PMS Symptoms

[Bethany1]

The only reason I bring it up here is because of cycling. I started my period yesterday and now everything I've been whining about the past week suddenly is gone. Last month was the same. For about a week or so I'm a monster and once I start my period, it's like nothing was ever wrong. Last month I was ready to sell all my bikes and give up just as I was last week. Today I almost came home with a full-suspension MTB. At 35, one of those would really help. DH said I would probably have to trade-in my 29er and I don't think I could go through with it. It's probably a bipolar "need" thing symptom anyway.

I never used to be like this. Period comes and goes..no problems for years until I got thinking about the past week and the past couple of months. I know I'm bipolar and deal with those issues, but the feelings of rage..everything seems to set me off..being emotional over stupid stuff, cranky, and the overwhelming anxiety has me really worried. These emotions aren't bipolar related and are gone the day I start my period.

Anything that helps? Meds? Anything to avoid? I'm talking to my doc on Monday about the back of my leg and will bring it up. I just can't handle this every month for a week. It's not fair to my family and to myself. It's hard enough dealing with a mental illness even with medication, but this is overwhelming since it defies what I'm on now.

I'm good on a bike. I've made wonderful progress cycling despite my self pity. I love my bikes even if I get overwhelmed. I'm slowly gaining confidence on a bike and for once, other than quilting, I have something I'm starting to love.

Thanks for any advice and for being such a great forum.

[Owlie]

I really don't have any advice, but in the last couple years, I've noticed my PMS symptoms--both physical and emotional--have gotten worse. The physical I can deal with provided I have the appropriate painkiller. The emotional...oof. Any little thing can provoke me (usually my parents and sister), and it'll turn into a huge fight followed by a crying jag. (I'm normally pretty long-fused and certainly not a crier.) There's a couple of hours worth of me feeling depressed and worthless.

I know in my case the depressed bit is often biochemical in origin and gets better if I get some food in me. Long walks help too. Any new stress in your life? I ask because I'm starting to think that it may have something to do with this. This crazy stuff started senior year of college and has continued through this prolonged transition period I'm going through right now in terms of the real world/grad school and the uncertainty around that.

Sorry, I have nothing else, but certainly sympathize.

[grey]

I found for myself, avoid sugar and caffeine anywhere NEAR that time of the month (until Day 1, then everything is good). I restrict it a good bit now anyway - that takes care of any emotional symptoms. Mine isn't bad anyway, but I find that things I usually would brush off - things that honestly bothered me during the rest of the time but I'd let it go, would be aggravating enough to speak up about (sometimes in a pretty rude manner).

[Skierchickie]

For me, two things help:
1) Recognizing what is going on. Seriously. Once I recognize it and realize it's PMS, that takes a lot of it away, and I feel like a different person.
2) Premsyn. When I start feeling crazy and like the walls are closing in, and I realize what time of the month it is, I'll take a couple. Rarely more than once or twice. Usually I don't need to, if I pay attention to #1, above. I don't know how this would react with your bipolar meds - you'd want to check first.

Definitely, definitely talk to your doctor.

[kermit]

I'm the same way, I think is has gotten worse the older I get. I do know when it's coming and that helps. I also take DHEA, it makes me feel better. My DOC put me on to it, and it helps my hormonal rages. I swear, nothing is easy!

[NbyNW]

Salt is another one to pay attention to. I know for me it can aggravate bloating and all the discomfort that comes with that.

Barring any serious medical issues, though, I doubt you'll find a magic bullet. There's a lot of information out there about nutrition and foods to avoid or foods to make sure you have in your diet -- I don't know how good that information is but some of it may be worth trying out.

You might also look into some of the herbal formulations that are out there. I took one for a while and had significant relief from my physical symptoms, which in turn improved my mood. Probably not for everyone, but I found it effective.

If your cycles are fairly regular, to the extent you are able you might try to manage your stress according to how you expect to feel throughout your cycle. There are weeks when you can take on more and weeks when it might be wise to dial back. Skierchickie is right, just recognizing it for what it is can be very helpful, then you can make a plan for how to deal with it. Don't let your symptoms take you by surprise every month!

I'm glad you are planning to talk to your doc about this.

[Bethany1]

I had thought about taking birth control pills but I've also read they mess with seizure medications lowering the seizure threshold. I can't have children anymore so it would just be keeping everything in check.

I just worry about all the long term issues you read about, blood clots, and all the other scares out there.

Sometimes I feel like if I can't have children anymore why bother having a cycle. All it becomes is a painful reminder that I can't have any more children. I'm eternally grateful for the three I have, but it always hurts that I can't have more. You can't go off meds for your own health, but you can't keep on them for the health of a baby. It just sucks..even 12 years later.

[Crankin]

Bethany, why don't you talk to your prescriber about your symptoms? Like someone said, just being aware of what it is, is half the battle, and it sounds like you are. There are all kinds of nutritional and natural things for pms, but what you are describing (the rage) could be pmdd, or hormonal things that could be exacerbating your bipolar disease. I know some people think pmdd is not a real thing, but unless you have experienced the type of rage/mood swings associated with it, I don't think you should judge. There are a couple of anti-depressants prescribed (in low doses) for pmdd, but you really need to talk to your prescriber about this. I had severe physical pms symptoms, and only a little of the emotional ones. But, it did feel like my life was wrecked for a whole week of the month.
I am concerned that after 12 years, you still feel the loss of not being able to have more kids.

[Jen12]

I'm a firm believer in foods as triggers. It's something doctors overlook and just give you drugs to mask symptoms, but why not actually control things before they happen and not need the doctora at all?

Salt is a good one in terms of bloating, but if it's mood that you're worried about, try sugars. They send up insulin spikes that affect you in different ways. I mean ALL kinds of sugars, even the ones masked in foods like meat marinades and sauces and things we buy prepackaged and don't even consider that there might be sugars in them. And since your body processes carbs into sugars, be careful of things like breads and pastas.

Soy is another one because of phytoestrogens. Soy is used in a lot of products as a filler, so, like the sugars, you have to do some research to find out the words that manufacturers use on lables to identify them.

I know it all sounds very hippie-dippy-trippy, but once I put the work into it, I found that my PMS went away and just on a general basis I could sleep better and was a happier person when I started really controlling what I ate.

[westtexas]

I often find that I am extremely fatigued and have low-motivation as well as a very low tolerance for everything emotional (cry easily, frustrated easily, etc.) before my period. I am on birth control and although I don't usually have any flow or cramps (maybe a bit of spotting), it hasn't helped with the emotional swings hormones can produce.

Let us know what you end up doing, I'm certainly curious myself. I hope that you are able to find a solution that works for you and gives you back that week every month.

[Dogmama]

I had horrible PMS - my gyn called in PMDD. I couldn't take hormones because they mess with other stuff. Sugar was a huge trigger and the thing I really craved. Any kind of crappy carb - I felt like Homer Simpson.

What I did was realize that this WAS NOT me. It was my hormones and not my authentic self. I worked on stepping back & watching myself acting out. Meditation really helped. I practiced every morning - even when I thought I had a "bad" meditation, I still felt calmer during the day. And I had to do it everyday, not just during my period.

I haven't had a period in awhile but oddly enough, I feel myself getting moody about every 45 days or so. It's like PMS, but not nearly as bad. I had to step back from that too & decide that it must be hormonal, since it happened on a schedule & wasn't situational.

[Crankin]

Yep, 9 years post menopause, I still get what I definitely feel are hormonal swings.

[Melalvai]

When I quit eating sugar the horrible emotional days got lots better the very next month. The month after that it was nearly entirely gone. When I resumed sugar the horrible emotional stuff came back. Very good incentive to quit again!

[Bethany1]

Saw my doc today.

I had hurt the back of leg last week (on going problem with my cycling) and it was aching again after a ride and asked him about that. He said it was my hamstrings and that I need to stretch it out more before I ride, don't ride so long that it starts hurting, and to cool down for about 10 minutes. He said for as inexperienced as I am, I should only be doing about 5 miles round trip. (He said he cycles some). He also said the route I take is too much for me and to take another (gave me the road) and take it to the airport and back.

He said he was proud that I've started exercising and for coming in. Most people let the pain go until something really serious happens. It's so nice to know he does some cycling and could help with some questions.

I also asked him about the PMS thing. He's giving me a low dose of Celexa and see if that helped. Hmm..bipolar and SSRI's are not always a good mix for me, but I'll give it a try as I haven't been on Celexa but it helps my DH. After you've been on nearly every bipolar and seizure med for the past 14 years, you pretty much know what works and what doesn't.

I had hoped to lose some weight but the scale came in at 216 today. Well, at least I feel better physically and I know I'm stronger than I was a couple of months ago so I'll take that instead.

[Crankin]

Celexa was exactly what I was going to mention, but, of course, I am not a doctor, but there has a lot in the psych literature about using it for PMDD.
I do question the 5 miles thing. I once had my doctor tell me to ride 5 miles, when I was having medical issues that had nothing to do with riding. He also "was a cyclist," but he just had no idea that he was talking to someone who would have had real issues if I couldn't ride my usual miles. Of course stretching is good, and warming up and cooling down important. But, how does he know the route you were doing is "too hard for you?" That sounds like a real condescending attitude. Find a good PT who knows about cycling and can treat your injury.

[Bethany1]

Actually the route he said is much easier. I just hadn't driven that way for awhile and thought there wasn't any shoulder as the same road out of town going west doesn't. The bonus is that there is a new quilt shop that way about 10 miles. That would make a good goal over the next few months or so. Will bike for fabric.

Since it's too hot to ride, I just walked a mile today.

Took the celexa last night and it just made me loopy, but it will take a couple of weeks to get into the system unless I get lucky and it only takes a week.

[Crankin]

Why does he think you should go easier? I mean, resting an overuse injury is good, but it sounded like he was saying "Little lady, you are doing too much... just ride 5 miles." It sounded a bit condescending, you know cyclist doctor telling a woman to "go slow," when maybe all you need to do is rest a few days, do some stretching, etc. The only way to get stronger is to do more.

[Dogmama]

Crankin - according to the OP, the doc "cycles some" - so how much is "some?" Five miles?;)

Just to throw more into the mix, I'm wondering about a hamstring injury being aggravated by cycling in a new rider. New people typically don't use hamstrings that much because they push (quad dominant) on the pedals. I agree with your advice to find a good physical therapist.