Changing emotional effects of cycle over time?

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

Got a couple questions more for the older women in this group:

1) have you noticed your periods getting worse over the years?
2) more specifically, have the emotional effects gotten worse?

I don't think I started getting any particular pain with my period until my late 20s, and it's increased a bit since, but still to a level easily managed with an alleve or a couple advil. I was past 30 before the emotioanal magnifier I suppose is usually labeled PMS started to make an appearance, and it's still a new enough thing for me that I have no idea how to prepare and I often only realize what's going on in retrospect. Calendars are likely now my friend, but I'm wondering whether this is something a lot of people have.

So this brings me to 3) suggestions?
One friend has reported good experience with evening primrose oil as a way to tame hormonal emotional volitility.

Comments

[archangelbeth]

In my case... Yeah, I think my PMS did get worse. Vitamin B nearly every day helps! (A B-complex.) Do note that some people report increased general anxiety/irritability when taking extra B, so either monitor your moods, or get a blood test to see if you might have low B levels.

B also takes a while -- I noticed a difference in the severity, frequency, and duration of my depressive episodes during PMS... in a couple months of taking it. It took several months before it reduced most of the effects to a general "I do not have as many spoons to cope with stress as usual, but I am not generally depressed for no reason, either." It's a tolerable level of PMS, for me.

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

b complex as opposed to say, b12 losenges?

[archangelbeth]

Yes, the B-complex. I've taken bottles of both, and the non-complex version didn't seem to control my depressive swings as well. (I'm also taking the B-complex above and beyond a multivitamin.)

[sabishii-kirito.livejournal.com]

I don't really have any advice, but my moods have gotten worse over the years. I've always had painful periods, which have *slightly* gotten better (I used to dry heave on and off for a few hours on the first day, now I don't), but my emotions? No. I never really got emotional with my periods until high school, and they got worse during college.

[razrbladplygrnd.livejournal.com]

1) not really, b ut I switched to a divacup and so my period got lighter after about 6 months of us
2) YES YES YES. I never even HAD emotional PMS until I was 26, and now at 32 it can cause some really big problems.

3) I have to take Fem Rebalance (a natural supplement by Vitanica) to get it under control. If I'm good about taking it, I have no PMS at all. If I start to slack off on it, forget about taking it, within 2 months I'm a CRAZY PERSON for up to two weeks.

Before I discovered it I was deeply miserable. When I didn't have PMS, I was scared of it coming. I was PMSing half my life! FR is a lifesaver.
Perhaps literally.

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

Yikes. This is more that for the day before and the starting day or so I'm more volatile, and more likely to be very unhappy/overwhelmed. But I could really do without the crying - this sounds worth trying.

[razrbladplygrnd.livejournal.com]

Yeah - I'll cry at the drop of a hat, or just as likely fly into some kind of psycho-rage. It started off as a day but then over the years got longer and longer. Good luck!