Damn PMS

[Amazonian]

Yes , thats right, PMS.... Premenstrual syndrome. Its real . I am ready to attack my family at any given moment. Damn woman hormones. So, the reason i post this topic is to see if any one knows of any good herbs ( besides the obvious) to alleviate my aggression and being irritable. i have read that Chaste Tree Berry and Evening Primrose Oil might help? I don't expect a lot of response from you males but if you can tell me that your partner goes a bit nasty mid cycle, i will/might feel better about myself. Any takers?

[bℓσωηG]

My ex used to drink liquorice tea.

Liquorice is a wide ranging herb used for low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and low blood pressure. Conversely, people suffering from high blood pressure(hypertension) should avoid liquorice. Can also address menopausal symptoms and PMT.

she also used to suffer bad cramps and id rub something on her belly ,cant remember what it was maybe wintergreen herb ?

[Rabaelthazar]

Ha ha... Amazonian, I thought you were a fella all this time. Funny side effect of internet forums.

My wife suffers, by her own admission and by my astute observations, pretty horrible PMS including cramps, skin outbreaks and most of all lashing out at her lovely husband.

When I notice her getting pre-menstrual-narcy, my main method of dealing with it is giving her plenty of space, not initiating arguments and trying to let her rage slide off my back.

Also, I make her a pot of Damiana tea. She says it helps (although I still walk on eggshells).

Good luck... I can't imagine what it must be like to actually suffer from it.

[occidentalis]

Have you looked at the connection between PMS and nutrition at all?

http://www.ehow.com/how_5075131_alleviate-pms-symptoms-proper-nutrition.html

The point about magnesium is (I think, from observing my female friends) especially important.

I also suspect that there is a relationship between PMS symptoms and essential fatty acid balance/imbalance..

[Magicdirt]

I've read there is a link between calcium/magnesium ratios and oestrogen, vitamins B and D are said to play a role too.

Other than evening primrose is proven treatment.

Food for thought ?

[Amazonian]

Have you looked at the connection between PMS and nutrition at all?

http://www.ehow.com/...-nutrition.html

The point about magnesium is (I think, from observing my female friends) especially important.

I also suspect that there is a relationship between PMS symptoms and essential fatty acid balance/imbalance..

 

That site says that caffeine aggravates PMS.... Coffee is my only addiction,(at the moment) ( think how grumpy i might get without my two cups a day !!! )I cant take that away. But there are a few other suggestions that could work for me. Cheers.

Edited July 13, 2010 by Amazonian

[hebrew]

there is a chinese herb which is famous for women and blood, its called dang gui, angelica sinensis, look into it, i think you might it useful, i have made my wife a tea with gan cao - licorice, bo he - peppermint, fennel seeds, and dang gui she seems to think it helps somewhat, mainly with pain.

i also find it a very useful herb and tea but i add salvia root, astralgus, and he huan pi, as well as he shou wu

ohh and soem red ginseng

[Darklight]

I get bad cases of werewolfmoon every so often, most of what's in my medicine cabinet is devoted to it

Main hint would be to stay healthy and keep fit- good solid weightlifting regime knocks it down to about 60% for me

Next stop is evening primrose oil- thank heavens it's cheaper than it used to be- 5-10 caps a day

An ashwagandra/cleavers tincture takes off a bit more of the anxiety/ edge- as required

And 300mg kava cold water extract ( sourced back before it was scheduled )when it's at it's worst helps restore a sense of perspective without impairing performance

Remember: wait ten days and if it's still happening then it's real and you can throw plates

If all else fails- hope your people still like you enough to pay bail

[Amazonian]

My day started off bad. With me its not the discomfort, its just the aggressiveness. At the end of the day i have regret for how i handled things and say i wont let hormones get the better of me. The next morning.... Grrr again. Thanks to everyone for your ideas and support , i will be definitely going with some of those suggestions. Will be finishing off the day with a herbal bath.

p.s... Normally i am placid.

[t st tantra]

damiana and heimia can help with many womens problems.a few women i know have used heimia ,mainly for pain but some say it helps with pms too.

a friend doing menopause is very happy with pretty tiny amts of dong quai,just chewed or as a tea.only about $3 a pack @ asian groceries.enough for a couple months.

t s t .

[Amazonian]

Thanks to the girls,you know where i am coming from. To those males that responded, your partners are lucky to have you, Its great to hear of men who care and/ or understand. My husband says, (almost daily,) "that time of the month again is it?" .He's lucky he is still alive. For those that found the topic a little too much to bear, lucky i didn't ask about Hemorrhoids.( not that i have them)

I might be able to get some of those concoctions through the herb shop that Torstens partner is opening? ( to support the shop).

Good Health and happiness to all.

[FancyPants]

I'm grateful you made this thread, Amazonian, the guys have given us lots of helpful answers. Shame as a female I'm unable to help with anything useful because now I use the contraceptive pill I avoid getting PMS now. Though when I forget two pills in a row, PMS comes on harder than it would if I never skipped periods. It's an awful feeling knowing you're a damn bitch but it's really hard to try not to be, then you get really sad you've upset those you love. I'm impatient at the best of times but during PMS it doesn't take much to cry in frustration when something isn't happening as quick as you'd like. But the intense horniness is nice though hey? LOL.

I think I'll buy some really good Darrell Lea licorice today.

[Amazonian]

the intense horniness is nice though hey? LOL.

I think I'll buy some really good Darrell Lea licorice today.

[end quote]

Ditto, But after being a bitch,its hard to get what you want, when you want it. . And ditto, Darrell Lea has the yummiest licorice.

Edited July 14, 2010 by Amazonian

[coin]

Ayurvedic herbal advice:

Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) 6g

Brahmi (Bacopa monierri) 3g

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) 1.5g

divided into 2 doses per day, taken with 60ml diluted aloe vera juice.

You didn't give much other info, e.g. the nature of your actual period...regular/irregular/flow, etc., and any other issues like leucorrhea, and also digestive complaints, for example. Those are some of the things that anyone prescribing herbs would need to know. You might expect the more "angry/irritable" types to have menorrhagia (abnormally heavy and prolonged menstrual period. Heavy flow lasting more than 4-5 days, and possibly inter-menstrual bleeding). In that case the preparation Ashokarishta is very effective, but having said that, with imbalance of such an extent, it would be advisable to see a practitioner for more thorough diagnosis and advice, including lifestyle & nutrition. Herbs are usually a catalyst to restore balance and rarely the whole of the treatment.

Good luck

Edited July 14, 2010 by coin

[Sonny Jim]

As coin said it would be better if you provided a bit more info on your female repro health but I can understand your reluctance being an ethnobotanical forum.

When it comes down to it I recommend seeking the advice of a herbal/nutrionist who specializes in women's repro health, their are quite a few and quite a few good ones. Checkout the National Herbalist Association of Australia's website to find someone who is at least accredited.

chasteberry (vitex agnus castus)

Dong Qua

Silybum marianum (milk thistle)

Are a very common herbal mix, it may take a few weeks to have an effect. St Johns may also be of great value to you.

Again, I need to say seeing a specialist can be key to finding your way back to health.

[bℓσωηG]

a little off topic but pertains to internal health of the woman... yoguhrt vaginal douches

[Μορφέας]

White willow bark will thin the blood and help the flow easierr, black cohosh too will help you deal with the hot flushes.

Sonny Jim: whats the reasoning behind St. Johns Wort? as a mood enhancer? do you find that PMS makes you depressed?? along that reasoning some Lavender freshly plucked in some hot soy milk with honey does wonders to relax your irritibility, the soy will help with the hormones as it has phytoestrogenic compounds. I drink this before bed and it is a fantastic drink

Edited July 14, 2010 by Μορφέας

[Chiral]

Suggestions from the better half...

A sweet soup made with chunks of carrot, banana, ginger, palm sugar, a touch of cinnamon and coconut cream....you simmer altogether and place in a bowl and eat warm.

Eating really stinging hot chili dishes helps a lot apparently.

Chicken porridge...make oatmeal the usual way only don't add sugar, rather add small slithers of chicken, Balinese peanuts, a slight splash of soy sauce and a tiny bit of ketjap manis.

As far as any ethno use goes,,, I would imagine low dose mescaline ( between 5 - 20mg of salts) to be of some assistance, like wise smoked caapi.

[Amazonian]

I am out of luck... i don't have any yogurt in the fridge . All great suggestions. And yes, i don't want to go into detail but its mid cycle stuff, when the estrogen and progesterone levels are fluctuating, i think. All other stages are no worries. I was just having a shitty day and wanted to vent. What i really need is a holiday to some remote tropical island full of bright colors ( and 'holiday' whilst i am there ).

I do find eating hot foods like vegetarian curries a treat , the chillies in it get the endorphins going . And what is it about soup that makes you feel better when you are not 100 % , it is comforting. Going to the health food shop tomorrow for a squiz. Thanks again crew.

Edited July 14, 2010 by Amazonian

[Torsten]

The aggression in PMS is essentially caused by massive fluctuations in serotonin. ie, when it drops you become a cold heartless bitch and when it rises you become all emotional. This can happen several times a day, but frequently is worst in the early part [as dopamine is dominant] and better in the late part [as serotonin gains control].

The serotonin fluctuations are closely linked to changes in sex hormone levels, so the two ways of manipulating the situation is by either balancing the sex hormones a little [chaste berry] or by trying to stop the serotonin rollercoaster either by directly increasing serotonin [primrose oil, 5HTP, tryptophan] or indirectly by suppressing adrenaline and dopamine [sedative herbs such as chamomile, lemon balm, or hardcore phams like benzos]. Obviously avoiding stimulants [incl caffeine] would be my first recommendation as his would definitely exacerbate things dramatically by counteracting the already sparse serotonin.

I've seen some pretty amazing results from chaste berry, but be warned that if you take a shortcut by using higher doses you will also have a marked reduction in libido [ie from rootrat to frigid in a day!]. Most references say that you need to be on a teaspoon per day for 3 months before things improve [success has been documented in blind trials], but turns out that 5 tablespoons for 2 or 3 days will get you there immediately. This seems to indicate that chaste berry can probably be consumed regularly for best results, but with a substantial boost just before the problem days.

Similar to people diagnosed with bipolar disorder, high PMS women often quite like their 'up phase' and don't like giving up the extra libido and the extra produtivity that coincides with the nasty temper. Sadly, you can't have it both ways.

Most days the Byron shop is staffed by women and they all have extensive experience with this and can help you with the right herbs.

[Amazonian]

I've seen some pretty amazing results from chaste berry, but be warned that if you take a shortcut by using higher doses you will also have a marked reduction in libido [ie from rootrat to frigid in a day!]. Most references say that you need to be on a teaspoon per day for 3 months before things improve [success has been documented in blind trials], but turns out that 5 tablespoons for 2 or 3 days will get you there immediately. This seems to indicate that chaste berry can probably be consumed regularly for best results, but with a substantial boost just before the problem days.

Most days the Byron shop is staffed by women and they all have extensive experience with this and can help you with the right herbs.

 

Fantastic. I appreciate your input. I keep checking to see if the Byron shop web site is up yet but haven't found anything??? Please give us a heads up when all is ready. I am back to feeling normal at the moment. By the sounds of it , chaste berry is for me .

[Legba]

 

acupressure might help next month if used often enough.

[Amazonian]

acupressure might help next month if used often enough.

 

I am into alternative medicines.eg... color therapy, crystals/gemstones, herbs, aromatherapy . Acupressure is something that i have not had a great deal to do with. Pretty good is it ? Thanks, I'll look into it.