If left undiagnosed or untreated, PMS can have a major impact on a woman's life. Whether at home or on the job, you may have to struggle to function normally when symptoms occur. Emotional distress caused by PMS may trigger marital or family conflicts. You may feel an increased desire for intimacy with your partner yet feel sexually unattractive. You may even notice that PMS prompts you to withdraw socially.

Recognizing these changes in your body and mood and planning strategies to accomodate them is half the battle. The more you understand yourself and your monthly menstrual cycle, the better you can manage your PMS symptoms.

Follow your treatment program faithfully and learn to communicate your feelings with others. On the days you feel most anxious or tired, enlist the help of family members to prepare meals or run errands so you can reduce the pressure on yourself. While the goal of PMS management is to maintain a normal lifestyle even during your most difficult days, don't create needlessly difficult targets for yourself by adopting the standards of a superhero.

Many women find that there are days when PMS interferes with productivity or relationships at work. Though some physicians still advocate avoiding or postponing extra tasks on days when PMS symptoms are the most challenging, many women find that taking charge of their health and moving forward with planned schedules and tasks helps them get through their PMS symptoms. As you undertake some of the strategies outlined here and reduce the overall impact of PMS on your life, you may discover that your job, too, seems more manageable.

Although much work remains to be done before PMS is fully understood, the good news is that millions of women successfully manage their homes, jobs, academic pursuits, and creative endeavors at every phase of their menstrual cycle. Until the cause of PMS is finally established and a standardized treatment is developed, your best tactic is to understand your own PMS symptoms and take the initiative to control them.