rule PMT - dont let it rule you

Becles

I was on the pill (Cliest) and had terrible mood swings. A lot of the time I was easily upset and felt depressed, and the feelings were much worse in the week leading up to a period.

I've stopped taking the pill and feel more chilled out now and don't get moody or tearful now.

Otago

I tried all sorts to combat the days of doom that used to happen in the week running up to mu period, evening primrose oil, starflower oil, vit b complex, eating very regular eg every 2 hours, avoiding sugar rushes etc.
The thing that has turned my life around- ( and if that sounds dramatic thats ok cos I really felt so awful every month) , was coming of the pill completely. My mood has completely stabilised and I cant even tell when my period is due anymore and it surprises me when it arrives. I unfortunately now get a lot more hormonal spots but im trying other things to sort that out, and its a small price to pay for being set free from the depths of despair I found myself in for a couple of days every month!
Hope you can find something to help you.

sheena4711

My moods swings around period time were horrendous. Crying, shouting, wanting to throw items of furniture round the room, etc. It got so bad OH was considering leaving me as he couldn't handle it any more and i can't say i blame him. Went to the doctor who prescribed Citalopram and it's turned my life around, no more PMT and i'm quite chilled the rest of the time too. 1 tab a day with no side effects whatsoever.

Ted_Hutchinson

Don't forget this link to Vitamin d3+Calcium research affecting PMT

Vitamin d3 for free in the UK now if you spend at least 30 minutes in the sunshine each day. This will also lower your breast/colon cancer risk status. Supplements will be needed from September onwards as the sun is too low to produce the UVB synthesise of vitamin d3.

• calcium: foodsources

beverleyhills

Having experienced PMTs myself you have my heartfelt sympathy. It was over 30 years ago and my GP at the time prescribed diuretic tablets which I took once a day for the week before my period was due. It worked for me.

Beckham_Fan

Evening primrose oil does the trick for me

Mics_chick

Philippa36 wrote: »

Having a baby also helps :eek:

My daughter has horrendous pmt and I have tried so many different things nothing so far has made a difference

I don't know if this is any help?

BUPA help sheet

Pregnancy doesn't always help - I had 2 failed pregnancies in 1991 & had 2 kids in 2003 & 2005 and my PMT has noticeably worsened with each one :eek:

Especially since the last pregnancy as I've had PND since so when I've got PMT my irritability is off the scale

Dustykitten

Like you Sandy my PMT has got worse the older I get and worse with each child once the breastfeeding stopped. I find that one month I am really bad and get ovulation pain. The next month, no pain, and not as moody. Apart from the days before my period I find Day 18 of my cycle to be a bad PMT day. I am taking starflower oil - 3 months now (got it on BOGOF in Tesco on coupons) but a friend said it takes 2 years to work!

Ted_Hutchinson

While I accept I have consumed best part of a couple of bottles of wine this evening I did think, at some point earlier I answered a query about calcium/vitamin d and PMT but it appears to have vanished. (Edit I was looking in the wrong board, there is a similar PMT thread Best supplement for PMT here considering I must have been over the limit it reads reasonably OK)

It is a complex issue and being drunk possibly isn't conducive to providing a clear understanding. Maybe folks would be better listening to Heaney detailing how calcium/vitamin d/ magnesium interelate at this conference presentation here. you need to be around slide 45 of session 2 Robert Heaney. You can use the arrows by the slide preview to fast forward if you want to skip some. select audio/slides or you will use up your broadband allocation on a talking head.

The important thing to understand is the amount of vitamin d3 you need to take raise your status to above the minimum necessary to achieve equilibrium regarding calcium uptake. In message 15 I posted a link to research showing that calcium/vit d influenced PMT. this paper also considers the impact of the calcium/vitamn d cycle Ensuring an optimal supply of caclium/vitamin d/magnesium is fundamental to solving the problem.

Effects of dietary calcium compared with calcium supplements on estrogen metabolism and bone mineral density
This study shows that getting your calcium from food sources is more effective than relying on supplements.
Calcium Foodsources

Most UK adults are D3 insufficient at the moment. Hypovitaminosis D in British adults at age 45 y

This Nebraska Latitude 41 (same distance from the Equator as Rome) research shows
Conclusions: Approximately two-thirds of this rural population fell below 80 nmol/L, a value considered to be the lower end of the optimal range. Based on the slope of 25(OH)D on supplement dose observed in these women, it would require an additional vitamin D input of nearly 2000 IU/d to reach the goal of an RDA for vitamin D, i.e., to bring 97.5% of the cohort to levels of 80 nmol/L or higher.


The urgent need to recommend an intake of vitamin D that is effective
Will give you a clue as to how to work out how much more Vit d3 you need to achieve Heaney's minimum target. or Hollis ideal minimum.

The absolute safety of these suggestions is set out clearly in this Risk Assessment for Vitamin D3

The magnesium suggested by LondonDiva is also integral to the calcium/vitamin d equation. Magnesium is often in short supply, it's water soluble and easily lost in boiled veg, best to steam your veg to preserve the magnesium. Adding espom salts to your bath or using magnesium chloride (dead sea salts) is another option. You may also use mangesium an excuse to eat dark chocolate or drink cocoa/drinking chocolate.

LondonDiva

I take Holland & Barret's Magnesium, calcium & zinc for about a couple of years now & it's really made a difference. I think that it's evened me out & the irritability / looking for someone to stab that used to be me in the run up, is now much much better.