Pre-menstrual Syndrome (PMS) Support Group
Premenstrual Stress Syndrome (PMS) is stress which is a physical symptom prior to the onset of menstruation. PMS is exceedingly common, occurring in 75% of women of reproductive age during their lifetime, characterized by symptoms of mood swings, depression, anxiety and irritability. It is often accompanied by physical symptoms such as bloating and cramping.
Hi everyone :)
The smiley face feels so stupid, but I don't want to seem like Eyore RIGHT off the bat.
I'm 40 and PPMD has had me do everything from call suicide hotlines, suffer debilitating panic attacks, sobbing in public.... there's nothing that I can do it seems to help the utter hopelessness, and the worst of it is the isolation I feel and yet at the same time I push my loved ones away horribly. I do it every single month and can't seem to stop. I finally came here because I just need to not be alone in this. I have plenty of people who love me but nobody experiences this.... nobody can feel what I feel, how terribly lonely and frightening it is. I just told my husband that if there was a doctor who could take off a limb in exchange for these feelings, I would gladly do it. I could live without a leg, but I can't live like this. Every month it's more draining.
Is anyone else desperate like this? Is anyone else hurting so much??
The smiley face feels so stupid, but I don't want to seem like Eyore RIGHT off the bat.
I'm 40 and PPMD has had me do everything from call suicide hotlines, suffer debilitating panic attacks, sobbing in public.... there's nothing that I can do it seems to help the utter hopelessness, and the worst of it is the isolation I feel and yet at the same time I push my loved ones away horribly. I do it every single month and can't seem to stop. I finally came here because I just need to not be alone in this. I have plenty of people who love me but nobody experiences this.... nobody can feel what I feel, how terribly lonely and frightening it is. I just told my husband that if there was a doctor who could take off a limb in exchange for these feelings, I would gladly do it. I could live without a leg, but I can't live like this. Every month it's more draining.
Is anyone else desperate like this? Is anyone else hurting so much??
I think I am in the same boat. I am 36 and my PMDD leaves me unable to handle the usual mundane stressors that are tolerable at other times of the month. For about 10 days before my period begins, I am so irritable and have the shortest fuse, I end up muttering to myself angrily and then crying about everything - crying over frustration, crying over self-pity, crying over gratitude - it's freakin' embarrassing. I often self-isolate during those 10 days because I don't want to accidentally ruin any of my relationships due to my crappy attitude and uncontrollable outbursts. Moreover, I hate that during that week I am living, breathing validation of the awful Hysterical Woman stereotype that holds our gender back. I totally know how it is to feel overwhelmed by your emotions during a specific week every single month, and how difficult it is to override those feelings because they are just. so. strong.
I haven't fully mastered this myself, but generally I know when it's starting and that it's "just" my PMDD, so I try to talk myself down like, "This isn't how you *really* feel - this is just how your out-of-wack hormones are making you feel." It doesn't always work, but it's all I've got.
I just ordered progesterone cream (which is supposed to help greatly with a variety of these symptoms caused by estrogen-dominance) and a book called "What your doctor may not tell you about premenopause." I'd advise looking into both of those. The progesterone cream has to be used for 3 months before any efficacy can be assessed, but I'll do my best to remember to come back here in 3 months with an update :). Likewise, when I've received the book and read through it, I'll let you know if it's worth reading.
this has happened 5 months in a row now. this last oe was really bad because it came so soon after the last one.