PMDD Tips

I have entered a time of life where my usual supplement routine is no longer cutting the cake. I’m approximately 3 days away from my period and the previous 4 days had me feeling so out of control with my anxiety and rage that last night I finally broke down and took Xanax.

This morning, desperate to find a different way, I looked for herbs that affect gaba receptors, since research has shown that women with PMDD specifically have issues in that regard, though I cannot word it very well 😆

I have not previously had chamomile and valerian as part of my routine, but I do know from experience that the tea “Sleepy Time Extra” contains both. In the last hour I had a cup of regular sleepytime tea with an extra bag of chamomile in it, and it helped a lot. I don’t feel sleepy. I feel calm and focused. Let’s go!

I literally JUST saw this and had to come and share. The Glucose Goddess is a biochemist. She studies this stuff and knows her stuff!

The black “mountain” in the image is the sugar spike that occurs after you have eaten the ice cream. Why is it bigger right before our periods? So interesting, and probably plays a part in how some of us feel afterwards 😵‍💫

Her solution is always to make sure you have something healthy before the sugar. Eat a salad or some steamed vegetables. A handful of nuts or a tablespoon of peanut butter….something with protein or fiber that is low in sugar, will slow down the way the sugar gets absorbed when you finally have the ice cream 👍

Someone sent me this in a message and we definitely need more research into PMDD! If you have time please check this out. You’ll be helping a student who is doing research, and helping spread awareness at the same time 👍

And here’s the link if QR isn’t your thing!

Elizabeth Sephton try this. https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTMka3SrEB_0fytiJd4lsC4Zh2FNE3Omye_3Rt1nBq8MXDal5sAllBm0mrodgBA_aqaqvLmNjN9qEkk/pub

Once you click, click on the link on the top of the document and then to the link to the survey.

I’ve been dreading this post, partly because I’m depressed about it, and partly because I am afraid of discouraging you from trying acupuncture. It didn’t work for me. I just entered luteal and I am worse now than I was before I started acupuncture. Worse in terms of mood mostly. If I had one positive thing to say about it- just ONE positive result to report- then maybe I could justify going back for more. But I can’t name anything.

Maybe it was the practitioner and his lack of knowledge about pmdd. It’s a possibility. I took this opportunity because of the affordability. And maybe in the far future the opportunity will arise again with someone more knowledgeable, and maybe I’ll get some results. I haven’t written it off completely and I hope you don’t either. Just like one supplement doesn’t work for everyone, the same applies here. You won’t know until you try.

I’m making this post directly after my therapy session, during which my therapist helped me see the silver lining. I didn’t exactly have the words before that. Because I’ve been wanting to try acupuncture for so long, and had so much hope going in. And now 🤷‍♀️

We wait for more research to be done for insights into pmdd.

My insurance changed recently and I will have access to a different healthcare system, so maybe that holds some promise.

Thanks as always for lending your ears 🙏

I really appreciate the feedback I received about acupuncture and the healing crisis. Today it is like the clouds parted. I have some peace and clarity, physically feeling much better, and have a new determination to continue treatment.

When I imagine standing there as the Red Sea parted, I think fear would be my basic response. But then being expected to walk in between two huge walls of ocean water that were being held back by an invisible force and having no idea of the outcome other than a glimmer of hope, I cannot imagine. And that thought makes me wayyy less afraid of what I’m facing 😆

I had my third acupuncture appointment two days ago and I have been having a hard time bouncing back. Is it a healing crisis? I hope so, but it’s super uncomfortable. Also my last cycle was the worst it has been in a long time and my insomnia is basically every night now instead of a couple of nights before my cycle.

I’ve been reading mixed messages. How do you know if acupuncture is working? Some say you should start feeling better! Improved sleep, and a sense of wellbeing. Well if that’s true then it’s not working. Some say that with chronic conditions it can get worse before it gets better 😵‍💫

My fatigue was so bad the day of my last session that it was really hard to be an engaged mom. It makes me worry about the two sessions I have left to use. And yet, if the healing crisis part is true and that’s what I’m experiencing, then NOT going to my appointments could prevent some serious break-through 🤷‍♀️

Do your feet tend to be cold and difficult to warm up?

I would love your feedback. I had my second acupuncture appointment yesterday, and we talked more about the relationship between the kidneys and the feet and the reproductive system.

My feet were especially freezing when I arrived, even though I had the heater in the car only on the feet for the 30 minute drive to my appointment.

Most of the needles were placed in my feet, and he placed a heat lamp over them. He encouraged me to eat lots of spices, especially cinnamon, and to drink ginger and lemon tea with honey.

In Chinese medicine foods have cooling or warming properties depending on which season they tend to grow naturally. For example, watermelon is cooling during the summer, and grows best in that season. Eating watermelon in the winter doesn’t really make sense.

While it’s very practical it’s still a lot of information to try and remember. You can always use the internet to research a food. So in general we want to be eating warming foods in the winter.

I couldn’t help but draw a connection between the liver and kidneys with the anger ice burg. The kidneys are related to fear/anxiety, and the liver to anger. So this helps me to understand in part why the acupuncturist is targeting my kidneys. And something I thought of after and did not think to ask him, was the relationship of the kidneys to water in our bodies, and the role it may play in the bloating we experience during luteal.

I would also be very interested to know if any of you have a family history of kidney issues. I would really appreciate your feedback as I try to put the pieces together! Thank you 🙏

My amazing soon to be husband got me a Groupon for 5 sessions of acupuncture!

This happened just a couple of days after I visited a church that had a prayer wall. You write your prayer on a paper and stick it in between the bricks. I wrote down prayers for healing of my pmdd.

I’ve only had one session so far, and the acupuncturist seemed to think my symptoms were related to kidney deficiency mainly, and also stomach and spleen deficiency. I encourage you to google that along with “traditional Chinese medicine”. He encouraged me to eat dark foods like black beans, blueberries, pomegranate, eggplant etc., and foods that help the stomach like carrot and tofu, and so far I have managed to do so.

I was definitely more relaxed after the session than when I went in, but I can’t say yet what results I will see when my cycle comes. I will keep you updated!

Feeling inspired 🤗

Do I have any followers from the UK?

You might qualify to be part of this study.

I began watching this documentary, and it is a wake up call about my diet lately. If you don’t have access to it there are multiple books out on the topic and I will give a basic summary. Basically, fruits and vegetables are KEY to a healthy gut biome. Variety of foods is also very important. Your gut bacteria can make you depressed and or anxious if you do not give them what they need. Diet is a lifestyle, not a temporary solution. Your diet plays a HUGE role in your moods!