Posted by jujube on December 7, 2004, at 10:05:16
In reply to Re: soo happy to find some info, posted by LynneDa on December 7, 2004, at 9:17:44
I, too, suffer greatly each month with PMDD. I find that as I get older, the symptoms seem to get worse. In August, I was put on Depo Provera by the gyno that I had been referred to by my gp. Up to that point, I thought that nothing could be as bad as my monthly PMS suffering. Boy, was I wrong! After the Depo shot, I went through what I can only call three months of sheer hell. I threw up every morning for 1.5 months to 2 months, I had severe mood swings and the worst depression and anxiety I have ever experienced. The shot has now worn off, and I will never have another one. Now I am in the process of trying to balance my hormones naturally.
The first thing I am going to try is Vitex (Chasteberry), which is supposed to be a very good natural supplement for PMDD. In my research on Vitex (Chasteberry), I found the following: Recent findings confirm that Chaste Tree helps restore a normal estrogen-to-progesterone balance. It can not only ease, but with time, actually cure premenstrual syndrome, which has been linked to abnormally high levels of estrogen, especially if symptoms tend to disappear when menstruation begins. European herbalists also used it historically to treat fibroid tumors and other female complaints. As the baby-boom generation passes into menopause, this herb will be rediscovered by women looking for a natural alternative to estrogen replacement therapy.
In addition, I just came across an article in a women's magazine I read about a woman who suffered greatly each month, and had seen one endocrinologist after another. The last one she saw recommended calcium, and told her the calcium would cure her PMS. The article went on to say that a finding recently reported in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology revealed that low calcium intake is the underlying factor wreaking havoc with many women's monthly hormonal cycles, leading to irritability, depression, tension, cramps, cravings and more. It further stated that calcium is essential for the synthesis, release and secretion of hormones that regulate muscles and nerve tissues. The mineral is so key, in fact, that after taking 1,200 mg of calcium daily for just three months, the women in the study reported a 50% reduction in their PMS symptoms. It is recommended that women include 1,000 to 1,500 mg of calcium in their diet combined with vitamin D since D enhances calcium's absorption and efficiency. So, if you are going to supplement with calcium, make sure to choose a formula that includes vitamin D.
Tamara
> I agree with Dove - all this information is really wonderful, thanks to all who've posted!
>
> So, those of you who had all the different hormone and chemical levels tested, what did your doctor do with that information? Did he/she prescribe different meds than just anti-depressants to correct the imbalances? I'm especially interested in a thyroid that goes up & down, as I think mine does. Also, with a glucose imbalance, is that just correctable through diet, similar to a diabetic?
>
> Thanks for all the great info!
>
> ~ Lynne
poster:jujube
thread:3315
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041206/msgs/425679.html