What is your PMS like????

[babygrant]

I am going through a horrible horrible few days of PMS and after talking with my sister, I'm honestly wondering what is normal and what is not normal in terms of PMS.

So a few days before my period I start bauling my eyes out.  Today I have a really bad headache from crying so much and my eyes are bloodshot.  My anxiety is worse than any other day (I tend to be anxious to begin with).  I am so extremely tired even though I sleep for 9 hours a night.  And I really don't want to be around anyone.  We have a family dinner tonight with DH's family and I am dreading going.  

What is YOUR pms like?

[Sativarain1]

that sounds normal to me, or maybe just what I'm used to. I notice that I'm a bit more emotional and want to be left alone. Sometimes I wonder if an herb would help like evening primrose oil or something to assist us during moontime.

[tanyalynn]

I'd vote for something out of balance, although I don't have an easy answer as to what.  I don't have emotional symptoms near when my cycle starts, none I've noticed, anyway, and none my husband has commented on.  I have a few physical symptoms, sometimes cramps (usually a sign I need more magnesium) and I have a day tending constipation-ish and then a day tending diarrhea-ish that I think is something out of balance too (maybe just minerals again, since it seems better when I consume more cal and mag for the month and less caffeine).

[AuNaturaleMama]

I get very moody but more along the lines of a short temper rather than crying. I also get fairly depressed but I think that feeds my shortness.

For physical symptoms I get very constipated. This is the symptom I hate the most because the 2nd day of my moon is spent in the bathroom feeling the urge to poop with every cramp.

I'm going to start taking some EPO to see if I notice any differences.

[hippiemom]

PMS is no fun no matter how you slice it...  I think most women would say they have a day or two a month where they would rather NOT {work, go out, deal with annoying/challenging people, etc}, and that is normal.  Your symptoms of long crying jags, overexhaustion, and heightened anxiety are concerning IMO..  It depends on your own quality of life, and sense of self/what is normal to you.  Does it impede your daily functioning?  Take you out of the game for more than a 1/2 day or so?  How long does it take before you "bounce back"?  

Hormones.  Are.  Powerful.  For those of us prone to anxiety, this can be effected cyclically.  Are you able to talk yourself down and rein it in, or does this debilitate you?  

Also, are you taking any oral birth control?  This can also affect your cycle and how it affects you.  

I would start by taking a good look at my diet, and "cleaning" that up as much as possible for a couple of months, to see if there is any improvement.  All the common sense stuff applies :  more water, very low sugar, no white flour, as little caffeine as poss {I tell you this as a coffee drinker}, green leafies, good lean protein.  Some fish or omega 3/6 oil if you can take that. {Barlean's is a great brand, great tasting too!}.  Nettle and red raspberry tea is soothing, centering and nourishing..  Daily exercise, even just a 20 minute walk every day is helpful too. Eat whole and eat simply.  See what your body says and go from there.  

My PMS, to answer your original question {and I love this, women informing each other of their own experiences is a great resource!}, is a 1/2 week or so of headaches off and on, some mild heightened anxiety {though not too hard to distract myself from, with some exercise esp}, wanting to eat more than I usually do, and snappy temper.  I sleep like the dead and it is harder to get up in the morning.  I feel like I get edgy and annoyed easier.  I also pee a lot for a day or two just before I get my period.  The first day of my period alleviates all symptoms and I feel so much better, very calm.  

[SheSpeeds]

This is a great post, great thread too.  Particularly since my cycle is so different after my second child.  My PMS is usually about 2-3 days prior to my mensus starting.  And for me is short temper more than anything else.  While it's possible that i have some what of a hormone imbalance, I perceive my PMS as normal.

With that said though, as of this last month, I'm seriously concidering living through phramacueticals for that one or two days where I turn into a bitch.  I have two kids and a husband (don't we all...have someone we love and care for), and I feel like it's not fair that my consistent personality is all of a sudden Hyde.  Consistency is important to me, and boy are those days inconsistent for me.  I also took an Aderol I got from a friend the other day, and was frightened by how unaware I was that I had taken something, and how great of a day I had.  I've never been able to take so much as a tylenol and not feel some "drugginess". 

We're designed to have PMS for some reason, else we would't be prone to it...I just haven't figured out why.