PMS Health Video

Video Transcript

SKYLAR ULRICH, MD: Hi. I'm Dr. Skylar Ulrich. I'm going to talk about premenstrual syndrome. Premenstrual syndrome, otherwise known as PMS, is characterized by the development of irritability, mood swings, depression, and fatigue usually one week before the onset of menstruation. The symptoms of PMS vary from person to person and vary from cycle to cycle, and they also vary with age. As mentioned before, it is generally characterized by depression, mood swings, irritability, and fatigue the week before the onset of menstruation. The treatment of premenstrual syndrome is typically supportive. It is a self-limiting condition which typically resolves after one to two days of menstruation; however, in more severe cases, specific treatment may be indicated such as the use of antidepressants, SSRIs such as Prozac, have shown to be effective. Prevention of PMS: It's difficult to prevent PMS if you're predisposed to it; however, maintaining a healthy lifestyle including a balanced diet and a regular exercise, as well as taking B vitamins the week before the onset of menstruation may alleviate some of these symptoms.