Fertility Awareness, as taught in our Cycle Smarter & Fertility Awareness & Responsibility Programmes (& in all Programmes for women and couples) can help with understanding PMS
PMS & Self Awareness
Recording your menstrual cycle and observing symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) will develop self awareness and help you to anticipate, plan and manage your symptoms. Self awareness will help you, your friends and family get through PMS by anticipating what to expect and knowing that it will end!
PMS is cyclic.
It occurs on or after ovulation (release of the women’s egg) and disappears at the beginning of menstruation. Some women with existing medical conditions find their symptoms are worse premenstrually. eg hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), diabetes, mood disorders including depression, fluid retention or oedema. There are 150 recognised PMS symptoms!
By charting your menstrual cycles, you can accurately predict menstruation and therefore the pre-menstrual time:
When you record your physical and emotional symptoms such as acne, abdominal pain, cramps, clumsiness, slurring, memory, libido, energy levels, mood etc. against the record of your fertility, you can establish a premenstrual pattern of symptoms to diagnose PMS.
You can establish your individual PMS pattern and gauge and assess your reaction to different treatments and self care management.
Your charts provide some “hard copy” to show to family, friends, doctors, counsellors etc. to back you up and give them the information they need to support you especially during your difficult times.
It is best to discuss how best others can help, before the symptoms appear!
There is no easy treatment or cure for PMS but you can help yourself by recognising your own unique PMS pattern and anticipating and managing your symptoms with whatever treatments and activities you find helpful.