and all of a sudden I'm crying, or starting an argument about bullshit... ugh. I hate getting that way. Sometimes I have enough clarity to tell Q that I'm not myself and he's very good at ignoring the irritability and holding me when I hit the weepy depressed stage. Other times, he can tell it's not really me and just does it anyway. Thank gods.

!@$#!#@%$ hormones. Ugh.

Vitamin B6 is a natural diuretic; even if you only take them before/during your period, a B-complex will make a marked difference with bloating and cramping.

And the great thing is because B vitamins are water-soluble, you can't take too much (well, you can, but it will just turn your pee the color of Mountain Dew).

Personally, my PMS symptoms have never been too bad. I usually crave salty grease or chocolate, and once that is satisfied, I'm good. But sometimes my mood swings are just awful...that is when my boyfriend buys me fancy chocolate and puts me to bed.

even when the blood does flow, it comes alone, all the little friends skip my house. ((knock on wood)) i have heard the horror stories & count myself VERY lucky

Well - I can already feel it coming. Yet I think part of it depends on my stress level at that time too. Right now, until daycares kids come back, Money is EXTREMELY tight. Feeling blue, and a little on the snippy side. I'm not sure why but I'm also expecting to subject myself to a family birthday thing this evening. I'm sure that isn't helping my mood. I intend to make it a quick stop and go. Lets hope I succeed and don't get moodier in the process.

Im a little more irritable,but most of all i just get more feminine! in tht im more needy..i want cuddles and candlesand nice things around me!!


I get bad pains though.I think thats all it is..I just dont feel so well so its like any other time when im in pain...i thinkthats all that makes me feel irritable.

I dont mind my periods..It reminds me im all woman and all hormonally right!!:-)

This was really helpful sage, thanks for including your regime.

I have some powerful cramps the day before and the first day. but typically, I tend to have very light periods, so I feel i'm lucky for that.

Moodwise, As for myself, I find typically it doesn't affect me much, sometimes I will feel down or mildly depressed the day before or I will cry at nothing at all, but I try to stave it off with watching a comedy and trying some breathing excercises to overcome my mood.

I have to second sage and monkie noting that excercise can greatly help.

sweetpea

does anyone know how to fight the really rough mood swings?

I get them BAD and it really takes a toll on everyone around me but I really don't know how to stop it (I don't have health insurance so that's not really an option)

When I first had my period, I used to have extremely terrible cramps! I used to pass out and throw up from the pain - school during that time was a write off - I missed so much of it!

Since I've been on birth control (about 6 years now) I have had virtually no cramps at all. I notice a little bit of a mood swing but only once in a while - definitely not with every cycle. Mostly I'll notice that during the times that I'm feeling hormonal I should NOT have serious discussions late at night (because everything seems worse at night) but rather should leave them until the morning when I'm feeling more clearheaded and alert because by that time any emotional PMSing has generally gone away.....

I rarely get completely irrational and moody, I never scream and yell due to pms - mostly I tend to just cry a lot easier if something is troubling me and I feel more stressed. That's about all.....

In my teens and early 20's I attempted 3 serious suicide attempts requiring hospitalisation. Each time within 24 hours of being in the hospital I got my period. These were not light attempts either, 2 in intesive care. So I answered number 1. For a few years I was diagosed as bi polar and depressed and medicated to the hilt which only made things worse. It was then that I looked back on my suicidal history. You would think being in a hospital bed telling the doctor but Im usually Ok, I dont know why I did it, the nurse aware I have a pad in my knickers that they didn't and I didnt put 2 and 2 together.

At 16 I lived with my grandparents for a year, one morning a little stack of vitamins appeared at the breakfast table next to my OJ. They took their multis every day and when I questioned why suddenly I had to my grandmother said it was just compliment whatever I was missing because I was growing up so fast. It wasn't until they were about to send me home to my mum that Grandma admitted it was for pms but didnt work anyway.

I was so grateful to see this thread, this suffering for between 7 and 10 days every month even on BC can be overwhelming to say the least. I dont count on it, I pretend it wont happen this time and then I start to feel its onslaught. The hot flushes, every noise in the house feeling an electric shock, feeling like my hearts beating at 200 painful beats a minute. I pick every little fault my partner has and turn it into a major relationship issue.

Im aware enough to make my partner aware its here and I dont allow anything to get me to a point of suicidal thinking anymore. But Im sure theres other women out there that suffer just as badly. Its kind of like childbirth in the way that it goes out of my head once its over. But when its happening its like every 2 hours is bound to be left with horrible remorseful feeling, having to appologise for something or just wanting to crawl back into bed and pretend the world doesnt exist. I know now its hormones, Ive talked to doctors, gotten the vitamin, evening primrose, exercise, avoid alcohol routine, but none of it seems to make any difference. I read a few posts in this thread that were short but admitting to choosing the first option. My thoughts are with you and your loved ones :love:

The above is something Im not proud to admit, especially being a newbie but its the first time Ive seen it addressed in a forum. Well done for the womens only idea.

I don't have a period every month. More like every 4-5 months, but when it does come around, oh boy. PAIN. There are some days that I can't even get out of bed the cramps are so bad. I tend to get hyper-emotional, and really, um, playful. LOL

Mine tend to make my breast hurt, hense alot of swelling, ouch! The only question is...why can't it be permanent? Oh well
Otherwise its around 4 or 5 days, not too long but not short enough nevertheless. PMS affects me sometimes, sometimes not. I noticed that when I figure it out I have not noticed my mood swings. I can be a tad touchy on it but so would anyone else who has to bleed for 5 days consecutively every month.

Horrid mood swings. Freaks out all around me, including myself. then of course I get anemic.

isn't there a pill you can take for a single period every year?

There is a pill called Seasonale where you bleed once every 3 months if you dont have breakthrough bleeding or you can go on the shot every 12 weeks and "never" bleed unless you have breakthrough bleeding.

This sounds like premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and that's a LOT more serious than the average cramps and moodiness lots of us get. Have any of your doctors brought up this idea? Proved/Disproved it? SSRIs could help, and there's a lot of new research being done on other treatments. That's too much for anyone to have to bear every single month. I'm so sorry... me and my meager-in-comparison-cramps salute you for staying sane. :o

Jess your understanding means alot to me. I noticed nothing had been said along those same lines and it was a big jump for me to admit thats how I am that time of month.

I have never heard of Premenstrual dysphoric disorder but my doctors have been well aware of my problem. All I can say is denial is a lovely when they dont feel it themselves and don't care to look into it. Ive always hoped there maybe some hormone test offered which would spell it all out but none have been offered. Thankfully I have a very supportive partner who knows and understands PMS thanks to a good upbringing. I have done the whole phsyc med trip including ssri and that is definately not for me. Be rest assured it was a well informed decision not to continue on that path. Right now Im on the pill which at least makes it more predictable after being on implanon for 4 years. My doctor said the pill should make it better because it balances out the hormones, but after 18 months I don't agree. I have tried to take a more positive approach remaining constantly aware and keeping a strict control of my thoughts and actions no matter how I feel, that helps keep the peace to a degree.

Well you have certainly given me somewhere to start, thankyou again Jess. :icare: