Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a disorder experienced by many women. This syndrome has many associated symptoms. One of these symptoms is bloating. This often begins approximately 1 to 2 weeks prior to menses and is characterized by bloating and weight gain. Often women notice a significant reduction in their weight immediately after menses.

Initial treatment for PMS is lifestyle changes such as exercise and changing your diet to decrease salt, caffeine, and chocolate intake. If you have a significant amount of bloating prior to your menses and it is affecting your daily life, your physician may prescribe a diuretic to be taken during the second half of your menstrual cycle. This is known as a “fluid pill” in lay terms and is often used to treat people with high blood pressure. A common diuretic used for premenstrual bloating is spironolactone. To date, studies on diuretics have been conflicting, and it is not clear if they truly help premenstrual bloating. Although no good studies support their use, many women report improvement in symptoms with the use of birth control pills.