A week or so ago, I was feeling pretty good. Walking and doing some mild exercise as well as yoga. I had my good days as well as my bad, but for the most part things were going good and then suddenly there was that "old familiar" dark cloud. It's never far away and I can usually find it with little problem. But when checking my calendar today I realized that I'm getting ready to get my period on Saturday. Suddenly I don't want to get out of bed. I fight with hubby constantly and try to pick arguments with him. I hate my job. I made my sister cry on the phone last night. It's awful.

Physically I feel drained and spent. I have no energy nor do I care. Last night the fire alarms went off three times. The last time I was like, "Burn baby...burn." It was all I could do to drag my body out of bed this morning to come to work. Matter-of-fact, I was 2 hours late and refused to rush. In my mind I was like, "Go ahead, fire me."

I've read here on this forum where many women have stopped their cycles or their cycles are suddenly erraticm, but not me. Like clock work mine is. You can literally set your watch by it. I calendar it every month thinking that "this month" will be the month that I skip or it will be light or whatever, but nope, there it is...right on time.

I can't help but wonder...is it Peri that's making me crazy or is it PMS? I'm never what you would consider jolly and I can be moody as all get out but still. I'm confused about where I'm out in this whole nightmare. Last year on doctor told me that my hormone levels were depleted where another one the next month told me I was "straight right down the middle" on everything.

All I know is that today I'm cranky and surly. Hubby needs to disappear into a puff of smoke with the kids not too far behind. The job ***** and friends are keeping their distance.

Any ideas? I'm all out.

Hi Krissy,
Although I'm presently having a period at almost 56, I did notice things changing even when my periods were like clockwork (like yours) Whereas I used to get PMS prior to my period with the crying, rage, etc, it started changing and I stared feel AWFUL for the first few days of my period. It was like someone pulled and plug and all my life force drained out, both physically and mentally.

So even if you are still regular, the amount and ratios of your hormones are changing. And from the sounds of your symptoms, it sounds like your E is starting to drop. From the time you ovulate the P levels are high, and if you don't have enough E to balance it, you will have bad PMS.

So in short, it's BOTH peri and PMS

in my humble opinion it is both.Peri has made my PMS 100 times worse.I have had so many symptoms I tought I had that PMDD,but realized instead it was peri.I know how you feel.The best thing you can do is always think before you speak to others and try to continue your routine even if you do not feel like it.Extra sleep makes me feel worse,even causes headaches.So try to get up.exercise and look before you leap with hubby.Evening primrose oil has helped my symptoms a bunch so maybe try that?GOD bless