Do any of these symptoms sound familiar to you? Headaches, depression, anxiety, uncontrollable crying spells, fatigue, fluid retention, abdominal cramps, palpitations, weight gain, irritability, panic attacks, forgetfulness, migraines, back pain, decreased work or social performance, problems sleeping, food cravings, breast tenderness, clumsiness, confusion. . . Sounds like a nightmarish existence, doesn’t it?
Are you one of the 40-80% of women for whom this scenario, or at least a part of it, is everyday life for one to two weeks out of every month of their lives from puberty to menopause? What disorder could result in these varied and often disabling symptoms for so many women?
Premenstrual syndrome! That’s how it is! It’s that old friend, PMS, the subject of so many jokes and criticisms. You know, that catch-all phrase that “so-called comedians” say covers all the “imaginary” problems women “make up” as excuses to spend the day on the couch “watching TV and eating sweets.”
Let me assure you that while it’s true that doctors and researchers haven’t found a specific lab test that can identify PMS, this disorder is definitely not “imagined” or “made up.” Serious medical research has been conducted for years to identify the definitions, diagnosis, causes, and cures for this disorder. Here are two of the resulting definitions:
1. Dr. Ellen Freeman of the University of Pennsylvania Health System describes PMS as a “cluster of emotional, physical, and behavioral symptoms that have a cyclical pattern related to the menstrual cycle, becoming severe in the week or two before menstruation and decreases with menstruation.”
2. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists defines PMS as “the cyclical onset of symptoms that are severe enough to interfere with some aspects of life and that occur in a consistent and predictable relationship to menstruation.”
How do you know if you or a loved one has PMS if there is no real test to detect it? Researchers and doctors generally agree that the general identifying factor for this disorder is the fact that the symptoms disappear once menstruation begins or once a woman becomes pregnant.
You should know that doctors have identified two serious forms of PMS that have effects far beyond normal PMS symptoms:
1. “Postpartum depression” is a severe depression that some women experience after giving birth. Women with this disorder are severely low due to the high levels of hormones during pregnancy, and due to the disruption of their nervous systems, they can actually harm themselves or their babies.
2. “Premenstrual dysphoric disorder” (PMDD) causes severe and disabling depression, anxiety, tension and irritability, severe mood swings in the week or two before the onset of menstruation, and women with this disorder have at least five of the following symptoms: Physical symptoms of premenstrual syndrome as well. Like normal PMS, PMDD symptoms go away with menstruation.
You may have heard that doctors find it helpful for women to keep a diary of symptoms throughout the month when trying to diagnose PMS. What should you look for when journaling or considering the possibility that you or a loved one has PMS? Well, PMS carries over 150 possible symptoms that affect women both physically and emotionally to varying degrees.
Physically, symptoms can range from mild, such as a headache, fatigue, and mild abdominal swelling, to severe, such as migraines, severe cramps, and an inability to function normally. Emotionally, you may experience symptoms related to anxiety (irritability, irrational crying, or emotional swings), depression (reduced, fearful, or altered libido), cravings (for sweets, dairy, or alcohol), and fluid retention (headache, tenderness in the breasts). , bloating, and weight gain).
I can tell you that although doctors have not yet determined the exact cause of PMS, they agree that hormones and neurochemical changes within the brain are prime suspects. Estrogen hormones, for example, can contribute to increased brain activity, salt retention, and a drop in blood sugar, because it has a central neurological effect in the brain.
What do you do if you realize that you or a loved one suffers from some level of PMS? Obviously, if the symptoms are severe, you should seek the advice of your doctor. Currently, doctors may prescribe psychiatric treatments (psychotropic drugs, tricyclics, tranquilizers, or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), medical treatments (hormonal anti-estrogen drugs), or a combination of both for severe cases.
However, if you think your symptoms are manageable or if they are intermittent, here are some tips that may help relieve some symptoms.
– Eat six small meals, high in complex carbohydrates, low in simple sugars in three-hour intervals to help keep energy levels and blood glucose levels stable. Complex carbohydrates are found in foods that are eaten in their natural state, such as oatmeal, cornmeal, barley, and wheat germ, or in foods such as pasta, brown rice, root vegetables such as potatoes, whole grain breads and cereals, etc.
– Reduce caffeine, alcohol, salt, fats, and simple sugars to help reduce fatigue, tension, depression, and swelling from fluid retention.
– Add calcium, controlled levels of B6, B complex, magnesium and vitamin E to help maintain a normal mood and reduce fluid retention, cramps and back pain.
– Exercise three times a week for at least 20-30 minutes to improve mood, blood circulation, sense of well-being, and relieve build-up of tension and stress.
– Learn to relax with deep breathing exercises, music, quiet time alone, or yoga to lessen symptoms and help you cope. Also, spend time with an understanding friend, get a solid 8 hours of sleep on a regular basis, and keep track of your menstrual cycle on your calendar to prepare for the onslaught of symptoms and help yourself cope.
– Adjust your schedule according to your menstrual cycle to avoid difficult decisions, stressful dates or events, or even arguments during PMS to help both your PMS time and your relationships.
– Investigate the use of herbs. Much research is being done in the field of herbal remedies for PMS. Evening primrose oil, chaste tree berry, dong qui, and other herbs may have an effect on PMS symptoms based on personal testimonials from women who have tried them.
For best results, I recommend a combination of all of these areas. A lifestyle that includes a balanced diet, adequate amounts of necessary vitamins and minerals, plenty of healthy exercise, adequate rest and relaxation, good mental attitudes, and appropriate herbs gives you the best defense against PMS symptoms. However, if all else fails, by all means add a couple of sweets. Women for centuries have insisted that chocolate is a miracle cure-all!
