Life w/PMDD/Severe PMS Support... - Page 30

[eastkygal]

I'd like to join in here.  I'm suffering immensely with PMS or PMDD, I'm not sure which.  Headaches that make me want to die, and mood issues that make me have either gritting my teeth anxiety or a general malaise that makes me sad and depressed.  Nothing I am trying is helping.  I'm on Maca, Evening Primrose Oil, and Pregnelone specifically for the issues I'm having.  Hormonal birth control is out for me as well, it makes be bloated and insane.  I get very very ill.  I even became ill when I tried the Mirena and had to have it removed.  I only have one maybe two good weeks a month.  The rest are lost to this issue.  Now, I'm considering anti-anxiety meds which have been offered to me many times.  Yet, I do NFP and would not like to become pregnant on them if I had an accident.  Otherwise, I'm to the point where I think I might should accept them for myself and my family.  Meds scare me so much, and in general I hate them, but I'm also tired of feeling this way.  I just want to feel normal.

[anjsmama]

Originally Posted by Rebecca2009 

Anyone here have teenage or preteen girls with PMDD...I am pretty sure my 12 year old has this.  I was sent to this thread via another thread here....thanks.

I think I likely have this too, though for me it didn't kick in until about 6 or 7 years ago.  I am glad to find this thread!!

My kiddos are just babes, but I have an 18-year-old sister who has had PMDD since she first got her period at 12. Her mood swings and migraines are completely debilitating, cramps that make her cry and often miss school. It really is awful, I've always felt so bad for her. Her doc recommended hormonal birth control but my mom gave that a huge red X. She started using "Happy PMS" creme (testosterone creme) around 14 and it helped some, especially with the headaches, and after she turned 18 this year started hormonal birth control and it has helped significantly. She also uses melatonin to fall asleep during her worst week of the month.

[debkat]

Hi All

Been reading the posts.  I got this PMDD too.  Plus the PCOS, Insulin Resistance and Diabetes.

This last attack was super scare, the suicide ideation was in full swing, couldn't make it to work on the Monday (couldn't make it out of bed ... the thought of showering and dressing were too overwhelming).  Made it to work on Tuesday with the help of a few tranquilisers and my Mom walking me to my car, carrying my bag, holding my hand while tears streamed down my face and she was saying "you can do this, you can do this".  It was HORRID.  But Tuesday was better than Monday, and Wednesday was better than Tuesday ... and now a week has passed and I am back to normal i.e. functional.

I am TERRIFIED for 3 weeks time!

I believe the thing that will help me the most is the Exercise and Diet changes.  But they have been telling me this for the last 25years.  I have not been able to make that work.   The other option appear to be take buckets of meds/supplements each day.  And I don't want to do that either (I find that the more pills I take, the sicker I feel).

So I really don't know what to do.

The steps that I am willing to take at the moment:

1.  Take my blood sugar meds (1 pill at morning / 1 pill at night)

2.  Take a good Multivit (3 pills in the morning / 2 pills at night)

3.  Try L-Tryptophan

4.  and Maybe Lexapro Day 15 to Day 2

Please god, the next one will be less dibilitating.

The impact this has on my relationships, my job, and the tole on my family is hideous.

[MelMel44]

I feel like a compete crazy person the week before I start. I get so angry and impatient over the smallest things. I lose all desire to do anything but lay around. I take things out on the people i love most, and then there is the bloating, sore boobies and crazy appetite. I have an apt with my ob tm. I a praying he can help me. This is starting to affect my work and relationships, it's just miserable. Anyone relate??

[Tiffany28]

Hello my name is Tiffany. I am so happy to have found this thread. I have always felt very alone with all the problems that come along with pmdd. My family has always been very cruel and insensitive when it came to my mood swings. they never seem to understand how painful it really is. I was so comforted to read a lot of what you all had to say. In some way or another I can relate to something all of you have said. Its so nice to see Im not crazy! Even though my family has said that to me in the past, now I know where to go to find compassion and understanding.... god bless, and keep writing!

[alicewyf]

Hey Ladies, I can't believe I haven't found this support thread before now! I haven't read thru the whole thing, so some of what I suggest might be repetitive.

Two things I tried that were working:

Optivite PMT supplement

200 mg Prometrium supplements for 10 days starting at p+3 (basically from 3 days after O for 10 days)

Not surprisingly, this combo, in addition to getting off the pill (Yaz, specifically chose b/c of PMDD) and getting my fertile signals messed up, healed my hormonal imbalance so well that I immediately became pregnant! So I didn't have more than 1 cycle on the Prometrium and about 3 on the Optivite. I did notice an improvement though.

I was on the Yaz as a very last resort b/c I am Catholic and against hormonal birth control. I think it did help, but it also gave me migraines from hell. Also during this pregnancy I have developed superficial blood clots in my legs and I will no longer be able to take any hormonal contraceptives again. I am not sure if I will even be able to continue the Prometrium postpartum.

My OB diagnosed me with a Progesterone deficiency and he was pretty sure that was what was causing my PMDD. I noticed it got a ton worse after my periods returned PP with my daughter (at 13 months) than it had ever been in the past. I do think the hormones involved in breastfeeding can have a major effect on PMDD as well. It was the absolute WORST EVER when I did fully wean her at 25 months.

Hope you all are doing well! Hope I can come back here postpartum if I start having issues again.

[subtlycrunchy]

Here is a good discussion of treatments for PMDD with a focus on natural/homeopathic remedies: http://www.womentowomen.com/menstruation/severepmsandpmddtreatment.aspx Hope this helps! 

[Tiffany28]

Hi everybody. The first few times that I was on here I felt really, really horrible. I was about ten days away from my period. Now I am feeling sooo much better that my period has started and is now over. Hope this feeling will last...

[greenmer]

I am just newly diagnosted with pmdd and am sick and tired of feeling sick and tired it has been a major problem for the last year and and really effected my work. I have been suffering for over three years and I am ready for big changes.My first step will be adding vit's and drinking more water.
 

[lilgreen]

I was diagnosed with PMDD by my psychiatrist a few years back. It was horrible. I did what I could, but it got to be so bad that I needed things to change immediately. I know many mamas here don't like the idea of antidepressants, but I just wanted to share my positive story for those who are considering it. It's a very personal decision to take medication or not, and my decision was made because I could not take it any more and my life was crumbling as a result of PMDD. 

I started taking an anti-depressant and my life transformed. I am taking cymbalta, but there is no one medication that is best for everyone. I had to try several before I found the best fit. Cymbalta also helps me with my chronic pain from osteoarthritis. I can think, I can love, I can cry, I can exercise, I can eat healthy, I can think healthy... at every point in my cycle. I still feel a usual irritability before my period, and a bit lower energy but it is manageable and does not sink me into the depths of despair. My cycle is no longer dreaded, but just something minor to deal with as I live my life.

Good luck to everyone. I know how dark it can be. xo

[mybabycake90]

Hi everyone, I have recently realised I may have PMDD and am relieved and also overwhelmed. About a week before my period I get terribly anxious, depressed, tired and feel like I cant deal with life. I feel like I am overwhelmed and I need to run away. I also have extreme anger towards people for no good reason. This is starting to affect my relationship with my partner and its affecting my kids :( I have recently started taking evening primrose oil, magnesium and Vitamin B complex, and am waiting it out to see if this helps my mood swings. I am yet to explain all this to my dr and actually get a diagnosis. It is ery hard to live with and I just fee like a nutcase at this time :(

[Tiffany28]

It has been three days since my period has ended. I feel unusually  happy, relaxed and in the moment. Things that would normally bother me and would spiral out of control don't seem to  have such an effect on me. I could be feeling this good for a few different reasons. My period started and just ended and right now I am not in the crazy zone, at least for another week anyway, OR it could be that my boyfriend told me to start talking this multi vitamin pack that he takes everyday. He also  ordered this supplement for severe pms. I have been taking  what he gives me everyday. I have to admit I do feel much better. I hope and pray this will work. the vitamin pack has a long list of things in there that are shown to help pmdd. The supplement he gave me also has a lot of good things in there like sage, red clover, wild yam, primrose oil, st.john wort, dong quai extract and a whole bunch of other natural healers. I will keep it up and see if I still feel this good in ten days. That is when my pmdd starts to creep up slowly then gets to be a nightmare. I do have a good feeling about this....I will keep writing and let you guys know how it goes!

[musicgirl]

wow...

i am overwhelmed by the posts on this thread...i have been suffering with pmdd for probably 20 years without knowing it, thinking something was wrong with me, that i was too sensitive, or too weak to combat my depression, or that i was not worthy of living a happy existence because i was suffering from depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts (even though i knew that i could not go through with killing myself) i wanted to leave the planet (still do sometimes) so often...and i eat well...i have been a macrobiotic chef, i have been vegan/vegetarian for 10 years, this was ten years ago, i have done yoga off and on, i have been a very serious collegiate athlete and i have been so afraid to be in a relationship and have a child because of my symptoms. only since meeting my now husband, almost 5 years ago, am i becoming aware of the cycle of my symptoms. mostly because my husband is one of the most compassionate person i know, he is so patient with me, especially when i go into the darkest of places and the most debilitating times...which are usually two weeks or less EACH MONTH!! recently i have decided to go to a doctor (who charges 500$ per hour) because i am so desperate to get help...and reading all your posts has given me help already..i have felt sooo alone, and pmdd has caused me to not function and to fall away from my career at times and caused me to isolate and my spirit diminishes to the point where i do not want to live any more because i don't believe that life is meant to be lived with such severe suffering for no reason...meaning...i am not living in a war torn area, i am surrounded by people who love me, i get to do what i love to do everyday (when i am able to do it) and so...all these thoughts come crashing down when i cannot function...the self critic is beyond tolerable during my pmdd. i have found a product called "femtone" which contains phytoestrogens for glandular function...it is over the counter and it does help sometimes...(dong quai, chaste tree, fennel, licorice, black cohosh, hesperidin) etc....although this is not a cure all, it has helped sometimes...but now, i am at my wits end and i am afraid of my cycle as i do not want to live each month what i know is coming towards me as i pass my ovulation...i dread it so deeply. 

question...does anyone have information about bio-identical hormones...? and the use of which while trying to get pregnant??

sending you all my love...and the greatest of compassionate acceptance as we live the incredible lives of being women...and human. what a journey, and i continue to pray for relief and feel that finding you all is the beginning of this relief that i did not know even existed until a few months ago...and hope to find it for myself and share what i find with you.

[alicewyf]

musicgirl, I was taking bioidentical progesterone (prometrium 200mg) when I became pregnant this time around. It was unintentional! I was put on the prometrium due to a progesterone deficiency diagnosed by my OB, which not only included PMDD symptoms but also a short luteal phase (about 9 days). He had me start the prometrium 3 days after ovulation and the protocol was supposed to be to take it for ten days, then take a pregnancy test (if you remove progesterone too early sometimes it can cause a miscarriage), then discontinue it to bring on my period. I got pregnant the first cycle I was on it (from intercourse 6 days prior to ovulation...definitely a long shot). We weren't trying to conceive but it worked out pretty great anyway! I'm 35 weeks today. NaPro Techonology doctors are really familiar with these types of treatments and I suggest seeing if you have a practitioner in your area. They are generally Catholic and pro-life doctors (though not all) but for this reason they work with a woman's body instead of pumping it full of synthetic hormones. :)

[musicgirl]

alicewyf...

thanks for the info and sharing your experience with me. 

it is all so helpful when we share our stories and what works and doesn't work according to our very personal circumstances...i am finding that while each of us is unique, we have patterns that are very similar, and it is the similarities that will help us all to find relief and help in the maze of hormones that can be found in dealing with PMS and PMDD.

PS...

may you have a healthy and wonderful rest of your pregnancy and a healthy baby!

[Tiffany28]

Hi everyone..I'm feeling very good, but the closer and closer I get to my cycle the more anxious I become. I am hoping so very much what I have been taking will help me. I hope all of us can somehow find a cure all from this hell that is pmdd. One thing that has helped a lot was reading what all of you amazing, brave, courageous women had to say. Sometimes  I want to write something but think twice about it in fear of someone thinking I am crazy, but then I read on and see that almost everyone is experiencing something similar or at times identical to what I am feeling...I notice a lot of women say the notice changes in their mood when they are ovulating, my question is how do you know when your ovulating?

[musicgirl]

tiffany 28 -

you need to track your cycle ...from the first day of your menstrual cycle, you count 14 days...or so...For women who have a 28 to 32 day menstrual cycle, ovulation can take place between days 11 through 21. Remember this is just an average of days that ovulation could take place—every woman's cycle is different. also...you can track your cycle over the weeks, months and year! with a very cool app for your phone call - period tracker - it is free...unless you want to track it more in depth, and then you pay a few bucks. this has been very helpful for me and it has allowed me know when i am premenstrual, i track my emotions, i can see when stress has affected my cycle, when i am ovulating...try it out!

[Tiffany28]

Musicgirl. Thanks so much for the info. I had no idea how to  monitor my ovulation. I think I can start to track it next month....One thing that's for sure, I always know when I;m near that bad time. Its like a dark cloud that feels like its right above my head. Its so bad that sometimes I cant even get out of bed.  What worries me is that I have noticed in the past year that my mood changes have gotten more severe and it last longer than just a few days. I don't understand why it has gotten worse as I got older. As if it isn't bad enough, right?  uhhhh, anyway..Right now I feel great happy and relaxed. I Hope its the vitamins and special supplement that I'm taking...I just wish I could feel like this all the time.....Well, Im not too far away from pmdd mode...Even if I fall back into hell, I'm still going to take the my vitamins...I need allllllllll the help I can get....                   

Musicgirl, your really sweet by the way, I saw your first post and found it very touching...I could relate to every single thing you wrote...Hope you stick to this thread. I know I will!!

[Tiffany28]

Hello...Well, its "that" time of the month for me, and by that time of the month I mean this is when I start going down hill...The past ten days have been like heaven, no annoying, sad, angry, paranoid, hurtful thoughts. No over sensitivity and no flying off the handle...Now I need to monitor the next two weeks and see if I'm actually better...I'm so scared, but hopeful...Hope you guys are doing well...Stay strong. I know its hard not to be afraid, but as long as we know whatever we are going through will pass it can be a little easier to cope...lots of love..........