I sympathize, I have experimented with just about everything to even out what PMS does to me. Typically I feel so depressed for at least one of the days that the word suicidal fits, and there is nothing in my life that should bring me to that state; my life is great and I'm typically very happy, so it's bewildering, frightening, and confusing to feel that way for even a short time.
The emotional stuff lasts 3-4 days for me, but I've been on lowdose bc pills for a long time. I do not know how long the PMS would go if I were off bc pills. Unfortunately, when I tried to stop taking bc pills, my body just about menstruated/breakthrough bled 18 days a month (that can really make life awful), so I had to go back on the pill because it was intolerable. I have also tried prozac and effexor as short-term therapy. Because both of these medicines can make you feel better in a short time, they can be taken a few days or a week before you know it's going to hit, then continued just for 7-10 days or however long you need. I have heard a lot of good things about the Nuvaring, particularly that its effects are more localized, so there is less of the irritability that some people experience with bc pills.
If I had my way I'd take nothing because even Seasonale, which is the least expensive continuous dose (3 months w/o a period, then a normal cycle, then 3 months w/o, etc.), costs about $150 annually out of pocket w/the insurance I have, and it makes me feel a bit irritable. So I work out 6 days a week to help counteract that (thank God for endorphins).
I've also read dairy products help with PMS symptoms. I eat a lot of dairy foods to help with mild osteoporosis, so it may or may not be helping.
Sam-E is helpful, but a lot of insurance plans won't cover it, and the cost is about $1 a pill. However, it might be useful to try short-term, and it's side effects are minor.
Best wishes and hang in there!
