How To Get Rid Of Bloating From Birth Control Pills

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a combination of symptoms that many women get nigh a calendar week or 2 before their catamenia.Near women, over 90%, say they become some premenstrual symptoms, such as bloating, headaches, and moodiness.^three For some women, these symptoms may exist and so severe that they miss work or schoolhouse, merely other women are not bothered by milder symptoms. On average, women in their 30s are almost probable to have PMS.^iv Your doctor can assistance you lot find ways to relieve your symptoms.

What is PMS?

PMS is a combination of physical and emotional symptoms that many women get afterwards ovulation and before the start of their menstrual period. Researchers recollect that PMS happens in the days subsequently ovulation because estrogen and progesterone levels begin falling dramatically if you lot are not pregnant. PMS symptoms become abroad within a few days after a adult female'southward period starts as hormone levels begin rising once again.

Some women get their periods without whatsoever signs of PMS or only very balmy symptoms. For others, PMS symptoms may be so astringent that it makes it hard to do everyday activities like get to piece of work or schoolhouse. Astringent PMS symptoms may be a sign of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). PMS goes away when you no longer get a period, such equally after menopause. Afterwards pregnancy, PMS might come back, but you lot might have different PMS symptoms.

Who gets PMS?

As many as 3 in four women say they get PMS symptoms at some point in their lifetime.⁵ For most women, PMS symptoms are mild.

Less than five% of women of childbearing age get a more than astringent form of PMS, called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).⁶

PMS may happen more than frequently in women who:

Have loftier levels of stress^vii
Take a family history of depression^viii
Take a personal history of either postpartum depression or low^9,10

Does PMS change with age?

Yes. PMS symptoms may get worse equally you reach your belatedly 30s or 40s and approach menopause and are in the transition to menopause, called perimenopause.^eleven

This is especially true for women whose moods are sensitive to changing hormone levels during the menstrual cycle. In the years leading up to menopause, your hormone levels besides go up and down in an unpredictable way as your body slowly transitions to menopause. Y'all may get the same mood changes, or they may get worse.

PMS stops after menopause when you no longer get a menstruation.

What are the symptoms of PMS?

PMS symptoms are different for every woman. You lot may go concrete symptoms, such as bloating or gassiness, or emotional symptoms, such as sadness, or both. Your symptoms may also change throughout your life.

Physical symptoms of PMS can include:¹²

Swollen or tender breasts
Constipation or diarrhea
Bloating or a gassy feeling
Cramping
Headache or backache
Clumsiness
Lower tolerance for noise or light

Emotional or mental symptoms of PMS include:¹²

Irritability or hostile behavior
Feeling tired
Sleep problems (sleeping likewise much or too trivial)
Ambition changes or nutrient cravings
Trouble with concentration or retention
Tension or anxiety
Depression, feelings of sadness, or crying spells
Mood swings
Less interest in sexual practice

Talk to your doctor or nurse if your symptoms bother y'all or impact your daily life.

What causes PMS?

Researchers practice not know exactly what causes PMS. Changes in hormone levels during the menstrual cycle may play a role.^xiii These irresolute hormone levels may affect some women more than others.

How is PMS diagnosed?

At that place is no unmarried exam for PMS. Your doctor will talk with you lot about your symptoms, including when they happen and how much they affect your life.

You probably take PMS if y'all have symptoms that:¹²

Happen in the 5 days before your menses for at to the lowest degree iii menstrual cycles in a row
End within iv days after your period starts
Keep yous from enjoying or doing some of your normal activities

Continue rails of which PMS symptoms y'all have and how astringent they are for a few months. Write down your symptoms each day on a calendar or with an app on your phone. Accept this information with you when you see your doctor.

How does PMS affect other wellness problems?

Virtually half of women who need relief from PMS also accept another wellness problem, which may become worse in the time before their menstrual period.¹² These health problems share many symptoms with PMS and include:

Low and feet disorders .These are the nearly mutual weather condition that overlap with PMS. Depression and feet symptoms are similar to PMS and may get worse earlier or during your period.
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) .Some women report that their symptoms often get worse right before their period. Research shows that women with ME/CFS may also be more probable to have heavy menstrual bleeding and early or premature menopause.¹⁴
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) . IBS causes cramping, bloating, and gas. Your IBS symptoms may get worse right earlier your menstruum.
Float pain syndrome .Women with bladder pain syndrome are more likely to take painful cramps during PMS.

PMS may too worsen some health problems, such as asthma, allergies, and migraines.

What tin I do at habitation to relieve PMS symptoms?

These tips will aid you be healthier in general, and may relieve some of your PMS symptoms.

Become regular aerobic physical activity throughout the calendar month. ¹⁵ Exercise can help with symptoms such every bit depression, difficulty concentrating, and fatigue.¹⁶
Cull healthy foods most of the time. ¹⁷ Avoiding foods and drinks with caffeine, salt, and saccharide in the two weeks before your period may lessen many PMS symptoms. Learn more virtually healthy eating for women.
Get enough sleep. Try to get about eight hours of sleep each night. Lack of sleep is linked to depression and anxiety and can make PMS symptoms such as moodiness worse.¹²
Observe healthy ways to cope with stress. Talk to your friends or write in a periodical. Some women as well find yoga,^eighteen massage,¹⁹ or meditation^twenty helpful.
Don't smoke. In i large study, women who smoked reported more PMS symptoms and worse PMS symptoms than women who did not smoke.²¹

What medicines can treat PMS symptoms?

Over-the-counter and prescription medicines can help treat some PMS symptoms.

Over-the-counter pain relievers yous can purchase in most stores may aid lessen physical symptoms, such as cramps, headaches, backaches, and breast tenderness. These include:

Ibuprofen
Naproxen
Aspirin

Some women discover that taking an over-the-counter pain reliever right before their period starts lessens the amount of pain and bleeding they take during their period.

Prescription medicines may help if over-the-counter pain medicines don't work:²²

Hormonal birth control may aid with the physical symptoms of PMS,¹² but it may brand other symptoms worse. You may need to try several dissimilar types of birth control before y'all find ane that helps your symptoms.
Antidepressants can help salvage emotional symptoms of PMS for some women when other medicines don't help. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, are the most common blazon of antidepressant used to treat PMS.²³
Diuretics ("water pills") may reduce symptoms of bloating and breast tenderness.
Anti-anxiety medicine may help reduce feelings of anxiousness.

All medicines accept risks. Talk to your doctor or nurse about the benefits and risks.

Should I have vitamins or minerals to treat PMS symptoms?

Maybe. Studies bear witness that certain vitamins and minerals may help salvage some PMS symptoms. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does non regulate vitamins or mineral and herbal supplements in the same style they regulate medicines. Talk to your medico earlier taking any supplement.

Studies have found benefits for:

Calcium . Studies show that calcium tin can assist reduce some PMS symptoms, such as fatigue, cravings, and low.^24,25 Calcium is found in foods such every bit milk, cheese, and yogurt. Some foods, such every bit orange juice, cereal, and staff of life, accept calcium added (fortified). You can likewise have a calcium supplement.
Vitamin B6 .Vitamin B6 may help with PMS symptoms, including moodiness, irritability, forgetfulness, bloating, and feet. Vitamin B6 can be found in foods such equally fish, poultry, potatoes, fruit (except for citrus fruits), and fortified cereals. Yous can also take it equally a dietary supplement.

Studies accept constitute mixed results for:

Magnesium . ²⁴ Magnesium may help salve some PMS symptoms, including migraines. If you lot get menstrual migraines, talk to your doc about whether you need more magnesium.²⁶ Magnesium is found in green, leafy vegetables such as spinach, as well every bit in nuts, whole grains, and fortified cereals. You can also take a supplement.
Polyunsaturated fat acids (omega-iii and omega-half-dozen). Studies testify that taking a supplement with 1 to two grams of polyunsaturated fatty acids may help reduce cramps and other PMS symptoms.²⁷ Expert sources of polyunsaturated fat acids include flaxseed, nuts, fish, and light-green leafy vegetables.

What complementary or culling medicines may assistance relieve PMS symptoms?

Some women report relief from their PMS symptoms with yoga or meditation. Others say herbal supplements help relieve symptoms. Talk with your doctor or nurse before taking any of these supplements. They may interact with other medicines you take, making your other medicine not work or crusade dangerous side effects. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate herbal supplements at the aforementioned level that it regulates medicines.

Some research studies show relief from PMS symptoms with these herbal supplements, but other studies practice non. Many herbal supplements should not be used with other medicines. Some herbal supplements women utilize to ease PMS symptoms include:

Black cohosh. ²⁸The hush-hush stems and root of black cohosh are used fresh or dried to brand tea, capsules, pills, or liquid extracts. Black cohosh is nearly oft used to help treat menopausal symptoms,²⁹ and some women use information technology to help salve PMS symptoms.
Chasteberry . ³ ⁰ Stale ripe chasteberry is used to set liquid extracts or pills that some women take to save PMS symptoms. Women taking hormonal birth control or hormone therapy for menopause symptoms should not have chasteberry.
Evening primrose oil .The oil is taken from the constitute'due south seeds and put into capsules. Some women report that the pill helps relieve PMS symptoms, but the research results are mixed.²⁹

Researchers go along to search for new means to treat PMS. Learn more almost electric current PMS treatment studies at clinicaltrials.gov.

Did nosotros answer your question about PMS?

For more than information most PMS, phone call the OWH Helpline at 1-800-994-9662 or bank check out the post-obit resources from other organizations:

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) — Information from the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Premenstrual Syndrome — Information from the National Library of Medicine

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Page last updated: Feb 22, 2021