Completely off topic - pms

Ok so I thought that since this a forum filled women that I would get some great answers like I do when I ask questions about makeup!

I'm 32 and I have severe pms. I don't like to take presc. or OTC drugs. I prefer to go all natural. I am mainly concerned with the mood swings, they happen about a week before my period starts and lasts til it's over which is three days. My doctor tells me that it is so severe because my cycle is very short. I get very mean and angry and then I cry like my cat just died. I've tried to control with mind over matter but its not working. My fiancee of 4 years has broken up with me about a year ago because we fought for a week straight, we got back together later on, but I'm positive it was only pms. He has a hard time dealing with it which only makes it harder on me.. Does anyone have any tips or things or ideas that has worked for me as far as managing the emotional part of pms? Herbs, Vitamins .. anything at all?

I would suggest seeing a doctor. Some PMS is normal--it sounds like you have severe PMS and there could be other issues going on. I am very into natural medicine as well, but western medicine was invented for people who NEED it.

There are great prescription medications that can help with mood swings.

I don't know if Lithium is the answer but it is a natural as you can get and it is prescribed for mood swings.

So before you turn your back on modern medicine, have another talk with your physician and see if there is something that can be prescribed.

just a question, but are you on birth control?

I get really bad pms too (although my natural cycle is very different from yours.) including bad mood swings.

Before I got on bc, I'd get easily emotional (seeing a random commercial on tv could cause me to start tearing up) and I'd have a very short fuse, but my anger would last only 20-30 minutes if I was left alone (could blow up bigger, but my point is my emotions would get very dramatic, very quickly, and disappear just as quick).

Back to my point, I'm already on birth control though for dysmenorrhea, and I've tried out quite a few different pills. One thing I noticed is different bc's will have a huge impact on how bad my mood swings get. Some I've been on have helped calm down my natural mood swings. but I've been on some that make me feel suicidal, others that make me going raging mad. I remember at one point I was at a stop light and the mini van in front of me's brake lights blinked (like a turn signal), instead of just staying on like brake lights normally do. I remember being furious at the brake lights thinking to myself "why the #%@$ can't you just stay on?!" Yeah. random big emotions.

if you're already on BC, you might try changing your prescription to see if it helps or at least changes things.

Other than that, being aware that you have mood swings and getting past being stubborn and realizing while you're getting emotional that it might just be pms *does* help. If you're aware that your emotions aren't really YOU, but your PMS, it makes it easier to try to step back and say "is this honestly something that's really worth getting this worked up over?" instead of just letting your mood overtake you and getting all worked up like your feelings want you to do.

(sorry I don't know of any herbal or vitamin treatments to help)

Maca powder may work. You can find it at your local health food store.

Most users notice a marked change for the better during their first period after beginning Maca as the effects of the herb accumulate. The overall benefits continue with each period with a decrease in cramping, bloating, fatigue, irritability, food cravings and headaches.

i can completely relate to this mine is really bad!!

I tear up at adverts, songs, bits in movies, tv.... pretty much everything! then if my fiance doesnt do what i ask the first time and keeps messing around i find myself getting more and more wound up to the point i eventually flip. so i can completely relate best thing to do is see your gp.

I completely understand. I know that you don't want to take meds, I wish I didn't have to but because of a chronic disease that I have, I must take them or suffer. Seriously, they help a lot!!! I would reconsider if you can't find a good natural remedy. Good luck.

Maybe try St. johns Wort, or Sam.E? They are herbal supplements that are supposed to help moods. however, you CANNOT take these with any prescription depression meds (but I know you said you weren't on any)

I know this sounds corny, but excercising helps too....

Also- Yaz the BC pill is made for people with PMDD, which you may have....(a condition of really bad PMS)

No I'm not any birth control, I've had my tubes tied for about 13 years, long sad story as to why. I've always had severe pms, however it only gets worse as I get older. Some months it's mainly anger and some months its all tears. I was on meds before that my doc prescribed to me, but they didn't do anything and I gave them a few months to work even. He had switched me to a new every few months also for about a year, none of them work. I use herbal supplements to help with my diabetes and other stuff and they seem to work for me I was hoping I could do the same with this. I will try the St. Johns wart and see how that goes. I really feel for those of you that deal with the same stuff I do, its hard and most of the time I can't stand it, and the people around me think it's all in my head. Because their pms isn't anything like mine and they can't understand why I would burst into tears because I dropped a french fry on the floor(that happened today)..

Thanks for all your help XoXoX

Originally Posted by WickdNytemare /img/forum/go_quote.gif No I'm not any birth control, I've had my tubes tied for about 13 years, long sad story as to why. I've always had severe pms, however it only gets worse as I get older. Some months it's mainly anger and some months its all tears. I was on meds before that my doc prescribed to me, but they didn't do anything and I gave them a few months to work even. He had switched me to a new every few months also for about a year, none of them work. I use herbal supplements to help with my diabetes and other stuff and they seem to work for me I was hoping I could do the same with this. I will try the St. Johns wart and see how that goes. I really feel for those of you that deal with the same stuff I do, its hard and most of the time I can't stand it, and the people around me think it's all in my head. Because their pms isn't anything like mine and they can't understand why I would burst into tears because I dropped a french fry on the floor(that happened today)..
Thanks for all your help XoXoX

Try Maca powder and see if that helps.

I am taking Omega 3-6-9 because of the PMS.

I thought evening primrose oil was good for pms?

Have you ever been screened for PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) Polycystic ovary syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ?

I just turned 20, and my doctor figures i've had light pcos since puberty but I've had it pretty lightly.

They typically give you birth control like yaz, yasmin and ocella to counter-effect your body's overabundance of male hormones that are caused by cysts in your ovaries. The dropping of estrogen and these male hormones (like testosterone) cause you to mood swing and sometimes become irrational.

Ok so here's the news. I went to my doctor and I've been diagnosed PMDD and he wants to put me on Yaz birth control which I won't do since its been linked to heart attacks. He told me to take 2000mg of calcium, mag and vitamin d a day and I should see results in 6 to 8 weeks and as time goes by the results should increase. So I'm going to give that a try and see how it goes. =)