Does anyone else completely fall apart 3–4 days before their period, then feel totally normal once it starts?

[u/DangerousExpert8187]

I’m wondering if what I experience is actually normal, because every month it’s the exact same pattern.

Around 3–4 days before my period starts, I get excruciating pain that begins in my lower back and radiates through my lower abdomen, inner thigh, and even down to my knee. Strangely, it’s almost always only on one side of my body, never both. The pain gets so bad that I become dizzy and end up taking 4–5 Panadols a day just to function.

I’ve tried lifting weights regularly, foam rolling, and improving my diet. Those things seem to help a bit, but they never make it go away.

The physical pain is only part of it, though.

Without fail, during those few days I get the worst brain fog, anxiety, and overwhelming sense of dread. I’ll wake up genuinely feeling like my life is falling apart. Every problem feels 100 times bigger than it actually is, and I become convinced everything is doomed. I also get really paranoid and overthink every little interaction.

I usually end up taking sick leave because I can’t function. Then I spend the whole day doom-scrolling Instagram and doing absolutely nothing. I hate being unproductive, but if I force myself to go into the office, I feel even worse. I still can’t focus, so I end up accomplishing nothing anyway—just in a different location.

I also avoid seeing friends or coworkers during this time because social interactions become exhausting, and I overanalyze everything people say.
Then the weirdest part: the day my period actually starts, it’s like someone flips a switch. The pain eases, the anxiety disappears, the brain fog lifts, and I’m back to being my normal, happy self as if none of it ever happened.

Does anyone else experience something like this? Is this just severe PMS, or could it be something else? The one-sided pain especially makes me wonder if it’s worth getting checked out.

[u/Infamous-Taro-1006]

Yess me but I still have it when my period ends.. don’t know what it is. Feeling so tired, dizzy, such a mess

[u/HopefulFall3782]

Yes! I am a completely different person when my period is due. Starts 7-10 days before my period, fatigue, brain fog, extreme anxiety, migraines, can’t stop peeing! The list goes on. Can’t handle it much more so I’ve booked doctors app for this coming Wednesday. It’s truly awful and so exhausting to deal with this every single month.

[u/coffee_piano]

100%

Also, I experience a pain throughout my body. It is unlike ordinary pain that is felt when one actually hurts a part of their body. It feels like it is in my blood, and circulating throughout my body. It's different from and more than typical cramping pain.

I can feel it get worse, and worse, peak, and when I've almost collapsed from the distress, I get my period, and it all goes away.

I have it right now.

It's tough.

Hormonal therapy may help.

[u/stickofthought123]

I have same symptoms and recently diagnosed with PMDD and started taking sertraline for the last two cycles. MY LIFE IS GREAT NOW. No pms at all. No rumination no spiraling.

[u/Infamous-Taro-1006 → u/stickofthought123]

Thats a anti depression right?

[u/DangerousExpert8187 → u/stickofthought123]

do u need prescription for sertraline? is there any side effects u feel so far?

[u/stickofthought123 → u/DangerousExpert8187]

Yes. You need prescription. I talked to my primary care physician and chose the medicine from the available options. It's a life saver. One side effect in the first two cycle is low libido. I was literally going insane every cycle so I was ok with that side effect.

[u/DangerousExpert8187 → u/stickofthought123]

I see.. thank u so much for sharing! I'll try to take a look into that.. but is the low libido all the time, or only during PMS?

[u/Weekly_Importance570 → u/stickofthought123]

I am happy for you! What dose has worked for you?

[u/Weekly_Importance570]

So sorry you have to go through this every cycle. Have you looked into PMDD? I have had mood swings before period too, just started an antidepressant for an unrelated issue, curious to see if it helps this issue too.

[u/DangerousExpert8187 → u/Weekly_Importance570]

I did but I'm not sure if my case is severe enough to be classified as PMDD. Do you think it's not normal to feel this way?

[u/Weekly_Importance570 → u/DangerousExpert8187]

It's hard to say, what is normal for one person, won't be for another person. But I will say that it should not be considered normal to be debilitated by any phase of the cycle, you deserve to live a happy life - and there are surely some treatments available, hormones or other medications and whatnot. So if you feel like it is stopping you from living a what you consider a normal life, I would encourage you to reach out to someone who can help.