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By eHow Health Editor
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Premenstrual syndrome, better known as PMS, is a group of symptoms that occur before the beginning of your menstrual period. These symptoms may include cramps, bloating, headaches, fatigue, and feeling anxious or depressed.
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Comments
Anonymous said
on 4/3/2006 Try using a few drops of Agnus Castus (Chaste Berry) available from Health Food Stores. An inexpensive remedy that really works. Tastes disgusting, so I put a few drops in a sweet drink. It works like magic.
Anonymous said
on 1/25/2006 Many women with PMS turn out to be low in progesterone during the symptoms. Low progesterone can cause cramping, irritability, anxiety, depression, mood swings, insomnia, increased headaches in some women (particularly migraine sufferers), history of miscarriage in some, and a variety of other symptoms. Long term, low progesterone can lead to an increase in cell-proliferative disorders, like cysts, fibroids, endometriosis, and even cancer.
The synthetic progestins in birth-control (BC's) and Provera are not a good substitute for progesterone. They help with some of the symptoms, but often make the psychological symptoms worse. They also compete with your own progesterone for binding sites and discourage the body from making as much progesterone (which can also worsen symptoms). Some (not all) women's PMS gets better when they discontinue BC's; in any case you should discontinue BC's before trying progesterone. The progesterone won't work well with the BC's in your system (sorry!).
Progesterone supplementation can be done without prescription with products such as Pro-Gest by Emerita. You may apply the cream twice daily from day 14 of your cycle (or when symptoms begin) until the day your period is due. At that point, most women can use a 1/2 dose for 2 days, then stop until symptoms return (or day 14 of the next cycle). The effects of the progesterone can often be felt within 1 hour of application.
Side effects: if one gets too much progesterone, it can delay the beginning of the period; can cause drowsiness/lethargy in some; in a very few women, even a small amount of progesterone might cause a headache (as opposed to the majority of women, who get less headaches with progesterone). Bear in mind that the increase in progesterone you are creating with supplementation is nowhere near the high levels that one reaches during pregnancy. Progesterone supplementation is much less likely to cause harm than many other hormones might, which is why it is allowed to be sold without a prescription.
It would be even better, of course, to have a health practitioner follow and occasionally test your supplementation. But, most prescriber's are unfamiliar with this use of progesterone. Since it is not patentable, no large drug manufacturer is interested in it; so no magazine ads, no prime-time spots, no multi-million dollar studies, and no free, fancy, "continuing-education" dinners for the doctors.
Many alternative medicine prescriber's are familiar with it, but often they are not covered by insurance. Fortunately, most women can "dose-to-symptoms" and find a reasonable dosage that way.
Progesterone consumption increases greatly under stress; during stressful times the dose may need to be temporarily increased to cover the symptoms. Also, women with migraines frequently need much higher doses than average. If the standard dosage on the package seems inadequate, I strongly advise them to seek out an alternative medical practitioner with experience in hormones.
To find one: first find a compounding pharmacy in your area (call 1-800-927-4227); ask the pharmacist whom they would recommend. The pharmacist may also be able answer any other questions you have about progesterone therapy.
Do check this out. It is much better to find out you're low in progesterone now than after a miscarriage or a hysterectomy.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Usually, a hot cup of tea or coffee and 2 Tylenol menstrual or Panadol does the trick. For those who have unbearable cramps, try a shot glass of rum. A bowl of ice cream or Jell-O regularly does the trick. Seriously avoid Coca Cola or Pepsi, try other sodas. And drink lots of milk based drinks and yogurts!
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 whenever you feel that your period is about to start in a couple of days, begin taking one ibuprofen/ advil/ aleve pill at night( even before it starts). This works to reduce cramping because it reduces the contractions of the uterine muscles, which is the main cause of those nasty cramps. It also relieves PMS. If your daily life is severely affected by your period and PMS, then talk to your doctor about regulating it by taking birth control pills. They help a lot also.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 Try putting on soft music (with no words), and put a heating pad on your stomach.