PERIODIC PROBLEM

POPPONG A PILL TO SETTLE BACKACHE AND STOMACH CRAMPS IN’T ALL THERE IS TO MONTHLY PERIODS. TANIA AMEER KHAN FINDS OUT BOTH THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL REALITIES OF THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE

Do you snap at your boyfriend when he teases you for having moodswings during your Pre-Menstrual Sndrome? Many women have to face the brunt due to their erractic behavior during this time of the month. “She has gone mad”, “Oh! You must be PMSing, that’s why you behave so?” or “Learn to deal with it and don’t crib”- these are some of the comments hurled at you during the PMS phase.

Most girls have to reckon with various Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS) related problems. PMS typically refers to a general pattern of physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms occurring one or two weeks before menses.

Akshi 22 mentions that passing each second during PMS is a really tough for her. “I become irritable and I tend to shout a lot. The back pain is unbearable. For these few days mostly I laze around, talk less and just try to keep to myself. I also drink a lot of tea and coffee.”

YOU KNOW YOU HAVE PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME IF YOU SUFFER FROM ANY OF THESE:

PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS

• Depression
• Anger
• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Sensitivity to rejection
• Sense of feeling overwhelmed
• Social withdrawal

PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS

• Lethargy or fatigue
• Sleep disturbance (usually hypersomnia)
• Appetite disturbance(usually increased)
• Abdominal bloating
• Breast tenderness
• Menstrual Migraines

Neha mentions that this time is simply awful for her because of the unbearable pain. “During my PMS days I become quite extra-sensitive. Often I cry without any reason. Invariably throughout the day I sleep and also tend to overeat. Sometimes when the pain is unbearable I often go on popping pills without keeping a count.”

PMS is not simply a physical (hormonal) problem, it also affects one’s psyche to a great extent. Talking about the attitude of most people to PMS, Dr Shivani Sachdev Gour, gynaecologist explains, “Most cases of women suffering from PMS-related problems seek instant relief. In a few selected cases, we even suggest that the patient should consult a psychologist. They discard this idea and don’t listen at all. They believe that popping a pill is the best way to ward off menstrual pain but some cases might even need counselling.”

There are ways one can tackle PMS. One, via the hormonal treatment and secondly, via the natural treatment. Both treatments are based on medication prescribed by the doctor but the natural one focuses on pills made from natural products.

Taking care of one’s diet or meal patterns during PMS is also important. In a few cases women even suffer from menstrual diarrhoea. Some dietary changes that can be helpful during these days are-limiting caffeine, alcohol and salt intake, eating small, frequent meals high in complex carbohydrates, eating a healthy, low-fat, high-fibre diet with good vitamin and mineral balance.

This time of the month can be hellish for every woman-the onset of the much-feared menstrual cycle. The fairer sex is well aware that the period time can be a big pain, both literally and figuratively.
Irritability, mood swings, a swollen abdomen, fatigue and even depression, the list of PMS dilemmas is endless. If you experience some or most of these problems in the days before your monthly period, you can blame it on PMS.

But now one can tackle this problem PMS brings along with it. It is others around you who need to be more sensitive and understanding this time.