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More than 70% of women suffer from premenstrual syndrome but only between 5-10% suffer from Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, a more severe form of PMS. I've had PMS symptoms since i started menstruating. It got worse during my last year of university, after taking the pill. Around that time i read Katherine Dalton's book on PMS which is out-of-date now but some of it is still relevant: She recommended charting symptoms to prove that they are cyclical. She also highlights that many diseases (e.g. asthma, epilepsy) can get worse during a woman's premenstrual time.

Eight years ago when i realised i had PMDD, most doctors hadn't heard of it and told me i just had to 'put up with it'. I didn't listen, i saw a few different gynecologists and they kept trying to put me on contraceptive pills which i knew (from experience) made me feel worse. Listen to your own body when you take medication. Always be alert to side-effects from both drugs, and alternative treatments, and always stand up for yourself!

I eventually stumbled across NAPS. The NAPS helpline suggested I see Dr Panay. Through him, i finally got proper treatment. Although there were still some ups and downs, they were less severe. A big downer was my medical insurance company, PPP AXA, informing me that PMS wasn't a real health condition, was it?  This is incorrect as PMDD is recognised under UK law and is included in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV and 5). I cancelled my policy even though work pay for it, as i realised private health insurance companies didn't care about my health, only my money. The NHS offers the best treatment for PMDD. Hopefully PMDD will become recognised by GP's eventually, but it's up to women to educate doctor's about it by telling them how we feel! A big thank you to NAPS as well, without whom i'd have never have found the PMS clinic at Queens Charlotte hospital in London. 

I suffer mainly from mood-related PMDD symptoms but also IBS, abdominal cramps and menstrual migraines. Without treatment, these symptoms start at ovulation, worsen in the luteal phase, and last til the end of my period. I was tired of being told that i should just put up with these symptoms, especially when they affect my work, and last for 3 weeks out of every 5. So i began the 'fun' task of trying to find 'a cure' using Google (since i hadn't spoken to NAPS at this point). On the other pages in this blog, you can find the information that i found, and a list of 'treatments'. Good luck.

If you want to chat about your hormones, you can post a message on my yahoo pms-resource group which is at:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/pmsresource/

The information on this site has been collected from various sources and I have cross checked information across many different websites to try to include only factual information. However I am not a doctor so if you have any other health conditions, you should check with your doctor (or online) before deciding to try some of these treatments. Most are quite safe, but some, such a amino acids, should be used with some degree of caution. Also, if your PMS is manageable, I recommend trying dietary changes and herbs, before trying drugs, as drugs can often have side-effects, which are worse than the actual condition you are treating.