Premenusration Syndrome

Felt very tired these few days..and particularly today dun feel like talking..perhaps have not been feeling well recently..with my flu, throat and ulcer..and right now is premenustation process..that means fatigue, breakout, water retention, bloatedness, and cramps.. and also moodiness..

Forgive me ok to all around me.. if i look super sian.. I have copy and paste the following from a website link :

(Yeah...perhaps I should look on the bright side..tomoro is weekend..)


What are the most common symptoms?

Whilst many women do not suffer PMS, others may suffer one or more of the following symptoms:

Emotional Symptoms:
irritability
anxiety
nervous tension
mood swings
lower coping ability
depression
aggression
difficulty concentrating
lower libido, rarely increased libido
feeling unloved
wanting to be alone
reduced interest in work and social life
Physical symptoms
Fluid retention (swollen fingers or ankles)
bloating around the abdomen
breast swelling and tenderness
headaches ranging from mild to a severe migraine
tiredness, lethargy, insomnia
increase in weight
constipation
food cravings especially sweet foods
aches and pains particularly lower back, legs and abdomen
poor coordination or clumsiness
skin problems such as acne
occasionally increased energy

How do you tell if your symptoms are PMS?

Whether you suffer one or a few of the above symptoms, it is the timing of the symptoms that will indicate whether or not you are suffering PMS. Symptoms due to PMS will only occur after ovulation (mid-cycle) and will disappear during the next menstrual period. Mark your symptoms on a calendar or keep a daily menstrual chart over two to three months to help your doctor with the diagnosis.

Lifestyle factors that may help towards relieving your PMS symptoms

Eat regular, healthy meals including plenty of vegetables, fruit, mixed grains and cereals

Eat small meals to maintain stable energy levels, this will also significantly reduce food cravings

Drink less caffeine – particularly if you are suffering breast tenderness. Try drinking water instead! (6-8 glasses a day)

Cut down on alcoholic beverages

Cut down on salt and salty foods to help reduce fluid retention

Get enough rest, sleep and exercise

Don’t smoke

Wear a well fitting cotton bra if you suffer tense, painful breasts.
Exercise
Regular exercise is important, particularly during the premenstrual phase. Walking is an excellent form of exercise and has the advantage of being both cheap and easy for most people. Swimming, yoga, aerobics, netball, tennis, golf and cycling are other suggestions. Make sure you choose a form or variety of exercise you enjoy – otherwise you will not pursue it.Exercise increases endorphins (one of the brain’s neurotransmitters, or chemicals, which decrease premenstrually in PMS sufferers) and therefore may reduce symptoms. Endorphins also act as natural pain killers and help you to feel more relaxed and in control.

Reduce Stress

Make an effort to avoid extra stresses (mark your premenstrual time on the calendar so that you can avoid major activities)
Talk to your family about your PMS so they can have some understanding of the problem. Help them develop strategies to be supportive during this time

Try not to take your aggression out on your family

Take time out to relax and enjoy your own interests

Try to develop your ‘positive’ thinking

Seek professional counselling

If your PMS symptoms continue to distress you, consult your doctor. It is important that other possible causes of the symptoms are excluded. Although no 'cure' can be offered there are many treatments that help reduce and, for some women, completely alleviate PMS symptoms. It may be necessary to try different treatments before you find the most effective one for you.

Treatment of PMS

Natural Therapies
Many women feel they benefit from a variety of natural therapies but none have been proven in controlled studies to be beneficial, their effects being no better than placebo, i.e. about 30-40%reductionin symptoms. Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) has been used to reduce emotional symptoms and fluid retention but in doses no greater than 50-100mg per day as high doses can lead to peripheral neuropathy or loss of sensation in fingers and toes.Evening Primrose oil has been used to reduce breast tenderness in dosages up to 3000mg per day.St John’s Wort is a plant serotonin enhancer, which may reduce mood symptoms. Other preparations such as Chaste Tree have also been used.Talk to your doctor, naturopath or pharmacist about this group of medicines.

Hormonal Therapies

The combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP) may be prescribed because it prevents ovulation and for some women this will provide relief from her symptoms. The monophasic pill (with the same hormone dose in each active pill) is more beneficial than other types such as either the triphasic or biphasic pills.Other hormone preparations have been tried such as progestins, progesterone and oestrogen preparations. Only oestrogen patches and implants have shown to be beneficial in controlled studies.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s)

The SSRI’s have been studied extensively in placebo-controlled trials and have shown significant benefit in reducing symptoms, particularly the emotional symptoms. These medications increase serotonin in the brain and improve mood in particular. The medication may be taken cyclically (in the premenstrual week) or continuously. The most common SSRI is fluoxetine (one form is Prozac), but others also prescribed are sertraline (Zoloft) and paroxetine (Aropax). Many women take this therapy long term without adverse effects. The SSRI’s are the recommended treatment of choice.

Most women with PMS will respond to either the hormonal therapies or the SSRI’s but there is a small group of women who do not benefit. This group is most likely to have a disorder of mood rather than PMS and should seek specialist help.PMS is a distressing problem for a small number of women who have severe symptoms.

Conclusion

Unfortunately the cause(s) of PMS are largely unknown but there is more evidence to suggest there are changes in brain chemistry which trigger the symptoms experienced.
There is no "Quick Fix" or cure but there are many ways to help reduce the symptoms and improve quality of life.
Some women benefit from simply charting their symptoms and developing strategies to minimise stress, whereas others may reduce stress with an improved diet and exercise routine.
Other women will require prescriptive medicines such as hormonal therapies or the SSRI’s.