Anyone have a great solution for bad PMS - short of going to gyn and asking for a complete hysterectomy?!! I am so cranky, tired, forgetful, clumsy, angry, sad, anxious, and completely lacking in patience. I am irrational, mean & scatter-brained. It seems to get worse as I get older. Anyone have this and find a way beat it? I hate to always use the I have PMS excuse, but I DO SO GET THE HELL OUT OF MY WAY, DAMN IT!!!! --- I should mention that the rest of the time, I am nice, people usually like me, I am upbeat, happy and efficient.

Help! Need suggestions! Need an exorcism, maybe?

Get pregnant?

I have no clue, I have pretty mild PMS, but I do feel for you Hope you find a solution!

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I feel I have only had PMS a couple of times in my life. I don't usually have the "P" part. "Pre", that is. I do however suffer from DMS (During Menstrual Syndrome!). Today is the perfect example. Today was the first day of my cycle and I was MISERABLE! I get migraines 75% of the time on the first day. I truely suffered today. But thankfully, I am feeling better now. But MAN! Excruciating headache, nausea, all over shakiness, earlier this morning. It was BAD! I took an Imitrax and went back to bed. Got up in time to get ready for work (evening shift) and struggled a bit through it, but am better now.
No solutions... just empathy!

One of the sollutions I have found about pms by accident, is that i started taking a walk everyday, it helps with the cramps, makes me happier, make me sleep good and I am not depressed like I used to be. This is an everyday thing but has made my pms almost all go away.

Take it out on your husband and kids LOL.

I too have found excercise to help immensely.

I usually just stay away from people when I am feeling that bad. Take a hot hot hot shower then curl up on the couch or in bed with a good book.

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My gyno recently put me on an estrogen patch to help with PMS and PMS related migraines. You wear it just prior to your period for a week. My headaches are definitely estrogen related and this helps with the sudden drop in hormones.

Also it helps to stay away from salt. Believe me it makes a BIG difference.

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My doctor recommended Calcium(1000 mg/day) and Magnesium(250 mg/day) supplement. They seem to help. Even if it is the placebo effect, oh well. It seems to help.

I posted this same problem a couple months ago, because PMS AND DMS (thanks jovia!!) for that matter (my symptoms never go away with the start of my period, it usually supsides towards the end) and several posters recommeded Prolief by Arbonne (MUCH cheaper on eBay). It's an all natural estrogen cream that you begin using 12 days after the start of your period. You use it for 12-14 days, basically up til your next period starts. That's the time your estrogen levels plummet, and what is believed to cause alot of PMS sypmtoms. I've only done this once, and have seen a slight improvement, some say it takes a full 3 months to feel the full effect, others feel better right after the first application.

I'm ever hopeful, because PMS/DMS is killing me. To even say moodswings does not do it justice, it's more like psychotic thoughts of evil/craziness, add in some temper tantrums and thoughts of depression, and that's me in a nutshell.

A bottle of Prolief should last about 3 months. It's $34.00 through an Arbonne rep. or about $18.00 or so on eBay. This is probably on the same lines as the poster who wears an estrogen patch.

I really do feel for you and am so sorry for your misery. Bein' a woman sure ain't for wimps, hu? Hang in there.

Some people use PMS and DMS interchangeably. I don't get cramps with PMS, thats more at the start of "DMS" - and that's cake compared to my symptoms mentioned above. With DMS, I just take 2 advil every 6 - 8 hours.
I'm sure I'd feel better if I walked every day, or if I decreased my caffine and salt intake. WAIT - On second thought, that might just make me cranky bi*&% without coffee and Fritos! I'm a little skeptical of an estrogen cream - sounds to me like a cellulite firming cream or something --- yeah that might work!!!

I'm just wondering if anyone went through this and found a way to beat it.

Thats what I take and it helps a lot!

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I hope I'm just reading your words wrong, but you asked for suggestions, people are giving them to you, so why are you knocking them? Reducing salt, caffeine, exercising, etc. really does help with PMS symptoms. All I was telling you about the Prolief is that it was suggested to me and what it's done for me thus far. Your "yeah that might work" comment has thrown me and I really hope I'm taking it the wrong way.

I don't think there's one woman alive who has found a way to beat this, these are just suggestions on how to DEAL with it.

I swear that taking it out on your husband really works LOL

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I call it PMS roullette -- I never know from month to month which symptoms will rear their ugly heads. I rarely get cramps but once in a while I do. I usually get a headache that lasts a few days. Sometimes I get really cranky and want to disengage from every person I know for fear of really saying something I will regret. I get a bit testy to say the least and I'm really working on not letting it show. Some month are symptom free. Go figure.

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I take my birth control pills continuously (no placebo week).
No periods...no more problems

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Can I ask which ones you're on? I've seen the YAZ pill commercial and it's supposed to help all PMS symptoms, I just wondered since it was so new, if anyone has tried them yet?

How awesome for you to never be bothered with periods!! Do you bloat, get fatigued etc? Or are you normal all the time? I'm interested!!

Normal all the time
That is why my doctor recommended it - I had crazy mood swings. I love staying at an even keel (Dh does too!)
I am on Ovcon, but I believe you can do it with other regular pills.

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LOL That's my remedy too.... that and ibuprofen. But, he always gets me back when he goes through "his" time of the month (mood swings).

.

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I had an endometrial ablation in October of last year. It was the best thing I could have done. No more periods or PMS or cramps or ANYTHING.

Of course, one has to be finished having children to even consider this procedure.

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I get it really bad about every other month. I can really relate. I am usually very nice....but if I go shopping during that time and an old lady gets in my way, I have murderous thougths..It's awful. I say things in my head that I would NEVER say, and don't usually think.

I was actually thinking about the Pro lief from Arbonne. hhmmm I will have to consider it a little stronger.

Toonces....I would LOVE to have that procedure. What a dream.

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Melissa

I feel lucky in that I don't have any typical female problems. The only time I feel a little crampy during my cycle is when I have had too much caffeine. I did have a bought of PMS after my first child though. . .just really unusually cranky the week before my period and sometimes migraines. What helped me was taking calcium and magnesium, like somebody else already mentioned. I think the magnesium was key.

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I have had female problems for years already and am only 40. I did the anti-depresseants, continuous birth control pills, 3 surgeries for ovarian cysts. The only thing that has worked is the Depo-provera shots. I have completely forgotten what its like to have a period anymore. I was on vicodin for a while because I was in SO MUCH pain. A lot of my pain problems had to do with the ovarian cysts. I was really leary of going on the shots. I am allergic to latex and am now 40 so no one would give me birth control pills and there were no other options. I am thankful now that I did. My friends are always complaining about their cycles and I don't have them anymore. I hope these shots work until I hit menopause. I was offered a hysterectomy for my last surgery and just wasn't ready. Of course, now I wish I had done it. Good luck.

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hambirg, yes, the doctor told me that the Magnesium is the key in PMS prevention "but, don't forget to take your Calcium". LOL.

I just recently started taking Midol for cramps, etc.

Now I am wondering why I just started taking it.

This stuff is GREAT!!! Well worth the cost. I feel better, less crampy and grumpy and bloated.

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Thank you ALL for your good suggestions. I think I'll try the calcium & magnesium approach 1st. Then maybe the prolief. If none of the above work, I'll just get a punching bag for my basement. Then maybe a hysterectomy and an exsorcism???!!!!