PMS question! Girls orny

[Aksannyi]

I don't take anything for PMS, but then, I suffer from depression so PMS is a light issue as far as I'm concerned. I can't really say that I know anyone who does take something for PMS who isn't already on an anti-depressant, and even those don't completely nullify the symptoms, from what I've seen.

I was on the pill for a while after my first son was born, and I didn't notice any differences, but then again, when you struggle to get out of bed and live some days, PMS doesn't really affect you too much.

Sorry I wasn't able to be more help. I'm aware that I'm messed up. :/ But I thought I'd add my perspective at least.

[KuaiEQ]

yo girls show me ur titties

[Ashira]

I've always been weird in that I'm rarely affected by PMS. When i was younger I used to notice my temper's fuse was a wee bit shorter than normal, but I never got cramps or anything.

I still really don't, except maybe once every 4 months or so - and I think I'm weird in that I don't hurt BEFOREhand, but i get bad pains during. It's weird, my head tries to blame it on using tampons but that doesn't change anything really. I imagine it's something similar to pain of dilation, it feels like it's sort of rooted in the cervix area.

But the hormone thing, I never really had anything terribly noticeable. I guess I'm a freak, I have like, 3-4 day periods, with only one heavy day, and pretty much have been clockwork since I started... like, 34 day cycle.

It is safe to skip the placebo pills for a few months at a time, I just can't imagine not allowing it to flush out at least once in a while. A lot of women skip it during the summer altogether, so as not to interfere with bathing suit season. hehe.

I think Yaz has been the one most highly publicized with helping with mood swings etc - and I'd definitely try that sort of thing first before going to anything more drastic. I had one friend who seriously started Prozac because of her mood swings.

Also, you may want to look at cutting out caffeine, esp around that time of the month, and nicotine or alcohol, any other drug, that can have a big effect too.

[Ksandra]

I just know my ex-girlfriend's cousin was taking some birth control that reduced her periods to every few months (2~4) and now, off the medication, she is unable to have a period at all. Pretty much perma-fucked her chances of having her own child all for less bloody vaginas.

Ya this is why I want to stay away from the kind that stop periods. My friend gets a shot (she's diabetic so is too scared to have kids) that stops her periods. Really though as nice as that sounds I do want kids someday and I would just hate for something like that to mess my system up. It is a strong possibility I will use something like this years down the road when I no longer want kids.

but I'd rather be able to control my emotions than to rely on medicines that can make you worse.

P.S. Nothing wrong with a good cry every now and then

I agree and for years I have always tried to "overcome" my hormones. Iono if it's because of my age (I know women get their sexual peak in their 30s and I'm 28 now) or what, but as much as I want to be that "strong and powerful woman" I can't seem to control it anymore. It's really out of control maybe the past 2 years or so and I would be stupid to deny that maybe I'd need outside help. And since I know it's a physical rather than mental issue, that help would end up being some sort of med.

From a guy's perspective I think we should realize that for a couple days every 28ish days some "wierd" (from our perspective) stuff may happen. If he can't come to that realization and accept that then he better get his ass in gear and understand that things will change for a few days, and to just roll with the punches - be they literal or figurative.

Luckily my bf is awesomely awesome when it comes to my pms. And has always put up with it. But I know the kind of shit he has to go through so I really want this for me and for him. XD


Oddly enough I don't take any form of birth control (private reasons), but I'm not per se against them. Again like above I always shy away from them because like I said I want kids someday and I always get paranoid about not being able to.

Yaz sounds like an interesting birth control pill though. I will look into it to. Thanks guys!

[miokomioko]

ex-girlfriend's cousin's sister's niece

Ex-girlfriend's cousin... who I knew personally, and who hasn't gone through early-onset menopause at 18 years old. Wasn't for scare-value.

[archibaldcrane]

I assume a multi-million dollar lawsuit is in the works then?

[Kyo]

yo girls show me ur titties

Exhibit A.

[miokomioko]

I assume a multi-million dollar lawsuit is in the works then?

All that would do is maaaaybe get their scrubby asses out of debt. Anyhow isn't a lot of that stuff covered in a huge blanket of side-effects/warnings/etc?

[Boyiee]

Ya this is why I want to stay away from the kind that stop periods. My friend gets a shot (she's diabetic so is too scared to have kids) that stops her periods. Really though as nice as that sounds I do want kids someday and I would just hate for something like that to mess my system up. It is a strong possibility I will use something like this years down the road when I no longer want kids.

My ex used to get a shot, however it was for different reasons (think it was for her endometriosis, but she had a few other chronic illnesses and was in constant pain). It pretty much put her through menopause, she could not get pregnant while she was on the medication. No periods either I believe, and if she didn't get the shot every single month, the effects wore off.

For me, It was amazing in a sense (sex whenever with no risks helloooo), but for her it was brutal. I never wish the side effects on anyone, no mood swings, but the hot and cold flashes were brutal. We couldn't go out anywhere any more, it was difficult just to spend the night at her place since she would wake up every 30min (if she even slept that night) to open windows, close them, take the blanket off... she would pretty much just get up and walk around and clean. The worst part is there was nothing I could do about it, since she needed the shots, and it was extremely painful just watching her go through it. I don't think anything has ever made me more upset besides that and having pediatric codes at work.

[Kuya]

I wonder if calling it PMS is a good idea, having the word syndrome there seems to make it out to be a disease.

[Atreides]

One of my best friends switched her BC because she had really heavy periods, her doc prescribed Seasonique (which makes it so you only have 4 periods a year). She says it works well.

If you have really bad cramping/depression/hightened PMS symptoms you may have PMDD (wiki that, too lazy to post the link), which needs to be treated medically. Ask your doctor I guess.

[miokomioko]

I thought it was Pre-Menstral Symptoms.

[Boyiee]

No, it's syndrome. Premenstrual syndrome, no hyphen.

[Kuya]

Premenstrual syndrome. Which is kind of equivocal.

[Khamsin]

It's the mood swings and irritability you get when camping for Menstrual's Coat.

[Amele]

No, it's syndrome. Premenstrual syndrome, no hyphen.

PMS is a specific thing that has since grown to be a blanket term for everything related (sort of like Kleenex but with syndrome)

PMS as an actual syndrome only really affects somewhere between 3 and 30% of women, although as much as 80% of women experience some of the symptoms at various reduced levels regularly.* and most women will experience at least some of the symptoms occasionally.


to ksandra: Vitamins may help too, if you don't take any regularly. for many women - getting a regular supplement of Vitamin E and Magnesium and Manganese (Mn and Mg) can help. Most multivit+mineral supplements will have all 3 although some people are sensitive to these sorts of pills (my sister can only take them separately vitamins as one pill, minerals in smaller doses later in the day, the all at once kind cause nausea) basically, the better your diet is the better your chances of reducing symptoms without resorting to meds, etc.





*In this case, PMS is only PMS if it actually significantly interferes with your normal activities: i.e. cramps bad enough that you can't walk or drive, headaches that would meet clinical definitions of migraines, real anxiety attacks, etc.

[Azalee]

I guess for me, taking birth control pills constantly has never been a worry since I have no desire to ever have children. And if my doctor says it is okay for me to do, then I don't see a reason not to.

Like I said earlier, one of your best bets would probably be just having a chat with your doctor and see what they have to say. They could suggest something completely different from what all of us have said.

[SilverBreeze]

PMS is a specific thing that has since grown to be a blanket term for everything related (sort of like Kleenex but with syndrome)

PMS as an actual syndrome only really affects somewhere between 3 and 30% of women, although as much as 80% of women experience some of the symptoms at various reduced levels regularly.* and most women will experience at least some of the symptoms occasionally.

*In this case, PMS is only PMS if it actually significantly interferes with your normal activities: i.e. cramps bad enough that you can't walk or drive, headaches that would meet clinical definitions of migraines, real anxiety attacks, etc.

This is true, PMS is a term for pretty much everything bad that comes along with the menstrual cycle, although most people associate it with mood swings and bitchiness, and wouldn't even think to relate it to something as nausea, or cramping.


That being said, A lot of people will tell you the basic things, like having a good diet, not drinking / smoking, staying away from caffeine before your period, which are all good habits to have. I don't really think there is a one shot fix it out there for PMS, considering that it can mean so many things, I think it's just best you talk to your doctor about what specific problems you have before and during your cycle, and to treat them from there.

If I went to anyone looking for help with my PMS they might assume that it's just the mood swings that are bothering me, even though PMS covers so many conditions, and even combinations of them, When in fact that I never have mood swings during my period, I just have really severe problems with Dysmenorrhea (crippling menstrual cramps) that once a month I miss a week of school/work, but because it is cramping, it can be described as pms.

Every woman is different, so it's my advice that you sit down with your doctor and let him/her know all your problems and concerns, and then you can start from there, isntead of looking at something that might have helped one woman, but could be detrimental to you. (Birth control can regulate periods but in some cases can make them far far worse, for example)

[Azalee]

If it helps at all, I am the sort of person who has never had cramps, and I don't think I get overly bitchy. Most of the time I just have a really sore back, and my stomach is usually bloaty.

[Khamsin]

If it helps at all, I am the sort of person who has never had cramps, and I don't think I get overly bitchy. Most of the time I just have a really sore back, and my stomach is usually bloaty.

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