Life w/PMDD/Severe PMS Support... - Page 7

[Awaken]

I really can't believe it. 9 DPO and I'm not a raving lunatic yet. Usually by now I'm in full blown, my life sucks, there's no hope, it's all crashing down and I hate everyone around me mode. And this month I am pretty much fine, a little more irritated than normal and didn't sleep well for a couple nights so really tired (but I think that was more due to waking up coughing than hormones).

The only difference has been increasing to a 100mg b6 b-complex when the 50mg ran out, and heightened awareness. I don't know if it's just a fluke, or if those things really did make a difference, but either way I'm really glad! This is tolerable.

[jillmamma]

I can definitely tell I ovulated yesterday. Temp spiked up today, and I have been feeling fatigued, irritable, up and down emotions all day yesterday and today. I can get through periods of being in public, but then at home I am a nut! I hate that I have no patience for my poor kids, and DH wants to be anywhere but with me. I started the B6 (100 mg) complex this month and am hoping it just takes a while to kick in. I also am going for a complete physical next week at my doctor, so maybe she will have some ideas too. One thing I am trying to do this month is record when I feel symptoms so I can get the pattern and maybe be able to preempt some of them later.

[DanishMom]

jillmama + Awaken: I think upping the dose to 200-300 mg is a good idea. After a month or two 150-200 might be enough.

This product is supposed to be the best for treating PMS. I participated in a research study on PMS and the researcher recommended it: http://www.optimox.com/pics/Optivite.html

Of course you don't have to buy but you can take a look at the doses of the different vitamins and minerals and combine your own supplements to match the doses in this product.

As for me - i'm still feeling great. No symptoms whatsoever this cycle - I'm 11 days past O and expecting AF in few days. I just had the most stressful "holiday". (Newly blended family in an brand new flat in Spain, no heat, no hot water and no electricity for the first four days, hours on end in a car, long trips to Ikea and what not). And still no PMS symptoms at all! After four cycles without symptoms I'm starting to feel cured.

I hope that is possible for all of you too.

[allgirls]

I too believe I ovulated yesterday...I'm a bit bloated, it's cd 17 but I feel better than I usually feel at ovulation especially considering I'm on my own with the kids and it's been super hectic lately.

I'm trying to clear off my schedule and work on maintaining some balance for the next week or so but this cycle is already seriously better than the last one.

I've started taking 5-htp(1-200mg a day depending on if I remember it the second time) and I upped my B6 when I got close to my ovulation time from 100 to 150mg and I'm debating if I should go to 200 now that I have. But no ovulation moodiness this time.

I've also been meditating more so all of it together I think has helped.

[mystic~mama]

hi mamas, I haven't kept up with the thread since I went on my retreat (which was amazing)

[DanishMom]

Originally Posted by mystic~mama

hi mamas, I haven't kept up with the thread since I went on my retreat (which was amazing)

I am on day 4ish which leads me to a ?....

I checked my cervix on Sat and there was flow starting and then a tiny bit on Sunday and I didn't really start flowing until Monday, what day would you consider Day 1 to be for me? Saturday was the day the womyn from the retreat started hers and that was early for me to start but I felt like I was starting....I felt incredibly better from the day before where I had NO energy and a big headache.

I stopped all supplements before my retreat and haven't started again although I am eating nutritional yeast for B's and eating much healthier and simpler

I had a rough few days where i was SUPER sensitive and wierd w/ dh, we Could NOT communicate no matter how hard we tried it was like we were from different planets, it was very frustrating and upsetting.

I've been fine and like I said started feel GREAT on Saturday,,,I guess I thought PMS time was over and then I got upset bcause DP hadn't called me for 10 hrs,,,its started to bug me and then it bugged me more and when he called I thought he sounded wierd and I flipped out, like what is wrong, why didn't you call blah: and it caused a whole thing to go on into yesterday when I got myself to feeling much much better, like at peace and happy until we started chatting (he is out of town) and I felt ignored and got insecure and then mean yet again and felt like crap for being that way.
I am going to counseling today and I'm going to talk about it...I am so tired of having this happen, I feel like I am weak because it keeps happening.

I guess I needed to vent, thx for reading.

I'm sorry mystic - what you described with your dp is something I experience often too. It really is a lousy dynamic and it can be hard to completely break it. I think talking to a therapist is a great idea.

About the first cycle day I've read several places that the first day is the first day with flow and not just spotting. I personally count from first day of heavy spotting/light flow but when I charge I always write down the first day I see spotting but also the first day with flow. I guess it's always plus/minus one day anyway but I like to charge both spotting and flow.

After reading about optivite (the link I posted) I've upped my B6 intake to 2x100 and 50 in my B-complex so 250 total and I feel even better. I'm having problems in my relationship with my DP and I would have freaked big time before the B6.

[mystic~mama]

hey Anne ~ thx for writing and its always nice when someone understands...and I've learned when you let it out, people usually do b cause we all have our "stuff"....

sorry to hear you are having problems w/your dh, hope that gets better soon


I will start taking my B6 as well, and not stop ; )

take care mamas

[allgirls]

I feel so much better this month with the htp and B6 and just drinking lots of water and cutting down caffiene. I'm on cd 26 and emotionally I am calm and together though a little sleep deprived(working on that) and I think I can keep on top of that however the physical symptoms.

oh my the skin breakouts..that's the worse..I'm thinking I need a skin cleanser to use around the areas where I get the break outs or maybe just another supplement for that of some sort.

but a few zits, while irritating is nothing to emotional and mental well being. I'll take it!:

[znine]

Pmdd

Hello. I stumbled across this forum in search of information on motherhood and PMS. I have been considering having children but have always feared that I may not be a fit mother as I have what I think is severe PMDD. I'm 37 and have struggled my entire life with fatigue and depression. I have about a week per month that I feel stable and happy/healthy, then it seems to go down from there, depending on the month. There are times (very often) when after my period I look back and think "who was that person??". My symptoms manifest mostly as depression. About a week after my period I start to feel a little tired and low. By the time I get to the week before my period I am questioning everything about my life. I recently got married to a wonderful man but found myself, after 2 weeks of marriage, doubting my decision. I was blissfully happy for months, then one night woke up having a panic attack thinking I'd made a mistake. It was the day before I got my period. The entire week before I felt numb and as if I didn't want to be touched. Because he is the closest person to me, I told him my thoughts and doubts, which has now put the marriage in jeopardy. He no longer trusts me. Today is the last day of my period and I feel back to my self again but my marriage is in ruins after having only just begun. Thinking back, this isn't the first relationship that's been ruined because of this. In every relationship I've ever had I started to question things right before my periods and eventually either forced that person out of my life, or left myself. In this case, I actually fell in love and knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my years with this person and married him. Because my hormones are out of control, the one relationship I actually managed to keep, and wanted to keep, could disintegrate.

I feel as if my thoughts and actions are often not my own and that I might be crazy. But then I have a few good days of the month where I think it will all be ok. Each month varies in severity. Last month I was fine. Bad aches and cramps but no real depression. This month I am doubting my job, my career, my husband, my entire life.

I have been to doctor after doctor and mentioned my sometimes erratic behavior. I've always wondered if it was hormonal. Not one of them has acknowledged my question. Not one has suggested looking into to it. Not even my gyn. I believe I would have gone the rest of my life wondering if it had not been for the fact that I have nearly destroyed my marriage and the timing perfectly matches my period and mirrors my history of emotional instability around my menstruation.

Does anyone have a similar story? I am torn to pieces about this.

[momofPL]

znine, yes I have been there too. You have described what I have gone through myself. I would get very depressed, cry easily, start to question my entire life, and sometimes acting on these thoughts only to regret it later. Looking back, it began as a teenager and ruined my high school years. I have lost many many friends due to this and to be honest am very lonely. I could not figure out why I was losing so many friends. I felt like I was going crazy. I couldn't understand what was wrong with me. I was constantly told that I was too sensitive and not tough enough. I was told that I was stuck in a victim role and that I liked being a sad helpless victim. Since I have been a teenager, I have been blaming myself. No one ever thought that maybe hormones or PMS were to blame. I discovered the connection to my cycle by accident. I was trying to become pregnant and we were having trouble so I went to one of the online sites where you can track your cycle and symptoms. That is when I began to notice the pattern. Then I began to talk to my doctor about it. I did take a generic form of prosac for awhile but only during the week-two weeks before my flow. For me, birth control pills help for some reason. Right now I am nursing so I do not take the prosac. I take many of the vitamins recommended in this thread and most importantly for me exercise regularly.

Have you continued searching for a doctor that will listen to you? I have personally found a female family practioner that is wonderful when it comes to this issue. She was better then the obgyn I saw. I know sometimes it helps to keep a good record of your symptoms and when they happen in regards to your cycle. Bring that with you too. I do hope you can find someone, it sounds like you have been given the runaround. I personally have found great advice in this thread (thanks ladies you are awesome)! Try some of the suggestions, you never know what will help you. My biggie is exercise. It makes a huge difference. I do hope you stay in touch with us and good luck to you.

[mystic~mama]

znine~ I've experienced so much of what you write. I have had those same feelings, so have A LOT of womyn...you are not alone.

I wanted to say to you that I think you should be able to explain to your husband about your cycle and how it effects you and your emotions and that you realize the way you were feeling was because of that and that you love him and apologize...I feel like if you are committed loving partners to each other that you deserve understanding from your partner, we are all flawed humans and especially when we are in that close intimate relationship with someone it is important to give and receive that understanding and compassion. Please try not to beat yourself up, believe me, you don't deserve it and it wont help!

I think you also deserve much better health care providers...if they wont listen to you or don't know anything about this epidemic womyns issue, they are living in a box and you should find someone else.

A very wise medicine womyn just told me that she has learned for herself and feels that she has been told that the earth is dying becuause womyn is not connected to her...she says that there is an invisible cord conencted each of us to the earth...she said she believes part of the reason PMS is so strong for so many womyn is because of this, because of the turmoil our earth is in.


Hope you are all well...love and light to you :

[Awaken]

Ugh, I started feeling awful the day after ovulation this month. I usually get a few days respite! I have been sick, which may be compounding it. Horrible breast soreness, irritability, not able to sleep, and the fatigue makes all of it so much worse. It will be hard to take another week of this. I had high hopes for this month, I increased the B6, added EPO and flax oil. Last month was really good so I was hoping I was steadily improving. Hopefully this is just a fluke!

[mystic~mama]

s awaken sorry your having a hard time..I know last month i was exhausted...the emotionalism was a bit improved...hope u feel better, take care of yourself

I am on day 17 and feeling well....taking good care nutritionally and trying to stay aware and grounded.

take care

[mystic~mama]

hi mamas,

how r u doing?

day 23 here....does this sound familiar?

3+ days ago I was feeling very clear, now am starting to feel confused about my problems I was clear on 3 days ago.....

so far I am doing great for aprox 4 days until my moon comes on but its also feeling like its getting more intense.

[momofPL]

Hello everyone,

How is everyone doing?

So far things are good yet confusing for me. The good news is that the weather is warming up enough to go outside which makes a huge difference in my mood. This has been a very long, cold winter.: The confusing part is that I am nursing and have gotten my period fairly early after DD was born (she was only two months old), but now at 5 months it seemed to have stopped. Yet I still get the depression and sadness one week before I am suppose to get it. Anyone ever exerience this?

[Awaken]

Magnesium? Melatonin?

things are not great here, but I guess I can't blame it all on pms. It was a really bad pms week for me last week; but we were also all sick, the kids were waking up a lot at night, we were all exhausted and cranky, and there are some difficult family dynamics right now. So it's not totally hormones, but that made it a lot worse.

I feel discouraged about the supplements. I don't feel like the mag is helping at all and it's been 2 months. I started taking it also b/c it is supposed to help with noise sensitivity, which is a real problem for me. That was so much worse this month, as was sleep. At any given moment, there is someone blowing a kazoo in my face, screaming, dogs barking, someone banging something, and my 3 yo insists on blasting the music. It all makes me feel like I'm going to snap. I do take a Calc/500mg Mag supplement already but added the magnesium calm. does it just take longer to see effects with some people? Not effective for some?

It's discouraging b/c I try to stick with natural remedies, but for my issues it seems like none of them work, and I end up resorting to drugs. I hate being dependent on them and supporting the pharma industry. I can't spend tons of $ of a bunch of supplements if they aren't working so I think when this bottle of mag is empty I'll try melatonin for sleep- if I get enough sleep I can usually handle all the other tough stuff.

Happy to be on CD4 and hoping for a much better month ahead.

[mystic~mama]

momofPL and Awaken s

I dont have answers to your questions but can say I'm here with you struggling with my things...



lifes an interesting complicated beautiful crazy thing...

[Deir]

Hi all- I;ve been struggling with what i think is severe PMS. I have been trying all kinds of natural remedies. Today is a bad day. My dh is annoyed at me because I was so negative to him a few times today although I was also great in many ways. I can't help being annoyed that he doesn't get it. I just had 2 miscarriages in a row and I think that is wreaking havoc on my hormones.This is basically my first real period coming since November since I had m/c in jan and Feb. My skin is so bad and my anger seems to go along with my skin. Angry skin=angry emotions. I was all geared up to take a walk and now I feel stuck and without energy because he is mad at me and he just took the kids for a walk without reconciling. Ugh. I freaking hate PMS. I am debating the Pill because it would clear my skin and even things out for a few months. But I know all the bad sides to it plus I really want to get and STAY pg in a few months.

[some1sgrrl]

New Here

So I'm new to the board after researching PMDD. I've been looking for someone to just understand, maybe someone here will. I am 27 years old and married to DH for 5 years this July, no children yet.

I have been diagnosed with PMDD for over 8 years now...yes 8 years and no relief. I am on BCP's and have been for over 14 years now. I am MISERABLE, I've been on prozac, welbutrin, effexor and back to prozac.

Some cycles are worse than others, this one is a bad one and I had a spell this morning where I just didn't feel like explaining to DH why I was feeling down and he kept pressing and I burst out into tears and left the house. I came back a bit more calm and then as usual when he needs something he doesn't do it himself he yells to me from the opposite end of the house to get it for him and I snap at him and his retort "I can see you're still in a mental breakdown" and continues what he's doing. He's known I'm like this for the 7 years we've been together but its always a "mental breakdown" to him.

I just want someone to talk to who understands that its not me going crazy. I try to explain it to my mother and her retort is "did you take your meds today?"

If you read all my rant, God bless you!

[mystic~mama]

Deir & Some1sgrrl s

Its a hard thing, i can relate.

For me self awareness...digging deep down in there into yourself to see what needs healing and working on that everyday, bit by bit, its a slow process...

a few books:

The PMDD Phenomenon

The Dance Of Intimacy

both have been very helpful to me.

Water....lots of water!

exercise....make yourself do it whenever you can....

And SOOOO important, your diet, eat well, nourish yourself!


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