Every so often, at the begining of my period I suffer from water retention. It feels like stolen my boobs and replaced them with bowling balls!

It hurts to walk let alone ride!

This doesn't happen all of the time and I can see no trend.

I have tried taking 'Aqua Ban' but I find that they just make me feel dehyrdated suffering with headaches etc.

Timing for 2D2 sucks and I really don't want to feel like I did yesterday.... does anyone have any ideas?

Don't dehydrate yourself, it makes everything seem worse.

I used to get that a lot but since eliminating diet coke and almost all caffeine from my diet I have been fairly symptom free now, which doesn't help you right now....

I used to wear a very very suportive sports bra (one that I use for running rather than cycling/walking/climbing) for any activity it really stopped the bounce and the pain. I tend to use compression bras (sport jock) for maximum mono boob effect.

Hey Radders,

I previously had a bit of a caffine addiction which was fuelled by diet coke- knwing how bad this was I decided to cut it out for a while as I seemed to be suffering from bloating and water retention. I used a couple of big 1 litre water bottles and made it an aim to drink at least 2 litres a day. The results I found were I felt less lethargic, less bloated during that time of the month and generally and also my boobs didnt go through the pain like before.

I have read drinking more water at that time of the month reduces water retention and it seems to work for me.

I drink on average 1 cup of coffee a week and coke is just wrong so I don't really have a caffine intake to reduce!

I do drink lots, I think my body has got so used to this that when I don't drink as much I suffer - last week was particularly bad so probably caused the problems.

Went for a ride last night regardless using the BF's full suss - couldn't get out of his pedals when crossing a road and clattered down on my elbow - that throbbed like billio for the rest of the ride and took my mind off my boobs!!

Thanks for your help girls!

I suffer from painful melons too but not every month - wierd. A doc recommended I take evening primrose oil daily. I only started taking it last week and apparently it can take a while to kick in so I'll let you know if it works!

Keep me informed!

Forgot about Evening Primrose Oil, I took it for a while and it did help but I hate taking pills etc and it lapsed...

I know what you mean about drinking loads normally, my body really notices when I am slightly dehydrated - I'm sure its one of the reasons I can get hangovers from very little alcohol these days.

Or old age.... it creeps up on us all!

I find that too much dairy and refined carbs can make me swell up and give me PMT. If I limit those and take a magnesium supplement Im generally ok.

Cut out dairy! I did this and practically every ailment I have ever had dissapeared. HAd mental IBS, migrained and nasty periods- all gone. Soya rocks!