Actually, there was a second less altruistic reason for her lack of inclination to socialise—breakouts. Initially appearing in the two weeks before her period, the breakouts ended up lingering all month long.
“The zits made me more upset than ever,” she says.
It was a chance visit to a health food shop two years ago that turned Jayne’s life around. Evening primrose oil tablets and a supplement called agnus castus (a fruit extract) were on promotion next to a poster printed with the words Is PMS your problem?
“The sales assistant said they help balance hormones. So I bought three month’s supply,” Jayne explains.
“It was marvelous, because after years of suffering, I began to feel far more positive and hardly cried at all. My breakouts slowly cleared. My boyfriend and friends see much more of me now.”
Most doctors would be skeptical about Jayne’s experience. Evidence supporting evening primrose oil is conflicting—but it seems taking at least 1000mg for a few months is required. Studies into agnus castus are promising, but scarce. At least there aren’t any reported side effects with either supplement.
Any alternative remedy, however, should be treated with caution. Excess vitamin B12 can damage the nervous system.
One thing is certain—there are numerous approaches to PMS, the symptoms of which may be blurry. How do you know they’re simply not an aggravation of pre-existing problems?
Many women find keeping a PMS diary enlightening, noting feelings daily and seeing if a pattern emerges.
Each diary tells a different story. What’s yours?
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