PMS questions to the ladies...

I'm getting desperate... Does anyone know an herbal supplement or anything that helps with PMS symptoms? Hunger and craving, typically...

I track my food. Normally I have no problem eating 1800 calories (that's a 400ish calories deficit to help me lose my last couple months... bigger than it should be but I know I tend to go over occasionally if we go out or something so it balances out). But before my period, I get so hungry. It's like a physical need, if I don't eat I feel dizzy and weak. And it's like the hormones that make you feel full are not working or something because I don't feel satisfied until I've eaten something like 4000 calories (ok, sure, after a while I eat some junk, but typically there's at least 2500 calories of healthy food in there, and that doesn't make me full either)... It lasts a couple days.

I don't know how to deal with it. I skipped my last period and I had a fantastic month staying at my goal without any issue. But this month has been horrible. I had the same PMS symptoms 2 weeks ago before I ovulated too, so I've probably regained everything I managed to lose last month (I haven't weighed myself in 2 months, I only lose weight after my period, typically, so when I skip one I usually just lose more when I finally get it). My clothes fit the same though, so there's that...

It's depressing. I already feel like a hormonal lunatic and I have to deal with the guilt on top of it because I eat so much. I've had the birth control pill before and it just made me sick, even the lowest dose they could find, and increased my cholesterol, which is already borderline high, so it's not an option.

Does anyone have ANY suggestion? As I said, I've tried the whole 'lean meat, good fats, lots of veggies' thing and it doesn't help me at all (it usually does). Things that typically fill me up for 3-4 hours will leave me starving within 90 minutes...

I know it's only a couple days a month, but it really slows down my progress so it's pretty frustrating.

Errr having a baby is the only thing that helped me. Haha. Nope. Erm. Have you tried vitex? Or maca root? Or both.... Google them. I haven't had a period for a year now so my memory is a bit off, but I was taking them both before I got pregnant and they're suppose to help balance out hormones etc. Read up on them

FYI I've always had terrible pms and crave carbs and turn into psycho bitch from hell. Or anxiety ridden. I've tried a lot. I think there's a lot to be said for cbt type techniques to help. Maybe look into that as well.

If you don't eat you feel week and dizzy, I'm wondering if something medically is going on more so than just intense cravings? First thing that came to mind was your iron levels, especially if it happens during your cycle. Maybe some vital nutrient is thrown out of whack, which makes your body act the way it does?

/totalconjecture But, may be worth looking in to just to make sure?

I'm also wondering if you've asked your doctor about this specific problem.

Dizzy: I thought you had luck with a vitamin B/magnesium regimine? It takes a few months to start working but is supposed to help with more typical mood swings. I never continues with it as it turns out my symptoms were from something else but it was all I found.

I don't know how many different BC pill types you've tried, but if it's only been a few you may want to try more, specifically the nuvaring.

I know when I was on a medication that made me STARVING my doctor told me to take an antacid (I think Zantac or whatever's otc) to help suppress my appetite.

I'd also get checked for typhoid issues, anemia, and PCOS...

I'll definitely mention it next time I see my doctor because it's awful. But that's not for a couple months. It used to happen before I lost weight but it wasn't half as bad (or I just don't remember because I just ate all the time anyway). I got bloodwork done in July and it was fine.

Does Zantac really help? That's interesting, lol!

If you can't see your doctor sooner, maybe call the office and just ask over the phone if that's something they're familiar with and if they have any tips.

I never tried to Zantac I just switched meds lmao. I don't know if it would work generally or it just helped as a side effect of whatever I was on, this was like ten years ago.

Until you go to the doctor I'd try to fill up on healthy stuff as much as you can, obviously get enough protein but then eat boring filling stuff like tons of green beans or some sweet potatoes or something. And drink a lot of water, more than usual.

Hormones make some of us crazy. As far as I know the pill is the only way to treat it. The hormones they give women after menopause are linked to more problems and I have never heard of them being given for the pre period disorder type stuff.

I know for me the two nights before my period I do not sleep. At all. It makes me nuts. I didn't piece it together until I tracked my cycle to get pregnant because I'm dumb apparently.

I said I wasn't going back on the pill because it just makes me feel off. But I am so miserable those couple of days I think I am going back on. There had to be some kind of specialist though. If you find something let me know. My drs look at me like I'm dumb and it's just how it is.

Ahhh yes I did take b6. I can not for the life of me remember how it went... Everything's a bit of a blur.

I hated the pill. Made my symptoms 100x worse. Yuck. But I haven't been on it for a very very long time so I don't know if it'd be different now. Tbh I felt the most balanced I ever have when I was preggo. So I definitely think the hormones are a bit screwed up somewhere.

The shaking, craving, omg must eat feeling I think is almost a normal symptom to some extent. I'd get that intense feeling of needing to eat. Like my sugar levels had dropped.

Urgh hormones suck hairy round ones.

I also felt the best when pregnant. Husband commented that he thought women were supposed to cry and swing emotionally all over and I was more even than ever lol! If it wasn't for that last month and emergency section part I'd be a surrogate. No migraines, no acne, lost some weight(lot right after and when hormones went back to normal gained back- blah).

Pill does not mimic it. I feel kinda blah emotionally on it. Won't say depressed but not myself. I have heard people say the pill does cause mood swings and depression in them.

No experience with the eating business, but I refuse to take any sort of hormonal BC now because of how awful they were on me emotionally. I was either a complete roller coaster (high, then low, crying for no reason) or just a complete flatline (I also wouldn't call it depression... it was just a lack of interest in anything). I didn't want to do anything, which was scary because I tend to be pretty go, go, go, type A.

Have a chat with a doctor... maybe a OBGYN or an endocrinologist if you can... they might take your concerns more seriously, or have a better idea of what to do.

I've had no luck with gynecologists. I had a great one before I moved, the ones I've found since all pretty much suck, don't listen to me etc... I need to look for a new one again.

I finally got my period last night after a week of pure hell. I probably gained a pound or two. Now to lose it again...

I'm wondering if it's because I didn't get a period last month that the symptoms were so bad this time. My last GYN just shrugged it off and said that 10 periods a year is normal (I was regular like clockwork before losing weight). But I didn't have that issue at the time... The only problem is that I really don't know what they can do about it either.

It's been a long time since I got on the BC but yeah, I remember crazy mood swings and my cholesterol went way up, so I don't think it would be much better. I am extremely sensitive to hormonal changes, lol.

You can see a midwife for regular ob gyn checkup type care/any women's health stuff, BTW, if that expands your search. I like my midwives a lot more than any of the 7 or so gynecologists I tried before them.

If you're eating "healthy*", I wonder if you're getting enough fat/protien. A couple strips of bacon and some dark chocolate might be really satisfying.


* because healthy means lots of different things, and I don't know what that looks like for you

25% protein and 30% fat, and usually I go over on both. But nothing satisfies me during PMS, even chocolate or bacon, lol.

Im kinda the same way except that I dont eat anything at all during my periods, no solid food for 5-8 days. Instead, I drink everything in sight, and I cant stop drinking things. water, tea, juice, milkshakes, smoothies, coffee, Ill even crave soda and I NEVER want soda. yay hormones, y r u so weird

I lose weight when I am PMS'ing, because the hormones make me so nauseous that I can barely eat anything , then because of the bleeding, I get weak and dizzy on top of that. I have also not been able to tolerate any BC either.

The week before is killer for me because I (or at least I feel like) I turn into a huge fat bloat beast, I have tried diuretics, nothing relieves it -_-... the only thing that does is Aunt Flo's visit. Luckily the worst day is the first, and after that, I am fine.

hope you find relief soon.

Oh bummer! Hahaha. That sucks though.

during PMS and actual onset of Aunt Flo, I crave bananas, for some reason at this time of the month, I cant get enough of them!

I could not agree with that sentiment more!

-Penny D