PMS Guide |

There is not a defined set of symptoms, appearing on a certain day of the month, that each PMS sufferer shares. Every woman with premenstrual syndrome has her own, personalized PMS profile that becomes apparent after she keeps her menstrual calendar and compiles her menstrual history.

Premenstrual syndrome is an extremely individualized condition. The only experiences common to all sufferers are that the symptoms become more intense during the time between ovulation and menstruation, and that there is a symptom-free interval during each menstrual cycle. A woman with PMS should not expect to find another woman with symptoms quite like hers.

Since the syndrome varies from woman to woman, and even from month to month in the same woman, a PMS sufferer can gain the best understanding of her condition when she forms a health partnership with a doctor or a counselor who cares. A woman’s symptoms should be evaluated by the woman herself in collaboration with her doctor. There is always a chance that a physical problem other than premenstrual syndrome may be causing her to feel out of sorts.

If a doctor rules out other health problems and feels that PMS can be diagnosed from the facts that a woman has provided, he may decide against performing blood tests. Blood tests help to determine whether a hormonal imbalance is causing a woman’s premenstrual syndrome, and whether hormonal therapy may be appropriate. However, a physician may feel that a woman’s clinical symptoms alone provide enough information for him to make a tentative diagnosis and to initiate treatment.

A woman with PMS should always take her personal environment into consideration. Stress, as well as the calming effects of a woman’s close relationships, can make a difference in the way she is able to overcome her condition. Relatives and friends must be convinced of the seriousness of the syndrome.

Since many leading physicians now accept PMS as a reality, scientists and doctors are devoting more energy and time to learning how to treat the condition. With knowledge growing every day, there is no need for a woman to believe that there is no cure for this monthly malady. The next chapter will explain how you can begin to conquer PMS right now. You may start undertaking ways to treat your condition by yourself; in fact, self-treatment is sometimes all that is needed. If self-treatment does not seem effective, you can enter into consultation with a physician who can guide you to methods of overcoming the syndrome that has plagued you for so long.