To : Barbara
Re : PMS syndrome

I'm sorry but I'm not really qualified to suggest therapy for PMS, as this
is a really tough problem to treat and others who actually see this every
day are probably more qualified to answer this.

I can tell you that the SSRI family of antidepressants (Prozac, Zoloft, etc)
are the neuroactive agents with the greatest influence on abating PMS
symptoms.  It has been suggested that progesterone deficiency may be a
mediator of this syndrome, as low levels of progesterone seem to lower
levels of serotonin in the brain, hence the depression.

A major Canadian study using 20 mg Prozac daily, found significant benefit
 from Prozac, but higher doses had more side effects without benefit.

People can try the other agents, I suppose, but they are unproven, and in
this country, our herbal products are of questionable quality at this time.

I do not personally think that St. Johns' wort is overtly hazardous, but
candidly, I don't really know if it is safe.

Regards
Tom Hale, Ph.D.

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