About a week and a half before my peiriod(and during), I get so emotional and have so many depressing mood swings that it is ruining my relationships with others. Most of the time I fight with my boyfriend it is around this time. I am tired of these feelings getting in the way of my life and I am worried about losing the love of my life because of my uncontrolled emotions. I try not to let it control me, but I just can't help it. Although I get physical symptoms, (Acne breakouts, cramps, bloating) I would rather have these then to be an emotional, irritable wreck. Is there anything out there to help me out?

Are you on any birth control?

I believe there are options that could help you.

Take a peek here for just a start
PMS - Best Natural Remedies for PMS

Please talk to your doctor before starting anything though... and as I ALWAYS say, if your doc is against natural medicine seek a 2nd opinion. Also, you can ask your doc about prescriptions of course.

I feel for you, PMS can be horrible.

I have been on allesse birth control for about 6 months.

You are a big step ahead of most women with similar symptoms. You realize you have a problem. Most women would tend to think that the world has a problem with them. Usually the people around them would be held to impossible standards, found guilty and blamed for all the ills of the world. No wonder it gets more and more difficult to get help as you alienate everyone around.

So what can you do.
1 and most important - acknowledge the problem and share that with the people that you care and from which you can expect help
2 don't be shamed or embarrassed - this is in no way different than having an injury or a flu. It just happens, happens to many. Hide it or try to suppress it and you will fail and just aggravate it. It is (way too) common, it does not happen only to you and you can overcome it.
3 understand it - the physiology of the problem is that the hormonal fluctuations have direct effect on the brain chemistry. The opposite however is true as well. The tyroid, adrenal and ovarian function is under brain control through hormones of the pituitary gland.
It may sound confusing but it boils down to this - your relationship, work, helth etc problems will reflect on your hormonal balance. This will have effects like increased irritation, mood swings etc which will cause more stress and so on.
YOU HAVE TO FIND YOUR WAY OUT OF THIS DOWNWARD SPIRALE

4 what to do - stop, take a brake and think about it (best not when you are affected by the PMS symptoms, which can impair on your judgement)

5 you can try to control your hormonal balance or solve the problems that cause the stress but each of these aproaches alone will likely not work well.
It is most essential to dig deep into the roots of your problems and solve them so you can have a happy life reduce stress and come back to your balance. But how likely it is that you would be able to do this if for 2-3 weeks per month you don't have full control over yourself.

6 here are the most pragmatic actions but you will of course need to discuss this with your doctor:

- consult with an endocrinologist to check your hormone levels and rule out tyroid disfunctions etc. discus ways to stabilize your mood swings by controlling hormone levels. Some versions of the pill might help

- talk with someone about what troubles you in your personal and emotional life. Are you happy with your relationship, job, life etc. something in your past that troubles you. You need to find someone you can trust and be honest with. A professional therapist might be the best option

- take a break from your routine - vacation change of scenery.

7. I said before that it is like a flue in a way - you get it and it is noones fault you just have to fight it. However flu is likely to go away after a week and your current problems will not. This will take a long time and you need to be strong and patient. There are no quick ways out and there is no magical pill for it. Some people would even try to convince you that it is normal, but those are just the people that confuse "common" with "normal". You deserve better and you have to fight for it so you can enjoy your life

Hope that helps

I suffer greatly too.
I use Sarafem (generic version is very inexpensive) and I did find out I have thyroid and hormone issues but have yet been able to get it under control. The older I get the worse it gets too. Sarafem really helps and so does Buspar but I still feel like I am losing my mind at times. I just try not to have much interaction with people and my husband is very understanding. This is a huge problem in my life though... I even had to quit my job because of the severe issues. :-(

Hi there ladies. I too suffer TERRIBLE PMS every month, before and during my period. I'm looking to write a feature about it actually for a national newspaper (I'm a freelance journalist). Any of you willing to share your experiences with me? You will be paid and maybe we can help some other ladies with their monthly miseries...

I suffer every single month about two weeks before my period, from year to year things are just getting worse . I'm 25, and its driving me insane, half of the month I'm struggeling with a horrible depression, hateing my life and everything around me, sometimes I even loose the point of my life, lock myself in for days and cry.
Plus all the physical symptoms, I suffer from very bad constipation that time. Have tried all sort of natural medicine, no help yet.
It's ruining my life.

I had all the physical symptoms, and got horribly intolerable before mine. I am now 37 and still fight it every month, I was diagnosed w/ PMDD. Unfortunately I was already taking the medication for it because of my other illnesses... so I just kind of stuck dealing w the leftovers of what meds don't do...

Yes, absolutely. I used to feel the same way and there is hope. The answer is in your diet. I recommend completely cutting out all of the dairy, meat, and sugar from your diet. Sugar elevates blood sugar levels and makes PMS symptoms worse. Dairy and meat affect the body in a similar way. In fact, a quarter pound of beef raises insulin levels in diabetics as much as a quarter pound of straight sugar. I cut out the meat and dairy alone and still enjoy my sweets but that made a world of difference. It may take at least a month for you to see a difference, but I noticed that I kept feeling better and better as the weeks would pass. I recommend reading "Breaking the Food Seduction" by Neal Barnard, M.D. or any of his other books. He is amazing! It changed my life to go vegan (vegetables, fruit, grains, legumes) and I would recommend it to everyone. Good luck!

By the way, it is important to mention that since having changed my diet, my period just sneaks up on me every month. I don't have the moods, and the horrible feelings associated with my period. I truly have been amazed. It's awesome!

I suffer from this as well.. about 2 weeks before I start my period. Its my family I feel for. My poor kids get yelled at, my husband can do nothing right and I just flat out hate everything. As I type this right now, I'm hiding in my bedroom to protect the others in the family from my latest "outbreak". I can recognize the second my hormones change and from that point on for the next 2 weeks I'm a horrible person. I need help bad.

Even I have PMS problem.My husband is not at all understanding and he blames me and says that its because of my attitude that I behave in such a way.My relationship with my husband is worse and I have 2 daughters and the worse part is even I scream and yell at them at this time.Is there any sort of medicine for this.I have committed suicide twice and I really want to get rid of this .Please can some one help.

My daughters are only 3.5 and 4.6 years old and I don't want them to suffer because of me.

Hi, I have suffered with PMS for a number of years and have bi-polar, If I could take away my periods my life would be perfect. With my period my life is hell, I am paraniod, scared, irrational,aggressive,panicky etc.

I am right at my wits end with it and the doctors are at last listening to me and taking it seriously, I feel for anyone that suffers with this and am willing to help being peoples attention to it to educate people on how hard it is.

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Originally Posted by natalieirene

I suffer from this as well.. About 2 weeks before I start my period. Its my family I feel for. My poor kids get yelled at, my husband can do nothing right and I just flat out hate everything. As I type this right now, I'm hiding in my bedroom to protect the others in the family from my latest "outbreak". I can reconize the second my hormones change and from that point on for the next 2 weeks I'm a horrible person. I need help bad.

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Your life seems exactly the same as mine, you spend two weeks feeling great and forgive yourself for what you put others through the month before and then before you know it its upon you and you have no control. I always say that's its not me, I am a completely different person and feel as if I am taken over by a bad person that is really selfish.

I don't know what the cure is, buti have a crisis team coming in to see me when I shut myslef away and they help to stop the self harming and the suicide thoughts, maybe you could speak to your Dr about having a team behind you that undersstand what you are going through and are there to help you without you being able to harm or upset them as you do your own family - your not alone and its not your fault! Xx

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Try magnesium. Build up to 1200 mg a day. Take it 2 hours after breakfast, around 4pm and then, right before bedtime. Preferably between meals, but if you can't, still take it. Also if your on meds, make sure you don't take it too close to your prescription dosage.

.. . Magnesium citrate supplement is absorbs better in your body. I've had the same issues, only being nice to people 2 weeks in a month because of PMS, then my period, not good. Its not expensive and most people are deficient in magnesium. It would help to do some research on magnesium. Very interesting. Hope this helps :-) Take it by itself, not with your multivitamin. Also before bedtime, you can take it with a vitamin d supplement. I've been on prescription drugs for this issue. With the side effects from the prescription, it wasn't even worth taking them.