2. Navigating the Storm: My Journey with PMDD – Part 2
Life with PMDD can feel like a tempestuous sea, filled with unpredictable waves of emotions. In this second instalment of my PMDD journey, I'll share my initial experiences, the symptoms that blindsided me, and the confusion that accompanied my diagnosis. Join me as I embark on a quest to understand this complex condition and discover strategies to weather the storm.
PMDDHORMONES
10/7/20247 min read
My Journey with PMDD – Part 2
Following on from part one…
(If you haven't read that check it out here first)
Today I’m continuing on this journey, including why and what I started implementing while I wait...
From my diary.
Jun 3, 2024
…So, while I wait for my test results and my appointments, I wasn’t going to wait to start doing things that may help in the mean time.
Sammy and I have been talking a lot since we have been at this new minesite (the most remote one in Australia) that the food doesn’t seem to be cutting it with nutrients.
While there are always healthier options available, they don’t even feel like you’re getting much out of that either.
It wasn’t so bad during summer when your are sweating it out all day every day, but as soon as the weather cooled, it just felt like empty calories, and my body started to show it. I started to feel jiggly and puffy everywhere.
Maybe another sign that my body isn’t happy, and definitely needs better lymphatic drainage.
From my research PMDD is related to hormones, which makes sense.
And I have been saying to Sam for months that I feel like my body needs more “something”.
There has also been some pretty big life changes and very extended stressful life events that could definitely have disrupted my hormones too.
So my first plan is to get my body back into balance, reduce stress and up my nutrition.
I started with the go to’s for period related things (and things I could get locally at home before heading back to work in a few days)
•Magnesium (Spray)
•Evening Primrose - been taking this one on and off for years now, and it always seems to help. ~Thankyou to my beautiful friend Kaitlin for the heads up on that one~
•Wanderlust Women’s Multi and Chaste Tree Berry - I take different tonics from Wanderlust here and there, especially immune or stress ones. My first time trying these two, they are both aimed at cycle related things
•Black Seed Oil - the reported benefits with this are amazing, not the brand I wanted but all I could get at the time. Been adding a little drop or two to my skincare as well.
•Chlorophyll - same as above with the black seed. If you do want to look into Chlorophyll or Black Seed oil, Korganica have loads of info and are now my go to.
•Olive Leaf Extract - is said to have high antioxidant properties, among many other benefits, and its easy to get from anywhere.
Other things that I am implementing that may help.
Find a good Chiro - My old one in South Australia (Louie at N8 Health Victor Harbor, is next level, he changed my life)
Lymphatic drainage - Time for a mini tramp? Maybe, but jumping for now
Checking all my products - More on this below
Walks in nature - My psychic told me I really need this daily
Healing session with an energy healer - Find one that resonates with you. Sometimes we just need that extra help to shift stagnant energy.
Taking a break from fifo - Taking some time to rest and heal, mentally more than physically with this one, and going all in online with things that light me up and make my soul happy
Somatic yoga/practices - Find some that resonate with you. I love these ones on YouTube. And I secretly love dancing around my room like a wild lady.
Switching my products
•Haircare. I switched to monat at the start of the year. (Best decision ever! You can read about that here) as they have the best quality Haircare, I’m talking next level hair.
They meet the EU standard, much stricter than in Australia or the US. ~ There are some Monat Products I would avoid if you are healing your hormones, so hit me up if this is you. Most of us have no issues at all, but some of us are more sensitive to ingredients than others ~
•Skincare. I have been on the more natural skincare bandwagon for years (like close to 10 years) ~ wow I feel like I have had a lot more laps around the sun than usual when I say things like that ~
If you have read my bio you know I was a bit of a product junky and always trying new things so there have been plenty of products that maybe weren’t the cleanest come through my home.
But I have always come back to the cleaner options.
I’ll share more about this soon, this one might be a whole series… I could talk about forever.
•Home and Laundry. It’s been so many years since I used conventional perfumes, switching to essential oils and other more natural options years ago. I now can’t stand the smell of heavily and artificially fragranced things, or walking down the cleaning isle at the super market.
Once your body gets used to the beautiful natural smells essential oils etc it’s almost like it recognises the baddies in artificial smells.
•Toms Organics period products. I switched to less toxic options way back. Do a little research if you want to know what chemicals they put in products that go into our most intimate area
•Toms Juju cup - This one’s a learning curve for sure, but so much less wasteful and more convenient.
I know I can heal this naturally - I declared (June 3).
It’s going to get a little woo woo.
(At this point in the adventure I was thinking I may have endo too)
Incurable isn’t incurable, it means its only curable from within.
Our bodies don’t do things my mistake, so something is wrong if it’s acting abnormally.
~ Find me someone that thinks their painful periods are normal, they know somethings wrong, it’s just others or our self doubts that make us think otherwise ~
I read the secret when I was 18, and while I live life according to its teaching along with many others, I have never fully embodied it and lived in that realm.
Dr Joe Dispenza is my favorite (non-fiction) author, my Dad introduced me to him in my early 20s, and Dad had always taught me many of those beliefs too. His books You are the Placebo, Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself are mind-blowing, and so interesting. I love that they have the science to back it up. I am yet to read Becoming Supernatural. I guess now is the time.
Dad also always taught us to look at the metaphysical reason for everything when we had physical issues, and Louise Hays You Can Heal Your Life was always floating around the house.
It’s time to put all of that into committed practice. And heal. Properly.
Dr Garry - Recognised my womb trauma from when I was 15 in an acupuncture session, at the time I was in my mid 20s. And had told no-one about it.
So it’s time to heal. My body, stored trauma of any kind, my hormones.
Listening to Dr Joe on Gaia, our body signals the brain and the mind signals the body.
And scar tissue can be healed and hormones can be healed.
But only from within…
I do want to add, that in doing this research, I have realised I may have a lot more symptoms of endo than I thought. And maybe why I havnt seriously looking into it sooner.
But they are no where near as debilitating as some people. That makes mine no less valid, but I send so much love and healing to anyone that experiences any of these sorts of symptoms symptoms, especially those that can be so debilitating.
______________
Told you it was going to get a little woo…
As I write this now, 3 months later, I know the early things I did to help started me on the right path. And I hope this may help guide you to heal, and be aware of your hormones and the hormone disruptors we are exposed to everyday.
Mixing the woo, with the wholistic has improved my symptoms and periods so much. 3 months into this I had a period that arrived with no pre period symptoms ~ I got it a day earlier than expected and it surprised me. That has only happened a handful of times in my whole life! And with only the mildest cramps I have ever had that lasted less than an hour. ~
That in itself, is a miracle for me. And shows that with pretty simple changes and diving into the emotional causes of things, we can start to heal so quickly. It makes me believe even more so that while hormone and period related issues are so common, they aren't normal.
“When you chose to prove to yourself how powerful you really are, you have no idea who you will be helping in the future.”
― Joe Dispenza, Becoming Supernatural: How Common People are Doing the Uncommon
Much love,
Ps.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms or symptoms related to your cycle or hormones, please reach out. While I am no medical professional, I am here to support you, and can share things I have found that have helped me so much in just a few short months.
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