PMT/PMS Symptoms

PMT encompasses as many as 150 different symptoms, although no woman experiences them all.

When one considers how common the symptoms of PMT are in "technologically advanced" cultures, (somewhere between 60% and 80% of all menstruating women between the ages of 20 and 50 experience regular symptoms of PMT), the conclusion might be drawn that women (and their partners) are destined to suffer. However, because there are numerous cultures among whom this condition is essentially non-existent and unknown, diet, stress and xenoestrogens (foreign oestrogens), often introduced in the form of contraceptives, are all major contributors to this disorder. The symptoms generally include all or some combination of:

• Irritability
• Frustration
• Anger
• Depression/Loss of Esteem
• Mood Swings
• Panic Attacks
• Food Cravings
• Loss of Libido
• Irregular Periods/Bleeding
• Anger, Rage
• Bloating/Water Retention
• Weight Gain
• Muscle/Joint Pain
• Foggy Thinking
• Vertigo
• Acute Headaches (Migraines)
• Breast Swelling & Tenderness

As if the above symptoms are not enough, secondary consequences usually result in impaired work ability and strained interpersonal relationships.

Traditional Treatments

Traditional treatments have included tranquilizers, diuretics, dietary changes, thyroid supplements, herbs, vitamins, exercise and acupuncture. While these may provide some easing of symptoms, the underlying causes remain.

Successful Treatments

Dr. Joel T. Hargrove of Vanderbilt University Medical Center USA has seen a 90% success rate in treating PMT with oral doses of natural progesterone. An even higher rate of success has been reported by Dr. John R. Lee, M. D., using Transdermal Natural Progesterone Cream in his practice for more than 17 years. The difference between the methods of application is that oral progesterone requires 5-8 times the daily dose to obtain the same results of Transdermal Progesterone Cream. Approximately 80% of oral progesterone is intercepted by the liver and conjugated by glucuronic acid for excretion in the bile. Additionally, oral progesterone will produce a sharp rise in serum progesterone levels followed by a rapid drop in serum levels within several hours.

In thirty years of clinical practice, seventeen recommending transdermal natural progesterone cream, Dr. Lee has observed the consistent benefits and safety of natural progesterone therapy. He makes this statement:

"Though not completely understood, PMS (PMT) most commonly represents an individual reaction to estrogen dominance, secondary to relative progesterone deficiency. Appropriate treatment requires correction of this hormone imbalance and the most effective technique, at present, for achieving this is supplemental Transdermal Natural Progesterone Cream"

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