[SilverSprings]

Hi there, I struggle with my TOM and always have w/ my moods getting so wonky and scary at times. My mood isn't always correlating to the TOM which is why I know there are other things going on there, but it is weirder and worse typically 1 week prior to my P. (my mother is convinced I am not bi-polar/ mood disordered, rather I am just very hormonal like she was.... ). I know I am both... What can I do to help the PMS?
I am trying homeopathic (my Pdoc approved), Vitex - but i am not sure how much or if it helps. Any other suggestions appreciated and I will run by my Pdoc.

(A year ago, my OBGYN put me on small dose of Prozac which helped! but it induced hypomanic state for me, plus it isn't compatible with my current meds).

I am definitely a bit more 'even' now, but deal allot w/ PMS ... breast pains, cramps on 1st day of etc... I might consider a Dr visit to make sure its normal.
Perhaps b/c of my age (35) and that I never had kids (yet...)

[lowinmood]

evening primrose oil is supposed to be good for PMS, and it's healthy for you too

[alieninshadows]

I give my daughter Midol. She gets bad cramping and some pretty dramatic mood changes. She even knows when it's coming.

[SilverSprings]

Thanks! Yes i heard evening primrose helps= i think i took it back a few years ago. I also scheduled Dr appt just to make sure all is well ... my cramps on day 1 keep me from working it is really painful.

[PandorasAquarium]

Okay, gonna get a little technical, so brace yourself.

1st have you looked into PMDD (Premenstrual dysphoric disorder). If not, thats a good place to start.

Next, the week before your period is called the luteal phase. Its when your bodies estrogen (E ) starts to drop and your ovaries release a ton of progesterone (P). If you had concieved during ovulation (just prior to the luteal phase) you would need lots of P to sustain the pregnancy, so its like your body's insurance policy. When your body discovers that there is no baby, then both P and E levels are low and you menstruate. Then, E jumps back up at the end of that week till ovulation. Then you repeat the cycle.

Okay, so you can think of E like a stimulant of sorts. It gives energy, and if its balanced, you will be too. That's why most women are less emotional and more stable during those few weeks after your menses.

P on the other hand is like a sedative. It is also anbit of a downer, so you can feel more tired, depressed, and irritable when there is more of that in your system. Like the week before your period.

Now for many women, the levels of P and E fluctuate in a relatively stable way. For others (like me and it sounds like you) they are either out of balance OR you may have a progesterone intolerance.

The reason I know this is I've read a lot on the topic, because I was on P only for 6 months solid to put my body in a state of basically permanent PMS or psuedo-pregnancy. Let's just say I reacted baadly. Very badly. I had no control of my emotions, I was hypersensitive, hypervigilant (an interesting biological defense mechanism of pregnancy if you're a nerd like me, look that up). I could go from sobbing to ferociously angry in 0.5 seconds flat. I swear I had chronic fatigue syndrome, no libido whatsoever, and the bad part is, it didn't even do what it was supposed to do.
But I digress. Let's just say I became so irritating and evil, I bugged myself. Lol. Pure hormonal evil.

So now after the long explanation. I would suggest you have your hormones tested, perhaps you thyroid too. That could definitely play in. Also, look into progesterone intolerance symptoms and see if it fits. For kicks, google estrogen dominance as well. Maybe that can give you an idea of what's going on in there. Could be a lot of things, but I bet with the right google search terms you might find an ah-ha moment

Oh and from one 35 yr old PMS sufferer to another. Hugs, sister. It can be pretty rough.

[chimera17]

I just recently started doing some mood tracking the last few months and discovered I seem to hit a really low point around my period. Probably shouldn't have been a big surprise, but it was to me. Is PMDD something you would talk to your OB/GYN? Or something to go over with your mental health provider?

[Moreta]

I went on depro provera to help with the PMDD. I don't get my period anymore, so I don't get PMS. Birth control might be an option to look into.

Suggest you might want to read some user reviews on Amazon, Webmd, and Drugstore.com on Red Raspberry Leaves capsules . . .

My psychiatrist diagnosed me with PMDD. I am going through it now and feel horrible. Zoloft helps me a bit. I anger easily which is not my normal state at all. I am also very irritable and cry at the drop of a hat. My empathy goes out to those of you that suffer from this.