Thanks! It was just that one night. I've been fine since. And I hope it settles down this next month or so after the smoking quit. A number of people I've spoken with have told me their bodies went crazy for a bit immediately after the quit so that makes me feel less worried. And for the most part I have had a decrease in symptoms until just that one night.

Yes! The drop in estrogen right before your period is contributing.

Estrogen increases serotonin production. A drop in estrogen will cause your pain threshold to be lower.

Actually, it can go either way.

The symptoms of too much or too little estrogen can be one in the same. I only mention it because of having had a total hysterectomy and I asked my Reproductive Endocrinologist about this once due to pain levels. Long story but it is one reason she didn't like to do blood tests and run the numbers. She said some women can be in the so to speak normal range and feel awful, while others can be incredibly low and feel fine. I found that to be true after being on HRT for 8 years. I just recently stopped the Vivelle dot patch and am doing fine. I still have pain but it is all spinal related...not hormones.