PMS Symptoms But No Period ?

If you are having PMS symptoms but no period or bleeding, then the most important thing to do would be check a pregnancy test. Especially if you are sexually active, checking a pregnancy test is important to ensure that your PMS symptoms are not signs of an early pregnancy.

PMS Symptoms VS Pregnancy Symptoms

Early symptoms of pregnancy include missed period, nausea, fatigue and often times no symptoms at all. PMS symptoms can overlap in many cases, but in patients who have premenstrual syndrome, they will eventually start to menstruate.

PMS Nausea And Pregnancy Nausea

The most common overlapping symptom in early pregnancy and PMS is nausea. Morning sickness happens in almost 70% of women who are pregnant. Nausea and PMS are also closely linked and is due to prostaglandins. Prostaglandins help your body launch an inflammatory response and they help to shed the lining of your uterus which is your menstrual flow during your period. Unfortunately, prostaglandins can make you feel nauseous. If you are a person who also gets migraines before or during your period, remember that migraines can also have accompanying nausea.

Heartburn PMS Vs Heartburn During Pregnancy

PMS heartburn is not very common. Having heartburn during pregnancy is more common and can happen during any trimester from the early stages to the late stages. Heartburn in pregnancy is usually more likely in later trimesters because it is often caused by the growing uterus putting mechanical pressure on the stomach. However, as mentioned, heartburn can certainly happen in the early stages of pregnancy because of the rising amounts of the hormone progesterone. Progesterone makes the valve at the entrance of the stomach become more relaxed. This relaxation of the valve means that contents from the stomach are not as tightly contained in the stomach leading to reflux and heartburn in early pregnancy. If you are experiencing heartburn that is new and not typical for you, then be sure to be evaluated by a doctor and strongly consider taking a pregnancy test.

Cramping

Cramping is another symptom that can happen in both PMS and pregnancy. In pregnancy, cramping can be a dangerous sign and if you have this, you should contact your doctor immediately.

Related: Adrenal Adenoma: What Every Patient Should Know

PMS Symptoms But No Period: Summary

If you are experiencing PMS symptoms, are sexually active, and you have not gotten your period, then it is important to take an at home pregnancy test. If it is negative, and you still do not get your period, make sure to re test as sometimes it may take a few days for the pregnancy hormones to rise to a level where they can be detected on a urine pregnancy test. A more definitive test can be done by your Ob Gyn who can draw blood and check for the exact level of pregnancy hormone in your blood. If you are not sexually active and have missed your period, it is important to let your doctor know. Irregular periods and missed periods can be a sign of other health issues like PCOS.

Sources:

Committee on Practice Bulletins-Obstetrics. ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 189: Nausea And Vomiting Of Pregnancy.Obstet Gynecol. 2018;131(1):e15-e30.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29266076/

Kwan I, Onwude JL. Premenstrual syndrome.BMJ Clin Evid. 2015;2015:0806. Published 2015 Aug 25.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26303988/

We discuss products we think are useful to people. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. Remember to check with your personal physician to see if a product recommended is right for you.