Life w/PMDD/Severe PMS Support... - Page 6

[mystic~mama]

have a good day mamas

[allgirls]

Originally Posted by mystic~mama

I remember reading once that once you ovulate menstruation is always 14 days away....(read this in a fertility awareness book) but I guess stress will delay it.

Unless you have a luteal phase defect which I think I have. What that means is your hormones can't sustain for 14 days so you start early. Anything less than 10 days after ovulation is considered a LP defect and I think mine is right at 9/10 days most months..not a true LP defect but borderline. The symptoms I have also correspond...mood, cramps from ovulation until menstruation, painful ovulation etc.

[dipmama]

Wow allgirls, we really are cycle twins, complete with the SAD and everything. I have always been susceptible to mood fluctuations depending on light. We're having a blastingly bright sunny day today in Ottawa, and it really does help me. I was downtown running an errand this morning, and I got to one place before they opened so I stood on the sunniest corner and just soaked up the rays for 15 minutes.

Anyhoo, I have been taking the B6 now for a month, and my cycle was the same old 21 days. One cycle is probably too early to assess the effect, but it did not shorten it.

I am finding it hard to pick apart what my moods are all about. I have been dealing with depression and anxiety for the better part of the last year, and am on Cipralex (aka Lexapro) and Wellbutrin. I finally got hooked up with a good psychiatrist in December, and we're still in the tweaking phase. I have been keeping track of my cycles and moods since September, and every time (with the exception of the last time, which coincided with ovulation) the meds seem to stop working during my PMS week. Is this about PMS, perimenopause, or plain vanilla depression?

My family doc is away on extended vacation right now and he has a female locum covering for him. I've booked an appointment with her for tomorrow to talk about all this stuff with my cycle. I really like my family doc, but I get the feeling he wouldn't get what I mean when I say I can't live with my periods like this for an unknown number of years. I'm hoping a woman doc will get it a bit more when I tell her my cycle is a nightmare for me.

[mystic~mama]

Originally Posted by allgirls

Unless you have a luteal phase defect which I think I have. What that means is your hormones can't sustain for 14 days so you start early. Anything less than 10 days after ovulation is considered a LP defect and I think mine is right at 9/10 days most months..not a true LP defect but borderline. The symptoms I have also correspond...mood, cramps from ovulation until menstruation, painful ovulation etc.

oh, wow...I had never heard of this, I'm sorry you are dealing with that.

[allgirls]

cd 28, 12-14 dpo according to my calculations...so something changed this month except I have the worse pms I've ever had and I would prefer the LPD over this. My mood has improved but I have the worse acne I've ever had in my life, cramps still happening and I should be 3 days into my cycle. I keep hoping in the back of my mind that this is menopause. I'm also nauseated when I cramp. I took an hpt yesterday although I knew a pregnancy was very impossible just to shut up that little voice in the back of my brain that shows up when your period is late no matter how impossible it is that your pregnant...lol...thankfully it was negative as expected.

So here I sit in pms limbo. Cramps enough to get me running occasionally thinking "this is it" but nothing so far.

I've got to get this under control. I think exercise will go a long way. I am going to have to find a way to get out there and walk. I can't do this again.

The sun is trying to shine here today although it called for more snow, none showed up. Maybe after my client leaves today I'll get out in that vitamin D.

It's nice to have someone to talk to about this stuff.

[momofPL]

Allgirls, I am so sorry you have to deal with all of this. I cannot say enough about the exercise especially on these cold, cloudy winter days. I can tell that I have not been exercising since I have gone back to work because my mood changes drastically. I need to somehow fit this in. Does the vitamin D help?

[allgirls]

still no af but I think the cramps have changed a bit so it's close.

Mood is much better...slept much better although the dog woke me at 2:30 to go out(which he never does) and my 5 year old woke me at 6:30am because she`s sick but I slept great while I slept, falling right back to sleep after taking the dog out.

I cannot believe the zits I have. 13 on my face, one on my back, several on my chest etc. I`ve never had this many in my life at one time. I usually get one or two.

I`m trying to think of ways to address my need for exercise and I`m coming up empty. I have no money, no exercise equipment and I hate walking when it`s this cold outside. I do have exercise videos and dvd`s but no machine to play them on in a space that`s big enough to do them. I emailed my cousin to see if she still has a televistion she had to give away that Imight be able to set up in the basement and then if I can find an old vhs machine I could do some yoga and other workouts.

I`m taking my supplements. I hope that helps and makes this next cycle easier to manage. If it ever starts...grrrrrrrr

[mystic~mama]

sorry allgirls...that just sucks and i have been there.

was your diet not as good this previous month or something?

[allgirls]

Originally Posted by mystic~mama

was your diet not as good this previous month or something?

i was going to recommend netflix there are some watch instantly workouts here

http://www.netflix.com/SubGenre/Spor...2136506200_0_0

drink your water and breathe!

hugs

My diet was horrible this month so yeah that contributed to this mess I'm in now.

Thanks for the Netfix recommendation. I can play dvds on the computer as well but there isn't enough room in her for exercise. I've got to start doing something though..I really think that is the key.

[allgirls]

So here I sit on cd29 and no af although I keep having cramps and I think this is it and run to the bathroom.

So you think it's going to skip altogether? I went through all of the motions of ovulation ewcm, the O pain, the bloating and moodiness right at the time when O should have happened so it goes to follow that if you ovulate you menstruate. But maybe it never actually happened. I know I'm not pregnant, negative test aside, that's impossible. I feel somewhat better today but the cramps are crazy. My mood is good and I've been very good with my diet today and I've taken my suppliments.

I wonder if the suppliments are what's causing this difference. Is it really possible that a B6 pill is causing such a change because while the cycle sucks my LP is the longest it's been in ages and maybe it's fixing the LP defect and if it's longer this cycle maybe it'll be better as well as longer next cycle.

sigh..what a roller coaster.

Allgirls

[mystic~mama]

I am not sure about your question...I think anything is possible.

I forgot to mention Parsley Tea...it helps bring on AF, take a whole bunch and add it to hot (not boiling) water just to cover it and steep with a lid on it for 20 or 30 min then drink it up....I've had my moon time come on within a day or two when I've done this.

[mystic~mama]

Allgirls...

also check this out:

http://www.sisterzeus.com/delayedmen.htm

[allgirls]

Is there any advantage do you think to bringing it on? I mean if it's not supposed to come then maybe I should just leave things alone. I feel better mood wise and I think if I get my diet and exercise going good again I'd feel better physically.

I think I'll let things be for now.

[mystic~mama]

Originally Posted by allgirls

Is there any advantage do you think to bringing it on? I mean if it's not supposed to come then maybe I should just leave things alone. I feel better mood wise and I think if I get my diet and exercise going good again I'd feel better physically.

I think I'll let things be for now.

its a personal choice, I personally think if it makes you feel better than its a good thing and plants can be there as our allies to help us out with things.

[dipmama]

allgirls: I hope it starts soon so that you can get some relief!

Speaking of nutrition & supplements, I do remember one particular cycle. I was doing a cleanse (under the supervision of a naturopath) and somewhere in the middle of it, I got my period. It was at my regular time, but the amazing thing about it was that it totally snuck up on me- no plummeting of my mood, no PMS, nothing! I felt great. I think maybe it had to do something with the fact that I was doing no dairy/yeast/wheat/sugar.

In other interesting news, I saw the woman doc. who is covering for my regular doc. Her suggestion was to go on Yazmin, and to do it continuously (ie no period). No suggestion of testing my hormone levels or anything. I was so desperate for improvement that at first I thought, sure, I'll try anything. But then it occurred to me that this seems like a really one-size-fits-all approach. I'm quite comfortable taking antidepressants, but the thought of taking hormones that are not quite the right fit worries me.

Anyhoo, I did some digging and asking around and it turns out that the naturopath I have used in the past works in conjunction with an MD that does bioidentical hormones. I've booked an appointment two weeks from now. I'm optimistic! Right now I'm feeling pretty okay- but I don't know if it's because I'm at the end of my period, or because the Wellbutrin recently started taking has kicked in. Either way, it's good

[allgirls]

So it's cycle day 30. Checking back through my calendar I see that my longest cycle in the past year was 29 days starting in the morning of cd29.

Then my second longest cycle is 27 days.

So something is up. I feel so much better. The cramping is lessening. I've started to eat better and I did have a complete 8 hours sleep last night!!!

My skin has cleared up too, one zit left: so I think this cycle from hell is almost over.

I'm going to continue as I have been.

I wonder if the amount of water I've been drinking is contributing to the cramps lessening. I'm super thirsty and water is the only thing I want.

I also wonder if maybe this is it. No more periods ever, straight into menopause. Wouldn't that be something? I'm only a little over a year younger than my mother was when she entered menopause and my sister has not had a period in almost 6 mos and she's 20mos younger than I am.

I'm going to leave things alone and just "support" myself right now and not adding anything to it. I feel good: and I don't want to mess with that.

[allgirls]

Originally Posted by dipmama

Anyhoo, I did some digging and asking around and it turns out that the naturopath I have used in the past works in conjunction with an MD that does bioidentical hormones. I've booked an appointment two weeks from now. I'm optimistic! Right now I'm feeling pretty okay- but I don't know if it's because I'm at the end of my period, or because the Wellbutrin recently started taking has kicked in. Either way, it's good

This sounds really promising for you! Good luck!

[Awaken]

Originally Posted by dipmama

Anyhoo, I did some digging and asking around and it turns out that the naturopath I have used in the past works in conjunction with an MD that does bioidentical hormones. I've booked an appointment two weeks from now. I'm optimistic! Right now I'm feeling pretty okay- but I don't know if it's because I'm at the end of my period, or because the Wellbutrin recently started taking has kicked in. Either way, it's good

That sounds great! I hope it's helpful for you!

On 3 DPO already I could feel the irritation building and the annoyance in my voice. I'm very aware of it this month and am going to do everything I can to keep it under control. Having a group to share it with helps!

I have very high-needs kids who want to be with me every minute. It's hard b/c I have a strong need for time alone, and especially when pms is creeping up on me- I really need that reflective time to recharge and most of the time I don't get it, so I end up staying up way too late, then I'm exhausted, and it feeds into the vicious cycle.

Here's hoping for a decent week. I'm doing the vitamins, and have added valerian tea to my afternoons to help with sleep. it tastes gross but so far so good. If I can get enough sleep I feel like I'll have the mental fortitude to make it through.

[allgirls]

CD1:

and I feel great! Now let's on with the plan!:

Today I was up at 6:45am. So far today I've revised 4 chapters of my novel, created a website, finished a blog post and written a second. Mopped my floors, made breakfast and lunch and cleaned it all up, I've got bread ready to be baked, I've vacuumed, had a conversation with my cousin who is bringing her grandchildren by to play with my kids tonight, made plans for tomorrow with my oldest to go to her friend's baby shower and just had a super productive day. Oh and I've made all the beds and I've been folding laundry and been on MDC as well.

I guess maybe pms is a way to stop you from doing this kind of thing too much and preventing burnout..it's only 2:20pm here.

I feel like I could take on the world right now. I've got monthly bipolar depression...sort of like a predictable up and down, micro personality disorder completely triggered by hormones.

Anyway I'm enjoying it while I can...and to top it off..the temperature is going to be up to 5degrees C tomorrow and staying above freezing or a week to ten days. That's positively balmy! I'm going water skiing in the front yard when the snow meltsfavourite smiley)

[jillmamma]

So glad you are feeling better, and AF showed up so you can get that over with!

I think I am getting closer to ovulation as the CM is getting more like the fertile sort and I am CD 13. So far so good this month though...I too started the B6 complex and am hoping it helps a lot.