I agree with Chris.  Everything about that delightful experience intensified
to the point of insanity the older I got (starting in my middle 40's).  The
two things that helped me were, unfortunately, prescriptions for two other
ailments....celebrex, I take for my knees, and Prozac I take for OCD, but
they helped PMS and cramps immensely.   I am now 53, as of yesterday : ),
and still as regular as I was at 23!  But, these two meds helped immensely.
I keep hoping one day I will actually grow up and leave these problems
behind!  Good luck.  Elise

Oh dammit, say it ain't so...it gets worse before its over?....I was
hoping that it was the reverse...your TOM starts fading away until it's
all gone...I suffered horribly as a teenager. I'd spend the first day
home from school with a bucket near me at all times.  I was prescribed
Darvocet the big orange horse pills and finally put on the BC pill to
control my periods. But in the last two years....sheesh I have my TOM
for two days if I am lucky...I just turned 41 a couple of weeks ago so I
just assumed that the end is near.

Love, Laughter, and Friendship,

Lisa
www.beautycafe.com

Ditto Chris

My periods were much heavier for the 2 years before they stopped (3 years
ago - I started early at 11 and got finished early) except I was rarely
moody and never really had cramps.

Imagine what fun it was while I was camping out watching them bulid my
house for 3 months?  When the plumber flushed my toilet for the first
time, I nearly kissed him on the mouth ;-)

Depo doesn't always work in getting rid of periods.  I had mine for 3 months
(continuously) while on depo.

Forgive the guy jumping in here, but you have to be careful with Depo.
I know several women who were using it and ended up needing to have a
DNC because the lining built up so much it became infected. Eventually
you do need to expel it.

For a man (who isn't a doctor), I know *way* too much about the
gynocological workings of women -- maybe it's because I took biology
so many times, maybe it's because problems run in my family (cysts,
endometriosis) or that I know several women with problems. The
menstral cycle is a very delicate thing, it's hormones triggering
hormones, which is unlike any other "regulated" biological function in
humans. When one drops off, another picks up, but if the timing or the
levels are slightly off things get out of whack. I've been meaning to
look at Susann Sommer's new book (I caught her interview on Larry
King).

To the OP: go to a free clinic, call a gyno, make an appointment, and
tell them you don't have insurance. They won't refuse you care, a
doctor visit will probably be less than $100 (and if you need meds
they probably have samples until your insurance kicks in). You can pay
$10 a month until the bill is gone, but please go get it looked it.
What's going on is irregular.

Well to sorta tie up this whole discussion..
(chris question) I'm 36

I am not currently on any birth control at all, the depo sorta scares me
and Mark has a vasectomy anyhow. I've taken the pill over the years off
and on between children (I have 2, 14 and 11) I never had any real
trouble with the pill and may go back to that if it will level out my
periods. I did have a Norplant implant after my son was born but after
about a year the side effects(weight, hairloss etc) were so annoying
that I had it removed. As far as going to a gyno, I do not have health
coverage right now (job change and waiting on benefits) So I contacted
the state Health Dept/Family Planning and have scheduled to get a pap
and discuss the situation of my periods next Thursday, I will let ya'll
know the outcome.

I am also going to ask about a blood workup and see if I am low iron. I
suspect I am and if so I need to learn to compensate somewhere in my
diet for that, iron supps don't really appeal to me. If getting back on
the pill doesn't help with the mental end of things for the PMS I am
going to go wait for my health insurance to kick in and see someone
about anti depressants(for those that don't remember, I have Dysthymia
and made the decision to manage it with some(last year) therapy, changes
in my eating and exercise instead of meds. Info can be found here
http://www.allaboutdepression.com/dia_04.html ) . I hate the idea of
going on long term meds of any type. I have felt confident in my WOE and
exercise for almost a year now that I can manage this without meds.
Maybe I have underestimated myself in this respect.

As far as my hell week of period. I ended up spending 2 days on the sofa
with the heating pad, went through a box of pads and 2 boxes of super
tampons. Half a bottle of Motrin as well. My family ended up leaving on
Sunday to go to the lake without me which was ok by me. I think they had
more fun without me and my bitching anyhow.

On the upside, I was so miserable with it I didn't eat much this weekend
and since it's almost over the bloating is gone and I stepped on the
scales this morning and was down another lb. Now I can get back to my
walking/cycling and back to living.

Thanks to all who responded with much needed support :)

Susan
260/191/140