Question for the ladies, PMS = TMS?

[savasana]

Hey ladies!

I've been logging my moods as well as different emotions I have each day of the month and there's an undeniable pattern. 4 days before my period starts, I now call the *Danger Zone* because it's when my emotions get very tumultuous and much more difficult to control. I find myself lashing out at my husband more easily, becoming much more easily irritated and some months filled with deep, dark, depressive thoughts and feeling as though nothing will be ok again. Sometimes crying completely uncontrollably even at work. When my period starts, it generally gets 50%-75% better and then better as the days go by.

Also, menstrual cramps themselves are totally debilitating if I don't take aspirin or advil. Today, I've decided not to take those pills and see if I can remain mindful of the pain, breath into the pain and let it be.

I'm thinking this must just be another distraction brought on by TMS. Mindfullness and meditation helps A LOT! It helps one to be more aware of the feelings as they arise so you can do something about it.

Anyone else have similar thoughts?

-K

 

[Ellen]

Yes, I believe PMS is a form of TMS. Long before I knew about TMS I had severe PMS and painful periods. I was eventually diagnosed with endometriosis and had a full hysterectomy. The surgery relieved my symptoms, however, I developed fibromyalgia 6 months later. I believe this was the symptom imperative at work.

If interested you can read my story and my recovery journey on my profile page or in the Success Stories sub-forum.

I think with PMS and related symptoms it is helpful to look deeply at how you feel about being a woman--issues related to sexuality and reproduction, as this might provide some insight into why TMS has manifested in this way. I learned a lot about myself through this line of inquiry that helped me uncover some deeply held repressed emotions.

Best wishes to you......

 

[EileenS]

I don't think PMS is completely TMS although maybe it's partly. Hormones do affect cortisol levels. I used to get PMS in my teens and early 20's and then after getting into a good regular aerobic exercise routine I noticed I didn't have any issues, or none that I noticed ;=) Aerobic exercise is a great stress reliever and it is physiologically good at regulating hormones amongst other things.

 

[savasana]

Yes, I believe PMS is a form of TMS. Long before I knew about TMS I had severe PMS and painful periods. I was eventually diagnosed with endometriosis and had a full hysterectomy. The surgery relieved my symptoms, however, I developed fibromyalgia 6 months later. I believe this was the symptom imperative at work.

If interested you can read my story and my recovery journey on my profile page or in the Success Stories sub-forum.

I think with PMS and related symptoms it is helpful to look deeply at how you feel about being a woman--issues related to sexuality and reproduction, as this might provide some insight into why TMS has manifested in this way. I learned a lot about myself through this line of inquiry that helped me uncover some deeply held repressed emotions.

Best wishes to you......

Thank you for your reply You're definitely onto something.

 

[ReturnofHope]

I would caution, though, that dismissing your symptoms as “just TMS” might inadvertently contribute to more repression. Be sure to be self compassionate and give your feelings time to speak so that you can appropriately assess whether the symptoms are TMS or not.

With me, I grew up in a very dysfunctional home. So every time I tried to stand up for myself or got upset at being ill treated after I had entered the wonderful world of menstruation, my feelings were attributed to having PMS. “ Oh, she’s just hormonal” was a favorite phrase. It didn’t matter whether or not I was anywhere near having my period.

The commentor above who mentioned long-held repressed feelings around that issue gave valuable insight. For me, anxiety does tend to ramp up around my period, especially as I approach menopause. I’ve had a lot of OB/GYN issues over the years that were Traumatic in themselves, but mostly it probably all stems from that earlier treatment.

I hope that helps.