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It is Your Hormones And You’re Not Mad!
May 6, 2005, 16:36, Reviewed by: Dr.
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“Trying to access information on PMS from books or the Internet can be thoroughly confusing; drugs that work are not licensed for PMS and those that are licensed don’t work. This lecture aims to put the whole disorder in perspective”
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By RCOG, UK,
At best, some women experience a sweet craving and some irritability, but in its most severe form, Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) can lead women to behave erratically, aggressively and angrily to almost Jekyll and Hyde dimensions.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is holding a free public lecture for women of all ages on Thursday 16th June 2005, 6.30pm – 7.30pm at the College to explain the causes of this syndrome and outline up-to-date treatments and solutions. Confusing terminology such as PMS, PMT and PMDD will also be clarified.
“We particularly want to encourage young women and girls to come along as well,” says Prof Shaughn O’Brien, “as this is one gynaecological condition which affects women of all ages. Very often, PMS is mistaken for moody teenagers but if a diary were kept you would notice that the moody teenager only reared its head in the two weeks before her period."
“It has also been proven that women who suffer from post-natal depression are more likely to go on to develop PMS and vice versa,” continues Prof O’Brien.
Nearly all women suffer from premenstrual symptoms but as with most biological characteristics there are extremes. 5% of women do not experience any symptoms but 5% of women have such severe symptoms that it disrupts their normal lives. It is this 5% who are said to suffer from Premenstrual Syndrome.
A recent WellBeing of Women* survey of more than 1,500 found that some women lose more than 10 days every month to symptoms related to PMS.
With a mixture of both physical and emotional symptoms, women can feel out of control and in very rare and extreme cases it has been known as a contributing factor to murder, physical abuse and domestic violence. Some symptoms appear to overlap with psychiatric disorders but if, after menstruation, the symptoms simply disappear then it is almost certainly due to hormones.
As there are no specific tests that can diagnose PMS, many women suffer in silence, believing it to be a normal part of being female, without realising that medical treatments are available for severe sufferers.
Over the years, women have tried various self-help treatments including evening primrose oil, vitamin B6, eating more starchy foods, avoiding caffeine, and many other dietary manipulations, but none has really been proved scientifically. Sue Granik, Chair of the RCOG Consumer’s Forum says, “PMS can be a difficult condition for women to live with, and we hope this lecture will reassure sufferers that there are very good reasons and clinical explanations for what they are going through.”
Prof Shaughn O’Brien concludes, “Trying to access information on PMS from books or the Internet can be thoroughly confusing; drugs that work are not licensed for PMS and those that are licensed don’t work. This lecture aims to put the whole disorder in perspective.” 
- The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
WellBeing of Women* survey
To reserve a free place please call 020 7772 6245 or email [email protected]
Venue: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, 27 Sussex Place, Regent’s Park, London, NW1 4RG
About PMS: The Cause - Some women are abnormally sensitive to changes in progesterone. It is not known why but there are quite convincing theories that suggest there is a deficiency in one of the brain hormones known as serotonin.
PMS – A mixture of severe emotional and physical symptoms.
PMT – A lay term that is no longer used medically
PMDD (Premenstrual dysphoric disorder)– A term coined by the American Psychiatric Association, it refers to the severe and particularly serious emotional symptoms. It only occurs in a small percentage of women with PMS.
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