PMS is a real and severe health issue for many women

Women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS), from mild to very severe (and severe PMS is described as having premenstrual dysphoric disorder or PMDD) have a number of symptoms which compromise and adversely affect their quality of life and the level this is affected depends on the level of symptoms experiences - the worse the symptoms, the more adversely the quality of life is affected.

Scientists have been looking at women with PMS and have come to the conclusion that women who experience PMS symptoms experience lowered quality of life as they cannot function properly (whether it is in their relationships, work, social life) and this causes increased medical costs through more visits to doctors and subsequent lab test. It also causes indirect costs to employers through lowered productivity when a woman experiences severe PMS symptoms and cannot function or think as effectively as she normally does when not in PMS.

Women with severe PMS symptoms, especially the mental symptoms of anxiety, depression, anger can be so impaired in their ability to function normally (when not in the time of PMS), that it can cause an impairment in interpersonal or workplace functioning.

Interpersonal conflicts are common for women with PMS and that can cause a great deal of unnecessary stress in a workplace or for a woman's interpersonal relationships, which if not treated effectively and continues to escalate unabated, can mean those relationships cease to exist and employment may go on to be terminated. This of course, compounds the issue and it becomes a vicious circle.

Women with PMS must seek effective treatment for the symptoms of PMS in order to maintain a better quality of life and in order not to suffer the symptoms of this, often, debilitating condition.

Your doctor can use a Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST) to help you determine how PMS symptoms are affecting your life.

There are adequate (and natural) ways to control PMS (and even the condition known as PMDD).

References:

1.  Choi D, Lee DY, Lehert P, Lee IS, Kim SH, Dennerstein L. The impact of premenstrual symptoms on activities of daily life in Korean women. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol. 2010 Mar;31(1):10-5
2.  Freeman EW,  Sondheimer SJ. Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: Recognition and Treatment. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2003; 5(1): 30–39. Accessed 8 July 2010
3. Mishell DR Jr. Premenstrual disorders: epidemiology and disease burden. Am J Manag Care. 2005 Dec;11(16 Suppl):S473-9. Accessed 8 July 2010
4. Pearlstein T, Steiner M. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder: burden of illness and treatment update. J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2008 Jul;33(4):291-301. Accessed 8 July 2010

Wonderful PMS and Menstruation This Month

What a surprise this month's PMS has been.

Let me just recap on the symptoms I normally experience for about 2 weeks each month. with symptoms the worst in the last few days before menstruation and the absolute and utter worst the day to two days before menstruation (yes, I am not kidding here)!!

• Severe bloating of the whole body (about 1-2kg)
  
• Sore, painful breasts (cant hug anyone as they are too sore)
  
• Very tired and lethargic
• Seriously cranky with major mood fluctuations
• Feeling emotional and crying for no reason
• Very irritable
• Headache
• Blood sugar level fluctuations and craving sweet foods
• Insomnia
• Severe confusion and forgetfulness
  

This is basically all of the symptoms a woman can have prior to menstruation.

Some months when my menstrual cycle has been very erratic and long (6 weeks or so between menstrual cycles), PMS was then extended to 4 weeks - this was basically hell because all my symptoms were completely exaggerated and severe for 4 whole weeks! Imagine how horrible that would be?

Now this month, because I have been eating so well, exercising and doing the detoxification, my symptoms were unbelievably minimal in PMS. This is a list of the symptoms I experienced this month at PMS:

• Some bloating (but nowhere near as much as normal)
• Bloated breasts, but not painful at all
  
• Slightly irritable only the day before menstruation started

Yes, that is it! That was the extent of my PMS! Now for someone who normally experiences really severe PMS, to have such a normal mental and physical time prior to menstruation is wonderful, absolutely wonderful!

This has been the best PMS of my life - because it basically was not PMS. But not only that, my periods this month were absolute bliss! I had no pain this month.

Now that in itself is pretty amazing, as I am normally in excruciating pain that all I can do is just lie down and try to relieve it in whatever way I can. Drugs normally just take the edge off the pain for maybe 1 hour or so and that is no relief when you can only take medication every 4-6 hours! I had given up on the medication (Naprogesic, Ponstan) for period pain, as it does nothing for me and my pain.

To have a month where I felt absolutely no pain or discomfort whatsoever, without any medication, is truly amazing! I used to be in awe of those friends/acquaintance who would tell me that they hardly noticed they were menstruating. I always knew I was menstruating, the pain I was in for about 3-4 days of my periods always made sure of that! But this month, I was only of those women who hardly noticed they were menstruating! Pure bliss!!

Now, I shall continue to eat the same way I have been eating (healthy food, but not denying myself things like organic dark chocolate or some ice cream a few times a week), exercising, detoxifying with the massaging and meditating. I will continue with all these techniques and see how my PMS and period pain is next month - hopefully it will continue to be bliss.

The other exciting thing I need to mention is that my cycle was exactly 29 days, to the hour this month! Last month my periods started at 7pm, this month, they started at 7pm 29 days later. That has never happened before! Normally my menstrual cycle ranges anywhere from 29 - 45 days, with an average of about 31-32 days between my periods. So to have my periods be this regular, is truly an amazing gift!! Wonderful!! Hopefully this means that my cycle will be more regular from now on and pain free! Yipee!!

Thank goodness for the lovely relief this month!! I really hope it will continue next month and beyond!