Health Solutions

PMS Medications

 PMS Medications

Alice have been feeling symptoms of PMS since she was 14 years old, two weeks before her period, she changes to a different Alice. She can't focus on what she is doing, cries a lot, and at times laughs very hard.  She always had a little worse set of mood swings and acne the 3-4 days before her menses start. And, as she’s gotten older (28 now), she finds her mood swings to be almost hazardous to her me and her family’s health. In the span of 30 minutes, she got so mad she almost hit her grandmother with the stick for the vacuum, seriously contemplated running away from home, broke down into a crying fit, stopped crying to start yelling, cried some more, then started laughing. Not a good day. 

Alice needs some medication to help her. If you are like Alice and would like to win the battle with PMS, it is best to consult your doctor.

Your doctor may prescribe one or more medications for premenstrual syndrome. The success of medications in relieving symptoms varies from woman to woman. Commonly prescribed medications for premenstrual syndrome include:

  • Antidepressants. These are widely used in treating the mood disturbances related to PMS. Antidepressants appear to work by increasing brain chemical (opioids, serotonin, and others) levels that are affected by the ovarian hormones. These opioids are important in the control of mood and emotions. fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft) and others, have been successful in reducing symptoms such as fatigue, food cravings and sleep problems and are the first line agents for treatment of severe PMS or PMDD. These drugs are generally taken daily. But for some women with PMS, use of antidepressants may be limited to the two weeks before menstruation begins.
  • Analgesics (pain killers): These are commonly given for menstrual cramps, headaches, and pelvic discomfort. The most effective group of analgesics appears to be the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs). Examples of these are ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox) and mefenamic acid (Ponstel).
  • Diuretics. When exercise and limiting salt intake aren't enough to reduce the weight gain, swelling and bloating of PMS, taking diuretics, or water pills, can help your body shed excess water through your kidneys. Spironolactone (Aldactone) is a diuretic that can help ease some of the symptoms of PMS.
  • Oral contraceptives. These prescription medications stop ovulation and stabilize hormonal swings, thereby offering relief from PMS symptoms. Yaz, a type of birth control pill containing the progestin drospirenone, which acts similarly to the diuretic spironolactone, has been shown to be even more effective than regular birth control pills are in reducing the physical and emotional symptoms of PMS and PMDD.
  • Medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-Provera). For severe PMS or PMDD, this injection can be used to temporarily stop ovulation. However, Depo-Provera may cause an increase in some of the same signs and symptoms experienced with PMS, such as increased appetite, weight gain, headache and depressed mood.