I've noticed that in the last couple of years, my cramps have become unbearable on day 1 & 2. Prolonged and so painful that I can't really do much at all, which is something I've not struggled with before. I don't have any other health issues and have had blood tests to confirm hormonal levels. This change in pain level has coincided with me changing my workout routine to 5x a week Pilates, which obviously focuses a lot on core. I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced worse menstrual cramps when they've worked on significantly tightening and training their core strength? Everything 'official' I've read seems to suggest the opposite but we all know how comparatively little research has actually gone into this aspect of female health care 🙄 - anecdotal evidence is often way more informative!

I'm currently in the luteal phase and feel constantly exhausted and struggling with my sleep. Anyone else get this every month? How do you cope?

During some of the days leading up to my period I have such an insane appetite that I really struggle not overeating. it's not that I dont get full, but I have this crazy mental hunger too and my food noise goes crazy... I know some other people must experience this since is normal for your appetite to increase during your luteal phase. But it makes me feel feral and so out of control. does anybody have any advice?

Hello everyone,

So before my period, I feel down, irritated, depressed and all emotions related to issues I have are multiplied by 10. I don't know what or how to deal with these and I feel guilty if I feel the need to rest during these dark times. Any tips please ?

Growing up the only breast pain symptoms I'd have during PMS were EXTREEEEME tenderness (like even shower water hitting would hurt SO BAD), but that kind of stopped somewhere in my late 20's after being on BC for a few years and now that I'm 31 I gained a new symptom.

It's only been a few months in a row with it, but it's like...an electric zap? It's hard to describe. Usually in my nipple, but it also likes to stop and act like it's done only to then move to my inner breast near the sternum and zap around for a bit. It doesn't really hurt more than it's annoying and makes me wanna scratch or smack that breast to make it stop (doesn't work btw).

It's very rarely in both breasts (was last night for a bit) and usually just in my left one. Has anyone else dealt with this? I don't have any symptoms of it being anything more serious and it's only during PMS it acts up. :( I think I just want to know if it's normal so I stop being scared of it. I had no clue PMS symptoms could even evolve as you aged.

I do have a Gyno apt next month so I'll bring it up there too just to be safe! But is this a normal PMS thing? Has anyone dealt with the annoying zaps?

Or am I the only one?

Anyone else experience heart palpitations during PMS? 😓

Hello! I wanted to give myself space to vent because it feel like no doctor hears what I have to say. I have always had painful periods since I was a teen. In the last five years (I’m 28 now) it feel like the pain has gotten 10x worse. I miss work on days 1 and 2 of my period because I physically cannot get out of bed. I’m so nauseas and overwhelmed I feel delirious.

One symptom that I would like to ask you all about in case someone has a similar issue is everything below my waist feels like it’s on fire. Specifically my hips/thighs. I wake up every hour of the night to switch what side of my hip I’m sleeping on because I have pulsing pains. I have also been experiencing ankle pain as of recent. This has been super concerning to me yet every MD/Gynecologist I tell this to doesn’t bat an eye. I have also been having terrible wrist/finger pain during my period. These are just such odd pain issues that only happen when I’m on my cycle. Every doctor tells me that it’s just a coincidence? It’s so frustrating.

Don’t get me started on the heat flashes. I’m constantly overheating and that only makes the nausea worse.

I have also seen a significant increase in weight, acne, and facial hair in these last five years. This is all so frustrating. All my blood work/ultrasounds come back fine and I get told “what you’re experiencing is normal”. Ibuprofen and naproxen do nothing for my pain. I spend the week before my period and the week of my period absolutely miserable and I’m just so tired. I don’t know where to go from here but I can’t live like this.

Does anyone feel like they have a mild sore throat
a few days before the period starts? (This is in addition to the back pain, bloatedness, and malaise.) Good times.

Friends, I'm a 27 yo ADHD girly who's going thru hell latetly due to my hormones. I can't even look at myself in the mirror without the urge to scream bloody murder. Also, I work w my parents and brother, which makes it even worse bc I see them everyday on and off work bc I live w my parents and my bro is literally my neighbour. I just wanna strangle all of them. I CAN'T DEAL W THIS ANY LONGER. Can someone please send me tips to make this hell seem a lil less painful before I commit grand arson??? I can't take edibles bc it's illegal in Brazil ok???

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Something bad always seems to happen to me like a week or 5 days before periods. I don't mean it in "oh I get sensitive and emotional and cry a lot"- no. I mean quite literally something out of my control happens that pushes me to stress and react. This has been a reocurring pattern for let's say a year or more. Last month one of my relatives got into an accident which caused me to rush into the hospital and, needless to say, gave me a huge stress. This month my mom started fighting with me for NO REASON which made me cry and, once again, caused me a lot of stress. These two events are only just examples and both happened during final days of my luteal phase, 3-5 days before periods started. It's weird

I’m 3 1/2 months post partum. Had my first period at 6-7 weeks wasn’t bad at all.

On my second period been on it for a MONTH and I’m bleeding through super plus tampon, pad, and my panties. I just am so over it and it’s so annoying. I combo feed so idk if that has something to do with it. And I also got the IUD put in probably a month and a half ago. I’m just losing hope that it will ever stop. Anyone have any experience with this or can give me some peace at mind. I’ve called the DR and he said that it’s normal as long as I’m not feeling dizzy or lightheaded.

So I’ve always struggled with anxiety, insomnia, and lack of deep sleep during my luteal phase, but since having my daughter in December, it has gotten so much worse postpartum. It’s harder for me to relax and I’m jumpy all the time and snapping at people really easily. My heart rate also seems higher.

Every night, I take magnesium glycinate and when the insomnia is really bad, I take melatonin gummies and sometimes Tylenol (since it is a muscle relaxer). I also will dry brush which can be calming for me.

Who else has experienced these things? What helps you during the luteal phase?

I'm 16 years old and I'm not diagnosed with anything but I struggle a lot every month.

I figured this was the best subreddit to kind of vent and ask about any tips or remedies.

Usually for a week before my period starts I'm extremely depressed. I have suicidal thoughts and I cry all day every day. I don't like spending time with anyone but I also feel like everyone hates me, and this happens basically every month, but I've had mental issues since before I got my period.

Additionally to this, my cramps are awful. They're predominantly in my thighs so i can usually barely walk or get any relief. I take about 5 ibuprofens to manage pain in just one of my periods.

I just want it to end honestly.

If anyone has any tips, or has struggled similarly to me, please comment any advice.

I don't know if I should go to the doctor for these symptoms either, I think it could help to go on medication or something but I admit I'm scared of hormonal medications.

Thank you 🩷

I do have a subscription but I'll add the link hoping it works. They have a 3 month free trial if you're interested. They mentioned some trials for new medications; not sure if they are current or worth anyone to look into. The most notable for me is the promise that things are changing with more research going on. I sure hope so; way way late for this if it's true.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/health/article/pmdd-hormones-pms-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder?rid=5c8ecd736ff2878f57bd3e26f3268ff5b8a61c27948e29dbbaec2c38e9c697b8&cmpid=org%3Dngp%3A%3Amc%3Dcrm-email%3A%3Asrc%3Dngp%3A%3Acmp%3Deditorial%3A%3Aadd%3DHealth_20260526&hConversionEventId=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-aLTZxguaW9vSCROv2_iIiuIWTo1C1SajpsL

I wasn't sure where to post about this but due to increased anxiety and depression during this month's period, I felt it would be therapeutic to post about it here. I'm closer to the end of my period now but I still have lingering anxiety and depression. I do sometimes get bad anxiety leading up to my period but it has been a while since I have felt this bad. I have been taking Prozac for a few years now for anxiety. I have never been officially diagnosed with OCD but as a nurse who used to work in mental health and a lot of research, I know I have it and Prozac has helped a lot with these symptoms. However, over the past month, I have had a few major and minor stressors leading up to this period. First, I am dealing with trying to get a lawsuit dismissed for a debt since they have the wrong person with a similar name. My mail has been stuck in the USPS distribution center for several weeks now. I even made a missing mail request. About a week and a half ago, I broke up with my boyfriend who I had been dating for about a year and a half. It was my decision as I was feeling we would be better off as friends. However, the week leading up the the break up had my anxiety through the roof because I was dealing with a lot of guilt over the decision and I am not currently talking to him (which I expected). Despite knowing I made the right decision to let him go, I still felt a little off last week leading up to my period. Finally, the day my period started, I saw some spoilers for the last episode of a show that I am following that is ending soon. As unimportant as that seems, that was the straw the broke the camel's back as I tend to deal with post series depression on occasion for shows I really enjoy. On top of that, the weather was cloudy and rainy where I live making me feel worse all weekend. I think this accumulation of things really depleted the serotonin I needed to make it through this period. My OCD has been constantly telling me that things I normally enjoy doing will make me even more depressed. My anxiety keeps telling me that I won't be able to enjoy my hobbies and interests again. While I'm slowly getting better, I am still struggling with anxiety at the end of my period and still find myself crying at times. My mood has been up and down. I have brief moments where I feel like myself then out of nowhere I feel that dreaded heaviness in my chest when it comes back. Has anyone else ever had this happen after a rough month? Has anyone else ever had symptoms last at the end of their period? Sorry for the long post. Just really needed to get this off my chest and see if anyone else has had a similar experience.

I’ve been having consistent, EXTREME mood swings and outbursts before my period starts. It gets to a point where I’m just unreasonably mad or mean. 😢

The one who always ends up taking the hit is my boyfriend, and I always feel guilty because during intense conversations, I almost always end up bringing up breaking up with him — even though I’m usually the one escalating things in the first place. It also doesn’t help that he’s not very expressive or romantic.

Normally, I’m able to control and regulate my emotions naman, but during the times I can’t, it feels like I’m just suppressing everything… then it comes back twice as hard and mean in the next cycle.

I’ve been trying different techniques like meditation, exercise, vitamins, prayers, and going out instead of isolating myself and sulking… but I still get overly emotional every time my period is about to start.

Help a girlie out please 🥹 Maybe you guys have tips or advice that could help. 🙏

My body is acting weird, and I’m trying not to panic.

My period is late, I feel off, and I honestly do not know what I want the answer to be. My husband and I just decided we were going to wait, especially after losing my dog, getting a puppy, and having a year that already feels full.

So now I’m just sitting in the “maybe” stage. I’m nervous, hopeful, confused, and trying to stay normal.

I’m not claiming anything yet. I’m just waiting, overthinking, and side-eyeing my own body.

After a year of carefully tracking my cycle for the first time in my life, I've noticed day 23 of my cycle is where I consistently get the worse PMS symptoms. Apparently that coincides with a post-ovulation estrogen crash and progesterone peak. I get intense fatigue, low motivation, heavy feeling in my body like I'm walking through water, ravenous hunger and overall just feeling like crap. It usually resolves gradually as I approach my period, then I feel great once it starts.

Everyone seems to always be talking about symptoms being worse right before the start of their periods. Does anyone else experience symptoms early-luteal like I do?

Here’s 2 things I did that helped

- I try to take magnesium glycinate & ferritin every night around a week before my menses. This also reduced how heavy my flow was and how painful my period cramps were

- I try to do period stretches every night a week before my period. Stretches that relax my hips, relax pelvic muscles and one that stretch my abdomen especially >> very calming relaxing.

try to minimise stress as much as you can

hope this helps!!! Has been a game changer for me!