My PMS changed significantly over the years, due to the changes in my body, as well as the medication I've taken, including birth control, of course.
For most of my life PMS used to start even up to two weeks before the actual period. First my breasts started to hurt. And it was gradually becoming more and more painful as the period came closer - the pain was at its maximum few days before the period and lasted 'till the day after the period started passed.
I was also gradually becoming more and more irritated. And when the period was close, I was even more irritated, because of PMS, but also because of this constant breast pain. Then right before the period started I usually had a burst of sadness and depression. Though sometimes I could have this burst randomly during the whole PMS, especially in a week before the period, so it was also a bad indicator when this day actually will be. And it always varied few days...
There was time I had nearly no PMS and it was trully a bliss. Lately it looks like it's returned, but it lasts only a week and it's not so bad - meaning my breasts don't hurt so much (but still hurt). Though I'll soon go to the doctor and probably get birth control once again, because he mentioned something like this last time I've visited him. Or some other hormone control. And it'll be a bliss once again... I hope.
@Fran:
If you were so irritable during your period, then probably the pills you took weren't right for you. There is a huge variety of pills, their composition can also be very different. But even if it's nearly the same, the way they make each woman feel is totally different. And there is no way to predict it, you have to check some of them yourself and see, which one is the best.
I've taken few kinds of pills and there were one absolutely horrible for me. Few days after I'd started taking them I became really aggressive. Normally I'm a really calm person and it was the first time I felt something like that. I was trying to control it, but it was getting worse and worse. Eventually I was starting to become afraid I would actually hurt someone because of it and I went back to my doctor. He said to throw it away, even though there were still some pills left. And he gave me different ones to try. Also, when you start to take pills, you should get only one pack, for one month. And then visit your doctor, say how do you feel and then eventually get more or change it. If there's something you're not content with, it's better to complain about it or even bluntly ask for different pills.
Also... Sorry for the rant
