Do you girls notice your anxiety is harder to handle right before your period? I know there can be a connection of anxiety to PMS, but I wondered if it's as big a problem for others as it is for me.

You are so right. I just mentioned this to my health doctor this past week. She explained that our hormones become imbalanced which creates irritability, cramps, headaches, bloating..........etc There is something that may help, but like any other medication there are health risks. Taking some form of birthcontrol pill has helped me in the past. For one thing it shortens the length of the period and a lot of the uncomfortable symptoms go away including the anxiousness. You should check with your doctor about the health risks that may follow later in life. It's a small percentage but possible if you subject yourself to taking the birth control.

I am the PMS queen...LOL..Yes my anxiety gets worse before my periods and so does my mood swings and everything else, especially when Im not on birth control pills. WHOA!

yes yes and yes!
I have been charting my menstrual cycles for almost a year now and I have noticed that right before my period I do have an increasingly difficult time with more anxiety and panicky feelings.
I have been trying therefore, to eat better and take care of my body and spirit to support myself as I certainly cannot escape the PMS!
lol!
best wishes to you

oh yes, I used to take the pill, but stopped last May 2003, the PMS is better OFF the pill for me, but that is different for every woman of course

I too have these problems. Ive been looking for answers about this problem. I now can take the Birth Control "Yaz", it is used to help anxiety around your cycle time.

Actually..I am pretty ANXIETY/PANIC free until 3 days before my period..then its on! Then I get anxiety through the 5 days and a few days after it ends I even get flu like symptoms..and its a cycle that never seems to end. I have tracked this for months now. Gee..what a concept..yet another issue as women we get to deal with! Go figure lol

YES! I can totally relate. When I'm on my period, I am waaay more emotional and my anxiety increases. Any little thing makes me cry. Plus I get terrible cramps so I have trouble sleeping (which increases my anxiety more). Its completely normal, but I HATE IT!

I'm with Babybrokenangel...my gyno prescribed me Yaz birth control as well and I've noticed a huge improvement in my symptoms. I did get worse at PMS time as well and since taking Yaz, I've noticed an improvement. Ask your Dr about it.

I agree with Sandee B, Yaz is the way to go. My insurance (Blue Cross HMO) won't cover YAZ, so I take a generic form. Basically it is a monophasic pill, meaning you get the same amount of estrogen in the pill everyday (24 on YAZ, 21 on regular). I used to take ortho-tricyclen, but I was getting way too emotional about a week away from my period. My doc, thinks that was from the 3 phases of estrogen. So far I am doing alot better. Still have far to go, but the moodiness, crying is alot less. Have any of you been checked for perimenopause? I am 40 and my doc said that anxiety, wobbly-woozy head feeling is a key sign that perimenopause is here or just around the corner. Great, but what can you do.....Hope this helps

Me too!! It's a vicious cycle every month!! A week before my period I get anxious, tired and don't like to be in public I feel withdrawn. I get a few good week out of the month and think that maybe this month will be better but it's not!! Same crap every month!!I'm an exercise gym fanatic and I always eat bad and skip the gym for a week around this time. Maybe I'll try birth control or I've heard good results about removing the uteral lining with laser. Can't afford that right now though. I'm having financial anxiety as well!!

I recently discovered something about my "PMS". Have you ever heard about PMDD. Take a look. Have a read. See if this helps you. Go to http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/uvahealth/adult_women/pmdd.cfm

This helped me to deal with symptoms by understanding and knowing that I would be ok. I'm not as bothered now by the symptoms.


Serenetysister

Been there, done that....join the club! As Shreck says, "We've got jackets."

I can definitely identify and I think you're getting some great advice.

Frawgy,

Too funny.........I wish that is all I got from the perimenopause club..a jacket, that would be great. They can keep their spacy, lightheaded, off-balance feeling.
Heck, I'd WEAR the jacket.........HAHA

Hi! I was wondering if any of you guys have had the icky side effects of Birth control while on it. I have pretty painful periods and when i try taking Birth Control it makes me sick to my stomache. I tried Loestrin24(which is one of the lowest doasge BC's) but it also made me sick to my stomach. Ive tried Ortho Tricyclen, Ortho Tri-Lo, and they all have made me sick.
Any suggestions ladies?