Evening Primrose Oil Changed My Life

**if you are a man, you probably want to stop reading here.... :)  We are talking menstruation so I doubt you'll find it very interesting!!

A little over a month ago, I found myself scrolling through Pinterest waiting on M to finish up at the dentist.  I stumbled upon an article about Evening Primrose Oil and it gave numerous things that it would help cure.  Several of the items on the list grabbed my attention but PMS was flashing at me like a neon sign.

As a teenager, I had HORRIBLE symptoms each month when I started menstruating....so bad that I would have to call home to be picked up from school.  These symptoms increased in severity over the years and horrendous PMS/mood swings were added to them.  I have tried everything imaginable to combat the symptoms from over the counter products, prescription meds and natural remedies.....if it is recommended, then I try it.  I'm one of those people that will try anything....once. 

So, after reading about Evening Primrose Oil, I decided I'd give it a try.  What did I have to lose? 

Here's a list of symptoms I experienced .....consistently EVERY month.....just to give you a general idea of how bad it was 

• Swollen, painful breasts up to 2 weeks before the start of my period - I mean so painful and swollen that I had to "hold them up" when I worked out and wear SUPER tight bras so that they didn't move an inch in my day to day activities.  I regularly used Clary Sage essential oil for the pain, which it would help but I had to apply it multiple times a day for several days in a row to experience any relief from the pain.
• My PMS was ridiculously bad - this was probably the hardest symptom to deal with because it affected me for so many days out of the month.  I had to grit my teeth daily the week or 2 before my period in order to NOT bite someone's head off.  The day or so before my period, I would have to tell my family to not talk to me, look at me or even breath near me - it was BAD and I hated myself and feeling like that but I felt like I was a raging lion and nothing I tried would help calm me down on the inside.     
• Horrible cramps when ovulating
• Lower back pain approximately 2 days before my cycle began
• Acne breakouts
• Barely being able to get out of bed on the first day of my period. When I could, I would spend as much time laying on a heating pad but if I had to get up, movement was kept to a minimum.

Well, my bottle of Evening Primrose Oil came in just as I was starting my period last month so I began to take it daily.  It is recommended that you take 1 pill 3 times a day, but let's me be real ~ I do good to remember to take pills ONCE a day, I'm setting myself up for failure if I try to take something multiple times a day so I took it every day at lunch with my other vitamins.

About a week ago, I knew it was nearing time for my period to start according to the app I have on my phone.  I was shocked because I didn't have ANY breast tenderness, which was odd....that's always my 1st sign that my period is nearing, no acne, and no cramps from ovulating this month  Days passed and I felt a small amount of breast tenderness and only had to use Clary Sage ONCE!!  That alone was amazing! 

Then, I realized that I was not a raging lion!  I had been calm, cool and collected the ENTIRE month ~ no raging hormones, crying spells, gritting of teeth or hiding in my bedroom with a container of ice cream sobbing uncontrollably over a Hallmark movie (the last thing may or may not have happened on one or more occasion.....I will never tell).  I can't tell you how amazing this is or even remember the last time I went a whole month feeling level headed and not on the worst emotional roller coaster of my life. 

My period started unknowingly yesterday, I mean I did not feel a THING!  I was able to get up and function as normal and even WORK OUT last night.  This is totally opposite of the start of ALL the periods I've ever had IN MY LIFE!  NEVER and I do mean NEVER have I had a period that the first day wasn't uncomfortable ~ NEVER....well, not until this month and I am praying that this is my new normal because I definitely do not want to go back to the way it was before.   

I'm so thankful that the Lord directed me to that Pinterest article last month.  I can't tell you how many tears I have cried in the past 20 years over this situation, the pain that I have suffered and the amount of money I have spent trying product after product.  This is heaven sent to me and I wanted to share it with you in hopes that it can help you too.



*Disclaimer ~ I am not a doctor, just simply me sharing my personal experience so all information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions.