DISCLAIMER: I’m not a medical professional, and I don’t play one on TV. What I am is a woman who has lived w/PMDD — a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, colleague; all of these relationships were impacted by my PMDD, most especially before I knew what PMDD was and learned how to manage mine. PMDD is often hereditary, and my first experience with PMDD was decades ago (back before the medical community recognized it as a legitimate medical condition): my mother suffered from it, and we all suffered along with her. Remember that old expression, “if Mama ain’t happy, ain’t NOBODY happy”…? Well, when I realized a few years ago (late 2006) that I was “turning into my mother” and NOT in a good way, I took steps to educate myself so I could improve not only the quality of my own life, but also the quality of my husband’s and children’s lives as well… If what I’ve learned sets you, dear reader, on a journey of discovery and healing, then I’m happy to share…
What It Is
PMDD is caused by a hormone imbalance, just like diabetes is caused by a chemical imbalance. The medical community is just now starting to connect the dots when it comes to hormones and mood, weight gain, insomnia, and other physical responses to hormone imbalance (just ask any woman who’s going through or been through menopause how much her doctors understand/understood and are/were able to help provide any relief from her uncomfortable and often embarrassing symptoms). PMDD is an often debilitating condition where one of the key symptoms is severe depression, which can manifest in many different ways, including sadness, hopelessness/despair, or rage. PMDD corresponds directly with a woman’s menstrual cycle and usually occurs one to two weeks before the onset of menses, when a woman’s body enters the luteal phase of her cycle (this is when ovulation occurs). Women who suffer from PMDD can also experience physical symptoms such as breast tenderness, headaches (my own mother had migraines every month with her period, and I mean REAL migraines, not the severe headaches people often incorrectly refer to as “migraines”), and muscle pain. If symptoms last less than a week, if they’re not severe enough to disrupt a woman’s life (work, school, personal relationships, etc.), or if they’re not in sync with a woman’s menstrual cycle (either they don’t they don’t abate and return, they don’t occur consistently at the same time every month, or they’re always present), then it’s unlikely to be PMDD.
Key Points:
- PMDD is caused by a hormone imbalance
- PMDD is always in sync with a woman’s menstrual cycle
- PMDD is disruptive and often debilitating
- One of the key symptoms of PMDD is severe depression
- Women who suffer from PMDD can also experience physical symptoms
What It Isn’t
There are still a lot of misconceptions about PMDD out there, even among medical professionals: at one point, when I was still heavy in my research phase, I found a doctor (supposedly a women’s health specialist) who actually marginalized PMDD by saying that it’s basically just a new name for PMS. That is absolutely NOT correct. My younger sister lives w/severe PMS, but it’s still nowhere NEAR as bad as my severe PMDD was, and she “only” has to endure it for 2-3 days a month, not TWO SOLID WEEKS every month before her period starts. Also, if you’re seeking help from your doctor and he (or she) tells you “it’s all in your head, just get over it” or anything along those lines, find another doctor, because he doesn’t know what he’s talking about: PMDD isn’t a psychological disorder, even though many of the symptoms are emotional and mental.
Key Points:
- PMDD is NOT another name for PMS
- PMDD is NOT a psychological disorder
- PMDD is NOT an imaginary problem
For more information about PMDD and hormone imbalance, please visit the links provided in the “PMDD Links” section of my blog, or read the books below (these are just a few of the books published on bioidentical hormones and anti-aging medicine):
Ageless: the naked truth about bioidentical hormones, by Suzanne Somers
What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause: Balance Your Life and Your Hormones from Thirty to Fifty, by John R. Lee
Dr. John Lee’s Hormone Balance Made Simple: The Essential How-to Guide to Symptoms, Dosage, Timing, and More, by John R. Lee
for the record, I’m not an Amazon affiliate, and I don’t personally benefit in any way from promoting these books, other than the satisfaction of knowing that maybe I’m giving someone somewhere the information she needs to get her life back
Friday, 18 January 2008 at 16:43
This a a great entry that many women would benefit from especially the ones wondering if there are other women out there suffering from the same thing. Peace!
Monday, 25 February 2008 at 09:09
[...] I’ve been on anti-depressants (50mg Zoloft/day) for ~1 yr to help manage my severe PMDD, and I decided a couple of weeks ago that it was time to get off those little blue [...]
Friday, 30 October 2009 at 12:50
I absolutely relate to your blog. I have had PMDD for aboout 5 years. The problem is I need a doctor in So Cal who can help me. I’m on the pill which helps. I was on Prozac, that seemed to help, but I felt like I was speeded out all the time on that so I got off. Did natural hormones, didn’t work, creams, etc. I have back pain, rages, depression–is it just work out what works for you? I wish there was a tried and true answer whether that be a pill or whatever. Know of any PMDD specialists in So Cal or a website to research?
Monday, 3 March 2008 at 16:58
[...] the fact is, I do have a severe hormone imbalance — PMDD — that makes half of my life hell and wreaks havoc on my family as well… until I can [...]
Saturday, 5 July 2008 at 16:51
[...] hard enough for me under the best of circumstances, due in large part to the insomnia caused by the severe hormone imbalance I struggle to manage, w/o having to combat items #7-10 [...]
Monday, 4 August 2008 at 14:41
Great breakdown of PMDD – one i’ll be sure to pass along to those family memebers not quite getting a FULL UNDERSTANDING of my life and what is REALLY going on!
Sunday, 7 September 2008 at 13:42
I am currently researching this condition because it is thought I might have it. My only problem is that my symptoms do not immediately subside after the start of my period. In fact, I spend about 2 1/2 to 3 weeks out of a month beside myself with nearly all the symptoms associated with PMDD. I am beginning to wonder now if I might have a different problem, or if I am just the odd one out in experiencing no relief when my period starts….I need more answers…
Tuesday, 30 September 2008 at 13:17
I feel the same way Jennifer. I feel like this stuff never goes away. I feel like I probably spend one week out of 4 feeling normal and healthy.
Thursday, 23 October 2008 at 11:21
I agree w/Anna and Jennifer. I have ONE good week a month. I am at my wit’s end with this. Does anyone have a “fix” to this problem w/out the antidepressants? I can’t handle the prozac. It makes me too solemn and withdrawn…of course, I’m sure my family wouldn’t mind me staying that way instead of the rage…..
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 12:11
Hi, new to this site. My Ob/Gyn just diagnosed me with PMDD last Friday, although I believe I’ve had it for at least 8 years. I’ve had three beautiful children in that 8 years, but lots of Female problems at the same time. My pain became so bad that I was in pain 3 out of 4 weeks. That’s no way to live. After 2 years of being a guinea pig with my ob/gyn…we tried every treatment…Mirena IUD made my pain a million times worse, then 6 months of endometriosis shots in the butt, then other things…finally my ob/gyn agreed to do a hysterectomy. I have my right ovary still, everything else is gone. I’m so glad I had this surgery. Everyone’s different, of course, but my pain is probably at least 65-70% better. I still have pain from my right ovary once a month…and now I’m trying to decide lexapro or bio-identicals for PMDD treatment. My ob/gyn doesn’t believe in hormone therapy, so she prescribed the anti-depressant..but I haven’t taken it yet. I’m going to get a second opinion from my family practice doctor and see what he says about bio-identicals. I’ve heard good things about bio-identicals from 2 or 3 women that I know personally.
Thursday, 23 October 2008 at 11:34
Sharon, Anna, Jennifer-Renee, and anyone else who’s struggling w/PMDD, the safest, most effective way to address PMDD is w/BHRT (bio-identical hormone replacement therapy), which corrects the imbalance in your body chemistry using hormones identical to the ones your body makes naturally, NOT w/synthetic drugs (Premarin and other synthetic “hormones” are NOT hormones at all, they’re drugs, period, that’s all, end of story) — I need to write another page w/a lot more detail re: BHRT: why it’s safe, why it’s effective, why it’s being threatened by Big Pharma, and how to find doctors who can treat your hormone imbalance w/BHRT and not merely hand you a Rx for chemical anti-depressants… pls give me a few days to put something together — do check back!
be well,
Tanya
Friday, 23 January 2009 at 17:47
I have one more book to add, the Miracle of Bioidentical Hormones by Dr. Michael E. Platt.
Wednesday, 4 February 2009 at 00:32
I got my period around the age of 12. I always had pretty terrible physical symptoms. I have thrown up due to cramp pain, been frozen with shock due to the pain. As a teenager I was thought to be severely depressed. I wonder now if maybe it was PMDD. I remember descrbing short periods of time where I felt fine, not elated, not hyper, just normal, and then about 2 weeks before my period feeling awful again. I was put on antidepressants, and even diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, and/or Borderline Personality Disorder. Around the age of 21, I finally put the pieces together. Maybe much wasn’t known about PMDD even just a few years ago. But as we have collected more and more cases of women with these same symptoms we call PMDD, I can only hope there will be more research conducted, and more help.
What is infuriating is that PMDD is not yet considered a legitimate illness. It is not listed in the DSM IV. Psychiatrists-of course- try to shove anti depressants down your throat all month long to fix the problem, when during the few good days (several studies say PMDD allows 7-10 days without symptoms for EVERY menstrual cycle) you will experience a fog over your decent emotions. Personally, what frustrates me almost more than anything, is that while I try to remind myself of what’s coming at some point in the month (I have the added disadvantage of not having a regular period) I almost always get lost in the depression and anxiety that comes about 2 weeks before the actual need to wear a tampon, and basically “forget” that the drastic changes I am going through, (the impulsive decisions and actions, the terrible hopelessness, the debilitating fatigue, the change in emotions toward myself and my loved ones, the weight gain, the all over tension of my body, the cringing and tearful headaches-mostly in the temples, even suicidal thoughts, just to name a few) is due to some sort of hormonal change and it WILL go away again. I know that PMDD is real. I know I have it. I know what damages are done because of it. Every month I try to clean up after the damages the “PMDD-ME” did, and about a week and a half out of every month being productive and feeling well, doesn’t get you far. There needs to be more research dedicated to this disorder. I am not going to settle for a cure of something that comes closest to what I have. Might I add by the way, that regular exercise is 90% as effective as antidepressants. Although exercise does help my symptoms some what, It just isn’t enough. This is not something I create, it is not me just “being a woman”. I demand more research for this very real disorder.
Thursday, 12 November 2009 at 13:03
I was put on anti-depressants too at the age of fourteen. Everybody thought it was manic depression and bipolar. I even lost my kids because of those diagnoses. It wasn’t until I was about twenty-five that my ex-boyfriend pointed out I was having the problems. I did researched and found out that it was PMDD. Last year at the age of twenty seven my doctor put me on serafem. The first month I felt better then it turned against me and it became a nightmare. I also tried YAZ and the same effect. This has almost ruined my life completely. It is hard to work, make friends, and cause terrible depression and mood swings. I don’t know what to do anymore. I only have about a week and a half of happy time a month. Then when I start ovulating, it’s back to hell again. I lost so much . Thank goodness I have a great boyfriend and he understands but I need help. I don’t have insurance and trying to get medicaid. Maybe somebody can help me.
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 at 20:26
Cartesia, you might want to look into bio-identical hormone therapy — it’s not usually very expensive (at least not out here in Utah), and it actually addresses the underlying hormone imbalance that causes the symptoms, it doesn’t just mask the symptoms while the real problem still persists. I’m not one of these “a pill for every ill” people, so my personal health care philosophy is quite different from many people’s, but while I do believe pharmaceuticals have their place (primarily w/acute care, for infections, etc.), I believe that natural treatments encourage the body to heal itself, which is what it’s designed to do. Best of luck to you!
~~T
Friday, 13 February 2009 at 06:19
Wow. This thread is over a year old, and the response is still going – and with good reason. All of you women have my blessings because you are not alone. I’m 25 years old and two weeks out of the month I feel like I’m premenopausal 40. From bloating, to constipation, to depression , to anxiety, to mood swings…no one around me can relate. I treat my body like a temple (clean diet, intense workout regimen (which seems to be making it worse), and I feel like I’m getting slapped in the face. I truly believe this is all due to our toxic environment and food industry and can only hope I discover a way to counteract the effects. Back to researching I go…
Thursday, 9 April 2009 at 03:12
I follow your blog for quite a long time and should tell that your posts are always valuable to readers.
Tuesday, 14 April 2009 at 12:23
This site really hit home. I think I might have PMDD. I remember growing up with my mother. Every month the migraines, the irrational and overwellming anger, the severe cramps and sore muscles. After our second child, my husband & I decided we were done having kids and he got a vascectomy. I have now been off birth control for about 8-9 months and about 2-3 months ago I started realizing how much I was turning into my mother. Every month about a week before my period and then for 1/2 my period I am miserable, and I make my children and husband even more miserable. My back and lower abdomin, arms & legs all ache. I scream & yell and then cry. I also normally gain 5-8 pounds every month right before my cycle from over eating and bloating. I’m hoping talking to my doctor might give me some relief, if not for me hopefully for my family.
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 12:24
I’m new to this site. I sometimes scream uncontrollably at my kids…right in their faces, like 3 inches away…and I see in their eyes, the confusion and fear…and I can’t stop because I’m so angry and tired and out of control. This is what finally got me to go talk to my ob/byn last Friday. I love my children more than anything and I don’t want to hurt them like this anymore. I don’t want them to grow up and remember mommy screaming and yelling in their face, but I fear that they’re old enough that they will remember and that makes me so horribly sad and guilty and mad at myself…but I also have to realize and accept that it’s the PMDD that causes this. I have really good days too, when I’m proud of the mom that I am…but those bad days seem to take over my proud moments and I just feel like overall I’m failing. I love my husband too, but we haven’t had an intimate relationship in so long…first due to my pain, then after the hysterectomy, my pains been better, but my sex drive isn’t there. Maybe that’s because of hormones, or maybe it’s because my husband doesn’t know how to be affectionate and romantic with me, which, let’s face it…who could blame him after living with me these past 8 years. Well, we’ve been married 14 years, but the past 8 have been hard. We’d have talks about my issues. I’d bring it up, at how horrible I was to the kids, and he would, in trying to support me, tell me it’s o.k., that it’s hard taking care of the kids, they DO drive you crazy! They drive me crazy he would tell me. He would tell me that and then we wouldn’t do anything about my issues. I think he didn’t believe I had any issues that needed treatment. He just felt is was the stress of having children. Don’t rely on anyone else to tell you how you feel. If you feel out of control, and that your behavior is not normal…then trust yourself and make a doctor’s appointment before you spend 8 years yelling and screaming at your precious children and telling your husband that you love that maybe he should move out and get an apartment…(Yes, I told him that last week). Which was another realization that I need help.
Wednesday, 24 June 2009 at 04:34
I’ve just been diagnosed with PMDD – thank goodness because I thought I was losing my mind!! I took my anti-depressants for2 weeks but had 2 migraines (which I’ve had for 10 years) for 2.5 days each. Because I couldn’t take my normal migraine medication – I’ve decided to stop the anti-depressants – it’s a tough decision – do I suffer migraines and lose days out of my life or become a completely irrational person for several weeks?
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 at 20:10
Joanne, that definitely sounds like a devil’s choice, but there is another option: look into bio-identical hormone therapy, which I discuss briefly in my post here: http://tanyaross.wordpress.com/pmdd-what-finally-worked-for-me/
anti-depressants caused a lot of problems for me: sure, I was “stable,” but I was a robot, and I knew there had to be a better way other than just going through the motions — that’s not any kind of a life, not for me or my family. bio-identicals gave me tremendous relief until I could finally find what was causing my hormones to be out of whack in the first place and address that root cause. Best of luck to you!
~~T
Saturday, 10 October 2009 at 01:50
I’m 19 years old and I just always thought I was losing my mind or something…I was always told I’m overreacting and that nothing’s wrong and I just got a lot of down play on everything. I use to be happy all the time…I’m naturally a very happy person but when my disorder hits it just rules my entire life. It’s extreme and I have panic attacks where I stop breathing for moments at a time…I feel depressed and suicidal and paranoid and nervous…I also snap and am often thrown into rage for minor things…I even have a social anxiety…I get extreme headaches and muscles pains..my boobs are so sore they hurt when I walk:/…..I’m just SO tired of this and I want some answers!…doctors just act as if I’m overreacting and try to shove pills down my throat and I never felt like they really and truly cared….does anyone know any natural remedies? I have an irregular menstrual period so it’s sorta hard to tell anything…but what I do know is that I get symptoms of PMDD almost every month or so but experience no period…does my irregular period complicate the disorder? SOMEONE PLEASE HELP!!
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 at 20:14
Dasmine, the only natural remedy I know of is bio-identical hormone therapy, which most doctors may be reluctant to put you on b/c you’re so young. but that being said, be persistent! there’s no age limit for hormone imbalance, there are so many external factors that can whack your hormones out. keep looking for a doctor who doesn’t think pills are the answer to everything, a doc who’ll listen to you and help you address what’s CAUSING your symptoms and not just give you drugs to cover up the symptoms. they ARE out there, and a compounding pharmacy is a good place to get recommendations for one local to you. Best of luck to you!
~~T
Monday, 26 October 2009 at 12:27
I’m going to look into bio-identicals.
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 at 20:05
Kim, DO look into bio-identicals, I think you might find tremendous relief there. your story sounds much like my own, on so many levels, but there IS hope! the trick is finding a doctor who will actually LISTEN to you, who has actually made a study of human hormones and how they affect the various systems within and functions of the human body, and who will help you address the fundamental hormone imbalance and not merely mask the symptoms of the imbalance w/pills. it CAN be done, you just have to be persistent, be your own best advocate for your health. Best of luck to you!
~~T
Friday, 27 November 2009 at 21:24
Why is this not talked about more? It seems more common than we think.
After reading this, I’m now trying to find a new doctor and I’m going to ask specifically about this. I’ve been going insane lately with the pain, the rage and depression. I’ve missed so much work, lost friends, and my current relationship is on the brink of disaster. Thank you for writing this!