Hated by Others: Her Mood Swings during PMS Make Her One Unpopular Woman

She describes herself as hated by other women because of her PMS. She is moody and demanding, which in the work environment translates to unpleasant. She also suffers from menstrual cramps and heavy bleeding. Now, she wants to stop these symptoms before they ruin her marriage.

Case #: 727

Concern：

Most women hate me. Not because of my looks, but because of my personality. I’ll admit, I tend to get moody around my period. I scream at my coworkers, and I demand they do their jobs right. As much as I wish the moodiness were the only issue that affected my body during my period, it isn’t. No, I also experience a slightly heavy flow, debilitating menstrual cramps and awful mood swings. Now that I am getting married, I want to cure these PMS symptoms before they drive my husband insane, too.

Discussion：

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) has been jokingly described as a monthly spell under which women fall. It toys with their emotions, inflicts physical discomfort and gives a sense of having lost control. The people around these women also suffer, as they fear they will do or say something to turn the wrath on them.

But PMS is not a spell. Nor is it something you can turn “on” and “off,” as some people believe. Instead, this condition is a series of marked symptoms recognized by doctors as a real medical problem. Certainly PMS is a label, but not one to be taken lightly. After all, complications of PMS can disrupt a woman’s life and cause problems with interpersonal relationships – just as it has done to you.

How PMS Works

Hormones are thought to be the greatest contributing factors to PMS. They significantly fluctuate throughout a woman’s 28-day cycle and have their highest levels seven to 14 days before menstruation occurs. This is when the ovaries rev up estrogen production and also initiate progesterone in anticipation of pregnancy. If pregnancy does not occur, these hormones drop dramatically and leave the body in a state of imbalance. Not coincidentally, these one to two weeks are also when PMS symptoms begin to rear their ugly heads.

The connection between hormones and mood swings is likely found in neurotransmitters, which relay important messages from the body to the brain. For example, serotonin promotes a general sense of well-being and regulates sleep patterns. It is believed to increase and decrease concurrently with estrogen. Thus, when estrogen levels drop toward the end of the 28-day cycle, serotonin also wanes. This enables many of the symptoms associated with PMS, including depression, sleeplessness and irritability.

Similarly, the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) rises and drops in time with progesterone. GABA promotes feelings of anxiety and depression, which explains such symptoms at the onset of ovulation. The feel-good neurotransmitters known as endorphins may also be adversely affected by estrogen and progesterone. As endorphin levels drop, a woman’s mood can fall and increase the likelihood that she will snap at friends and family.

Defining Symptoms

One of the most difficult aspects of PMS is its presentation of physical and emotional symptoms. One woman might suffer just from acne and fatigue, while another will have these and more: tender breasts, bloating, headache, trouble concentrating, crying spells, and joint pain. In other words, PMS can impact nearly every aspect of a woman’s health.

Abdominal cramps result from uterine contractions that expel the endometrium lining intended to nourish a developing fetus. Each month the female body prepares itself for pregnancy with a thick lining of blood vessels and tissues in the uterus. Menstruation occurs when pregnancy does not, and the lining must be flushed from the body. Women who do not exercise or are under significant emotional stress tend to experience more severe cramps.

Stop PMS and Start Your Life

Herbs are among the most effective means of treating PMS. They work to realign hormones and, for some women, also provide balance that their bodies otherwise lack. (SEE: Herbs for Premenstrual Symptoms) An all-natural formula with ingredients like Safflower and Wild Yam alleviates cramps and heavy menstrual flow while stabilizing mood. Additional herbs like Chasteberry and Dong Quai regulate hormone production so neurotransmitters also remain normal. For you, the end results will be a satisfying marriage and normalcy at work so you can enjoy the fruits of healthy living.