PMSbuddy, a Web site launched in 2008 by Vanderbilt University alum Jordan Eisenberg, 27, takes the mystery out of the mood swings. The site alerts selected loved ones when a woman is likely to experience PMS. There's even an iPhone app for that. The site also includes a forum for discussion and a tips page.
The 100,000-plus members, 85 percent of whom are men in relationships, engage in discussions ranging from asking for advice on how to handle PMS to tips for cures. Many of the men, Mr. Eisenberg said, were registered by their wives or girlfriends.
The site, he said, was born out of a conversation among a group of friends. A friend had begun tracking his wife's cycle on a Palm Pilot in order to avoid asking indelicate questions.
"I wondered if it was something people could really use," said Mr. Eisenberg, who added that the site is intended to be taken with a grain of amused salt.
"The name is PMSbuddy," he said. "It's not serious. It's not medical advice. It's certainly tongue-in-cheek, however, we have thousands of users who find it incredibly helpful, both men and women. If it allows the man in the relationship to be more considerate and understanding, we think it's great."
But not everyone is laughing.
"I'm appalled if anybody is seriously doing this because I do think it would contribute to the notion that PMS is a widespread affliction among women, that they're irrational," said Marcia Noe, head of the Women's Studies department at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Holly Leber is a reporter and columnist for the Life section. She has worked at the Times Free Press since March 2008. Holly covers “everything but the kitchen sink" when it comes to features: the arts, young adults, classical music, art, fitness, home, gardening and food. She writes the popular and sometimes-controversial column Love and Other Indoor Sports. Holly calls both New York City and Saratoga Springs, NY home. She earned a bachelor of arts ...
I think this idea is fun and helpful! I AM irrational and irritable for about one week every month. Why shouldn't my husband get a heads up for the torture he's about to endure. Knowing that there is a reason for my mood swings will make him less likely to take it personally and maybe he'll even avoid saying or doing something he knows will set me off.
PMS is no excuse for poor behavior. If women shall be abusive or causing torment or being destructive, then they should be held accountable.
PMS is no excuse for uncivilized cave-woman activity.
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