Just PMS...or more?

[summer-breeze14.livejournal.com]

Hi everyone, I was curious about something.

When I was in my teen years, I had slight physical symptoms right before my period. Nothing excruciating. However, ever since I turned 20 (I'm 21 right now), I've gotten some newer symptoms....

It's not so much the physical symptoms that get to me. I get the normal breast tenderness, headache, and slight cramping. I can live with that. My stomach has trouble digesting anything spicy and/or heavy and I get diarrhea for a day or two.

But as much as 2 weeks before my period starts, my hormones seem to go out of control. My heart palpitates at times. I get very irritable and there are times that I feel so depressed that I cry and snap at my boyfriend and family for no reason at all. I get overly tired and I find myself sleeping more. Depending on the month, sometimes I barely sleep at all. Also, I was diagnosed with an eating disorder at the age of 12 and usually, I have it under control...but when I have one of my PMS mood swings, the symptoms of my eating disorder creep on on me again.

Does this sound familiar at all to anybody? I swear, sometimes it gets so bad that I PRAY for my period to come already so that my mood stabilizes. Getting my actual period is nothing to what comes before it.

Comments

[cathubodva.livejournal.com]

Perhaps talk to your doctor about going on Prozac, or a similar drug? Prozac worked wonders for my severe PMS symptoms.

[summer-breeze14.livejournal.com]

I'll have to look into that....are there any major side effects associated with Prozac?

[cathubodva.livejournal.com]

From their website: Some people experience mild side effects like nausea, difficulty sleeping, drowsiness, anxiety, nervousness, weakness, loss of appetite, tremors, dry mouth, sweating, decreased sex drive, impotence, or yawning. These tend to go away within a few weeks of starting treatment and, in most cases, aren't serious enough to cause people to stop taking PROZAC.

Some people experience side effects like nausea, difficulty sleeping, drowsiness, anxiety, nervousness, weakness, loss of appetite, tremors, dry mouth, sweating, decreased sex drive, impotence, or yawning. Most of these tend to go away within a few weeks of starting treatment and, in most cases, aren't serious enough to cause people to stop taking PROZAC. (http://www.prozac.com/how_prozac/safety_facts.jsp?reqNavId=2.5)

[atalanta0jess.livejournal.com]

You might also want to consider withdrawal symptoms too, before getting started.

I've been on antidepressants, and it was worth it. But when I started, no one warned me that quitting could be really hard on my body...I wish they would have.