For almost a decade, Elle thought there was something fundamentally wrong with her. She was unable to understand why she would suddenly become overwhelmed by anxiety, exhaustion and feelings of dread for weeks at a time. “I genuinely thought I was losing my mind every month” - Elle.
She spent years battling debilitating PMS symptoms that left her struggling to leave the house, suffering panic attacks at work and fearing she would have to cancel holidays before finally discovering the cause.
“For years I felt like I was losing control of myself for almost half of every month. I'd wake up with this overwhelming sense of dread and anxiety that seemed to come from nowhere.” What Elle didn't realise is that it was linked to her cycle. She had been prescribed the contraceptive pill as a teenager due to heavy and painful periods, as a result, this made it hard to recognise the pattern behind her symptoms, particularly when her periods became irregular.
Over time her symptoms worsened and Elle repeatedly sought medical advice but struggled to find answers. Despite having her hormones tested on multiple occasions, the results always came back as normal.
One appointment in particular has stayed with her. After explaining to a male GP that she hadn't had a period for several months and was worried about what was happening to her body, Elle says she was left stunned by his response, “He turned around and said, ‘Well, isn't that a good thing? I couldn't believe he'd actually said it. I remember leaving feeling completely dismissed. Looking back, I genuinely felt like I should have reported him. I was a young woman trying to understand what was happening to my body, and instead of getting answers, I felt like my concerns were being brushed aside.”
With no explanation for her symptoms and tests repeatedly showing nothing abnormal, Elle says she was left feeling isolated and increasingly convinced she would have to figure things out herself. Over the years, she tried to manage her symptoms herself, adjusting her diet, lifestyle and routines in an attempt to find relief, but nothing made a meaningful difference.
The breaking point came around four years ago before a long-awaited holiday to Barcelona with her partner, Jamie. For almost two weeks leading up to the trip, Elle was overwhelmed by anxiety, struggling to leave the house and becoming convinced she wouldn't be able to travel. At the time, the anxiety felt so intense she genuinely believed travelling abroad was impossible. “I couldn't understand why I felt so awful. That's what made it so scary. It felt completely out of my control.”
Despite her fears, Elle decided to attempt the trip. She recalls feeling intensely anxious throughout the journey, from the airport to the flight itself. But shortly after arriving at the hotel, something happened that changed everything. She started her period, and suddenly it all made sense. “That was the moment I finally realised these episodes weren't random. They were happening before my period.”
Looking back over previous years, Elle says she began to notice a clear pattern. She realised some of the worst periods of anxiety she had ever experienced had all happened during the two weeks before her period. “That was both a relief and terrifying at the same time because I'd finally identified the problem, but I had absolutely no idea how to fix it.”
Determined to find answers, Elle began researching PMS and PMDD herself, exploring different approaches that could help support her symptoms. She later began taking PMS Hero®. Elle says she noticed a difference quickly: “I remember taking the supplements for the first time and being genuinely shocked by the difference.”
“The symptoms haven't disappeared completely, but they feel so much more manageable.”
Before starting her journey of healing, her symptoms could last up to two weeks and would often leave her feeling unable to cope with everyday life. “I used to wake up dreading the day.” She would have panic attacks in the toilets at work and spend a lot of time trying to understand why she felt so awful. “It felt like this huge dark cloud hanging over my life every month.”
Alongside supplements, Elle says learning how to manage stress has been one of the biggest factors in improving her wellbeing. Often women put everyone else first, but Elle has learnt that sometimes you need to prioritise yourself. “Whether that's getting enough sleep, setting boundaries or removing unnecessary stress from your life, it's okay to put yourself first.”
Today, Elle says she no longer spends weeks every month feeling consumed by anxiety and dread. She still notices symptoms before her period, but they don't control her anymore. “It's no longer this huge dark cloud that makes everything feel impossible. It feels manageable.”
Reflecting on her journey, Elle hopes speaking publicly will encourage other women struggling with severe PMS symptoms to trust their instincts and seek support. It can feel incredibly lonely when you're going through it, but if you're experiencing symptoms and you feel like something isn't right, keep pushing for answers.
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