How bad is your PMS?

gagiteebo

Hi ladies,

Just a question purely out of my own interest but how bad is your PMS, what symptoms do you suffer with? Personally I don't suffer too badly with aches, pains and cramps etc but it's the mood swings that really get me and the worst thing is they just seem to sneak up on me :rolleyes:

One minute I could be a perfectly balanced, happy human being and the next I'm crying for no reason. I find myself becoming irritated so easily with everyone and everything around me and sometimes feeling really quite depressed...I've noticed it has gotten worse over the last couple of years as well

So along with your stories do you have any advice? Do any of you take supplements etc? I've heard Evening Primrose is supposed to be good

The Big Red Button

For one day a month, a few days before my period starts, I cry over everything I watch on TV. In particular any reality TV shows - Britains Got Talent, American Idol, etc. It's just really embarrassing.

I don't really get bad cramps or anything any more, thank god. Used to suffer very badly when I was a teenager.

I think the worst part is the bloating, for about a week beforehand. Very uncomfortable!

Novella

I think I must be really lucky when it comes to periods and PMS because I honestly don't suffer at all. I don't get cramps, don't have mood swings or feel overly emotional, nothing. It must be awful though, to suffer really badly with heavy periods and cramping or to feel down or irritable.

FouxDaFaFa

chatterpillar wrote: »

For one day a month, a few days before my period starts, I cry over everything I watch on TV. In particular any reality TV shows - Britains Got Talent, American Idol, etc. It's just really embarrassing.

I cried over an ad for brown bread once. Even though there was no-one around I was embarrassed for myself.:o

It's the physical symptoms that get me. For about one day a month I feel pretty awful, like I'm about to faint or get sick or something. Not to mention the pain. I occasionally get really painful, debilitating cramps where I wouldn't even be able to stand up, not to mind work or go to college. Thankfully they're rare enough.

Ah, it's a tough life!

sam34

i'm one of the lucky ones, no PMS of any sort and very manageable periods

rannerap

i dont get any cramps or pains or anything a bit of bloating maybe,i wouldnt know i had it at all if it wasnt for the crazy crazy mood swings,i get upset and angry over EVERYTHING,i hate it

gagiteebo

Sarannewrap wrote: »

i dont get any cramps or pains or anything a bit of bloating maybe,i wouldnt know i had it at all if it wasnt for the crazy crazy mood swings,i get upset and angry over EVERYTHING,i hate it

Thank God it's not just me I thought I was going crazy :rolleyes:

alwaysadub

I very rarely suffer cramps or anything physical thankfully but my mood swings are crazy. I was crying in front of my friend the other week and i couldn't tell him why cos i didn't have a clue myself.

In saying that though,i think i'd prefere that than having cramps and everything else for the few days-i did get them when i was younger.

rannerap

gagiteebo wrote: »

Thank God it's not just me I thought I was going crazy :rolleyes:

yeah sometimes it feels like its just you,glad to know im not alone!its so bad im thinking of coming off the pill and using something else just in case its that thats making the mood swings so bad

chocgirl

I think I'm one of the really lucky ones, no problems at all with PMS and my periods are fine too, the odd cramp but nothing unbearable.

Ickle Magoo

I don't get periods as I have the mirena but I always know when it should be because I get a sharp pain in whichever ovary is releasing and get a bit bloated and achy and I get a bit more sensitive, both physically and emotionally.

princess-lala

Im one of the lucky ones, my first period was the worst. I was in agony. Then as the months went on it got easier and then no pain.

Im now on the injection and dont bleed at all so theres no pms or anything. I totally feel sorry for people who do suffer. My mam suffers terrible

Chibodee

Usually for me - it's being abit emotional and weepy - and in need of some TLC. Physically wise I get pretty bad stomach cramps and lower back pain! I'm normally grand with a few pain killers, hot water bottle and a dairy milk!

Orla K

Everything go's away as soon as I start my period but normally 3-4 days before I start to get weepy, 2 days before I start to feel little cramps and my boobs get bigger and very sore, the day before I NEED chocolate (and for some reason if I don't eat chocolate my period is late! When it's late all these just get worse.

It's not actually that bad, I can still do things but about once or twice a year I get a period where I can't eat anything that has a low sugar content because it just makes me feel sick, I can't walk around much because I've got a pain in the lower half of my body and I feel dizzy and sick. Sickness go's away with high sugar food and gets worse with low sugar foods. thankfully I don't get those ones much.

I just remembered the worst part of pms is if I have my knee pain during cramps they join forces and leave me in need of three hot water bottles and somewhere to lie down.

workstoomuch

For me, i eat like a horse and cry like a baby in the week before my period - its a nightmare, particulary in work when something that isnt actually insulting appears to be and i can dissolve into tears!!! Nightmare :mad:

Neyite

i dont check the dates but my OH always knows when im due - when i start nagging him to go to the bottle bank with all his empties. nothing else bothers me, just the bottles.

now i get him to get me my tampax on the way back from the bottlebank.

liah

I never used to have any problems but the last few cycles I've noticed myself going a bit overemotional about petty stuff. I don't mean to, and it bothers me because I'm not really the type at all, but I'm not entirely sure how to curb it.

During, I tend to get leg cramps, sort of this dull, throbbing ache in and below my knee that doesn't really HURT, but won't go away and drives me mental (I have no idea why, but they always come around that time? I don't get stomach cramps or anything else..). Also tend to spend a little more time in the toilet.

Kind of disappointed tbh. Never used to have any problems whatsoever, also never used to last more than 2-3 days, and now it's about a full week. :mad:

Nickibaby*

I was just on MSN ranting to my friend about how my boyfriend is a muppet cuz he just text asking me what I wanted to do for the weekend. I got very angry when he asked me that and was determined to rant and rave at him about he leaves it too late to plan things and that I wasn't going to see him at all now!

But on reading this thread and working out that my period is due in 2 days I have now come to realize I was being totally irrational :P

Going to have a bar of dairy milk and take a few deep breaths instead

(I found it hard not to cry in the gym earlier at Eastenders)

In conclusion ..... I have bad PMS

Orla K

Forgot to add, I used to take evening primrose oil it help a little with craps but I got even more moody.

WesternNight

Mild cramps, less mild emotionality. I tend to get upset over minor things. I go into "the ugly cry" often enough. I try to spend those few days on my own as much as possible, for everyone's sake!

crazeecat

pre MENTAL syndrome!!! I was either angry at everything or crying at everything and it could switch in a second. Ugh, i used to hate it, I've been taking the herb Agnus Castus for a about 9 weeks now and I find it very helpful, I am really calm now, well, most of the time;)

beks101

I get very mild cramps on occasion but the chronic need for chocolate and FAT UGLY B1TCH syndrome is a constant.

I'll have a series of days where I wake up and cry because 'I have no clothes' and 'it doesn't matter coz I look like a fat blip in everything anyway' and 'work is sh1t' and 'I need to re-evaluate my life' and 'I'm so old!!' and 'no-one cares!' etc...

Today in work I had to lock myself in the toilet for about 20 minutes and have a cry because I was having a stressful day and then a colleague offered me a miniature Hero and of course her kindness set off the waterworks. :rolleyes:

Usually I'll just have a 'cry-binge', line up some depressing music and get it out of my system...otherwise it's just embarrassing for all parties!

Twee.

I get cranky and easily annoyed, but I'm aware it's PMS so I try not to let it get out of control! The worst part for me is just absolutely loosing all sense of balance and spatial awareness. I fall over my feet, walk into things, drop stuff. Always knocking my shoulders off door frames and the likes.

I hear ya Twee! I lose any sense spatial awareness, I can't park when I have my period.
I don't have emotional symptoms, but I can get really bad "I need to curl up in a ball on the bathroom floor and plot the annihilation of peniskind" cramps.
I also temporarily lose weight.

McChubbin

Pre- Mirena Coil: Extremely unpredictable mood swings- angry and ranting one minute, crying like a smacked five seconds later before giggling like a loon.
I also used to be extremely clumpsy, scatterbrained and forgetful for a few days beforehand. When the dreaded Red Fairy did make an appearance, I tended to feel sluggish and generally not want to deal with the world.


Post Mirena Coil:
Massive cravings for sugar, particularly cheesecake. It's find of a running joke these days as everytime I make one, I'm either PMSing or coming back up after a "downer". Aside from that, I get a bit sweaty but no other symptoms.

Dudess

Barely anything - sometimes pretty much nothing. The odd month I get a tiny bit teary but this only lasts for a day - and it's not as if I get really down/cranky, just slightly, e.g. minor things make me sadder than usual.

I do realise I am extremely lucky - I know girls who go through hell every month.

NoDice

chatterpillar wrote: »

For one day a month, a few days before my period starts, I cry over everything I watch on TV. In particular any reality TV shows - Britains Got Talent, American Idol, etc. It's just really embarrassing.

Ha ha Deal or No Deal is a killer for me!! I've never had a pain or cramp or anything like that. But I have noticed the crying thing. It started only about two years ago! A slightly sad story (and by slightly I mean "I was walking to work one day and I missed my bus" - That bad, I'd hit the water works and start saying how bad I felt for them), a touching ad (damb you Trocaire!!!!!) or a film.

Sometimes though, I like the ole cry now and again. If I'm upset about something I like to take it out on a sad film like the Notebook - I'm just a big ball bag!!

My breasts get very tender alright about two days beforehand and then they're fine again. That's about it I think.

akamossy

I get really really bad cramps and quite bad mood swings. I cannot stand anyone touching me for the first few days either and I tend to get really hot

MissMotivated

I get cramps for the first day or 2 but never mood swings or any of that thankfully!! None of my friends get the mood swings either, I seriously thought that was a myth!!

RacoonQueen

I don't suffer at all, sometimes I'd be exhuasted in the days coming up to it.

I've been really lucky, never had any major problems, about a year or so ago I was literally exhausted coming up to it and was going from work to bed but that didn't last long and I was back to normal. Rarely even get any signs that they're on their way.

Lia_lia

Can't say I've ever got PMS. Not noticeably anyway.

Catari Jaguar

• Extermely irritable (Can you STFU breathing so loud!?)
• Narky & impatient
• Emotional (crying at ads :rolleyes:)
• Roasting hot, especially in bed & sweaty
• Diet goes out the window (like eating 3 malteser bunnies in a row)
• Fabric/ material all feel uncomfortable
• Claustrophobic (hate people sitting beside me) and can't sit still, I get panicky from clutter/ mess
• Noise affects me more
• Major bloating
• Upset stomach
• Tender breasts
• Crazy horniness

The actual pyramids are so painful, doubled over can't leave the bathroom, curl up on the floor painful. Curling up in bed with a heat pad, some Feminax, a cuppa tea and choccie biscuits does help ease it

I don't get them now because I'm on implanon. Yay!

Orla K

cherub rock wrote: »

• Extermely irritable (Can you STFU breathing so loud!?)
• Narky & impatient
• Emotional (crying at ads :rolleyes:)
• Roasting hot, especially in bed & sweaty
• Diet goes out the window (like eating 3 malteser bunnies in a row)
• Fabric/ material all feel uncomfortable
• Claustrophobic (hate people sitting beside me) and can't sit still, I get panicky from clutter/ mess
• Noise affects me more
• Major bloating
• Upset stomach
• Tender breasts
• Crazy horniness

The actual pyramids are so painful, doubled over can't leave the bathroom, curl up on the floor painful. Curling up in bed with a heat pad, some Feminax, a cuppa tea and choccie biscuits does help ease it

I don't get them now because I'm on implanon. Yay!

lol best mistake I've seen in ages!

Catari Jaguar

Orla K wrote: »

lol best mistake I've seen in ages!

Haha, I taught a little skanger girl in 3rd class (thought she ws so street wise) and she called them pyramids. It's stuck since!

rainbow kirby

Get moody and bloated for a couple of days beforehand, apart from that not much.

SugarHigh

Controversial question but do you think it is possible for someone to overcome the effects described in this thread(Not the physical ones obviously)?

I know the hormonal changes are involuntary but couldn't you increase your mental strength to not let your hormones have such an impact on your mood?

Abi

gagiteebo wrote: »

Hi ladies,

Just a question purely out of my own interest but how bad is your PMS, what symptoms do you suffer with? Personally I don't suffer too badly with aches, pains and cramps etc but it's the mood swings that really get me and the worst thing is they just seem to sneak up on me :rolleyes:

One minute I could be a perfectly balanced, happy human being and the next I'm crying for no reason. I find myself becoming irritated so easily with everyone and everything around me and sometimes feeling really quite depressed...I've noticed it has gotten worse over the last couple of years as well

So along with your stories do you have any advice? Do any of you take supplements etc? I've heard Evening Primrose is supposed to be good

My sister swears by it. She reckons after taking it for a month or two she started to see the benefits of it. Her hermones used to be all over the place, and was quite emotional while she had her period. But now you wouldn't know if she had hers unless she mentioned it to you.

I'm lucky mine are a breeze. Day 2 normally sees a little bit of back soreness, but other than that you'd never know I had them.

banshee_bones

Novella wrote: »

I think I must be really lucky when it comes to periods and PMS because I honestly don't suffer at all. I don't get cramps, don't have mood swings or feel overly emotional, nothing

Same, nada. In fact i was probably worse when I was on Yasmin, day before I would get a splitting headache, since then nothing. The odd mild craving for chocolate which is hardly "suffering" so doubt it counts! :pac:

Faith

I used get very bad PMS before I went on the pill - irritable, killer cramps, headaches, roasting hot, couldn't sleep because I was too warm, plus very heavy periods. The pill has calmed it all down a lot. On my current pill (Yaz), I get minor bloating, light cramps for a few hours to a day at most, the day before my period starts I still get a bad headache, and I'm slightly more emotional. Walk in the park compared to how it used to be!

KittyeeTrix

• Extermely irritable (Can you STFU breathing so loud!?)
• Narky & impatient
• Roasting hot, especially in bed & sweaty
• Claustrophobic (hate people sitting beside me) and can't sit still, I get panicky from clutter/ mess
• Noise affects me more
• Upset stomach
• Tender breasts

These are the symptoms I get, that "can you STFU breathing so loud is one I actually said to my 11 year old daughter 2 days:eek:
The cramps are feckin terrible...........
I don't get any pain symptoms when I'm on the pill but still get the irritability bit terrible:(

krankykitty

SugarHigh wrote: »

Controversial question but do you think it is possible for someone to overcome the effects described in this thread(Not the physical ones obviously)?

I know the hormonal changes are involuntary but couldn't you increase your mental strength to not let your hormones have such an impact on your mood?

I may be PMS myself right now but that comment is :rolleyes:

That's more or less saying it's weakness for anyone to experience these symptoms because their "mental strength" should be able to overcome them. Clinical depression can also be to do with chemical changes in the body, would you also say the sufferer should be able to stop themselves from feeling down?

Anyway, I find the Starflower oil and B complex good for lessening the emotional effects

sam34

That's more or less saying it's weakness for anyone to experience these symptoms because their "mental strength" should be able to overcome them. Clinical depression can also be to do with chemical changes in the body, would you also say the sufferer should be able to stop themselves from feeling down?

exactly

there's actually substantial scientific evidence to show that in the premenstrual phase women have increased levels of certain chemicals (pro-inflammatory cytokines) which are also raised in those with depression

C_J

About a week before I'm due I am tired, cranky and teary.
Get really hot when I have them and unbelievably horny for about the first three days.
Usually one period in 2/3 is an absolute killer. It feels like my stomach is trying to punch it's way out of my skin and a 24 pack of nurofen is consumed in the space of 3 days. Hotwater bottles, sleep and painkillers are a godsend during these times:D

Vinta81

My mood swings are abnormal

krankykitty

sam34 wrote: »

exactly

there's actually substantial scientific evidence to show that in the premenstrual phase women have increased levels of certain chemicals (pro-inflammatory cytokines) which are also raised in those with depression

I would well believe that! Do you know if there's anything medical/scientific that can help with lowering these levels?

Giselle

I get cramps, but if I go for a decent run it damps them down. For a few days beforehand I get really tired for no obvious reason, and I crave carbs. I get teary but not psycho, and I just let myself cry (in private) to get rid of that. The bleeding itself is the least problematic part of the event.

If I don't take starflower oil I get monthly breakouts on my skin and the cramps are worse, evening primrose oil didn't make a difference but the sfo eliminated the skin issues in about two months of use.

*Liah* try the sfo for your leg cramps - I've stopped having them since I started taking it.

susanroth

i get very tired the week before and i get very very depressed, constantly crying and things seem way worse than they are. am currently in that week and i just want to die:(

Censorsh!t

I get cramps for the first two days. They can vary to being barely noticeable to "I WANT TO ****ING DIE".
I don't think I have mood swings. I may be in a bad mood because of the pain, more than anything. Unless someone does piss me off, I may take it worse during that few days than any other time of the month. Maybe.

sam34

krankykitty wrote: »

I would well believe that! Do you know if there's anything medical/scientific that can help with lowering these levels?

nothing thats been really proven yet

there's a lot of ongoing research into a few things though, even in this country, so there is hope!

rainbowtrout

For a couple of days before my period, I eat like a horse, I always feel hungry and crave sugary food. I also tend to get slightly constipated and as a result just tired and sluggish and within an hour of my period starting everything is back to normal (and I also feel about a stone lighter!). Normally the day or two before I feel really tired, exhausted and fall asleep in the evening on the couch - something I don't normally do, and I wonder why I feel tired and then it dawns on me if I haven't being paying too much attention to how far I am in my cycle. I don't suffer the mood swings or cramps really. I might get a slight cramp once or twice a year usually within the first couple of hours of starting and nothing that isn't relieved by a cup of tea and a hot water bottle. Sometimes I get incredibly clumsy, the type of thing where I'm trying to pick up a fork off the worktop, it's right in front of me and I keep missing and get incredibly frustrated because I can't do it and it's taken me three or four goes to get it right. So overall not too bad.

SugarHigh

krankykitty wrote: »

That's more or less saying it's weakness for anyone to experience these symptoms because their "mental strength" should be able to overcome them. Clinical depression can also be to do with chemical changes in the body, would you also say the sufferer should be able to stop themselves from feeling down?

I did not say this. If I say someone who can lift 200kgs is strong that does not infer I think anyone who can't is weak. I was simply asking a question. Therapy for clinical depression does not always involve drug treatment so they are obviously improving their ability to deal with the chemicals caused by depression.