PMS/PMDD: Why Do We Even Have to Deal With This, Still?

a reply to: fiverx313

We have Viagra, but preeclampsia is still a huge problem. What does that show us about the priorities of the medico-pharmaceutical powers that be?

Magnesium, zinc, and the B vitamins help with ppmd. I think I remember seeing that Vitamin D does, too. My crunchy granola friend says it's because we're all deficient in those minerals due to petroleum based fertilizers that bleach all the nutrients out of the soil.

Crunchy Granola won this debate, in my mind. When I keep up with vitamin B especially, I don't have any mood swings, and am often surprised by my period. It's no longer shark week.

Magnesium helps relax muscles, and helps my cramps. Yours sound so bad, though, that it made me wonder if you have endometriosis. Have you ruled that out?

Hope it eases up for you. and chocolate!

This is definitely a subject I avoid learning about. It is really complicated, it seems like the doctors screw more women up with this kind of stuff than anything. I think someday they will be able to better understand how all the changes interact but for now, they seem to be looking for guinney pigs to work with.

A total nightmare. Sometimes I have to miss work because I can barely walk. Perfectly healthy spent a ton of money in doctors bills to be told not much I can do. I hate pills. I stay in bed and sleep for 3 days can't eat because of the pain for 3 days into menstruation. Seriously a nightmare. Feel your pain

originally posted by: Look2theSacredHeart
We have Viagra, but preeclampsia is still a huge problem. What does that show us about the priorities of the medico-pharmaceutical powers that be?

amen, preach!

Magnesium, zinc, and the B vitamins help with ppmd. I think I remember seeing that Vitamin D does, too. My crunchy granola friend says it's because we're all deficient in those minerals due to petroleum based fertilizers that bleach all the nutrients out of the soil.

that's a good thought. i know i'm solid on the vitamin D, been taking it for something else... i'll have to review my multi for the others.

originally posted by: rickymouse
This is definitely a subject I avoid learning about. It is really complicated, it seems like the doctors screw more women up with this kind of stuff than anything. I think someday they will be able to better understand how all the changes interact but for now, they seem to be looking for guinney pigs to work with.

that's not far off, i think. they just kind of throw it at us and it works for some and not for others, and i doubt all the long-term effects are well-understood.

i've tried hormonal birth controls a couple times and both times it had side effects i just could not deal with. i'm glad it's helpful for some but i really get the impression they don't know why it doesn't work as well for others... and they aren't trying too hard to figure it out, either.

originally posted by: Indigohues
A total nightmare. Sometimes I have to miss work because I can barely walk. Perfectly healthy spent a ton of money in doctors bills to be told not much I can do. I hate pills. I stay in bed and sleep for 3 days can't eat because of the pain for 3 days into menstruation. Seriously a nightmare. Feel your pain

aw geez... sounds like you have it a lot worse than i do, even. i'm so sorry you're going through all that

a reply to: fiverx313

So, what are your experiences with PMS/PMDD? How do you cope with symptoms? Would you be interested in a treatment, if one were developed?

I'm in your position as well. Never had problems before but the older I become, the more symptoms, besides mild ones, I am experiencing.

I've been treating medicinally(various herds, chamomile tea, etc) rather than the use of prescribed chemicals. That can only stretch for far, relieves certain symptoms.

Food eaten during the time for sure can play a part. Make sure to be hydrated, hormones already have the system out of wack and the body already wants more food-certain foods to boot. With that make sure to manage constipation from happening( I know gross but that causes a lot of the pain during the time of the month).

Vitamin D, that's a good recommendation(and others in the thread) as other vitamins. It's finding the source of it during the winter for some places. Natural pill or other forum supplements can help as well as the right dosage, have a blood test and see what a Dr. recommends.

I've found with that also, if drinking milk for the for the vitamin it's best to avoid brands that contain unnatural hormones being those are said to mess with natural hormones. Unfortunately these artificial chemicals are all over the environment from plastic bottles to water. Not to say all natural hormones are great, products with it are best in moderation -ie for the Vegetarian/ Vegan crowd, that brings up the issue of soy, which is a filled throughout processed foods.

Anyway, hope to read more recommendations.

a reply to: fiverx313

The thing about pre-eclampsia is that it's exclusive to pregnancy. As my neurologist pointed out -- when it comes to testing drugs and things during pregnancy, there isn't a standard that allows for it. It's just not ethical to test on an unborn child like that to determine its safety.

So it's really hard to justify setting up drug trials for something like pre-eclampsia when the effects on an unborn would be completely unknown.

Anything we do know about drug effects in pregnancy comes because of accidental exposure. If you are taking something and end up pregnant, for example, congrats! You just became part of studying the effects of that drug during pregnancy. No one is going to risk doing it on purpose.

a reply to: dreamingawake

And then you have those of us who retain extra water.

The only time I feel carpal tunnel symptoms, for example, is during those wonderful few days prior. I stay very hydrated do another medication I take which can have the side effect of kidney stones. But I stay hydrated enough that during those times, I can retain enough water to start mild carpal symptoms in one or both wrists for a few days.

Once that time past, I then spend a few days running to the bathroom like I have bladder problems flushing my system, too.

I've been told chocolate helps..........

a reply to: JinMI

Chocolate helps everything ... all the time.

Nope, you just learn what's going on a put up with it.

Of course, being pregnant helps with it to. Works for about nine months or so, but that opens up it's own can of worms.

a reply to: ketsuko

I only wanted to add all of my wisdom on the subject. I figured it couldn't hurt!

I didn't really start to experience bad cramping until the last 5 or 6 years. The doc said it was mainly to do with the onset of menopause. The pain is intense. For those that have had kids, I can liken the pain to labor pains some days. It's really that bad. The bleeding that accompanied it was so bad I ended up heavily anemic and had to have a blood transfusion. I kept a record and on average, I was bleeding heavily about 3 weeks out of the month. Scary stuff. The mood swings were awful and I was stressed out and miserable.

The solution for me was getting an IUD. Nothing else worked.

I still do get some cramps now post-IUD, but they're not the double-over-in-pain variety anymore and my moods are much less wildly fluctuating.

Heh, personally, I'd be all for a hysterectomy. I'm done having kidlets and just hate the monthly mess. Sadly, they don't do elective surgery for a hysterectomy.

a reply to: Subrosabelow

I didn't really start having truly bad cramps until after my C-section. The first time they hit up under my rib cage, I was like, "Holy crap! What it this?!" For a bit, I thought I was having appendicitis or something. Then I figured it had to be something to do with the aftermath of the surgery, especially as I don't always get them, only some months.

a reply to: fiverx313

Nature is cruel sometimes