Poll Women Only- Ptsd And Pms/ Period

[NormativeTruth]

Has anyone actually seen an improvement from going on birth control? That was my plan, because for me, too, it gets almost unbearable shortly before and maybe the first two days of my period. I turn into a complete nutjob, full of negative up to suicidal thoughts. So I was hoping going on birth control might help, but after reading everything here I am not so sure anymore.

 

[shoulderblades]

Without fail every month, I have a period of a few days during PMT'ing where everything is exponentially worse. My anger is often much more out of control, my anxiety levels are on red alert level, my irritability is intense and my sense of self-worth plummets six feet under. I often become intensely depressed and frequently experience suicidal ideation and urges to self-harm. Sometimes it's so bad that I will start to plan suicide and become absolutely convinced that I don't deserve to live. I usually cry uncontrollably for hours on end, the kind of crying that hurts right to my bones and makes me feel like I'm going to pass out or puke. I feel very, very out of control when I PMT. It's very scary.

 

[CraftyCath]

I definitely get worse with the dreaded PMS!

I don't get PMS every month like I used too but when I do I feel very restless and agitated, short tempered and irritable. It was like that before the PTSD but the way it affects my PTSD is that the anxiety, vulnerability and hypervigilance are worse, exaggerated. My emotions are worse due to the hormones and if any thing triggers/stresses me at that time I can't deal with it at al.

I'm OK when my period starts but I'm heading towards menopause and they are heavier, more frequent and leave me anaemic. So after all the stress of the PMS I am left anaemic, achy and tired.

No fun at all, can't wait for it to be over.

 

[Em1ly]

My PTSD gets bad both when I have PMS and during my period.
It especially gets heavier because I have a non hormonal IUD due to the mood stabilizers I'm on I can't put any hormones in my body.
Is anyone's period really bad when you first get up in the morning and walk around?

 

[Nessa7]

@Em1ly I think it's normal to have a heavier period in the morning like that.

I am a lot more likely to have flashbacks the two days before I start my period and continuing for the first two days of my period. I have an irregular cycle, and I'm able to guess when I'm going to start better based on my PTSD symptoms than tracking it with a calendar.

 

[Ironlady]

Things start getting worse for me about three days before I start.. emotional flashbacks etc which leads to insomnia and exhaustion.. after my cycle starts I become despondent for a couple days.. really just isolate and lay around.. a positive thing that does happen is I do connect to a more introspective part of myself and by the end I'm able to negotiate a bit around the sadness/depressive state and boost back up to a more stable point. But during?.. its like a free for all. A circus.. All the kids jumping on the bed.. some falling off.. arguing with each other.. emotions Completely raw.

 

[Femke]

Yes, I get angry, depressed and anxious during PMS. As soon as I have my period it starts to clear up and I feel better. In bad months I even get psychotic (when I'm not medicated). I've had several trauma related psychoses and they always happened 1 day before getting my period. My former male psychiatrist didn't believe that at first - he said PMS doesn't exist!

 

[-lemurlibs91-]

I never really thought about it properly....I knew I struggled with my mood and anxiety pre and during periods, but currently I'm struggling with PTSD symptoms massively and I don't think it's any coincidence that I'm on. I always did get tearful and irritable etc. normally and I struggled massively with pain since I started, but the pain triggers me, everything gets worse and this month the hypervigilance has ramped up to a ridiculous level. I'm glad it's not just me.