PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME (PMS)
Patient Teaching Sheet
DEFINITION: This is a common problem experienced by women in their reproductive years. Symptoms include cravings for food particularly chocolate and salty foods, irritability, feelings of depression, crying spells, bloated stomach, weight gain and water retention, difficulty concentrating, tiredness, feelings of faintness, sometimes feeling clumsy and tender, sore breasts. You may have all or some of these symptoms or other symptoms.
CAUSE: Although the cause is really not know, it is a response of a woman’s body to the changes in the female hormones during the last half of the menstrual cycle.
PREVENTION: All of your symptoms probably cannot be prevented, but they can be less severe.
TREATMENT PLAN:
Keep track of your symptoms for at least three months so that your health care provider can determine if the symptoms always happen in the last half of your cycle.
Eat six meals each day. Eat breakfast, have a morning snack like fruit or a glass of milk, eat lunch, have an afternoon snack, eat supper and they have another snack in the evening. This will help keep your blood sugar even and help avoid low blood sugar.
Avoid candy, desserts and other sugars. They may be associated with episodes of low blood sugar. Complex carbohydrates such as pasta, potatoes, fresh fruit, rice and bread break down more slowly that "sweets" and helps your blood sugar be more even.
Stay away from salty foods such as chips, fast food and pickles because they are associated
Avoid caffeine in soda, coffee and chocolate. Caffeine makes you irritable and nervous. When you have PMS, you don’t need caffeine!
Do some exercise. It is a very good idea to do aerobic exercise because you will increase brain chemicals that help your mood. However, any exercise such as taking a walk will also help.
Join a PMS support group so that you can get support from women who have symptoms like yours and some ideas for things that have helped them. You may have ideas to share with others, also.
If you smoke, try to cut down.
Get a good nights rest and take naps, if you can.
Try stress reduction classes or Yoga. Local community organizations have classes available.
MEDICATIONS: There are a number of medications your health care provider may suggest.
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