THEeffectiveness of treatments varies from woman to woman. Solutions may work wonderfully for some women and not work for others. Sometimes you have to try a few treatments before you find the right one. A 3 month trial period is suggested.

Life habits

Lifestyle changes proposed in the Prevention section are often enough to provide some comfort to women with mild or moderate symptoms.

pharmaceuticals

When the healthy lifestyle is not enough to relieve symptoms, drugs can be used. Nevertheless, the drug strategy must always be combined with a healthy lifestyle.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They relieve cramps and reduce breast tenderness. To be effective, they must be taken during the week before menstruation as well as the first days of menstruation. Ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®) and naproxen (Anaprox®, Naprosyn®) are the most used in these situations.

Warning. NSAIDs should not be used at the same time as diuretics (see below).

Continuous oral contraceptives. Besides acting as a contraception, it is a good way to stop PMS because ovulation is prevented. This option is interesting, for example, in case of severe migraines at the end of the cycle or during menstruation. All pills can be taken continuously, but some have been designed for this purpose (eg Seasonale®).

Estrogen and progestogen patches. Taking estrogen has been shown to be effective for many women. It must be accompanied by the taking of a progestogen in order to avoid the side effects of estrogen taken alone. This method is not contraceptive and it is not recommended to become pregnant while using estrogen in the form of patches. It is therefore necessary to use a means of contraception during sexual intercourse (for example, condoms or a Mirena® IUD).

Antidepressants. Two families of antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, can effectively relieve certain symptoms of PMS (most notably PMS).irritability). It is generally suggested that you take antidepressants during the 2 weeks before your period. The dosage is lower than for the treatment of depression.

Diuretics. These drugs help the elimination of fluids and may decrease symptoms related to Water retention (weight gain, leg pain or heavy legs, etc.). Due to their potentially serious side effects, they are hardly used any more in the treatment of PMS, except in rare cases. Spironolactone (Aldactone®) is the only diuretic to be used for this indication. A low-salt diet is often enough to limit fluid retention.

Anxiolytics. Previously offered, anxiolytics (for example, alprazolam and buspirone) are now strongly discouraged because they are less effective than antidepressants and can be addictive or other side effects.

In case of very intense symptoms that are not relieved by other methods, it is possible to use medicines to stop menstruation (androgens, such as danazol or Gn-RH analogues). These are hormones that cause temporary menopause. The duration of treatment does not exceed 6 months. As a last resort, some women opt to have their ovaries removed by surgery.

Food supplements

Doctors are increasingly recommending calcium and magnesium supplements for women with PMS because studies have shown these minerals to have beneficial effects (see Complementary Approaches section). Researchers believe PMS could be, in part, a manifestation of calcium deficiency.