PMS/PMDD and nausea… oh how lovely. One of the most uncomfortable feelings in the world (at least for me). It can get in the way of your daily life and sour your mood.

There are many reasons nausea crops up and PMS/PMDD is unfortunately one of them. In this PMS/PMDD series post, we will discuss this annoying symptom and what you can do about it.

PMS/PMDD Nausea: Why Does It Occur?

If you’ve ever felt queasy before or during your period, you’re not alone. Many women experience this symptom. The following are some explanations for it:

1. Intense Cramping (Dysmenorrhea): Dysmenorrhea refers to severe uterine cramping around your period. One of its hallmark symptoms is nausea, along with intense pain in the abdomen, back, and legs as well as diarrhea and vomiting.
   • Primary Dysmenorrhea: This condition starts during your first few periods and is recurring. It’s caused by a chemical imbalance in the body.
   • Secondary Dysmenorrhea: It may begin later in life and is a symptom of a disorder in the reproductive system (like endometriosis).
2. High Levels of Prostaglandins:
   • Prostaglandins are hormones that help repair tissue and form blood clots. They also drive ovulation, menstruation, and contractions during labor.
   • Excess prostaglandins can cause intense pain and other symptoms, including nausea and heavy bleeding (menorrhagia).
3. Dramatic Hormonal Changes:
   • Ovulation occurs when your body releases an egg from an ovary. If it’s not fertilized, the body prepares for menstruation during the luteal phase (two weeks before your period).
   • Primary hormones like estrogen and progesterone dip significantly during the luteal phase, which researchers believe is responsible for PMS symptoms like nausea.

So basically, the pms/pmdd nausea can be caused by pain and/or one’s body being sensitive to hormonal changes.

PMS/PMDD Nausea: When Does It Occur?

This type of nausea most commonly occurs during the days leading up to one’s period, when our hormones are doing all sorts of things. It is different from person to person when it comes to what cycle days it will occur. Some experience it any time in the 14 days (the luteal phase of a cycle) before they bleed and others might get it only three days beforehand.

Something must be said for hormonal nausea in general. Many people can also feel sick to their stomachs during their period and/or leading up to their ovulation day, too.

What Can You Do About It?

The nausea is usually very unpleasant and may or may not lead to vomiting. Fortunately there are some ways to treat and/or prevent it. The following are some things one can try:

1. Lifestyle changes-

• Stay hydrated
• Watch carbs and sugars in diet
• Have good sleep hygiene
• Reduce alcohol and caffeine in diet
• Manage stress

2. Heat therapy- Utilize heat pads for cramping. The pain relief will in turn help with associated nausea.

3. OTC pain relievers- These can help to relieve pain and in turn reduce nausea.

4. Birth control pills- These can help regulate hormones which in turn might manage the unpleasant symptoms one gets.

5. Talk to a health care provider- If nausea is severe and accompanied by a lot of vomiting, a health care provider should be sought out to rule out other conditions.

What Are Some OTC Remedies To Try?

There are some remedies that you can find in your local store that may be of help if you suffer from PMS/PMDD nausea (or any kind of nausea!). They are as follows:

• Peppermint- You can get it in tea, aromatherapy and candy form.
• Ginger- You can get it in tea, lozenge, chews, aromatherapy and as a carbonated beverage.
• Chamomile- You can get this in tea form by itself or in a tea blend.
• Red raspberry leaf- This is sold in tea form and also helps with cramps.
• Fennel- This is used in tea form.
• Acupressure bands– These apply pressure to a certain part of your wrist which gives some people relief from nausea.
• Motion sickness medication- These can also work for hormonal nausea but keep in mind the drowsiness they cause.
• Bland food- The tried and true method of nibbling on bland food is always an option. You can get bread, saltine crackers, white rice, chicken broth and bananas.

How I Deal

Ever since I got pregnant and gave birth in 2014, I have dealt with pretty severe hormonal nausea. While it has gotten a bit better over the past couple of years, I still have horrible days where I feel incredibly sick.

Recently, I have been dealing with a great amount of abdominal and flank pain along with the nausea. This coupled with some other things, makes me believe that I have endometriosis.

The nausea comes on two days before and the day of ovulation as well as around 5 days before my period starts. It is usually at a moderate level these days. The pain however, is always severe.

I have fortunately found some things that sometimes take the feeling away completely or at least take the edge off. They are as follows:

• Red raspberry leaf- This is a must-have for me.
• Yogi Tea Honey Chai turmeric Vitality– This stuff really helps me and I love the taste.
• Ginger- If I feel like consuming ginger (I don’t always) I reach for some ginger chews that we keep around and/or sprinkle some ginger root extract in hot water or food.
• Zofran- This is a prescription medication for nausea which means it is pretty strong. If things are bad enough I will take a 4 mg pill. It works around 98% of the time.
• Meclizine- I sometimes have to take this along with the Zofran if I am sick enough and can’t do anything. I really hate the side effects but it does work.
• Nauzene syrup– I forget about this stuff in my cabinet but it works very well. I will be using it more.

There are other herbs that help me but the two teas listed are the most powerful. When I put them all together, it nearly gets rid of the sick feeling as well as Zofran does. I plan on creating a hormonal nausea tea blend to sell so look out for that!

In Conclusion

It is common for people who suffer from PMS/PMDD, to experience nausea. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent and treat it. If you experience severe nausea each month, it is a good idea to speak to your provider to figure out if there is something else going on and to get some relief.

Let me know in the comments if you experience hormonal nausea and what you do about it.

Health disclaimer: Make sure to speak to a healthcare provider before adding in herbs, supplements and medications. I am not a medical professional. Your health is your own and I am not liable for any consequences you face from your choices. I am merely just relaying what I have learned from reading and from my experiences.

Affiliate disclaimer: I am an affiliate therefore I might receive a commission off of any thing you click on and buy.

#hormonalproblems #hormones #pms #pmdd #menstrualcycle #nausea #tea