What it is

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a group of symptoms linked to the menstrual cycle. "Up to 85 percent of women experience at least one symptom of PMS," says Joseph T. Martorano, M.D., a New York psychiatrist and author of Unmasking PMS (M. Evans & Co., 1993). PMS symptoms occur in the week or two weeks before your period and usually go away after your period starts. PMS can affect menstruating women of any age. It is also different for each woman. PMS may be just a monthly bother or it may be so severe that it makes it hard to even get through the day.
Symptoms
PMS often includes both physical and emotional symptoms.  Common symptoms include:

    * acne
    * breast swelling and tenderness
    * feeling tired
    * having trouble sleeping
    * upset stomach, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea
    * headache or backache
    * appetite changes or food cravings
    * joint or muscle pain
    * trouble concentrating or remembering
    * tension, irritability, mood swings, or crying spells
    * anxiety or depression
Symptoms vary from one woman to another. Between 3 and 7 percent of PMS sufferers have symptoms that are so incapacitating that they interfere with daily life. PMS usually lasts two to five days, but may plague some women for up to 21 days out of each 28-day cycle. If you think you have PMS, keep track of which symptoms you have when and how severe they are to share with your doctor.