What is PMS, and how can Flo help with it?

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a combination of physical, emotional, and behavioral symptoms that occur during the premenstrual phase of the cycle and go away after the period begins. For some, PMS is a combination of various symptoms: headache, weight gain, bloating, breast tenderness, mood fluctuation, restlessness, irritability, insomnia, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and feeling out of control.

These symptoms may occur in the 2 weeks prior to menstruation. For symptoms to be considered PMS, there needs to be at least a 7-day symptom-free interval in the first half of the menstrual cycle. Up to 75 percent of people who get periods have recurrent PMS symptoms. In most cases, home treatment helps. However, if you’re concerned about any of the above conditions, don’t hesitate to make an appointment with your health care provider.

Keep track of your symptoms in Flo throughout the phases of your menstrual cycle. This may help you determine whether your symptoms are connected to your cycle. Having a detailed log of symptoms from your last few menstrual cycles can also come in handy when you want to discuss how you feel before and during your periods with your health care provider. Thorough documentation of your symptoms may make it easier to explain to your health care provider what you’re experiencing.

Flo offers 16 trackers with more than 50 symptoms and events to log. To add your symptoms for today, tap “+” at the bottom left corner of the main screen. To see all available trackers and customize the symptoms screen, scroll down and tap More parameters.

Although there is no control measure yet for PMS, there are a number of ways to manage mood swings. There’s a lot of information about managing PMS in Flo: 

• Workout stories in Flo can help you stick to your fitness routine when you have PMS. Exercise can increase the flow of oxygen through your muscles. Exercise can also release endorphins that can improve your sleep and make you feel happier. Flo has content that can help you relax and relieve pain and cramps.
• Mental health, self-care, and bedtime stories can help you relax and show you ways to cope with stressful situations, nervousness, anxiety, and insomnia. There are courses about meditation and relaxation that can help with that too.
• Stories with meal plans make it easy to eat healthy and alleviate some of your PMS symptoms.

There’s a dialogue in the app with Flo Health Assistant that provides more info on PMS. If you log PMS-related symptoms, you might see this dialogue with our Virtual Assistant at the end of your cycle.