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Help! I’m in PMS Hormone Hell!

 
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PMS related image Photo: Getty Images

It’s a sunny Friday morning and I wake up to the sound of birds chirping happy morning and pre-weekend greetings. I open my eyes as I lie in my bed not wanting to get up. Morning is usually an efficient time of the day for me. But not today. Today I feel more tired than usual. I lack my typical morning energy.

I finally peel myself out of bed longing for some hot coffee to help me wake up.
Once in the kitchen, I happily realize that my husband has already made coffee. For this I am grateful. But I can’t quite get the words out to tell him because my eyes are fixated on my favorite coffee mug that he is using.

“Is that my Four Friends Coffeehouse mug?” I ask him in a low tone. He has to look at it to check. “I guess. Why?” I continue to preach about my love for that mug and question why he would use it when we have so many other mugs. He just stares at me like I am a crazy person and leaves the room to get ready for work. It takes me a few minutes alone to realize that I just snapped at a person who I love for using a mug. Seriously, a mug. What is wrong with me?

After a brief apology, I offer to make him breakfast and his smile tells me that he has forgiven the craziness. But breakfast does not go as planned and the egg yolks break, dripping the gooey yellow center all over the perfectly browned whites. Next, I burn the toast. Defeated over my ruined peace offering, I decide to check on a project that I started the day before. But I soon find out, the Lego candies that I have been making for my son’s upcoming birthday party are not coming out perfectly. As I attempt to pop them out of the molds, they are losing the top detail pieces. With every missing digit on the candies, I can feel the tears welling up in my eyes. For some reason, I can’t see that eggs, toast and Lego candies are all trivial things.

By now, my head is pounding and I feel bloated and crampy. Ah….it is starting to make sense now. The crazy lady who gets mad and yells about a mug and cries over breakfast and candies, it’s not really me at all. Has it really been four weeks already? I make a frantic dash to the medicine container searching for Midol.

Is it just my imagination or are my PMS symptoms getting worse as I get older? I pour myself another cup of coffee as I wait for the medicine to take effect and make a mental note to myself to wash my Four Friends mug and put in the far back of the cupboard before tomorrow morning.

Add a Comment4 Comments

EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Lots of great information and inspiration.

July 1, 2014 - 1:07am

Anonymous, your story really shows how PMS effects women, often making them into a person they don't even recognize. There are a lot of things one can do to prevent PMS symptoms, including ones related to irritability and mood swings. But once the symptoms are occurring, I agree with you both that it's important to forgive yourself, and to try to ask the people around you for understanding as well.
By the way, here is our article on PMS irritability: http://www.pmscomfort.com/pms-pmdd-symptoms/pms-irritability.aspx
Thanks for the great insights
Dr. Daniel Heller
PMS Comfort

October 26, 2011 - 2:52pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

wow i come across this article becuase I just screamed and ranted and raved at my my husband and two boys becasuse I got home from work and there was a pair of socks on the couch. As if this wasnt bad enough I then burst into tears and screamed for another 10 mins because one of the made a nervous giggle sound. Believe it or not I am usually the most placid level headed person in the world.... great article and thanks for normalizing things..

September 28, 2011 - 10:53pm

I remember those days well, Susan, PMS was no fun. I actually say post-menopause is much better even though it has it's ups and downs as well. Great article!

April 16, 2011 - 1:37pm
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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

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