One for the girls... sort of....

The Sweeper

Even as I begin to type this, I can only imagine the responses I'll get, but I'm determined to type it anyway.

Three letters.

P M S

Pre menstrual stress. PMT for Pre menstrual tension.

I don't normally suffer from PMT, but today I woke up with a bad case. I officially have PMT today, run for the hills. How do I know?

I feel really off. My skin feels greasy, my back is sore, my boobs feel like canonballs and when I move it's as though Jet Li has been practicing high kicks on them for a month of Sundays. I feel as though I could sleep through 24 hours if I went to bed. I'm too hot, then too cold, then too hot again.

I don't have the energy to get up out of my seat in work and I have had to try really hard not to be downright rude to some of the patients who've phoned me today. My work colleague is lining herself up for first degree murder - if she asks me one more stupid question today I'm going to pick up the hole punch and bludgeon my way out of this office and into forensic history.

And food. I'm craving, alternately, chocolate, sweet and sour chicken, oyster sauce, noodles, curry, tea, bottles of coke, cheesie nachos and beer. Changing the toner in the photocopier and getting some toner mess on my trousers earlier today almost reduced me to tears of complete frustration.

And men wonder why women get cranky when they have PMT?

The one thing about women that causes more confusion in men than almost anything else, in my opinion. Some men feel women use it as an excuse for bad behaviour. Some women feel men don't realise what it's like. In this thread, I'd really like to know people's experiences with PMT - if you're a bloke, do you suffer if the women around you have PMT? If you're female, what are you like when you've got PMT? Are you a pit bull with lipstick, as one joke describes pre menstrual women?

And what can be done. if anything, about it?

The Corinthian

It's noticeable in some from a man's perspective, as is the effort that many women make not to take it out on us.

Upon my part, I generally treat it as a 'flu' as a point of reference to understand, or at least approximate an understanding of what the woman is experiencing.

As you can imagine, it's something men don't give much thought about beyond this.

smiles

Right, firstly, poor pet.

You're boyfriend/husband *must* buy you chocolate... preferably bournville!

On to the practical advice:

Take Evening Primrose Oil/Starflower Oil Tablets -- they work asolute wonders, especially if you take them for the week before too - gives them some time to work.

If you're in pain with it then a hot water bottle is *always* good.

Peppermint Tea too helps, it tastes like boiled water - but smells yummy.

For me PMS/PMT drives me crazy, I get incredible pain that lasts for days before, to the point where I cant sit/stand still for extended lengths of time. (ick) Meant to go to the doctor earlier to see what else can be done but had to cancel

I get cravings for Perri's Cheese and Onion Tayto and thats about it.

I tend to feel really bloated and generally all round miserable. Some of the stuff I said above helps me.

g'luck.

<< Fio >>

eth0_

Smiles is right about the hot water bottle, it was my saviour!
I used to get horrendous periods in my teens, (passing out, vomiting for entire days etc), so I went on the pill, and didn't take breaks so I never had a period, and never got those symptoms again. It's perfectly safe, apparently, to take the pill and not take a 7 day break every month.

Mercury_Tilt

This post has been deleted.

smiles

Originally posted by Mercury_Tilt
I reckon when you go home you should go to bed....hot whiskey... and get the other half to sponge you with ice cold water.

Erm.... we're not giving birth....

<< Fio >>

Mercury_Tilt

This post has been deleted.

LegacyUser

Erm.... we're not giving birth....

Once again us lads prove we don't really have a clue.

Just be especially understanding once a month and have a ready supply of junk food.

eth0_

Ah poor mercury tilt! The poor petal was only trying to help

Gaz

My only real expierience with it is through my girlfriend.

she usually starts asking me if she is fat around that time. Every so often she feels like she is going to get sick and has trouble sleeping, apart from that she dosnt get it that bad. Strangley she sometimes gets pretty horny at that time. Is that normal ?

On the subject of continious use of the pill to delay or avoid it , im not sure how much good that is. My g/f did that for about 3 months on the go as she had exams , then holidays etc but by month 3 she was close to having an emotional breakdown and saying boo to her would have made her cry. In that respect its not so easy on us blokes . I felt as if i was doing things to upset her but along it was the hormones.

Lastly ..... im glad im a bloke. I know i couldnt handle, i think women are definitly the stronger sex in regards to their pain threshold.

Mercury_Tilt

This post has been deleted.

eth0_

Originally posted by Darth Homer
Strangley she sometimes gets pretty horny at that time. Is that normal ?

On the subject of continious use of the pill to delay or avoid it , im not sure how much good that is. My g/f did that for about 3 months on the go as she had exams , then holidays etc but by month 3 she was close to having an emotional breakdown and saying boo to her would have made her cry.

Yes it's normal, happens me
I've never had problems with continuous use of the pill, although i tend to take a break every 3-4 months. It probably depends what time of pill you're on, mine never affects my moods.

Seraphina

Originally posted by eth0_

It probably depends what time of pill you're on, mine never affects my moods.

what are you on what are you on? i want one of those!!!

and the getting horny thing is normal, happens to all girls, its because we're fertile around that time.

Sposs

Thank Jesus im a guy

eth0_

Originally posted by Seraphina


what are you on what are you on? i want one of those!!!

Microgynon 30

The Sweeper

Originally posted by Seraphina

and the getting horny thing is normal, happens to all girls, its because we're fertile around that time.

eeeeeek!!!! Scary misinformation!!!!

eh, assuming you get PMT in the three or four days just before your period, that's the time of the month you're least likely to conceive...

Seraphina

no its not...

but there's really no point in going into an arguement and it'd involve a nasty amount of details about women's 'cycles'

Gaz

nasty amount of details

Please for the love of God dont ... im just after finishing my lunch.

The Corinthian

See Merc? Even they don't know what they're talking about half the time...

...as opposed to us men not knowing all of the time

koneko

Originally posted by Seraphina
no its not...

Way to back it up there. MAJD is actually right. Without getting into details your period is your body disposing of certain things. You can't get pregnant then.

Seraphina

we'll just leave it at that, an argument would be pointless and would hardly help poor MAJD either. i'm sorry but i cant give you any advice that hasn't already been mentioned. those suggestions are great and i picked up a few i'll try out next time im suffering. other than that PMT/PMS whatever, seems to be like those annoying colds that you just cant seem to do much about.

Kix

Aye, it's true you are still fertile - the horniness it nature's way of trying to save you from squandering another chance to get pregnant... (you've got to look at it from a survival of the species angle)

As regards being a man living with PMT, it's a lot rougher on my girlfriend than on me. Tea, chocloate, sympathy and hot water bottles can work wonders on both the physical and mental symptoms.

Strange thing is, you can get a bizzare bond when you live with somone. There have been a few times when she's been calm as a lake and I've been a bit irrational - she mostly laughs at me when that happens, which is OK because it's never that bad. Thought I had a cramp once but it turned out to be gas! (true)

K

Seraphina

yes you're period is your body disposing of the unused egg, but PMT as in PRE menstrual... as in BEFORE your period, the lil ole egg is just sitting there in your womb waiting to be fertilised, hence the reason you get horny. and since sperm can survive for several days in the body and swim around, and the egg sits there for a few days too, yes you CAN actually get pregnant if you have sex during your period without contraception, altho it is HIGHLY unlikely, its not impossible.

Gaz

/me slams door and walks off grumbling about how they promised they wouldnt go into the nasty details

Seraphina

i was afraid people were gonna start ganging up on me there...

Seraphina

i tried to avoid it, but i was asked to back up my statement!

The Sweeper

Oh my sweet Jesus, this is putting the fear of God into me this really is…

Originally posted by Seraphina
no its not...

but there's really no point in going into an arguement and it'd involve a nasty amount of details about women's 'cycles'

Seraphina, I don't want to get roped into a cyclical argument either, but your information is dangerously incorrect.

I'm not interested in whether or not you're different to the rest of the female world, and I recognise that it's different for different people, but assuming you operate on a 28 day cycle where day one is the first day of your period, you are most likely to conceive if you have unprotected sex around days 13 - 17 and least likely just before your period.

All I'll say to you is go and look it up because it puts me into a cold sweat to think that you could be female and so bang off just plain wrong.

Kix, you go look it up too please, because notwithstanding the paranoid catholic school sex education that tells you that you can get pregnant at any time it's actually a far more complex procedure.

(And for those of you wondering how my PMT is, this isn’t helping it but the half pint of hot chocolate with whipped cream that I’ve just bought myself is.)

seamus

Originally posted by Seraphina
yes you're period is your body disposing of the unused egg, but PMT as in PRE menstrual... as in BEFORE your period, the lil ole egg is just sitting there in your womb waiting to be fertilised, hence the reason you get horny. and since sperm can survive for several days in the body and swim around, and the egg sits there for a few days too, yes you CAN actually get pregnant if you have sex during your period without contraception, altho it is HIGHLY unlikely, its not impossible.

/everyone shocked as a man enters the fray

I think yis need to be clear about what times yis are talking about. Before the period, yes, as was said, it is still possible, but during the period - ie while all teh icky stuff is being expelled it is, for all intents and purposes, impossible to get pregnant. While it's not unheard of, you're far more likely to get pregnant while taking the pill, then to get pregnant in the middle of your period.

If you have sex with your girlfriend during her period (aside from being a very brave man ), and she manages to become pregnant, then your gf is *very* rare.

Kix

You're doing a valuable public service Seraphina.

It's a commmon myth that you're not fertile at that stage and I think it's a lot better to know the truth!

K

Mercury_Tilt

This post has been deleted.

Seraphina

'dangerously incorrect'
im not really sure what to make of that...

look forget it, pointless argument. altho i will say that the whole 28 day concept is bull****, good theory and all, but it never works out like that, well it might, but i dont know a single girl who runs on a 28 day cycle. i know people who run from between 3 week cycles to 5 week cycles, so the whole 13th to 17th day thing is rubbish.

alrighty look stupid argument, so i'm not gonna say anymore, i hope you feel better because no matter what way your cycle runs, i know PMT is a bitch.

Seraphina

HIGHLY unlikely, BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE

The Sweeper

Originally posted by Mercury_Tilt
Madj has the painters in ...

so every one just nod....and move towards the door... slowly......

I don't have the painters in yet Merc. That's the whole point. But hey, I tell you, as soon as Man United start playing the home game, the hunt of red october's successful and I'm surfing the crimson wave, I'll feel better. For now, there's hot chocolate to make me feel better. And arguments about fertility, to not. :P

WhiteWashMan

i think i will stay in work tonight....

Gaz

Ah now im really confused i always thought you lot only went loopy during your period ....well you learn something new blah blah blah

Beruthiel

well majd, I know exactly where you're coming from, I get most of your symtoms every month along with a 24 hour headache which I cannot even kill with the 8 solphadine I take throughout this time. If you look at me sideways I'll most likely kill you just for the hell of it. The primrose oil is supposed to work for some people but you have to take it for a very long time before you see any effects, I never bothered. I'm normally a jolly person but around this time I'm usually feeling a bit depressed, If I'm in the situation where I can smoke a few, that really helps along with anything that is covered in salt! I get dreadful cravings for salt, no problem to eat a full box of pringles on my own.
hope you feel better soon

BEAT

first off...this link should answer all of your questions/arguments.
http://preconception.com/resources/articles/trackfert1.htm

as for me, pms/pmt usually puts me in a baaad mood for about 2 days, i have one day of back pain and mild cramping. And I crave the sweets (ice cream) as is normal to crave sweets at that time.
It's never really a big deal for me, just those two days of feeling unbalanced and things not going right...oh, musnt forget, I always know the day before because unlike any other day, I get this very unusual burst of energy, I get the feeling I could run a mile, clean the entire house, run another mile, and clean the house again..it's wierd.
Horny, yes, but there is little time that I am not, hehe
oh, the worst thing about it for me, is my face breaks out mildly. Thats always a warning as well. I never know when to expect it unless I notice these signs as my time is different every month., that really sucks. I actually try to plan things around it but always get caught off guard anyway.
I actually look forward to menopause.

leeroybrown

Yeah, you tend to notice it when its that time of the month for the women you know well.

In fairness to most women I find they try not to take it out on us but from time to time you just have to make a swift exit before relations go down the slopes like a rocket powered bobsled.

RopeDrink

Being a man with a circle of friends made up of mostly females, they attempted to explain to me the wily ways of the PMT / PMS / period etc

Of course, at the time (I was a lot younger than I am now) I thought it was rather interesting and educational - Nowadays I simply brand being near a friend during one of her phases a potential health hazard, and stay well away...

I always had respect for them, though - It takes a lot out of you to control the side effects (If you want to call them that - Mood Swings etc) so fair play to you all, although I'll say one thing and pray you guys wont hate me, and that is not to get too hyped up or pissed off about it, because you all know full well that the same thing will happen to ye next month

Oh, and ignore us - The majority of men are ignorant bastards, but ye already knew that

smiles

Originally posted by Seraphina
look forget it, pointless argument. altho i will say that the whole 28 day concept is bull****, good theory and all, but it never works out like that, well it might, but i dont know a single girl who runs on a 28 day cycle. i know people who run from between 3 week cycles to 5 week cycles, so the whole 13th to 17th day thing is rubbish.

Right.... well I'm stepping up here as a girl who does have a 4 week cycle.

Put it this way, as day 1 is the first day of your period then ovulation (most likely time to get pregnant) occurs half way through - usually in or around the 14th day for those with 4 week cycles.

If its 3 weeks long then it'll be in and around day 11/12.
If its 5 weeks then it'll be day 17/18.

PMT occurs in the last few days before your period - and it is highly unlikely you can get pregnant (it happens when the cycle changes and you ovulate early).

<< Fio >>

Slutmonkey57b

I find a good cure for PMS is to change Girlfriend...

*JOKE*

Sorry I couldn't resist.

Like most things involving women, there's no "right" or "wrong" answer, and there's certainly nothing like a curative technique that works for everything. And also, blokes will never understand it, but then we never understand much at all.

thedrowner

you might call me lucky for having a 5 week cycle but it usually means i get a week before my period where i get bloating and crapms but no mentruation, and i contantly think its about to start but it doesnt.

i used to be able to say off the entire menstrual cycle in hormonal terms and whats happening in a woman's body, but i cant anymore.

MAJD, my period remedy is a bit strange....i ahve a sweet tooth, yet i find if i stay off chocolate the week before/during my period , my pains arent as bad. Your sugar levels go down during menstruation, so this may not work for everyone, but i just feel healthier. My problem with my period is just day one, where i get stabing pains, but i can just about go about my normal business. I dont get mood swings (at least i dont think i do)

period pains are caused by the muscles contracting to let the blood pass out into the vagina and out into the world!so its not *totally* unlike having a baby, as they both come from the same place, through the same passage, into the same exit. Only giving birth is a billionfold more painful (so im told )

and serephina, even thought you were talking about before your period, it is still a very low chance of pregnancy, as the egg has passed its life expectation. The egg remains in your body, and gets passed out with the blood, but the reason you can still (rarely) get pregnant is if you're ovary releases another egg (accidentely) which is able for fertilisation.

some women (myself included) get ovulation pains. theyre not very sore, but noticable.