really moody

i'm gonna just jump right in: i've been soooo moody lately (lately being the last 6 months or so).  i am irritable, cranky, short-tempered, weepy & impatient.  makes you wanna hang out with me, eh?

it's affected my family, work, and relationships.  it sucks.  i feel like i have no control over "it".

i think it's directly related to my cycle - i haven't charted the "mood swings" or anything, but it all feels more intense closer to the start of my period.  to compound things, my cycle is irregular, so i can't assume that this will happen only every 28 days.

i'm hoping for some help from you.  {lump in throat as i type this.}  i would prefer no prescriptions... i really just want to be the happy, bubbly me that i have always been... 

there has been some stress in my life recently, but who doesn't have stress?  i've dealt with stress before & not felt like THIS.

any ideas, suggestions?

thanks, in advance.

I have been where you are. My periods the last 6 months go anywhere from 25-40 days. I tend to get cranky around that time, but a lot of people do. I have found a solution for me in the last 2 months. I was looking for a way to change my diet to lose the last unwanted 5-8 pounds. I increased my protein a lot. I now eat like 35%-40% protein. I was really surprised to see that my mood swings and cravings went away,POOF. I was just looking to get to my goal weight but found something so much better.  I really thought I was going out of my mind. I was short with everyone and I felt so bad for my kids. They didn't understand and I didn't understand it either. I don't know if it would help you at all but maybe you would want to try it. I find if I keep my diet around 35-40% protein,40-45% carbs and about 20% fat my mood is leval through out the day and I am just happier overall. I just can't say enough on how much better I feel. I hope you find something that works for you. I know what you are going through and how bad it makes you feel. It is not fun being cranky all the time and not knowing why. Let me know if you find something that works for you.

thanks for the reply, tammy - i appreciate you taking the time.  you bring to light a good point: ihave to get better about my diet in general.  i could certainly increase my protein intake to see if that stabilizes my mood some.