PMS symptoms poll

[liz28]

i started my period last night. was anxious before bed.
and am having a very hard time this morning.
forced food down just to take some ibprofin to stop cramps...
still feeling so sick!

so i started a poll to see how common it is!

[shiva]

I don't want to sound preachy, but since I went of birth control and had my hormones tested (finding I had no progesterone in my poor body , and started using progesterone cream on my thigh I rarely experience ANY of these issues. The only one still bothering me is the occasional diarrhea and I am working on diet to help control this.


Also, I think I recall having cramps still, but now I work out about an hour a day and I NEVER have cramps around my period. It's great.


Just wanted to share so that people realize they don't have to live with this hell. There are things (natural things) you can do to relieve these symptoms. (anxiety included... ) I have seriously never felt better in my life.

[liz28]

how do you go about getting horomones tested??
do you just tell your doctor you want it done?

[Babydoll]

you should add headaches, and increased sensitivity to emotionsto your list .I get a horrible headache with my period that absolutley nothing will take away.


I remember, before I was on the pill, I would just lock myself in a room for like 3 days because the cramps were unbearable.


having said that, its just a period. every woman has to deal with it throughout her life, and you can find some way to help yourself bear it. I know some people have it worse that others, but there are medications to help. Yea, it sucks, but I honestly wouldnt give it up to men - think about how well they would handle it ( haha, not very well). And, look at it as a blessing - one day you'll have a little baby and you'll think : its all been worth it.

[crimgoddess]

Where is the option for none of the above? Since going on the pill, I only get mildly bloated the day before it starts, and otherwise have no other symptoms (other than being pissed off because it means I won't be having sex for a week, lol)


*amber*

[shiva]

To get my hormones tested I found a compound pharmacy that specialized in bio identical hormone therapy. I went to the pharmacist and he gave me a saliva test. It's a home test that you do a certain time of the month right when you wake up. You send it out to be tested and they send the results back to the pharmacy. I asked the pharmacist for names of obgyn people he works closely with and found one that my insurance covered.

[lucinda]

I get all of the symptoms. I tried taking birth control to help (a few different types) but I ended up getting migraines from the pill plus all the other symptoms. The pill works for some I hear though.

[laurend]

i'm due for mine tomorrow and so far all day i've been dizzy. this has never happened to me before and i'm scared because my dad just told me that 2 people went home from his friends work because they felt sick and he said the dreaded words "maybe somethings going around" and now i went from blaming it on my period to thinking i have a sv*. why does this happen? when will they just stop? i'm really hoping this is just a side effect from my pms because i didn't eat too much today either.

[xroofusx]

Its more the cramps that get me, when i get them, i used to have to
be in bed all day with a hot water bottle on my stomach, taking
paracetamol to stop the pain, untill i got that dysmennoreah which
made me very sick, i v* for about an hour straight from the pain that
was in my lower back and stomach, after that i was fine and feel
asleep for about an hour, woke up and ate some food lol. I got given
something called mefenamic acid which if you take 3 times a day like
said, it really helps! it helped my cramps and it stops the heaviness
of it to. If anyone else has this med or gets given it, the side effects
may put you off, but i had no side effects what so ever with them,
they helped.

[s_snow]

oh, i hate menstruation, my stomach hurt me, nausea...

[willow2]

i want to vote again - i get all of them!

[Kazzia]

Often the day before I feel really lethargic, and can't be bothered to do anything without feeling really tired.


It's dependent on the month for me as it's a bit hit and miss, but sometimes I'll get the melancholy feeling of PMS and start randomly crying.


Every now and then I'll either get diahorrea or constipation in the days beforehand (no matter what I eat, grrr).


I also get bloating, sore breasts (ow!) and mild nausea and then when the period itself comes I often get cramps and pain, sometimes mild nausea, but it goes away with painkillers.


Argh men are so lucky!!!

[japa]

Occasionally I get slightly sore breasts prior to its beginning. Other than that, I don't experience any adverse symptoms.

[mommyof3]

I used to have horrible, horrible cramps when I was a teenager. I would break out into cold sweats and Then I went on the pill and that took those away. When I was in labor for my first child it was a breeze because almost to the very end the contractions were only about as painful as my old period cramps and came and went instead of constant pain lol. Then after I had my kids and went back on the pill, I got horrible headaches and finally realized that the frequent diarrhea I had had all through my 20's corresponded with my period when I was on the pill. Weird how our bodies react, huh?

[tcsarah]

I would have to vote with an option that isn't there - 'none of these'. Since going on the pill in my late teens I hardly know I'm having a period. If I don't take the pill I have an awful time with heavy bleeding and terrible back and stomach pain.


The only thing I do notice that is different is my contact lenses canfeel more uncomfortable just before and during my period. I mentioned this to my optician and he said that's because the cornea can change shape slightly during this time. Oh and I also have really dark circles under my eyes during a period, but that's about it!

[liz28]

well the positives i get from my horrible monthly ordeals is that..

i am more prepared for giving birth! yeah!


also,
it seems the majority of you said your symptoms pretty much dissapeared after going on the pill... im 23, im not sexually active, is this something that would be beneficial? it seems that way by some of your posts, though one person said she had diarrhea for years and years on it?

ive heardreally good and really bad things about the pill....
seems like a confusing process to undertake..there are so many different kinds!

[shiva]

Well, the pill works because it is changing your body's hormones and the reason you are having all of these symptoms is because of hormones.
The problem is, the pill is made up of synthetic hormones, so yes it does come with a lot of other possible health issues. If you are not sexually active, I would not take birth control. (but that is just me- I am sexually active and don't take birth control because I feel so passionately about the subject.) On the other hand, my little sister started birth control recently and I can say for damn sure it helped her mood. The doctor did, however, first suggest to my mom that Corie (lil sis) try diet and excercise first. She suggested plenty of foods rich in vitamin D and taking vitamin B and calcium supplements, along with working out some each day. My mom knew they wouldn't be disciplined enough to follow a diet, so she let my sis go on bc.

You could also always give over the counter natural progesterone cream a try. The stuff I use is prescription, but I have heard people get just as good results with the otc stuff. I can say for me, it has helped more than words can tell express.

[donna1216]

I have mine right now and for the first time ever I am experiencing nausea!! I hate this--it's happened 3 times now since Sunday. I woke up at 5:00 this morning thinking I was going to v** at any moment, it was awful!!

[lizzo]

I'm really embarassed about this .. Since there's only women posting in
this thread .. I think I might have a yeast infection and i'm really
embarassed to tell my mom .. and I'm only 16! I don't know how to tell
her ..[img]smileys/smilies_09.gif[/img]

[mommyof3]

lizzo, you probably have it because you were on antibiotics (didn't you have strep throat or am i thinking of someone else?). Why are you scared? It isn't an STD. Are you sexually active and your mom doesn't know? Is there someone else you can talk to to have her help you tell your mom? My little girl gets them sometimes when she's been on antibiotics, it's as normal as a cold or anything else.You really need to tell her.


Let us know how it goes!

[lizzo]

Yeah I was on antibiotics for strep throat, I know I need to tell her .. I guess i'm just a little embarassed. Yeah I'm sexually active and yes my mom does know. I just, I don't think we've ever talked about yeast infections ..

[samara's on tv]

I get all of them, mostly higher anxiety because I get anxious about being nauseous and cramps and all that stuff.


~Monica

[Carolee]

breakouts! and dizziness, I get all of th eabove but man my skin breaks out and i get really kinda dizzy and n...anyone else? ( I am on th ebirth control pill too, and it helps but doesnt take it fully away )

[ontariogirl]

I am sick of my periods, I want them to end but I dont want menopause. The cramps are so bad ( cyst on the right ovary,I have endometriosis and previous cervical cancer),pain on the right side, the pain goes right down my leg, I breathe like I am in labor, the diarrhea drives me nuts, I have the sweats, and nausea and I don't mean to be gross but the clots some times are gross.
Cant go on the pill because I am 40 and I smoke.
Maybe I am ready for menopause!

[lizzo]

Oh jeeze, that sounds terrible! I'm so sorry to hear that ..

[mommyof3]

ontariogirl, have you talked to your dr. about having a procedure done to cauterize the inside of your uterus? Supposedly it stops you from having a period for five years. It's only for women who are done having kids, who havereliable bc,and who are having horrible periods like you describe. The procedure my dr. talked to me about was Novasure. I don't have the pain like you describe, but have the heavy periods that last and last and only 21-23 days between. They usually last 8 days or so and then I only have about a two week break until my next one. I don't think I'm going to have it done, it isn't bothering me that bad yet (LOL takes a lot for an emet to agree to medical procedures lol).