PMS Woes

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-24-2003
PMS Woes
8
Tue, 09-09-2003 - 3:19pm
Why is it that every month, I have to go through severe PMS? My breasts get so sore they feel like they are going to explode, and every so often I go through these really dumb crying spells, I get all emotional and I cry for no reason, and I really hate myself for it. Then there is the crankiness and the irritability and the digestive problems. Then when my period starts, those things subside, but then I get terrible menstrual cramps, I even get them in my back, which is even worse than getting them in the stomach. I have cut back on salt and caffeine, and that hasn't helped. I never had PMS when I was a teenager, but as soon as I hit 20 that is when my period troubles began to become a problem. If I am having this much trouble with severe pain now, what is it going to be like for me when I have children, will the contractions be worse than what they are now? I am only 26, I have been to the doctor, I have had a physical exam, and a pap/pelvic exam, and blood work done to test for thyroid and other problems, I don't have infections, I am healthy there is nothing wrong with me. I have tried birth control pills, but they don't help with the pain, so I stopped taking them. My menstrual contractions are sometimes worse at night, and they make me cry, I have actually woken up in the middle of the night crying because of the intense pain. I have tried Rx Strength Motrin, I have tried Pamprin and Midol, but they don't really help that much. I feel like such a whimp, and I feel helpless, please help!

~Kat~

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
In reply to: kat_lady1977
Tue, 09-09-2003 - 3:43pm


Aww hon, I'm sorry, not much fun huh?

If it makes you feel any better, before children, your description of what you go through could have been me. My Dr. back in those days told me to walk to get rid of the cramps. All I wanted to do was curl up in a ball with a hot heating pad.

But after children everything changed so much and all to the better, esp. the cramps! So just know there is hope.

I understand they're working on a pill that may allow for a woman's cycle to be just a few times a year instead of every month? I'm not sure but boy, that would be something to look into when and if it comes out. Every month they're discovering so much about our bodies so hang tough. Things could well get better. :)

~Golly

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-22-2002
In reply to: kat_lady1977
Tue, 09-09-2003 - 4:07pm
That pill is called Seasonale, it was approved by the FDA last week and should be available in pharmacies across the US in October. It is the same formulation as the birth control pill Nordette (different manufacturers), and it has 84 active pills instead of 21. The *right* birth control pill (high enough in progestin, not too much estrogen) could make all the difference, as there are so many different ones out there! Estrogen can make periods more painful and heavy. Pills higher in estrogen are Ortho Cyclen, Tri Cyclen, Triphasil, and the patch is in the same general neighborhood. Very low estrogen pills are Alesse, Mircette, and Nuvaring (the vaginal ring) is very low.

I used to get back cramps before I went on the pill almost seven years ago, they're awful! Since getting on the pill, my periods are actually manageable. Has your doctor ever mentioned the possibility of endometriosis? One of the symptoms is painful periods, but the only way to diagnose it properly is with a laparoscopy (they explore the abdomen through a little hole in your abdominal wall to look for endometrial tissue that is outside the uterus--this tissue would respond just as the tissue in the uterus does when you have your period). If it's bad enough, they can go in and remove the extra tissue, but a lot of times it's treated with continuous birth control pills. Just something else to suggest to your doctor! There is an Endo and Fibroids board here at iVillage Health, you might learn more there, to see if it sounds like you or not.

Good luck--you will live through it! I know...not the most reassuring advice....

Judie

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-19-2003
In reply to: kat_lady1977
Tue, 09-09-2003 - 5:32pm
What about the birth control shot? That makes it so you have your period 4 times a year, with only that many shots per year. You don't have to worry about remembering to take a pill every day...but if you think you'll be having children, you have to be off the shot for a full year before you can conceive, from what I understand.

Anyone hear anything about that? It's been around a long time now. I remember people being on it 4-5 years ago...

~Ri

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-24-2003
In reply to: kat_lady1977
Tue, 09-09-2003 - 5:45pm
Thank You!

I am glad to have support from other women that suffer from similar things that I do. It's nice to know that there are people that care. I was on birth control for awhile, but sometimes I would forget to take it, plus I wasn't sexually active, and I am still not. I was taking Alesse, but it did nothing for the cramping and breast tenderness. The only thing that it did for me was reduce the blood flow, which was nice, and it made me lose like a few pounds of water weight. I have heard that being overweight can cause terrible cramps, but I have lost 48lbs since last August, and I still have trouble with cramps. I don't think that weight has nothing to do with it. And there is no record of any of my family members having terrible cramps, not even my mother. The cramps are my biggest problem. But I would like to know what to do about the crying spells, I am already an emotional basket case when I don't have PMS, but when I do have PMS it is much worse.

~Kat~

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
In reply to: kat_lady1977
Wed, 09-10-2003 - 7:33pm
KAT--My Love!! I am the QUEEN of PMS!! I have tried Serafem--which worked great--but I started getting headaches--BUT it works for many.I am NOW on Wellbutrin--which has helped me to STOP smoking and helps w/ the PMS. You probably have PMDD I DO. There is TONS of info on the web for it. I am now using a progesterone cream..Many swear by it for relieving sore breasts..Go to your local health food store and research it. i am on my first month using it and it USUALLY takes 2 months for it to TOTALLY work. I will see..... staying away from the caffiene and sugar is SMART.Good luck..xoxoxo mel

"Mel on Wheels"    

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
In reply to: kat_lady1977
Wed, 09-10-2003 - 11:09pm


Hi Kat,

So sorry to hear you have to go through all this every month.

Sure doesn't sound right to me ..

I would assume your doctor you have you have been with for quite awhile and you trust her completely. If I were in your shoes, I would get a second opinion.

Certainly cannot hurt and who knows what may come out of it .. JMHO

Do know you are not a wimp and all you experience is very real and hurts!

For me the older I got the worse my period would be .. I know, not much help to you ..

I saw a woman gyn doctor as opposed to my family doctor which helped a great deal.

Let us know if there is anything we can do to help ..

Besides give you lots of {{{Kat}}} and support :)

~Hugs~

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-22-2002
In reply to: kat_lady1977
Thu, 09-11-2003 - 10:04am
From what I know about Depo Provera, I wouldn't recommend it to anybody. I host the Birth Control board here at iVillage Health and the ratio of women that hate Depo to those that love it is at least 2:1, if not more.

Depo does stop periods (altogether) in many women because it stops ovulation, but in other women it results in constant bleeding, more like a slow leak than a period. Depression and loss of libido are common, as is weight gain, and women using Depo Provera need to keep an eye on cholesterol and bone density, as Depo can make both these worse. So yes, it could relieve cramps, but for me the risk of unpleasant side effects would be too high.

What may work for Kat, if she's liked the pill but been irregular about taking it, could be Nuvaring. It's the lowest estrogen dose on the US market, and estrogen can make cramps, etc. worse. Since switching to it in December, I no longer have PMS, I have mild cramps (not painkiller worthy) only for a few hours, and my periods are light and predictable. Some people are creeped out by putting a plastic ring in their vaginas and leaving it there, but you get used to that! It's very convenient, nearly goof-proof, and is just as reliable as the pill. Ortho Evra, the patch, is another option she could consider, but it's significantly higher in estrogen than Nuvaring, with a less-strong progestin. The hormones are the same as in Ortho Cyclen, which gave me long heavy periods (though still not as bad as pre-pill periods). It's not as creepy to use as Nuvaring for most women, but is still easier to use than the pill.

Just some other ideas!

Judie

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
In reply to: kat_lady1977
Thu, 09-11-2003 - 12:16pm


Judie,

Thanks again for all the info. :)

Seems to me, a gal can't be too informed when it comes to what we decide to do and armed with the info and a good Dr. to work with us in finding out what works best for each of us. It's really awesome how different we all are and how our bodies can react so differently to what it's exposed to. It just reminds me how unique we each really are.

Blessings and Hugs,

~Golly