Pms

I have found one item that really helps w/ PMS AND the rest of the symptoms - bloating, tired, rage (yup) -- and that is a product called OPC3. You can get that from Market America. Go to www.marketamerica.com/brendasabin and click on the Isotonix logo - then you can read about it. From what I understand it's the bilberry extract in the product that really helps with the PMS symptons (I am menopausal and it helps w/ hotflashes etc as well). Just to add: this is all natural and has pycnogenol in it. (pronounced PIK NOJ EN OL) and you can read all about that at www.pycnogenol.com

I dont know what is is but each child I had got worse....
my gyn told be it was some kind of hormone level that goes crazy, for me 10 before my period....its just horrible....excerise,and time alone helps me but with three kids thats not a big option, lol!. but i did start taking a natural remedy that has saved me. feminene,or if it gets really bad bliss. along with a multi tech vit....you can check out my site or contact me. www.shopjmarshall.com. under the site its under ma products
please register first to get credit, and there is a special running, spend $50 or more and get 20$cash back. you can call me anytime if you live around here i am in melrose. to go over all the perks and how you can earn products for FREE if this works for you.
hope this helps.
J.

Absolutely! Reliv products provide great nutrition in a bioavailable form, meaning that they are 95-99% absorbed within 20 minutes. They are a powder which you can mix with anything - water, milk, juice, yogurt, soy milk etc. (depending on the flavor you choose) and you can mix them into smoothies with fruit. There are 3 basic formulas that you combine to get the flavor and mix you want. Everybody uses these 3 formulas to get the balance of protein, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, fiber, antioxidants, etc. There is an additional formula called SoySentials which is fabulous for all women's issues - PMS, cramps, menopausal night sweats, etc. etc. The company has a website but the best thing to do is to talk to someone who is a distributor, get the stories from other satisfied users over many years, get all the info, etc. That's why Reliv is not available in stores - they refuse to sit among the clutter of so many hundreds of remedies and products that just confuse the consumer. With Reliv, you can eliminate all other vitamin tablets (which are only 25-30% absorbed anyway - a waste of money) and other supplements, and make up for the nutrition that is lacking in our foods today, which are grown with unhealth fertilizers in depleted soils, picked before they are ready, and then artificially ripened. Reliv has been highly rated by Forbes, Fortune, Business Week and Success from Home magazines - SFH features Reliv exclusively in the current issue. You can get a month's worth of Reliv for what you would spend on a daily latte at Starbucks - it might seem like a lot of money but it's only because you're buying it all at once. There are several discounts available and it's a great part-time business too. Feel free to call me or email me for more info at ###-###-#### or ____@____.com. I can't say enough about what they have done for me and my family. No one has gotten a cold or the flu either - great for prevention!! My sinuses are better, my husband has so much energy he is running 25 miles a week instead of 12, and my son recovered SO quickly from mono, it was amazing. I would love to talk to you some more about it, and help you get relief from your PMS.

I am 32 yrs old, so I haven't hit any pre-menapause symptoms yet. But I have found some help from bad PMS. To tackle this problem I started by doing a whole body cleanse, a 2 week program where I limited some of what I ate, but it was not too bad at all. This cleanse cleared out the liver, kidneys and colon. But this cleanse helped me to feel much better on day 2. Info I read says that when liver is maxed out then you can't absorb the vitamins you need. I found the following info in "Prescription for Nutritional Healing" by Phyllis A. Balch...I started taking a multi vit every day, along with magnesium (1000 mg daily), vit B complex (100 mg of each major B vit), vit C (3000 - 6000mg daily), vit E (started w 400IU and ent up to 800IU), calcium (1500mg daily), adidophilus, flaxseed oil. I hope you find what works for you.

Dear Sara,
YOU ARE NOT ALONE. That's the biggest thing to remember. I am also dealing with heavily increased PMS symptoms since having children and reaching my late 30's. It's really awful sometimes, isn't it?
I went to the doctor about 6 months ago because it had gotten so bad - the anxiety, lack of patience, anger, etc. He prescribed me a very light dose of an anti-depressant. It's the lowest possible dose. I take one pill when I feel these symptoms coming on. I can take one a day until I get my period, or sometimes I just take the one and that's enough. It just takes the edge off.
There are other options too - my doctor gave me several options - this is the one I chose.
I also find, that being really open with my husband about it helps, because he understands better what's going on with me. He actually has it on his calendar when he thinks these symptoms will start. It enables him to be prepared to take over things like cooking dinner and helping with homework when I'm such a wreck that I can't deal. There are times when I just have to remove myself from my family too - just go to a corner and sulk, or lie in bed with the covers over my head until my heart stops racing and I feel more relaxed. Knowing what's going on, my husband can step in, and he understands why I've dissapeared, or needed to get out of the house.
Also, less coffee helps, and less sugar. I find these things exagerate those feelings of intense anxiety and anger or depression.
Lastly, have you ever tried Reiki? It's a very soothing experience, not intrusive or religious or anything. Like a massage, but it helps with the emotional and chemical processes that are happening too. It helps me when I'm really at whit's end with my PMS.
I hope you find some solutions that work for you. Remember, you're NOT alone and if you just ask, I'll bet most of the women you know are going through the same thing. Find out what they're doing, and try some different things.
Best of luck. It's tough being a woman!

I feel your pain...same here! Exercise, lots of veggies and water and plenty of rest help the best. Take a multi vitamin or a B vitamin with all the essential B vitamins. I have to stay away from milk products, they tend to make it worse...might want to try that too. you can still have them, just in moderation.

Good luck!

Sara-
I never had PMS until I had my daughter (19 months).. I breastfed and after I finished and my period returned, I suffered very very very bad PMS. I found myself out of control (raging almost) with heavy bleeding and very tired. I think I started a fight with my husband every time I was about to get my period. Then my period would come and I would be normal again (and have to apologize). I went the dr. and she told me that I had Prementral Disforia Disorder (or something like that).. They ended up putting me on sleeping pills (I was having really bad insomnia a week before my period).. That seemed to make the biggest difference, and they also put me on a whole bunch of extra vitamins. That worked for me.. I think the sleeping helped the most. If that did not work, they were going to put me on a SRI (prozac type thing)... I needed to make a change because I was worried about losing my temper with my daughter. I now have very normal periods (although they still are coming every three weeks), but I am no longer crazy before them.
E.

HI Sara,

Acupuncture is REALLY helpful for PMS as is Chinese herbal medicine. I have gotten a lot of relief from both.

Try holistic nurse./doc. I think there are some vitamins that are helpful. Isn't it wonderful being a woman? It builds character. WiseReta

I hit on solution quite by accident. I went to accupuncturist for low back pain, and in the course of treatment, discovered that, while it didn't help with the back pain, it was doing wonders for PMS! So try checkng with your local accupuncturist.

I used to have very bad PMS and I found a combination of vitamin B complex and St. John's Wort worked great! I usually took it for the week before my period until about 2 days into it. The B complex helped with energy and the St. John's Wort worked like a charm on the bitchy, emotional rollercoaster I road for a week before!

Good luck!

Evening Primrose oil is a wonderful, natural treatment. It's greatest benefit is that it helps to ease your nerves. It is also inexpensive and has no side effects as do drugs. This is what my doctor recommended years ago to help with pain I was having from my vericose veins. It helps to remediate the effect of the hormones and that is how it helped my legs and the emotional aftermath of hormonal shifts.

I hope this helps.

M.

Hi Sara
vitaman B is a great natural remedy,you can do research online to read about its benefits.
R.

Taking flax seed oil - a source of Essential Fatty Acids - really helps some folks who suffer from this and other hormonal issues.

Hey Sara!
I am right there with you on this one.I have 2 children and yes it seems as it gets worse as time goes by.I recently had a Dr. appt. for this reason and some of the things we talked about were diet and exercise during this time and she also recommended an anti-dep. At this time I do not wish to go on anything so she told me about B-50 the vitamin-she suggested that I take one a day and 2 during PMS she insisted that it changed her life and helped with all the related symptoms especially the blues and the moodiness.I myself take the vitamin B-50 and it seems to help with most of the physical symptoms-it is supposed to flush the hormones.Give it a shot!
Good luck and remember this is pretty normal.

Don't do anything right now. 4 children, 1 9months old. take a break. Get off the sofa back in your bed. Fix the room up in wonderfully uplifting colors or patterns. Whatever you like. Take wonderfully long warm baths with water softeners and perfumed air and candles,etc. Take care of yourself. Tell daddy he needs to commute and get home and help with the kids. Don't worry about sex right now. With 4 kids you've had enough to sustain you for a while. When you feel stronger within yourself, and know that on your own you can take care of 4 kids. Then take that man of yours to a marriage counselor. But make no decision in this weakened state. Gather your feminine/mommie strength first.

About the vitamin B, make it a B Complex.
Loads of water every day keeps your everything moving through. Rest.zzzzzzzzz
Avoid caffeine, sugar, refined foods as much as possible.
Load up on veggies.
Walking at least 1 mile, 3 to 4 times a week is extremely helpful, not just for the exercise, but for the vitamin D that the sun gives is vital to good health and the fresh air.

Warning the household of the "bad" days is helpful, so they do not antagonize you on those days.

My PMS is so severe it's pretty much "untouchable" by the treatments I've tried, but I've come across a couple of natural remedies which have helped a bit. One is called PMS Escape -- it's a powder that you mix with juice or water. I bought it at a drugstore while living in Canada, but I believe it's mainly available in health food stores. If I remember correctly it's mainly comprised of magnesium and B vitamins. You can find out more at www.pmsescape.com.

I've also tried a natural remedy called Sepia, which mainly targets mood swings. The kind I've been buying at various health food stores is in the form of small pellets which you dissolve under the tongue.

I also second others' recommendations re. exercise, increasing soy intake and limiting caffeine, salt, sugar and simple carbs. One thing to be aware of with magnesium -- if you have a sensitive digestive system, amounts over 300-ish mg can cause diarrhea.

One thing that also helped me was tracking my symptoms through the charting tool at www.understandpmdd.com. It laid out in black and white the blindingly obvious link between certain symptoms and my period, reassuring me that I'm not intrinsically crazy. :)

I also find that it's a good idea to avoid scheduling social commitments for PMS time, as I get so withdrawn and anxious that facing society is a mental strain I don't need!

I very much feel your pain and wish you well!

Hi Sara,
I am a Melaleuca rep and we offer many wonderful all natural products that can be very helpful for PMS? We have vitamins etc. for your mood swings, pain, etc. Our products are all natural and to join this month as a member for a year it is only 1.00 plus your purchase of 35 product points every month which is very easy to reach.

I feel very confident that you would love our products. I know I won't switch back to what I was using before and only use Melaleuca now. Feel free to view my site at www.melaleuca.com and see what we have and if still interested view my site at http://www.falciboys2.info and I can get back in touch with you. It can't hurt to try our products and it is RISK FREE. So if you are not happy you can get your money back.

Feel free to get in touch with me! I would love to assist you.

K. (Foxboro)
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Hi Sara. I experienced the same thing after my second child in 16 months (at 40 yrs. of age). It felt like I had a few good days a month and then was PMS-y the rest of the time. I told my doctor at my yearly GYN appt (mainly because I was going to burst out crying with how I didn't feel normal, and just felt hormonal all the time) and she put me on YAZ, which is a birth control pill for PMDD (Pre-Menstral Disphoric Disorder, or severe PMS). They've been running ads on TV but you might want to check out their web site, which lists the symptoms (most were spot on for me). It has made such a difference :). Please look into it or ask about it; it may be able to help you. Good luck!

I am believing I am pre-menapausel. I too am looking for severe PMS suggestions. I have been hearing that eating a well balenced diet, taking multivitamins, and the key is to exercise. Exercise is a natural way to relieve stress and spark the endorfins. I hope this was helpful

This runs in my family. My daughter's nutritionist recommended adding more soy to her diet. she likes to drink chocolate milk, so we buy light choc. soymilk and she mixes it with 1% regular milk and drinks 1-2 8 oz glasses a day. The change was dramatic, still some symptoms, but far less severe. I was shocked. I am due with a baby any daynow, so I have not had a chance to try this out on myself, but I am going to. When she doesn't gether soy it is noticable.
as for the breast cancer/soy link, the nut. said that was true for POST menopausal women on HRT.
Also, evening primrose oil (in capsules) works well as a natural remedy.
exersize and of course a balanced diet with lots of fiber help too, but thats true for ANYONE not just us PMS-ers :)

Try camomile in pure form - you put tablets under your tongue (don't touch the pills with your fingers). These can be purchased at a health food store. It may help with the mood swings. Before you take natural meds, check with a doctor because they can react with other medicines and may not be healthy for you if you get pregnant.
Also, Cathryn M. Flanagan in Old Saybrook is a great doctor to see for natural remedies.
Kate Poole in Groton, CT is wonderful with accupuncture.

I too suffer from severe PMS...I also like to find natural alternatives for some ailments! I have discovered a wonderful Aromatherapy blend from The Happy Soul. (I am a consultant for this company) It is a roll on essential oil blend that you roll on to your pulse points and it REALLY works! It is called "PMS blend" It was designed to ease the mental and physical discomfort associated with hormone fluctuation. I was a little skeptical about it at first but as I said, it really does work. I won't go without it now! there is also one for hot flashes as well called "Hold the Flash" this one is recommended to balance your hormones to help you keep a cool head!
you can get these from either ordering online, contacting me personally, or having a home party. please check out the website www.thehappysoul.com you can email me at ____@____.com
Trust me, this will be the best money you will ever spend! any questions, please feel free to contact me.
I hope this helps and good luck!

Sidenote* these both contain Clary Sage oil in them and are not recommended if you are pregnant

Hi Sara,
I am a 34 year old mom with a four year old. I have endometriosis so my pms can be horrendous. Believe it or not, I've found that vigorous exercise helps me the most. Pilates, a dance exercise class like Zumba, anything that gets the endorphins pumping. If cramps are the issue, the stick on heat pads are wonderful. If mood is the issue, exercise helps, but if you are willing to try a birth control pill, it lessens the impact of your period and pms comes a day before your period, not a week before.

You didn't mention whether you were on the pill, but going off the pill in my late 30s was the best thing that ever happened to me. I suffered from severe migraines before and during my period as well as my ovulation. And the migraine meds gave me constant heart palpatations. Going off the pill, and eating a high fiber diet-low carb diet has made all the difference. I get a slight headache each month but I feel my hormones are back to their natural self. I also drink lots of chai tea. Don't feel I need the other remedies yet but good to know about them.

I use Prolief a natural progesterone cream, it is a miracle to those of us that have experienced the PMS, Migranes, Hot Flashes etc. I am a consultant with Arbonne and wouldn't be without it. As a matter of fact I have sold 4 this week! The comments are wonderful. The cost is $34 retail and am offering 20% off the first order of anything in Arbonne (check out the Member perks section)There is a 45 day guarantee. Let me know if I can help. L. ###-###-#### or ____@____.com

hi sarah:

i just read your request....Melaleuca, The Wellness Company has a natural supplement with dong quai, black cohosh and soy to help regulate the hormones and support bone health as well. I have dysmennorhhea (irregular cycles and terrible cramping, etc)...since these supplements, my mood swings arent nearly so bad and the cramping is kept to a minimum.

i also find that spirituality, prayer, and increased meditation can also help. hope this helps. let me know if you have any questions.

S. l

I have experienced tremendous improvement in PMS symptoms from the elimination and/or drastic reduction in consumption of simple carbohydrates (processed - which include sugar and white flour). The glycemic index spikes from those carbs, combined with the hormonal fluctuations increase and intensify PMS symptoms. Also, more sleep is especially critical during the week leading up to your period.
A.

While I don't have children yet, I do have BAD PMS...I have found that taking Black Cohosh (which I found for $5.99 @ Whole foods) once a day usually after breakfast has had an amazing effect on many of my symptoms, especially cramps. Drinking raspberry leaf tea (Yogi Teas makes a good one) also helps. My doctor pointed out the importance of staying hydrated and avoiding fatty and processed foods, caffeine and nicotine (if you smoke). Meditation, yoga and deep breathing exercises can be beneficial, too. Good luck!

Sara,

I would recommend either homeopathy or acupressure/acupuncture. Both work great alone or in conjunction with each other. I do both for a living and see quite a few women with hormonal issues.

Best,

K.

Hi Sara,
I feel your pain!! I have suffered with PMS for years. I am now going thru menopause...thank God!! I was put on a vitamin regimin years ago which worked well for me. B complex,and some other minerals and such. Do you have a PMS counselor at your OB-GYN? That's is what I would recommend. I also take Evening Primrose which helps me sleep. Good luck!
Terri S

I get really bad PMS too and what I do is go out on my own for a while, leaving my girl with my husband and going for a coffee or to Barnes & Nobles for a time alone. Sometimes we moms are full-time moms and we need some time to be women. Also, a warm bath helps, aromatherapy, lifting your legs up high. But for me, often it's just removing myself from the common and usual.

I've been there! My gynecologist prescribed Sarafem for me (it's labeled and packaged for women experiencing severe PMS, but it's "just" prozac. I was very scared to take it at first, and didn't for about 6 months. I finally decided to try after realizing how scared my kids were of me, and how out of control my emotions could become. I've been taking it for several years now, and the only side effect I've had is a lessening in my libido. Otherwise, I'm stable and more in control. I was afraid I'd turn into a "Stepford Wife", but I'm still me. Good luck! And consult with your gyn.

You might try a calcium citrate and magnesium supplement, ###-###-####mg calcium and 400-500mg magnesium each day- especially in the 2 weeks before your period. Also, an evening primrose oil or fish oil at 1-2 grams per day. Avoid salty foods, greasy, caffeine, and carb-y junk foods like muffins, pastries, etc. at least for the week before and during your period. Good luck! These things work really well for a lot people with PMS issues.

Are you taking any omega 3's 6's or 9 fatty acid supplements? Cod Liver Oil is a good choice, you can buy it at any health food store. I take one tablespoon every day and find that it helps to keep me balanced emotionally, and has improved my PMS. Just make sure that if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant that you discontinue use as it contains a great deal of vitamin A which can be toxic to a developing fetus. Hope this helps.

You can e-mail me~ I sell an organic product from Peru that balances you hormones naturally ~from teen pms all the way to menapause.
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THIS WORKED FOR ME!!

Obviously everyone is different but this helped me alot. I was having night sweats and always bad pms, and my periods were about 7 days long. My gyn checked my hormone levels, but my estrogen was fine. I suspected my progesterone was too low, but they don't test for that. I started taking the following herbal supplements and it changed my life. After sharing my success with my gyn, she hadn't even heard of this (!!!)

Vitex (chasteberry fruit)-helps increase progesterone.
DIM -helps your body metabolize excess estrogens that you don't need.

What it did for me was totally eliminated my pms, and it changed my periods to really light, and only 3 days long. Though my cycle became shorter (from 28 days to 22), I didn't care because I felt good all the time.

I think I got turned on to this from seeing Susanne Sommers in an interview. She was talking about a book she wrote about how to balance your body chemistry. Then I researched my symptoms from there.

Initially I played around with the doses until I found what seemed to be the best for me.(sorry I don't have the mgs. right now to tell you, but it ended up being 2 capsules of each/day.) I will be going back to that when I stop nursing.... could be a while!

Good luck!