... and welcome to the message board!
Boy, sounds like you have had the double whammy of mommy-stress of two little boys born with only 15 months between them. Don't worry, as they get older it becomes easier, it sounds like you are doing a great job there.
Have you heard of the "Moms Club"? It is a great non-profit organization with many chapters (even internationally). They can be a great support and help for SAHM's. Here's the link to their home page if you're interested:
http://momsclub.com/
My little boy is 6 years old now and the memories of raising him as a single mom with no support are nothing but a distant memory now. I had to miss out on my son's infant years because I had to go out and work to support us, so I have some regrets of course. I met my wonderful husband when my son was about two and a half years old, so I could be a stay-at-home mom from that time onwards.
I can definitely relate to your feelings about the PMS you are experiencing. Have you gone to see a doctor yet to get a proper diagnosis? Please be careful of SSRI drug treatments. You can find out more about proper diagnosis and treatment by browsing the main PMS and PMDD Website (link at the top of the page).
There is a great misconception that SSRI drugs will 'regulate' a woman's hormonal cycle -- this is absolutely not true. The emotional (and some physical) symptoms related to PMS, PMDD and Post Partum Depression are basically related to stress.
It is 'stress' which causes a depletion of the neuro-transmitter "Serotonin" in the brain. Serotonin regulates our moods, hunger, sleep patterns, hormonal balance, etc. If there is a deficiency of this critical brain chemical, then all kinds of emotional and physical symptoms manifest, not the least of which is PMS, PMDD or PPD in certain prone women. One could accurately say that the
cause for PMS or PMDD (or depression for that matter) is a deregulated stress response.
The only way to bring serotonin levels back to normal (and thus effectively combat depression, PMS, PMDD, PPD, etc.) is to restore this neuro-transmitter in the brain by means of proper nutrition, supplementation, exercise and hydration with water.
SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) such as Prozac, Zoloft, Effexor, etc. only function is to
recirculate existing serotonin levels between the brain's synapses regardless of how low existing serotonin levels are.
These drugs do not restore normal serotonin levels -- they merely create a pseudo feel-good effect and are nothing more than a band-aid treatment. Hence relapses and the eventual need for stronger doses as the unaddressed and underlying stress issues are continually eating away at already low serotonin reserves. The same applies for women suffering from undiagnosed medical conditions which exacerbate (or trigger) PMS or PMDD symptoms.
If you are interested in taking a safe, natural, and far superior approach to healing your symptoms, please take a look at my PMDD Cure page on the main web site. I have effectively cured myself from all my symptoms following this approach, and have been completely symptom free for over 9 months now.
Are you supplementing your diet with a multi-vitamin, Vit C, etc.? There are many things you can do to manage your symptoms -- and much of it is life-style related. Things like stress management, eating nutritious foods and avoiding processed sugary foods and drinks, cutting down on coffee or caffeine containing beverages and upping water intake and getting regular exercise all go a long way in combating symptoms.
Basically my PMDD Cure is a comprehensive treatment method covering all bases for optimum results, and thus a good place to start for finding out exactly what to do to manage PMS or PMDD symptoms. If you have any questions about this treatment method, please let me know.
Sorry this post is so long -- I find it necessary to explain things in detail to get the correct meaning across, as there are so many misconceptions and myths which abound on the Internet and other sources about PMS and PMDD causes, treatment and diagnosis.
My next postings will be shorter, promise!
I look forward to chatting with you some more.