5-HTP is also fantastic. I take it throughout the month as needed, and than the week before my period I take it 3 times a day. It is all natural, and seems to be the only thing that has made a difference (and believe me, I'm a monster during this time - screaming than crying, than screaming, than crying...never ends)

Hi, I used to come in here everyday for 3 years and then stopped due to the fact that we opened a computer store for 3 years and that kept me busy and spending most of my time in bed when not in the store due to pain and fatigue, insomnia or crashing for 14-18 hour stretches. Thank God the boss was my boyfriend or I would have been fired 100 times..LOL

It's not your imagination everything really is driving you crazy during your period. Your emotions could feel like they're out of control. You might be smiling one minute and bawling your eyes out the next. You may have achy joints and feel stiff all over-sometimes with a low grade fever. Everyone is different but I find the week before my period, I start becoming self absorbed-looking for ways to ease the mental and physical anguish.

I then realize it will ease off about 80% when my period starts.(The terrible mood lifts quite a bit). I wonder if this is normal for most women. When the period starts, do you find you feel somewhat better. Seems some months, nothing helps, however I did notice extreme stress tends to make the entire period worse.

Try to relax, and take a deep breath. Just knowing that your period could be affecting your emotions might help you keep them in check. Try to avoid unnecessary stress whenever you can during your period, and steer clear of people and situations that you know could trigger your emotions.

Please DO NOT TAKE ANY OF THE MEDICINES I MENTION BELOW UNLESS YOU SPEAK TO A DOCTOR AND THEY ARE PRESCRIBED FOR CERTAIN CONDITIONS.


She prescribes Gabapentin to eliminate hot flashes and also prescribes clonazepam to take only if needed during my period. Both Gaba and clonazepam affect the gaba in the brain, allowing some women to have less hot flashes, better mood and a better sleep and less pain and stiffness.

Also, because i have Adult ADHD, I am prescribed Ritalin 20mg time released, however I tend not to take them often but I will during the week before my period. It increases dopamine in the brain and slows down the brain that is in overdrive.(Only with people who have ADHD)

Personally, I would prefer something natural that works and I am in the process of seeing a Naturopath (my Bf's cousin whom I don't have to pay.) Awesome! She needs computer work done on several computers at her office,so they made it an even trade. I really got an excellent gift (to see her for several sessions). I am very excited.

I will start this new natural way starting immediately after the Holidays. I will let everyone know if it helps. I hope so.

I also talked to my doctor and she suggests hormone replacement as soon as my periods become very long and heavy. I refuse to do that but desperation can make you make bad choices.

Talk to other women, educate yourself and hope you can find some relief. It may take time but keep trying a combo of things.

Make sure you ask your doctor first about any supplements and/or prescriptions. Never take someone else's medication!!!

When I can get out of bed(some months are worse than others) I find if I had a stressful month with sporadic sleep, skipping meals and not exercising throughout the month, I cannot get out of bed due to extreme fatigue and achy body/heavier/longer/periods.

Have your blood checked for anemia or other problems such as thyroid and ask to be checked for C-Reactive Protein. It shows if you have inflammation that is ongoing in the body or you may have an infection that did not completely clear up.

Blood work done by a naturopath is more accurate because they test it in such a way that problems such as thyroid, anemia etc. show up if they are present even in small amounts.

Don't skip meals and realize there is hope and you are definitely not alone.

Kat99

Hello PH,

Not sure what it is called and not until recently did I ever realize other women experienced the rage and anger I feel premenstrually. Hugs to you. In addition to anger I also expereince extremem fatigue and tiredness right before my period almost as bad as a depression. I also get a low grade headache with nausea. Sometimes all of the symptoms and sometimes one.

I went to a psychiatrist for concern of my irrational behavior, thus now what I jokingly call my "irrational days". I am on Wellbutrin for depression due to a traumatic incedent earlier this year as well. However he prescribes me celexa (whihch helps with nerves and lifts mood). This is only taken 7-10 days before my period and I have been doing this for 6 months and I feel like my whole world has changed.

I also get sore joints and muscles pre-menstrually, the celexa seems to also help.

I know everyone around me is thanking me. This is the 1st month I feel low, but I think it may be the winter blues, it's cold and it's the holidays. I started the celexa today so hopefully I will wake up feeling more chipper tomorrow. 7-9 days away til my period. :) My husband is extrememly supportive and I told him I was feeling low today and he had been very accomodating. That helps too. :) Good luck and know you are not alone.

Yep. Go see your doctor...its impossible to live a normal life like this. Meds seem to be helping me, but its early days, so I'm still waiting to see just how much they'll help. Its better than being out of control.

I am just like you! caffeine also make me worst in those days, I love coffe but I had to stop drinking it!, It starts 10 days before for me, when I change my diet to a healthier one I feel much better, when i eat meat and Junk food, my PMS is worst,exercise help me a lot, especially with cramps, I stop doing them and I am feeling a lot of pain again, sometime I have to go to the ER during those days, because I get weird symptons, then I see my calendar and it all coincide with PMS, the good think is that Im getting a lot of answers about my behavior that I didn't have before, and that helps a lot!!!, this is my monthly fight!!!!, and im going to do everything in my power to win it!!!, so try eating healthy, not drinking coffe, and all the advise other poeple are giving you!!! and everything will get better!, Im listening already to every suggestion!!!!

Yes. I get super angry, and it turns UGLY. Sometimes just the emotional response is so strong I black out the day. I think today is the start, because I was pretty psycho yesterday. Wrote a letter to my mom telling her how much I hated her and blamed her for having me. Really dread her getting that now. Granted, we have issues, but PMS amplifies-for me-major ups and downs...and the up is just anger, the down used to mean a trip to the ER to get my stomach pumped. The down now is just non stop crying.
Lexapro is a good anti-depressant, but I had trouble with it because it was too stimulating at the lowest dose and kicked up the insomnia again.
My vote for myself is birth control, mostly because I would know when Aunt Flo came to town. I'm not in the safe category yet for BC cause I am/was/trying to quit smoking, and I'm over 35.

Hi..I really do know how this feels..I only came on this site to relate with JUST someone who experiences this.Exact same for me..two weeks of the month I can see through these emotions of irritability and intolerancce..and I feel really guilty about it too.Its not me! When i get my period ..im like this is me! and i have motivation to experience life to the fullest and i so loving and enjoy things..then the shift comes...Iam doing whatever I can to turn this around. Iam praying and exercising and have found one thing that may help..HTP..its natural and raises your seratonin levels naturally..

yes I feel that way to I'm normally a calm patient person but a few days before my period I get angry,irritable,hopeless,sad most of the time no one has a problem noticing and it's only getting worse I don't know what to do to make it stop. I try to keep to myself and take deep breathes when someone starts to irritate me or leave the room if possible.

That describes me too, all I have done today is scream and shout. I feel like a truly horrible person.I feel am at the stage where I need to go onto meds but its a big step and my moods change daily.

Its not nice for my kids to have a mum who's moods are inconsistent.

I wouldn't ask me for advice cause i couldn't give u any, but at least maybe your will know your not alone. x

I am so glad you put this on ph670, my pms has always been an issue and lasts for at least two weeks, last cycle was worst, screaming at everyone, suicidal, banging my head through sheer frustration and not understanding why i can't control this anger. Doctor told me in past that antidepressants are only thing that can work for pms, which i fobbed off but having read the other replies i'm seeing that perhaps he is right. Am waiting to try mini pill to ease pain and heaviness first in the hope of helping my pms but seriously considering the prozac now! Have started taking evening primrose and 5htp to help in meantime, thank you again for posting :)

Yes and moodiness sucks! I hate to be rude and mean to anyone so when it hits I try to go find a quiet place to be alone and then when I do that I get lonely and sad, but it is still much better than being rude, obnoxious, or ruining anyone else's day because that of course makes me feel awful and makes my self esteem worse so it is much better to go be alone until it passes even if that takes a long time.