Self focused frustration; PMDD Sabotage

ebuds83
ebuds83 Posts: 8 Member
in Getting Started
Whenever I start a "diet" or an attempt at a "life-style" change, I'll have a week or two of good tracking. I tend do change eating before adding in exercise as I always seem to gain weight, despite calculating correct calories and not eating back what I worked off. Its frustrating. I always feel when I start working out and eating better I get "fatter". My clothes drive me crazy, I hate how I look and get discouraged if I step on the scale there's usually a gain.

Muscle weighs more than fat, water weight, etc. Simple math equation seems to be not so much the case. So I try to stay away from the scale and eventually it levels out; weight won't change but clothes will change and fit better. Progress.

Then comes my dear monthly friend. I refer to my pms as my "incredible hulk" because for 10+ days my mood gets worse\temper and inevitably a big food\alcohol binge that destroys any progress I made and its back to day one again. So its a teeter totter of frustration.

I have tried medications to calm down the "hulk" and low salt, low carb etc... its hard to maintain when your emotions and hormones are so intense.

Soooo, I'm hoping I'm not the only one with this struggle. Anyone have anything that's helped them break the infamous cycle? :explode:

Replies

  • aliwhalen
    aliwhalen Posts: 150 Member
    I too was diagnosed with PMDD, it sure makes staying stable a lot harder. For me, I make sure to chart my cycle so I know when I'm at risk for going to my dark place. This helps to remind me that, hey, I'm in my dark place, I'm not really fat, my clothes aren't really horrible, my mind is just tricking me! My mom also had it and said that during that time of the month everything looked dirty. I started saying it's like you're wearing *kitten*-colored goggles, everything just looks and feels bad and horrible, even when nothing has changed.

    Something else that helps is to get out and exercise on those days. Taking a walk even if I feel horrible and bloated helps a LOT! Drinking water too. If you're like me, you crave carbs and sweets when you're about to start. I've found the easiest way to not indulge is to not have them in the house. Since I have 3 kids at home with me during the day that are 3 and under the sheer effort of gathering them all up and going to the store for cupcakes outweighs the need for the treat.

    Please feel free to talk to me, I've suffered with PMDD for several years now and my mother also experienced it as well as early menopause. It is so infuriating to feel like you're going crazy but still feel like the craziness is valid.
  • ebuds83
    ebuds83 Posts: 8 Member
    My mother has\had it also. I feel like since I turned 28 its got increasingly worse. I've changed meds to help but it still is crazy!

    My cycles are fairly irregular so tracking is tough ( even on a pill I have irregular cycles give or take 3-5 days with a pill 10+ days without). I'm not sure if I'm irregular from the on off again diet or because I'm heavier now, it wasn't always so irregular, and sometimes its not. Its a crap shoot. On months I'm not on target the pmdd is sooo much worse.

    I like the **** colored goggles analogy. I literally feel filthy, even right out of the shower!

    I suppose I need to think more along the I know these days will blow and exercise anyway in hopes of changing the path of my mood, although sometimes I don't realize i was "in the thick of it" until its gone and then I'm like " oh yah...." And apologize to my boyfriend for being "crazy" and thanks for putting up with it. I don't really keep "snacks" in the house. That being said, I will stop on my way home on days I'm so overwhelmed with the incredible hulk and get stuff. I've even started to drive to the store, stopped myself from going, cried, left, turned around, paced around, then got that bag of chips anyway, feel better and then all the weight or progress made is gone ( cuz I probably did this more than one day in a 10 day period) and get sad and start all over again... Maybe I need an ankle bracelet or tracking device! :laugh:

    Have you had success with weight loss? Or gained control of the drastic mood swings?
  • aliwhalen
    aliwhalen Posts: 150 Member
    Having a partner who believes what you're going through is real helps a lot. I know that before I was diagnosed, he could be dismissive and thought I was just overreacting. Well, turns out I WAS, but also turns out I couldn't help it. Not one bit.

    I have managed to lose about 8 pounds of the 18 I set out to lose. It's been hard when I'm having cravings or feeling low, but I've found drinking a ton of water and replacing chocolate with pineapple or some other fruit helps. I do still have a glass of wine when I feel like it, just not three :)

    Have you tried an anti-anxiety? I've found that Ativan does help me when I'm really angry and on edge.

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