PMS...what helps you deal every month?

[cepmom]

besides lots o' alcohol????I am so sick of my PMS taking over my body and mind for 1 - 2 weeks every month! I'm 41 and have been having increasingly awful PMS for a couple years now. Talked to my gyn today and it was recommended to take BCP (not an option), Prozac for 2 weeks every month or to try vitamin B6 daily. I am going to at least try the B6 daily and see where it goes, but I was wondering what other things have you all done to help alleviate the cranky mood swings, breast tenderness and out of control binge fest?

 

[FormrCastMbr]

I take extra vitamin B and it seems to help.

 

[EeyoreEma]

I'm interested to see what is said about this. I had irregular cycles for years, and then fertility issues, and ever since a D&C after my 3rd miscarriage, I've had regular cycles with HORRIBLE PMS. Of course, this all also comes at the same time we decide we are happy with the 2 blessings we have and aren't trying again ... So now that I'm no longer looking to get pregnant, I have regular cycles and yucky pms! Ha! Seriously, though, I'm very interested in what everyone else suggests.

 

[MushyMushy]

I'd love to know. I can't take BC pills either. I just take a ton of motrin for the pain, but I suffer through everything else. A few days before, I'm downright hostile to everyone and can't stand it! I'm 43 and it's so much worse now than it ever was in my life.

 

[maslex]

A couple of Walmart brand "aleve" works wonders!!!

 

[Bilberry]

Talk reminds me that many women may not be aware of this very effective remedy for PMS

http://www.drbriffa.com/2010/06/08/...-aware-of-this-very-effective-remedy-for-pms/

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Cut out caffeine, number 1 and drink the dreaded water to stay hydrated.

I clean my house BEFORE it starts. That seemed to help tremendously. My family knows when mine starts because I start complaining about the house. And for whatever reason a clean house calms me.

For the binging, we stopped buying junk food. Now if we do have a weak moment we will go to the gas station and get something however we don't buy any big boxes of anything anymore. If I do buy it I will eat it in a matter of a couple of days by myself.

So the problem this yr was what to do with dd's lunches. (DH and I are trying to lose weight or not gain at least). What we are doing now is only buying the individually wrapped stuff.

So if I do cave, I am only eating a small bag or package of something instead of half a box. It seems easier to stay away from the snacks so far.

 

[snoopy two]

I had a hysterectomy...

 

[Mermaid02]

Gin

 

[HeatherC]

Exercise. Seriously...even if you just take a daily walk. The days I don't exercise....WATCH OUT!

 

[gardenia]

Sounds like peri-menopause, you should try natural progesterone in a topical formula (my OB-GYN prescribed progesterone pills but this hormone doesn't really work in your gut - a lotion is 1000x better). Google "Kevalia" or "Emerita", both good sources. It's an over-the-counter lotion and no side effects.

 

[MouseJunkie]

Yup, me too. I swear every 28 days, "I hate everything!" There isn't one thing that doesn't annoy the piss out of me and if you look at me sideways, I'll eat you for breakfast. That was yesterday, btw. Oh, and usually a day or two before that, I'll cry at anything.

It's an emotional rollercoaster ride. I swear they should just give us on/off switches. I don't want kids = off. Changed my mind = back on.

Instead, I'm just a crying, whiney, mean, irritable crazy woman once every month. Oh joy! The drama...

 

[Kimberly]

Aside from any kind of Ibuprofen, usually keeping myself active will keep my mind off everything. My period tends to go by faster then as well.

 

[Sleestack]

I read this someplace years ago, dont even remember where, but I swear by it.

Take, in addition to your regular multi's....

B Complex
Vit E
Magnesium
Calcium

I swear it helps!

 

[redlight]

Ice cream.

 

[LuvOrlando]

PMS is the reason I am praying for menopause. Franky I would gladly pop out my ovaries with a spork if I thought I could do it just to end the PMS. For me I get migraines and bad mood swings, I mean really bad, like I am someone else bad Not only that but my brain slides into some kind of weird time warp where I seriously can't tell the difference between 10 minutes or 3 hours. The whole experience is very surreal and when it's over it's always like i just woke up from a stupor and think to myself , "Who was that person?" My DH first called my attention to this problem when he pointed out we only ever argued once a month, and that the fight always seemed to co-inside with another event. Thank goodness he's been willing to put up with me. He doesn't get nasty he'll just tell me to calm down and remind me that I'm not doing so well and that I need to start my sedatives.

About 10 years ago I had been on very high doses of Prednisone which was making my skin crawl so I was given the Xanax to calm me down during that point. Well during this time i noticed a monumental improvement in my non-related PMS symptoms. I talked about it with my Dr and he was Ok with it as long as my dose remained the same & I didn't change usage. The dose is low, really low, I think the whole tablet is .25 and I only take 1/2 every 4 hours I am awake. I've had some other Dr's tell me it can't possibly really help, but it does. I keep VERY close tabs on my schedule so I can medicate myself properly for my families sake and i do my best to avoid being around other people during this time. Caffeine is strictly avoided for the entire week ahead and I make sure to warn everyone around me.

I know some people take anti-depressants during PMS but in my case a family history of Mental Illness makes antidepressants dangerous for me so I don't go near them. For some people antidepressants, and really any kind of mood altering drugs, can stir up very serious symptoms and since I'm not willing to take that chance this works for me.

I feel very bad for any woman who is struggling with PMS, so many people joke but there is nothing at all funny about it IMO.

 

[vettechick99]

BC pills are my savior. But when we were trying for G, I obviously couldn't take them. I'd never had such awful PMS. My ob said that after you have kids, your hormones are out of whack. So he put me on Lexapro which did help. I took 5mg a day, or every other day. Some days I took 10. Ha! But it really did cut down on the moodiness. But it was beyond hell coming off and I won't ever go back on if I can help it. So here I come BC pills!

 

[pixie dust 112]

14 years ago my Ob/GYN recommended that I take oil of evening primrose capsules when I feel the PMS symptoms starting. They have made a real difference!

 

[qtwns]

I have taken 50 mg Zoloft for years to help lessen migraines (works great for me). When I talked to my gyn about the alternative state I go into every month he had me up my dose to 100 mg two weeks each month. It has really helped, but I am going to pay better attention to getting my B complex vitamins, too. I can't stand the person I turn into and I dread it so much. Prayers are with you all.

 

[cepmom]

well at least I'm not alone in this! Thanks for all the info..will get going on something asap. I don't want to try BCP (have had problems w/fibroids and there is some thought towards BCP causing fibroids to grow...dont want to take that chance) and I could try Prozac but I wanted to try something natural first to see if it made a difference. I exercise 5-6 days a week already and dont drink too much caffeine (2 cups in the am) although sometimes I do have a third cup if I have to work a long shift or on school nights...will try to cut back on that also.

Sleestack...how much of each of those vitamins ar you taking? My Dr only suggested B6mg 100 mg a day