Symptoms can occur from the time of ovulation right up to the end of your period. As long as they occur with the same regularity every month, then there is a good chance you have PMS. Keeping monthly charts will help you identify this. Just a few of the many symptoms of PMS:

psychological symptoms
 irritability
 nervousness
 lack of control
 agitation
 anger
 insomnia
 difficulty in concentrating
 lethargy
 depression
 severe fatigue
 anxiety
 confusion
 forgetfulness
 decreased self-image
 paranoia
 emotional hypersensitivity
 crying spells
 moodiness
 sleep disturbances

fluid retention
 edema (swelling of the ankles, hands, and feet)
 periodic weight gain
 oliguria (diminished urine formation)
 breast fullness and pain

respiratory problems
 allergies
 infections

eye complaints
 visual disturbances
 conjunctivitis
gastrointestinal symptoms
 abdominal cramps
 bloating
 constipation
 nausea
 vomiting
 pelvic heaviness or pressure
 backache

skin problems
 acne
 neurodermatitis (skin inflammation with itching)
 aggravation of other skin disorders, including cold sores

neurologic and vascular symptoms
 headache
 vertigo
 syncope (fainting)
 numbness, prickling, tingling, or heightened sensitivity of arms and/or legs
 easy bruising
 heart palpitations
 muscle spasms

other
 decreased coordination
 painful menstruation
 diminished libido (sex drive)
 appetite changes
 food cravings
 hot flashes

You should also be aware that many diseases and pyschological conditions can get worse around the time leading up to and during your period.

Also you may find this questionnaire useful:

__ Do you have a stressful lifestyle? No
__ Are you having relationship difficulties with your spouse, family members, or coworkers? Yes
__ Would those who live or work with you say you have PMS? Yes
__ Are you getting enough sleep (do you awake feeling refreshed?)? Never
__ Do you have regular eating habits and a balanced diet? Yes
__ Do you get 20 minutes of aerobic exercise 3-4 times per week? Yes
__ Do you smoke? No
__ Do you drink alcoholic beverages? No
__ Do you have more than two 8-ounce caffeinated beverages per day? No
__ Is your diet high in red meat, salty foods or sugar? No
__ Do you have food cravings in the 10 days before your period? Yes
__ Do you have mood swings or crying jags in the 10 days before your period? Yes
__ Do you feel bloated before your period? Yes
__ Do you actually gain weight the few days before your period (that goes away when you’ve finished)? Don’t know
__ Are you on birth control pills? No, but have been.

One major issue i have with some PMS websites is when they state PMS is caused  by eating sugary foods or red meat or drinking alcohol, this is blatantly rubbish since i answered no on all of the dietary/drug related questions and still suffer from PMS! Fact is no-one knows what causes PMS, so you have to experiment and work out what works best for you.

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