PMS in Teenagers
Most women and girls have some physical, emotional and behavioural changes just before a period that tell them their period is coming.
The most common physical symptoms are acne, bloating and breast tenderness, but there may be vomiting, diarrhoea, tummy pain and many others.
The most common emotional changes are feeling down, weepy or irritable.
Behavioural symptoms include not wanting to go out and cravings for certain foods.
These issues all go away once the bleeding starts but may come back every month.
We call pre-menstrual symptoms “pre-menstrual syndrome” when these symptoms become severe, start affecting that person’s life so that the person cannot cope. In a small number of women this can happen when they are teenagers and the PMS begins to disrupt their school and home life to a significant extent.
The ovarian cycle is where the ovaries make hormones (oestrogen and progesterone) which go up and down through the month. The ovary also makes an egg, and the cycle finishes with a period. Periods usually come once a month, but when you start your periods they may not be regular for a year or more, A period shows that you have not got pregnant and the womb is shedding its lining.
It seems to be that some girls and women are more sensitive than others to the changes in their hormones through the month. There is not usually anything wrong with the hormone levels when we test them. It seems to involve the serotonin system in the brain and its interaction with the hormones coming from the ovary
Suggestions to try
If you are suffering from premenstrual symptoms, try the suggestions below.
Food
Eat healthy food. Try eating a healthy snack little and often, every 2-4hours. Healthy foods include fruit and vegetables and slow release carbohydrates eg (non-sugary) cereal bars. Eat less of the salty sugary and fatty snacks such as crisps, chips, sweets, and chocolate.
Exercise
Any activity that raises your heart rate and/or gets you out in the fresh air. So, get swimming, cycling, skating, walking, running and dancing. Whatever you enjoy
Sleep
Be sure to get enough sleep, it will help make you feel better. Try relaxation or deep breathing exercises, this can help you feel less anxious, and helps you get to sleep.
Self-care
Make sure that you take some time for yourself. Bath or shower daily. Just finding a quiet place for yourself, in your bedroom, or outdoors in a favourite place can help you to feel more relaxed.
Try and plan to do your school work when you are feeling ok, don’t leave it if you know a period is coming, as concentration can be harder if you are pre-menstrual.
If you find going out difficult at this time, plan your activities – read a special book instead of meeting friends.
Keeping A PMS Diary
Keep a chart or notebook of your symptoms (what they are, when they happen to you, how long they last, and when they go away, plus any things that make them worse or better) Then you will learn the pattern of your PMS symptoms. This may help you be able to better manage your PMS and learn when to be kind to yourself. It is also essential to show your doctor, nurse or specialist. (see NAPS website for sample chart).
Talking to Your Doctor
If you feel you need to talk to someone in private about PMS, make an appointment to see your GP (family doctor) or school nurse.
If your PMS is affecting you to such an extent that it is interfering with your schoolwork or the activities that you want to do, then you need to take action. There is help and there are medicines that can make a great difference to you. You may need to go to a specialist PMS clinic.
If you think you may have PMS, you’re not alone. This is a real medical condition and it is treatable, and with the right medical support in time, you can and will feel better.
Your doctor will aim to find the best treatment that will help you. To find this out they are most likely to ask you a number of questions, and from your answers make a decision, as to which treatment to try.
Questions To Ask
You may feel a bit nervous about your first appointment with a doctor / nurse who will be talking about your PMS with you, this is completely normal. To get the most out of this visit, it would be a good idea to write a list of questions and list any worries you may have, so the doctor can go through these with you and answer them one by one.
Lucy (age 14) has told us how PMS affects her
I’ve been feeling really lousy the last couple of days. I feel bloated, I have ravenous cravings for chocolate, and I have nasty stomach cramps. I feel so depressed about my life, and cry at the slightest thing, and I wish I could tell my mum, but she may not want to listen to me. I can’t possibly speak to my dad, because it’s just too embarrassing!