Poor guy, didn’t know what he was in for…

The only thing that would really help control the symptoms for me was birth control, specifically Yaz.  Which was ok, because we waited a few years to start a family, and while I was pregnant and nursing, I did not deal with these symptoms.  But even on birth control, my moods could be downright UGLY! Also, birth controls affects other natural desires that are important for a healthy marriage (ahem!), so Matt and I found ourselves constantly in a deadlock.  If I was on birth control, my libido was zilch! If I was off of birth control, my PMDD was very intense!  I tried a couple of times to stay off of the birth control but got back on it quickly, for fear of scarring my children with my outburts!  No joke.


In my research of PMDD, I had always read that cutting out caffiene, alcohol and unhealthy foods (mainly sugars, starches, and unhealthy fats) would improve symptoms.  Honestly, I always thought there was no way that would work.  I told myself, “I eat pretty healthy.  I only drink one or two Diet Cokes a day.  This will not make a difference for me.”  Well, I am here to tell you that, Praise the good Lord above, I was W-R-O-N-G!!!!!


I started my clean eating and exercise program in May of this year. One month into it, I thought that I would try to kick the birth control again, just to see what happened.  In the past, the first month of my period after stopping birth control was seriously hormonal!  And my periods were excruciatingly painful and heavy.  Y’all, I have been off of birth control since June, and my PMDD is now very mild PMS, and I am consistently shocked when “Aunt Flo” comes to visit!!!! 


I am writing this in hopes that it will help someone else. It has taken me a while to be able to put all of this into words, and I prayed that God would give me the right words. I was foolish to tell myself that I was healthy enough before.  Sure I ate lots of vegetables and chicken, but I also frequented the McDonald’s Big Mac Value Meal club. As well as the birthday cake club, and so on.  Sure, it may not have affected my waistline until recently, but it was definitely affecting my health and my hormones.  


So, as excited as I am to have a tighter tummy and feel better about my skinny jeans, I am even more excited that God led me on this journey for the sake of my marriage and my family.  I know without a doubt, that this is an answer to my patient and precious husband’s prayers.