Full Version: PMS symptoms AFTER period
Hi! I have a problem that I can't seem to find much information on. The last 2 years or so I seem to experience PMS symptoms AFTER my period starts. I'll be smooth sailing before my period and think I've gone thru the normal PMS time with no problem and then WHAM, a few days after my period starts, I'll start the moodiness, weepiness, acne, foggy thinking. I am 40 years old and my periods have been on average about 22 days apart. I had a total thyroidectomy because of thyroid cancer 5 years ago and had radioactivie iodine to ablate the thyroid tissue. Could this be any part of it? My endocrinologist says my Synthroid is at the right level and my TSH is fine. I'm just trying to figure out if I'm the only one that has experienced this? I am also using natural progesterone cream for the past 3 months which has helped the symptoms, but they are still bothersome. Any advice/help would be much appreciated!
Hi Karlie,
I'm not an expert, but how often are you using the progesterone cream??? For me, progesterone brings on that sluggish feeling and brain fog??? If you create to much progesterone and not enough estrogen, that can through you off balance. Both of these hormones need to be in balance or you will have strange symptoms.
When I first began peri about 4 yrs ago, I also had the weird after my period kind of PMS, and I was using progesterone cream for about 12 days per month. At that time, I had regular periods, but was not taking any estrogen.
It's all a guess, maybe you should try to see if it's the progesterone that is out of balance??? Just a thought.
Otherwise it could be that you are entering peri, which is not unusual even at 40. My niece went into full menopause at 41???
Sorry you having a rough time, we all understand and hope that you figure it out, it's all about trial and error, take care.
Juliann
I'm not an expert, but how often are you using the progesterone cream??? For me, progesterone brings on that sluggish feeling and brain fog??? If you create to much progesterone and not enough estrogen, that can through you off balance. Both of these hormones need to be in balance or you will have strange symptoms.
When I first began peri about 4 yrs ago, I also had the weird after my period kind of PMS, and I was using progesterone cream for about 12 days per month. At that time, I had regular periods, but was not taking any estrogen.
It's all a guess, maybe you should try to see if it's the progesterone that is out of balance??? Just a thought.
Otherwise it could be that you are entering peri, which is not unusual even at 40. My niece went into full menopause at 41???
Sorry you having a rough time, we all understand and hope that you figure it out, it's all about trial and error, take care.
Juliann
I am using the progesterone cream on days 12 thru 25 after my period starts. My gynecologist did a blood test for my hormone levels and said they did not indicate perimenopause, but I am quite sure it is some sort of hormone issue. How and when do I do hormone testing? He didn't seem willing to do any more testing. What kind of estrogen did you take? I have been reading Dr. Lee's book "What Your Doctor May Not Tell you About Perimenopause" and started the progesterone after reading that.
QUOTE (Juliann @ Apr 18 2007, 04:22 PM) 
Hi Karlie,
I'm not an expert, but how often are you using the progesterone cream??? For me, progesterone brings on that sluggish feeling and brain fog??? If you create to much progesterone and not enough estrogen, that can through you off balance. Both of these hormones need to be in balance or you will have strange symptoms.
When I first began peri about 4 yrs ago, I also had the weird after my period kind of PMS, and I was using progesterone cream for about 12 days per month. At that time, I had regular periods, but was not taking any estrogen.
It's all a guess, maybe you should try to see if it's the progesterone that is out of balance??? Just a thought.
Otherwise it could be that you are entering peri, which is not unusual even at 40. My niece went into full menopause at 41???
Sorry you having a rough time, we all understand and hope that you figure it out, it's all about trial and error, take care.
Juliann
I'm not an expert, but how often are you using the progesterone cream??? For me, progesterone brings on that sluggish feeling and brain fog??? If you create to much progesterone and not enough estrogen, that can through you off balance. Both of these hormones need to be in balance or you will have strange symptoms.
When I first began peri about 4 yrs ago, I also had the weird after my period kind of PMS, and I was using progesterone cream for about 12 days per month. At that time, I had regular periods, but was not taking any estrogen.
It's all a guess, maybe you should try to see if it's the progesterone that is out of balance??? Just a thought.
Otherwise it could be that you are entering peri, which is not unusual even at 40. My niece went into full menopause at 41???
Sorry you having a rough time, we all understand and hope that you figure it out, it's all about trial and error, take care.
Juliann
Karlie,
Like I said in my last post, hormones need to be in balance. And I will say, it's very hard to get doctors to listen to you about this sort of thing. I began reading, one of the best books that I found helpful was Suzanne Somers "The Sexy Years". That book was the first time I read about the bioidentical hormones.
At that time I was still having regular periods, so nothing major was happening with my cycles, but I was totally experiencing peri symptoms. For me it started with horrible fatigue, insomnia, mood swings and PMS that seemed to last all month long. After a year of that, I started to get "late" periods and then heavy periods. Then I would get early periods (everything was going crazy). Soon hot flashes started to happen in the middle of the night and that's when I told my doctor to test me.
Some women (such as ME), get hit like a brick when perimenopause begins to rear it's ugly head. I think the hormones begin to dip and spike all over the place.
At any rate, this forum is GREAT, so take advantage and read up, educate yourself, and read a few more books, it helped me to know what was happening.
Keep an eye on the progesterone, try different amounts, perhaps alittle less and see what happens. To begin the estrogen, you would need a blood test and a doctor who know's about bioidentical hormones.
Take care, Juliann
Like I said in my last post, hormones need to be in balance. And I will say, it's very hard to get doctors to listen to you about this sort of thing. I began reading, one of the best books that I found helpful was Suzanne Somers "The Sexy Years". That book was the first time I read about the bioidentical hormones.
At that time I was still having regular periods, so nothing major was happening with my cycles, but I was totally experiencing peri symptoms. For me it started with horrible fatigue, insomnia, mood swings and PMS that seemed to last all month long. After a year of that, I started to get "late" periods and then heavy periods. Then I would get early periods (everything was going crazy). Soon hot flashes started to happen in the middle of the night and that's when I told my doctor to test me.
Some women (such as ME), get hit like a brick when perimenopause begins to rear it's ugly head. I think the hormones begin to dip and spike all over the place.
At any rate, this forum is GREAT, so take advantage and read up, educate yourself, and read a few more books, it helped me to know what was happening.
Keep an eye on the progesterone, try different amounts, perhaps alittle less and see what happens. To begin the estrogen, you would need a blood test and a doctor who know's about bioidentical hormones.
Take care, Juliann
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