The Moody Blues: ALTERNATIVE

I have found the following (alternative) treatments helpful for PMDD:

Psychotherapy
Mindfulness meditation: Online course
Magnesium
Green tea
Swimming (but not during menstrual week as too tiring)
Yoga
Baths, relaxation, massage, and avoiding making many plans during menstrual phase. Keeping your mind distracted, so no time to think. Reading. Walking.
Going to bed before midnight

They say plan your life around your cycle, so you avoid stressful tasks at that time. This is quite difficult in practice, you can't put your life on hold. But stress does make PMDD worse, so it's worth noting it. Also acceptance that you may not be able to control this disorder, but you can control how you react to it.

ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS

There are many supplements and herbal remedies recommended to reduce PMS symptoms. I’ve listed the alternative treatments that could be helpful for each individual symptom. I've highlighted in purple the remedies that have helped me. You can find details of how to take these remedies/dosage information on the next page, along with other herbs which i have not tried.

NAUSEA

Ginger (chews or tea), vinegar (gherkins).
http://www.gingerpeople.com/ginger-chews.html

INCREASED APPETITE

Eating low GL high fibre/ starchy snacks every 3 hours, at least, ALL MONTH ROUND, and avoiding sugary foods can help stabilize your blood sugar. Add linseed (flaxseed) to food to make it higher in fibre and more filling, or add more protein & fat!
Flavoured popcorn is nice and high in fibre!
I lose my appetite during/after my period, so I don't worry too much about eating extra before my period, because my body needs it.
The amino acid L-glutamine (one of the building blocks of protein) is supposedly “fast food for the brain”. Why we overeat?

SWEET CRAVINGS

Eating low GL snacks instead of sugary foods usually helps. Sugar is addictive so avoiding it altogether is best, if you can!
An alternative to chocolate is to take the amino acid DLPA which contains phenylalanine, a substance which gives you a natural “high”.
Also it has been suggested that without magnesium, insulin cannot be manufactured which means the brain does not get enough glucose and this causes it to send out signals which result in sugar cravings. So magnesium may also be helpful.
L-glutam ine also reduces sugar cravings and is one of the most abundant amino acids in the body.

MIGRAINES/ HEADACHES

A lot of women suffer from migraines during there menses - called menstrual migraine.
Webpage on migraines

Relaxing/ Head massage
4Head & cooling strips
Magnesium
Valerian root (herb which promotes relaxation).

The London Migraine Clinic: gave me plenty of good advise, such as it is important to treat a migraine early, as soon as you get symptoms, as otherwise painkillers can be ineffective. Dissolvable painkillers work quicker. Motilium can be taken if nausea occurs, this will help the painkillers be absorbed. This should be taken before food. Also not to panic, it is possible to get them under control. Important to stick to a routine of eating and sleeping, as changes to this routine can cause migraines. Especially oversleeping.

They also trialed hypnosis with good results:
Hypnosis for migraine

LOW SELF ESTEEM

Cognitive behavioural therapy, psychotherapy or counseling.

ANXIETY/ NERVOUSNESS / AGITATION

The herbs Kava Kava, Ashwagandha, Valerian root, and an extract from green tea called L-theanine (or Green tea itself, although this contains a small amount of caffeine). These herbs are sedating, without any other side-effects (for me).
Female balance tea's such as Mother Earth and Red Clover may help.
Also relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation and music.
GABA (amino acid&neurotransmitter, which isn't supposed to cross the blood-brain barrier but it worked for me, I got pins and needles in my hands and feet which would indicate overdose.). Be careful with this though, amino acids should not be used alone in high doses, occasionally at a small dose might be ok but consult your doctor.
Picamilon (contains GABA and niacin which helps the GABA cross to the brain)
Epsom Salts?

ABDOMINAL CRAMPS

Hot water bottle/wheaty warmer for cramps (the best thing!).
Kava kava and Valerian root (both have pain relieving properties), magnesium. Evening primrose supplements (I didn't find these helped).
The main foods which can adversely affect period cramps are red meat and dairy produce. They contain the type of fats which interfere with short-term hormones called prostaglandins, and this can encourage inflammation. Try to replace animal fats with fish and olive oil.

MOOD SWINGS / DEPRESSION

Therapy.
Rhodiola Rosea (a herbal MAOI and adaptogen)
p7 (a topical mood enhancer containing neurosteroids)
Exercising regularly helps reduce the severity of the depression because it causes the body to release endorphins (natural happy chemicals).
Also try relaxation techniques, music, and spend time pampering yourself and watching movies! Try to keep away from 'bad relationships', if you can. Acceptance, sometimes you just need to tell yourself that you feel shit now but it will pass, and there isn't much you can do in the meantime, except distract yourself. That you aren't like other people and must look after yourself.
Reading can help because the left hand side of brain is analytical and the left hand side of brain processes 'feelings'. So if you keep the right hand side of brain occupied with problem solving/reading, you will be distracted from the negative 'feelings'.
Left Brain vs Right Brain
Light therapy has shown promising results in trials, sunlight increases serotonin so walks may be good! Try dietary changes and supplements, as detailed below. Keep blood sugar levels stable to prevent mood swings.

INSOMNIA

Sleep easy tea: containing Valerian root which is anti-anxiety herb and promotes more REM sleep (may feel drowsy next day).
Chamomile tea. Lavender spray on pillow.
Melatonin which is the body’s natural sleep hormone.
Solgar Magnesium Citrate 400-600mg an hour before bed.
Calcium apparently helps too, I think that's why warm milk must work!
Stick to as regular sleeping pattern as you can, bed before 11 if possible as the hours before midnight at the most important (but i rarely make it to bed before midnight..doh ) and avoiding caffeine and alcohol at night.
Dim lights or elimate blue light before bed: advise here.

I read half of Paul McKenna's book I Can Make You Sleep and found it interesting, maybe it helped, I think Magnesium helped me the most though, and reducing stress (through changes in routine/ work and in my relationships).

I think the most important thing to do when you can't sleep is DON'T PANIC!! And Don't start beating yourself up/getting stressed about it because that just makes it worse. If you do find yourself wide awake and worrying the best thing you can do is have a sleep inducing tea or cup of warm milk and read a book until you feel tired. Yes you will be tired tomorrow but it won't kill you, you'll get through it and worrying about that NOW is just going to keep you awake even longer. I know this is easy to say but it is very important to try to relax. One thing the book said is "your thoughts at night seem to take on much more significance than thoughts during the day". So worrying about problems at night is probably the worst time to think about them, it can be good to take a pen and paper and write down any thoughts that are bothering you and then tell yourself you will deal with these in the morning, and don't allow yourself to think about them any more. Try to push your mind onto something else... Insomnia is very common, and not a sign that there is something deeply wrong with you. Sometimes we have such hectic days, it can be difficult for the body to wind down. Try to set aside an hour or two to wind down before bed.

POOR CONCENTRATION/ CONFUSION / FORGETFULNESS / LACK OF MOTIVATION

Smart drugs (nootropics) such as Vinpocetine and ginkgo biloba may help. Ginkgo biloba is too stimulating for me, it makes me jittery, caffeine is the same for me.
Green tea is great for concentration BUT it does contain caffeine, and too much dehydrates me so I have to drink more water.
Fish oil supplements.

FATIGUE

Maximize relaxation and sleep (9 hrs works for me!).
Nettle tea contains lots of iron and is highly nutritious. It has a myriad of health benefits too!
Rhodiola Rosea. Ginkgo biloba. Evening Primrose oil.

WATER RETENTION

Decrease salt intake. Natural diuretics (green tea, dandelion root).

IBS / DIGESTIVE COMPLAINTS

Many women suffer IBS symptoms around their period and during pregnancy as hormones affect the stomach.
Aloe vera drink, medicinal charcoal tablets (for gas), peppermint tea or capsules, fennel seeds (chew) are all good.
Caprylic acid supplement reduces yeast in the body
L-Glutamine, see link.
Leaky Gut

NUTRITION AND PMS

Some websites recommend a low fat, high fibre vegetarian diet for PMS. Personally I would add a little fish as well, because it contains many nutrients and healthy fatty acids. Eating lots of fibre apparently lowers oestrogen levels, high levels of which may cause PMS. However i follow a high fibre vegetarian (with the addition of fish in my twenties) diet, have low oestrogen levels, and I have PMDD! So maybe a partially vegetarian diet would be better. I'm trying the opposite approach just now, and trying to eat more protein and fats, to increase my low oestrogen levels! Although after reading this lengthy report on the Vegetarian Society website about health, i may stick to tofu and soya beans!

A few people have recommended I try the p aleo (cavema n) diet for my hormones.
Vegetarian Paleo diet

I saw dietician Nigel Denby (author of many books on Low GL Diets), through Dr Panay (privately). They trialled a high calcium and high vitamin D diet for PMS (as seen on tv!), which i tried, but it didn't work for me, unfortunately. It required eating 1000mg of calcium a day, plus vitamin D from oily fish everyday.

http://www.132harleystreet.com/dynamicdata/nutrition.php

Nigel Denby is also nutritional advisor to NAPS. NAPS helpline recommend eating regularly, not more than 3 hours apart to keep blood sugar levels stable. As unstable blood sugar can cause mood swings. Low GL foods are foods that do not cause sudden sharp spikes in blood sugar which can lead to feeling fatigued or dizzy about an hour later. There are many books on it, GL (glycemic load) has replaced GI (glycemic index).

It may be worth seeing a dietician with regards to PMS, as they can look at your diet and tell you what you are missing:
Find a dietician

PMS is more likely to respond to nutritional interventions than PMDD though, according to my leaflet from Dr Panay.

Try eating tryptophan-rich foods such as turkey, lentils, pecan nuts, chilli, peppers and bananas. Tryptophan is the precursor to serotonin which is the happy hormone! Carbohydrates are the best food for boosting serotonin levels tho, try eating a protein rich meal, followed a few hours later by a carb-only (no protein) snack. This will help the tryptophan cross the blood-brain barrier as it won't be competing with the other amino acids.

How food affects mental health
Article on how amino acids and diet can affect mood
How nutrition may influence depression
How to increase serotonin naturally
Estrogen-rich foods

Try to rule out nutritional causes for PMS before trying drugs because drugs tend to have side-effects, and there aren't many drugs that can eliminate PMS symptoms. My recommendation would be to cut down on salt and processed foods. Eat low GL carbohydrate snacks* every 3 hours. And make sure your diet is low in fat, particularly animal fats (except fish which contains good fats). Just think "low GL and essential fatty acids" every time you make a meal! Also try taking magnesium citrate, and a high strength vitamin B complex, and also 3000mg (3g) Evening Primrose oil (or borage oil) supplement containing 240mg of GLA, everyday. If you are vegetarian, Zinc may also be an issue, as meat is a higher source and the phytic acid in plant foods can inhibit abso rption.

Although supplements are expensive, it may be best to take all of these together initially because your body needs an adequate supply of certain minerals and vitamins to process EPO. If these supplements work for you then you can try cutting out the vitamins and minerals and just taking EPO to see if your symptoms return. Most sites say you may need to wait 3 months before a treatment will help, so don't expect instant results and give up when you don't get them! Charting your symptoms everyday may help you work out which treatments help you. Eating low GI foods regularly, therapy and exercise have been the most helpful to me. And also Magnesium for insomnia, which apparently PMDD women are more likely to suffer from. Lack of sleep is not good for positive mood.

AROMATHERAPY

Vetiver, sandalwood, ylang ylang, chamomile, and lavender, are oils that are both sedating and antidepressants, Clary Sage for cramps and muscle pain, while bergamot, sweet orange, geranium, melissa and rose can help lift the mood without sedating. Where anxiety is associated with depression, neroli is one of the most valuable oils, and jasmine increases confidence both in one’s self and in the likelihood of overcoming difficult circumstances.

http://www.project-aware.org/Managing/lifestyle.shtml

COUNSELLING

Counseling may help you manage your moods. PMS clinics offer group therapy. Cognitive behavioural therapy is a form of counseling which changes the way you think. It is successful in treating depression, with the same success rate as anti-depressants. So CBT may be helpful for treating PMS, there are many good books on it available in book shops or try doing a search on Amazon. With any form of counseling, it is important that you feel comfortable with the counselor, sort of like choosing a partner. I used to think why should i get therapy for something which is clearly biological in nature (PMDD). However i think therapy has helped my enormously, both to cope and to improve my life, so don't underestimate the link between mind and body.

Mindfulness is a type of therapy aimed at staying 'in the moment' and not living in the past or future...
Mindfulness meditation Resources
This article gets to the heart of mindfulness, regarding thoughts:
http://aflourishinglife.com/2013/05/the-treasure-at-the-heart-of-pain/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+gailbrenner%2FteDD+%28A+Flourishing+Life%29

SPIRITUAL

Two excellent blogs which describe a more spiritual approach to coping with PMDD. 'PMS Lay Champion' Cat Hawkins also runs a lovely support group on facebook.

http://meetmypmdd.blogspot.co.uk/p/what-is-pmdd.html
http://naturalshaman.blogspot.co.uk/

An interview by Cat:
Breaking Stigmatism

Also from Cat, some advise on stages of menstrual cycle:
"Day 1 of the cycle, the first day of bleeding, menstruation, is symbolic of winter, energy is low and heavy. Rest and retreat. Conserve energy, focus inwards. Around day 7 we move into spring. Our energy begins to grow, we begin to venture outside again, but the weather can be unpredictable. At ovulation, around day 13/14 onwards, we are in summer, focus is outwards. We feel outgoing, energetic, productive and social. Day 21 sees the onset of winter with an autumn phase. We begin to tidy up the things we started, harvest, energy is waning, weather is again, sunshine and showers. Winter hits again on day 1 and we retreat again."

Dysmennorhoea (painful periods) and acupuncture.

YOGA
I've recently read this article which ties in with what my therapist said about PMS being a sort of 'window to your subconscious':

Your inner dark femininity- power or poison?

Her website is here, the course is pretty expensive considering it's online, but i might buy her book sometime.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-5158/The-Yoga-Pose-Every-Woman-Needs-on-the-1st-Day-of-Her-Period.html
http://www.facebook.com/AyurvedicYogaTherapy

ACUPUNCTURE

Dysmennorhoea (painful periods) and acupuncture.
RELAXATION