Hi, Erika,
Thank you for writing about your struggle with PMDD. I used to go in 2-wk roller-coaster cycles – 2 good weeks followed by 2 weeks from hell. I’ve been on sertraline (generic Zoloft) for 2 yrs, and also in individual therapy, which has helped tremendously. But like you, much damage was done – those well-worn neural pathways are still there, waiting to fire up. The sertraline has changed my life, and probably saved my marriage. But I would love to learn how to re-train my brain so my thoughts do not automatically go down those paths.
~Daisy

Daisy,

It first helped to get the mood part under control. Then I just had to start becoming aware of my red flags. The calendar, doing a lot of things that took care of me on a regular basis, purposely injecting some good stuff in my mind now and then, spending time with people being happy. That helped to make the bad stuff stand out more, then I could catch myself.

There really isn’t magic bullet, just awareness and babysteps of personal training for yourself! And have some kind of a plan to DO something to change your mood once you discover what you are doing. Feelings follow actions – you can’t easily “think” or “feel” your way out of it. Do stuff you can almost guarantee will change your mood more positively and trust that it will improve when you need it to. I have a playlist on my iTunes called “happy music”. That helps!

Hope this gives you some idea about how to keep managing it.

Erika,

I also struggle with PMDD and have had some success managing the symptoms with sertraline. I still have one week right before my period where I struggle with every type of craving imaginable and then become very depressed and isolated. Getting my period is such a relief! I’m trying hard to make sure my eating and exercise habits are especially healthy during the week immediately before my period is due but what a struggle! I welcome any and all advice and suggestions on how to make lifestyle changes that can really make a difference in the degree of severity of PMDD symptoms.

Thanks for sharing!

Dawn

Probably the thing that helps me the most is to just be aware that it’s “that week”. It helps me realize that I my perception of anything that upsets me is probably being colored by it. Just knowing that helps me be more ready to deal with whatever upset does come. I have to really keep watch or I can sometimes be surprised! Yeah, even when I’m taking birth control and I can see absolutely every day and when it’s coming. Silly, huh??

One thing I probably need to do is put a red line on my birth control packet with a Sharpie, underlining the whole week leading up to the first day my period should arrive. In fact, I’ll probably do that right now so I don’t forget when I really need to know. Hope that helps!

Hi,

I have been dealing with PMDD for the last several years. I hate it, I absolutely hate it. I tried exercise and vitamins and was never able to do it long enough to make any sort of difference. I finally resorted to Zoloft after a long battle with myself, feeling like I failed because I couldn’t fix this on my own. I still have issues, all the physical symptoms are still present. I still get tired, mad cravings, headaches, etc. The Zoloft has helped with the anxiety at bit, but my bad two weeks is usualy ripe with anxiety and terribly negative feelings, I don’t want to do anything for myself, not even shower. I was just at the gyno this week and he said to give it time, that it can slowly get better with the Zoloft, so I will. I wish I could explain PMDD to my husband and family and not feel ashamed, like I am just making excuses for being a bitch or lazy. Ugh, it totally sucks and I have 2 children – 1 with special needs – so I need to at my best more often than not, not just 2 weeks out of the month. Today I am sad. I just ovulated and I can feel the Mr. Hyde slowly taking over. I think I might need to up the Zoloft. It is nice though to read that other women have the exact same issues, it’s validating.

Tanya,

Yes, you are not alone or lazy or anything like that! That’s the thing about mental health issues – the problem is there anyway, plus it adds problems to your ability to explain or deal with it. It’s not like a broken leg that has a physical solution, though you might also be upset about it. Regardless of your feelings, as long as you do the proper care, your leg will heal.

It sounds like you have a particularly strong PMDD situation there. I’m so sorry you’ve endured all those battles – I know, you think it’s something you “should” be able to manage but can’t. It’s the shoulds that probably make it most difficult for you. Impossible expectations that lead to anxiety and self doubt.

Keep up with your treatment program and don’t give up. Sometimes it’s OK to just be “good enough” when you are really having a DAY during those two weeks. I’m just saying from my personal experiences, but it’s possible to make it better. I hope you find a good liveable balance soon.

Hi Ladies!
Ok so for the past 2 years, for 2 weeks out of every month I will get EXTREAMLLY irrateable, aggitated, angry, mean, sad, depressed, disconnected, cravings, bing eating, trouble sleeping and a whole lot more…every monthe about a week to a week and a half before I start my period my boy friend would tell me that Im going to start in a week, and this would infuriate me, but I am unable to control it. My boy friend and I have been best friends for years we had a great relationship, until I stopped having babies and divorced my husband, started getting my period again, and then started a relationship with my now boy friend. since I started getting my period I have had these exreamly sever symtoms and they are reeking major havoc on all of my relationships and my schooling….I need help. Just today my boy friend I saw a comercial for PMDD and instantly we both agreed that I had pretty much every symtom. my question is where do I go to get help, I need it or I will lose some of the most important people in my life. what kind of doctor to see?

thanks
Kalee

Kaylee,

When I realized I had my PMDD symptoms, I told my doctor right away. She was my doctor shortly before I got pregnant with my first daughter, is their primary doctor, and delivered them all. She’s a family physician and the most important thing is that I have a really good relationship with her. She didn’t hesitate to agree with my symptom research and concerns. You sound like you know what is going on and just need the next step for recovery.

If you haven’t got a doctor you see regularly, you may want to start with an OBGYN, but as with my situation, a good family physician can be good also. Mostly, I would ask your friends and other trusted people who they see for gyno type issues. If they feel their doctor is really great and listens to them, chances are good they would listen to you as well. And if you run across someone who seems to minimize it or blow you off, then find someone else! You know you can’t go on like that, so go until you get help.

You’ve done the hardest thing already (in my opinion) which is to recognize it. Good luck to you and don’t give up. I’m so glad those commercials are out there – sounds like it helped you get clear on a very big problem.

I’m so glad I stumbled across this site, feeling a little better already just knowing I’m not alone. I think I have PMDD.

The one thing that makes me question whether I do is because my symptoms don’t occur every month. Here’s my story:

The Downtown Girls (my ovaries) have always been different when it comes to symptoms. The left is pretty quiet: very few cramps, minimal mood & body symptoms, sometimes no warning @ all that my period is about to start. The right is much more “vocal”: twinging & cramping @ ovulation, breasts get sore, headaches, cravings, awful cramps, and significant mood swings on the best months. Repeated ultrasounds show no physical difference between the two. I may have a general sensitivity to hormones as I have fibroids that have gotten pretty big over the years (I’m not on the pill).

Over the last year the symptoms when the right ovary is active have gotten much worse. This month has been the worst ever, and I am 100% sure I’m not pregnant. I feel like an out-of-control lunatic! For the past several days, I’ve swung irrationally between throwing-stuff anger, almost hysterical sadness & crying, feeling almost normal, & feeling completely hopeless, as if no one cares about me, terrible things are going to happen to me, and the whole world is leaving me behind. I am NEVER this negative normally. It’s scaring me because I feel like I have zero control. No matter how I try to reason my way thru it, the feelings come over me & I just get sucked under.

Add to the above being ridiculously irritable & not caring how mean & snappish I am to others, insomnia, zero motivation to do anything, and really crazy eating (I’m very diet conscious yet ate a whole medium pizza yesterday for dinner!). Right befor the symptoms start my breasts are extremely sore, now I look bloated & tired in general. Thank goodness I live alone & my boyfriend lives in another state, I’ve been completely isolating myself, staying in and not answering my phone.

I would chalk all this up to severe PMS since I’m not experiencing symptoms every month, but the sheer, life-disrupting severity & the onset (right after ovulation by my calculations) has me wondering. Is it possible to have PMDD that occurs every other month? Does regular PMS ever get this brutal? This is affecting me in a way PMS never has. I don’t currently have insurance so I can’t afford repeated trips to the doctor & multiple tests, I’m still paying for last year’s visits & testing!

Any opinions or ideas would be so appreciated! I can’t just ignore this anymore.

Missy

Missy –

If you can write a letter to your doctor explaining this clearly (and your concerns for expense), see if you could just get their opinion first. Then if you go to see them, you might be able to cut to the point and see if you could even get a sample of Yaz. Though I know it doesn’t work for everyone, it really helped me and it’s all I do for it now.

Or, see if there is a community mental health center in your area that would put you on some kind of sliding fee scale, if you would qualify. You could at least get some counseling to deal with the mental symptoms. This seems to be a medical issue, too, though. Despite the cost, don’t ignore that fact.

You are right to believe it’s too much to ignore. I don’t know what to say about it not always being the same every month, but it seems strongly leaning toward PMDD from what you are saying. Best wishes and I hope you can get a quick accurate diagnosis. You aren’t alone in this, and keep in touch!

yeah im 15 and i have a feeling of lazy and i am on my period and i cry alot just thinking of the bad thoughts i have like suicidal thoughts, im crying alot and i am having trouble sleeping at night ??? help do i have PMDD ???

well im 15 and i have so far read all of the symptoms of PMDD and i think i might have it like i have trouble sleeping at night and i have been having bad thoughts , i think i might have it but im not sure and what does yaz do to help with PMDD ???

Taylor,

It looks like you posted twice – sorry, about that. It certainly sounds like you need to talk to your parents and your doctor. Anytime you feel like you are having trouble sleeping, having bad thoughts, and you’re crying a lot, something is wrong. Please, talk to your parents and your doctor.

I’m not exactly sure what Yaz does chemically, but I think the blend of hormones does something more helpful with your moods than hormone combination typically used in other birth control pills. Your doctor would be able to explain that better.

Erica,

thanks for the advice but im still alittle unsure on if i do have PMDD or not i talked to my sister and she said there is a chance i might have it i looked at most of the symptoms on PMDD and i feel like i do have it but im trying to keep my mind off of it as much as possible

thank you Erika and all of you for sharing. I am 42 with two children and a husband. I have been in therapy for many years diagnosed with depression and anxiety. I have been on Prozac and am currently on wellbutrin and cant remember the other. I know that i have my share of issues but there is no question that once a month my life chages dramatically. A dark vail ascends and I begin to question my whole life. I fight with my husband, I’m irritable with the kids, I want to stay in bed and I question the value in living. My new psychiatrist seems to think I’m bipolar and wants me to try a mood stabilizer like Lithium. My instinct tells me I should persue the Pmdd more.
I am going to see a Gynocologist who specializes in mood problems. I’m afraid of the side affects of Yaz but very eager to try something new. What are the other meds I should ask about?

I am new to this site. It’s so good to know that people are talking about PMDD. I suffered with this for many, many years, but I was only diagnosed about 2-3 years ago. I hope that doctors and other health care professionals begin to realize that this condition is very serious. If untreated, it can rob a woman of the best years of her life. This is my story:

I am 53 years old. I started my periods a week before my 13th birthday. How well I remember that God-awful day. My periods started to taper off about 2 years ago and as of now I haven’t had a period for almost a year and now I am finally free.

I suffered with PMDD for 38 years. I hope that my story keeps some young woman from suffering the way I did. I hope that it will wake up at least one doctor who will come to take PMDD seriously. Young woman shouldn’t be joked about and shouldn’t have to suffer through this today. The information is out there. Doctors, parents and loved ones need to listen and doctors, especially, need to start taking this seriously.

PMDD destroyed my life. In my time there was no diagnosis called “PMDD” and PMS and cramps was all in a young girl’s head! Even now it is hard to find doctors who will take a woman seriously about this–that has to change.

Every month for 38 years of my life it was like my whole world ended. I could feel and even see (PMDD can cause visual problems) that dark gray cloud descending on me 2 weeks or so before my period and I began to turn into someone I didn’t recognize (and didn’t want to know). It was almost like looking at life with gray shades on. On top of that I couldn’t go to school or hold a job for very long because of the severe cramps I suffered each month. My period did not always just flow. It came down in clumps. I doubled over, I couldn’t eat or sleep I was in so much pain. I ended up in emergency rooms. I had four D&C’s. Was put on strong pain medication (darvon, demerol) at a very young age. Nothing helped. I wanted a hysterectomy and probably, now that I look back on things, that would have been the best thing for me but no doctor would do it and, as I remember my parents would not agree to it. That’s too bad, because I believe my life would have been much different had I received the PROPER treatment whatever that treatment might have been even if it meant a hysterectomy.

For 38 years of my life I only felt normal for 1 week out of each month! One week, that’s all I had. During that week I felt physically and mentally somewhat normal. At least I felt human. The sun came out again and that gray cloud came off of my eyes. I felt like I was literally emerging from a coffin–digging myself out of a grave. I remember feeling exhausted and hungry. My menstrual cycle, with the PMDD and agonizing cramps took an awful lot out of me. I would lose an average of 3-4 during the week of my period. Most of the time I was either in agony physically or spiraling out of control mentally and emotionally! I was someone I didn’t want to know. I was either depressed or angry most of the time. I was angry because I had to deal with this every month and I felt that if I had to deal with this I might as well die. I had severe mood changes. I was tired all the time, I had severe muscle aches, I was impulsive, irrational, at times violent, promiscuous, irritable, angry, bloated, depressed, in pain, sick and just plain miserable! I could not think straight nor could I focus or function. My memory was also very foggy at this time. I felt like I was on a roller coaster ride every single month and I just wanted to get off! I never knew how I was going to feel from day to day. I had, during my menstrual cycle, what I used to call, “a bad case of the f*ck its” (I used to laugh and try to turn it into a joke, but it was far from funny!). I didn’t give a damn about anything, and THAT feeling made me feel even worse. I felt like I was just a worthless waste of space. I couldn’t understand why I didn’t give a damn about anything. I didn’t understand why I did some of things that I did because I was not raised that way. I never had any hope, any dreams, any goals. I never gave thought to the future or what I wanted to be or do in life because most of the time I wanted to die. I didn’t dare look to the future because every month I descended into what I can only describe as the depths of hell. I knew from a young age that what was happening to me had something to do with my menstrual cycle but I don’t think doctors listened so good-neither did anyone else. Not only that, it did take me some time to equate the personality changes, mood changes and behavior to my menstrual cycle—I really wasn’t sure. Many times, I just figured I was just a weak, worthless piece of sh*t who couldn’t “suck it up”. I couldn’t plan anything. Plans made constantly had to be cancelled once my cycle started. I had to plan my whole life, around one week out of every month. I just stopped trying. I’ve had a lot of jobs but I’ve been fired from a lot of jobs also. I had to have very understanding supervisors because for 1-3 days out of the month I would not be in! Because I was a very good worker, I got cut a lot of slack in some cases, but not always.

I spent my 13th birthday in a mental ward diagnosed with schizophrenia (any mental illness back then was “schizophrenia”). I ran away from home as a teenager more than once. I had a lot of problems it seemed as though I was incapable of any rational thought. I started drinking and smoking pot off and on when I was 14 years old. However, I did not develop a problem with to until I was in my 20’s. That’s when I started using cocaine. As I got older crack came next along with other drugs. I’ve been in several rehabs but to no avail. Drugs made me feel better–they took the discomfort and the pain away–at least for a while and a little while was fine with me, I would take what I could get. However, in the long run, as I look back on it, drugs made things worse, much worse. Drugs did make me feel better but when they wore off I felt ten times worse. So I would just do more drugs. And on, and on, and on round and round. Throughout my life I also committed several crimes. I believe that crime gave me a sense of power and control that I didn’t have in any other area of my life. It’s just by the grace of God that I didn’t end up dead or in prison for some of the things I’ve done. But frankly, I didn’t much care if I lived or died. I never knew what I was going to do next. All those years, all those years I felt so bad, so bad for so long. I felt so useless, like I was just a bad person. I hated myself, I hated life, I hated my parents for having me and I felt like crap all the time. Then came the birth of my son. Pregnancy gave me much relief from PMDD but motherhood scared me. It literally petrified me. I remember the first time I saw him when he was born. He was about 1 month premature but he was beautiful and healthy as a horse. I remember going to see him in his incubator every day all day. However, it was not how it was in the movies—automatic love. What I felt for my son when I saw him can only be described as AWE. I was awestruck by him! I counted his little fingers and toes. I remember looking at him and saying “God help you, you have a space cadet for a mom”. I felt that giving birth to my son was the only right thing I’d ever done in my life and I was drawn to him. However, in the same token I also wondered how someone so beautiful and perfect could ever come from me. I thought that God had made a mistake in giving such a beautiful little life to me. Consequently, I felt he would be better off without me. I just thought I was no good, bad, a failure, irresponsible, weak and crazy. When my menstrual cycle came around each month and I would feel so bad I thought to myself no one goes through this, why me? I began to think that I was being punished for something and that I deserved that punishment. I thought I was weak for not being able to handle this. I must be crazy, right? It’s all in my head, right? I give into everything, right? I felt like crap and my self-esteem was non-existent. Needless to say, I was not a good mother at all. My mood changes, irritability, low-self esteem, confusion, fear, on top of my severe monthly menstrual pain and my alcohol and drug use caused me to be very unpredictable, even evil and even treat my son badly at times and because of that I was not there for my him and missed out on his whole life. I can’t get that back. I don’t spend a whole lot of time wallowing in regrets. But I do so regret not being able to be a mom. That’s the most important job a woman can have.

I had gotten into a lot of drug and legal trouble in New York so after my marriage failed in 1994 I moved to Tucson. For several months after I got to Tucson I stopped using drugs and found temporary work. However, I still was dealing with this roller coaster ride I went though each month and the severe cramps so I could not always make it to work. Drugs entered my life again. I made somewhat half hearted attempts at suicide more than once while in Tucson. In 2005, I nearly succeeded. A neighbor found me passed out on my living room floor with my front door wide open after taking a bunch of pills. He made sure I was breathing and put me in my bed then left and locked my door (addicts tend not to call ambulances). I woke up the next evening wondering why I was still alive. I was hospitalized more than once in Tucson and put on several medications which did not help me at all.

At the end of 1994, my first love, who I somehow managed to find after 23 years came out to live with me. At the time, he was getting out of prison in New York and told him that maybe he should come out and live with me. Before he came out I quit drugs again and remained relatively clean for two years. At the time I was working. I had been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and put on psych meds. However, I had read that the medication I had been on would rot my liver after a long period of time so I quit taking the meds. The PMDD symptoms returned and the cramps never left. Even so, I found a really good job in 1995–a job that I really enjoyed but bosses are not always to keen on a person who has to be absent 2-3 days a month or who double over in pain each month and have to leave or taken to the hospital! After four years I was forced to resign. I felt like sh*t–another failure. I started using again. On top of that the monthly roller coaster ride continued. After that, my boyfriend and I started dealing drugs and living a pretty wild life. However, the more my boyfriend used drugs the more paranoid, abusive and controlling he got. We fought–physically–a lot!

In 2000, I applied for disability and got it in 2001 based on my bi-polar disorder diagnosis and a diagnosis of anxiety and panic disorder. I was still not diagnosed with PMDD until a couple of years after that. Finally, I managed to see a gyn doctor who told me that it sounded like I had PMDD and dietary changes were recommended to me along with certain vitamins I should take. This did little good probably because by that time my life was pretty much out of control. I was told by this gyn doctor that the bi-polar disorder and the PMDD probably exascerbated each other. I was also put on other psych meds by a psychiatrist that reeked havoc on the body and suffered some bad side effects and they did nothing for the PMDD. My life was a mess and my physical and mental state and emotional state was very bad so it was difficult to adhere to any medical advice. Finally, in 2002 I could not take the lifestyle I was living and the abuse. I moved out from my boyfriend and got my own place. However, I continued to see and visit him. In March, 2003 he died. I fell apart. For three more years my life continued to spiral out of control and I felt worse and worse each month. I was finally court ordered into drug treatment in 2006 and finally got clean (I did have relapses but since I no longer suffer from the debilitating effects of PMDD or bi-polar disorder, drugs have never become a compulsion again). A new doctor put me I on Effexor in 2006 and it worked wonders also I was not using. However, I felt scared. I didn’t know how to start over. I felt like my life was over and that it was just too late to start over. Finally, my periods started to taper off about 2 years ago. 2007 though, was a very bad year because menopause, at least in the beginning, made me feel pretty bad. I suffered from muscle aches so bad to where I could hardly get out of bed. The period started coming every 3 months and each time it was on its way I got those muscle aches. I also went through that old familiar roller coaster ride every three months–only not NEARLY as bad as when I got a period every month. I did go though periods of intensive fear and paranoia where I was afraid to leave my house. I also suffered from depression, loneliness and hopelessness. However, I believe that after all I’d been through this was normal and I was able to work through it. I just could hardly wait until the periods stopped for good!

There is a happy ending! I think I’ve beaten all that! I still have some fears, but at least I feel capable of working through them. I no longer spiral out of control or double over in pain every month. I feel great and can think clearly and rationally. As of now I haven’t had a period in almost a year. I do have night sweats from the menopause and they can keep me up at night. Sometimes I use sleep medication given to me by my mental health professional but basically, I am no longer on any medication. Menopause is a walk on the beach compared to having a monthly period. I feel so good now! No more dark clouds. No more jekyll and hyde. No more roller coaster ride–I got off finally! I’ve also come to the conclusion that I probably was not bi-polar after all. I believe it was all PMDD because I am no longer on any medication and I feel just great! Not only that, the symptoms I had only occurred for three weeks out of the month. I always had one week where I felt normal. Also, once the periods stopped for good I had no more symptoms. Now I go out every day and do volunteer work. I’ve joined a gym and have an eye on going back to college in January. Luckily, I have no other health problems. I’m finally going to get to do the things I could not do in my younger years. I’m finally free.

I tell my story now, so that any young woman or health care professional reading this could see just how bad PMDD is and how bad it can get! PMDD is a SERIOUS hormonal/chemical/ medical/ emotional/psychological condition that does not go away by itself. Without proper treatment (and that may include hormones, nutritional guidance, stress management, vitamins, lifestyle changes, medication, hysterectomy, whatever) PMDD will go on until menopause and rob a young woman of the best years her life! It also gets worse as you get older. It’s too late for me to get back those 38 years but maybe, by telling my story, I can help some young woman not go through what I went through. Maybe some doctor will see this and begin to take PMDD seriously. If anyone out there is suffering each month like I did and not know why or if any young woman can not understand what is happening to her each month–it just may be PMDD. Find an open minded and understanding doctor, preferably a woman, (I don’t believe in going to male gyn doctors, they have no idea what goes on with a woman’s body and mind during the menstrual cycle and they don’t take women’s health problems seriously) who will listen to you and give you the help you need. There is hope!

Thanks for listening.

It may seem kinda strange to have a guy post a comment on a PMDD site but I have a few questions that maybe someone can answer.

My girlfriend and I have been together for about 7 years now and the last year has been very hard for us for about 10 days a month.

My loving sweet little angel for about 20 days a month becomes a demon from the under-earth for about a week.

We both noticed it starting about 12 months ago and it has gotten worse and worse. It always happens a week before her period and it has gone far beyond the PMS I have noticed in other women I have dated.

She and I decided to part ways last week because she just can’t control her anger and meanness and it completly disruptes every fiber in our lives.

However, I decided not to give up that easily since I truely love this woman and have had some of the best times of my life with her.

After doing alot of research and waiting until she got her period(so I could approach her and still keep parts of my face attached) She agreed to take a self test we found on the net and read some of the material I found on PMDD. We both conclude that she has about 85% of the symptoms and it always falls just before her period. This was a monumental relief and we decided to stay together for awhile longer to see if treatment would improve our condition.

SO she has an appiontment with her doctor this week and hopes to get a script for Zoloft to start with.

My questions are

1)I have read that for a large portion of women who take SSRIs for PMDD that their symptoms relapse after 8 months to a year in studies. Has anyone who has been on SSRIs noticed this happening to them? and

2)if so, what did you do (if anything) after that to continue to treat your PMDD? and

3) What is the most common Zoloft dosage prescribed for PMDD?

Any input would be very helpful.

Thanks

Hi Peter,

This is just my own experience, but I think you also have to ask these questions (or have her ask) a doctor. Probably better than just anecdotal information from individuals.

I’ve never heard anything about a known relapse rate 8 months later. Was that just one study? May not truly be a trend if it’s just an isolated study – be critical when you read something like that. I went on a Prozac-type of medication and had no relapse whatsoever.

How long did these women take their meds? Were they taking it while the relapse occurred or after they stopped? If it happened after they stopped taking it, they might have not taken it long enough to help establish healthy habits and positive thinking. It takes a while to reshape your mind after a long time of the ups and downs. When I went off the meds after a couple of years, I still had some irritability, but I wouldn’t consider it a relapse, just a somewhat different symptom. That has been treated well with Yaz.

I also find that yoga is helpful and keeping track of that week in the month on a calendar so I can remember why I might still be a little irritable (that it is the PMDD, not my environment). That helps me reel it back some when it gets a little worse than usual.

I have no idea what a common Zoloft dosage is for that – best to ask a doctor, and Zoloft may not be what’s prescribed anyway. Plus dosages are usually started at the lowest that can be clinically helpful then raised depending on the response, or possibly started higher based on the severity of symptoms. But these are just my educated guesses. Best to ask this of a doctor.

Hope this helps and I hope a few others answer your questions. Thanks for being so compassionate and helping her figure this out!!

Thanks Erika for the response and the information.

The relapse info I got WAS from only 1 study and they said not all the participants relapsed just the ones with the most severe symptoms. I’ll take your advice and not give it much credence. I wish I had the link to share but I can’t seem to find it.

We are kinda leery about Doctors (no offense) since I had to diagnose and demand that my girlfriend be tested and treated for Lyme disease a few years ago. We live just outside of NYC and the doctor she saw worked in a well known high quality facility. The symptoms were so obvious but the doctors treating her were not up on the data and refused her many requests to be tested for Lyme. I don’t know why. They spent thousands of dollars testing and treating phantom diseases and she suffered for over 7 months to get the proper treatment. The best info I got was from average people I knew who had the disease. Once diagnosed she recovered quickly and completely.

I pray this doesn’t happen when she sees her doctor. I’ll let you know!

Thanks again for the Help.

I was diagnosed with PMDD two years ago. Previous to that my anger/frustration/depression was almost constant with increasing issues about a week before my period. A few months before I was diagnosed I began to notice body aches like those you get when you have the flu a week or so before I started. I finally mentioned it to my gyn at my annual checkup and before I could finish telling her my symptoms she was nodding her head because she knew exactly what I was talking about. She said she experienced the same thing and told me what was going on. She put me on Prozac which I absolutely love and has made such a difference in my symptoms. There are side effects such as libido and weight gain but I suppose they are better than what I was feeling. I have just recently found out that I was anemic, blood tests by my family doc, and he believes it is because of heavy menstrual flow. Now he is talking about a hysterectomy (I am 39, no more kids) and that is what brought me here. I am wondering if that would resolve the PMDD. I don’t want to trade one issue for another but I also wonder if I could get off the Prozac if I were to go through with it. I definately won’t make any decisions until I talk to my gyn. Has anyone considered this route to resolving PMDD issues?

I just discovered your blog and am putting it on my favorites. I have suffered with PMDD since having children 21 years ago. For a time I managed it as it came, thinking I can get through this thing on my own.(I never knew what it was, I just didn’t “feel right”) There was a two year period of time (2002-2004)that I took up drinking, looking back it was self-medication, it took the edge off of the anxiety for the moment but the alcohol took me further than I intended on going, it steadily increased, I saw that became a problem and with the help of my pastor, I went for professional help. (Alcoholism is in my family) With the help of a professional psychologist, psychiatrist and medication I was able to completely break free of the addiction. (2003-2005) (I was taking three medications at one point: Fluoxetine, Lamictal and another, I can’t think of the name.) I was on the medications for about a year along with psychotherapy. Eventually, I was down to taking just 10mg of Fluoxetine (generic for Prozac), this was for the PMDD. This past April I was hit again by this ugly avalanche of emotions: overwhelming anxiety,depressed mood, negative thinking, avoidance of others – I didn’t want to be a downer to anyone and negative thinking..I felt like I was going to explode! (I had lesser degrees of this in the previous year but just made it through each episode.) I went back to my doctor and she prescribed Lamictal, a mood stabilizer to take along with the Fluoextine, which was upped to 20mg. After two weeks, the symptoms I experienced from that was horrible: lack of concentration, fogginess, headaches – I felt like a zombie. I called my doctor and with her advice, I stopped the Lamictal. After reading about the long term negative effects of Prozac on the brain, I decided that I would discontinue this as well. (Questions I asked myself: Am I destroying my brain? Many people are being prescribed medications that are not necessary – am I one of them? In the world of psychiatry, is it easier to just precribe medication, masking over the problem rather than finding out the cause?) I reduced the daily dosage gradually and went off completely in May. Since I have been keeping active physically (I run), I eat well, I keep busy taking care of the family and read positive books, I assumed that I could manage this. Well, the past two weeks have been horrible for me. I’m feeling negative, “flat” in mood, making myself get by with a smile on my face. I’m back in college and finishing my research paper, thinking that the stress of the paper is the cause of my mood change, the calendar tells me otherwise – my period is due this week, but this seems to be a prolonged mood – is there something more than PMDD going on? How can I know if the doctors I’m seeing are reliable? I want to be able to enjoy life and continue to grow as a person, not just survive.

Kim,

Thanks for reading and adding your comment! Looks like you’ve had a mix of good and bad results with your PMDD treatment. I’d say an opinion from a psychiatrists specializing in reproductive mood disorders would be helpful if you’re unsure of your treatment direction. It’s possible that you may still need some type of medication for a while, but perhaps just a different type. There are many choices. I’m not pushing meds as a “have to” thing, but they are often useful in getting and keeping you out of the hole long enough for you to get your legs under you.

You seem attuned to the cycles of your body enough, and I’ll bet your calendar is telling you something important. Just this week, I’ve been having trouble sleeping, staying up a little too late, etc. This isn’t the first time I’ve noticed this in accordance with my period coming, so now I will be taking that element of my cycle more seriously. So I’m saying symptoms and changes can emerge over time.

Glad to see you are paying good attention to this. Keep at it and I’ll be hoping you have more consistent success with your treatment. Write in any time.

When I first learned about my symtoms it was right when I married and realized I made the biggest mistake of my life. I married the wrong He/She, not a real man that I wanted to be married to. My anger begain right before my period it seemed as if my anger cam 2 weeks leading to my period. I would cry a lot, get very frustrated and sad fro the simple things and I never understood why. Then I was told by my doctor that I may be suffering from PMDD. All my symtoms and signs lead to PMDD. I thought I was going crazy, its was up and down all the time. But now I know what it is PMDD, I still learning to manage it and may I say it is hard but managable. Thank Erika for showing me that Im not crazy and I am not the only women in this world who suffers from this wierd PMDD temporary emotional set back. Linda Ilog – Holly wood California

I am 49. I have been struggling with depression for more than 30 years. I have tried every kind of anti depressive drug out there. To only realize it makes me gain 5 pounds . My favorite thing was to nap, watch tv and eat. which depress me more. So I go off them because it really didn’t seem to help but makes me sleep my life away.

I have been on Yaz for over a year but still struggle with depression , tiredness, cant wait to go to bed , eat all the time.weight gain ,no motivation to loose weight even though i hate myself now. can’t stand to look at myself. hate getting old. negetative all the time. no joy and feel like i am lost in this world. no excitment in life, not happy but not sudicidable. Please help.

Hi Erika

I said Id let you know how we made out. Well heres good news! Its been about 3 weeks since she has seen her doctor. She got the script she asked for and it has been amazing. She is a completly different person. She awakes with energy, is not irritable, Shes lost all her anger, crying, anxiety, mood changes even during the 10 days before her period. AND she is sleeping well through the entire night. Its like a miracle. Its only been 3 weeks!? She says its like living a new life. She says she feels like a new perosn. Wow a tiny ittle pill has helped Tremendously! I just wish we had found out about this sooner so she wouldnt have suffered so long.

Thanks for the great info and sharing your personal expierences.

Peter – Wow, thanks for the update. When you find the right treatment, it does almost seem unbelievable that you could have success. For me, that’s how I reacted to my antidepressant. The up-and-down craziness was just gone – it truly was a miracle for me. It’s like a new life not because the pill makes you high or anything. It’s because you finally feel normal and you get something you thought you’d never have again – hope that the darkness could be really over.

Of course, she probably has some bad mental habits that have set in over the period of time she had such bad symptoms. This is where some therapy and/or support groups can be tremendously important. They provide the opportunity to “reteach” the mind with positive thinking, coping skills, the belief that they can overcome and be OK. This is the next step of her recovery.

The pill seems to have lifted her symptoms, which is so great, but it’s not over. When she starts to feel like she can trust that her real self is “back”, then she will be in really good shape. That may take several months or even a year or two depending on the length of time she showed symptoms. Yoga, exercise, positive music, getting involved in a hobby or mentoring activity that she loves – these are all ways to keep her healthy self going and growing.

So glad she found something helpful! I share in her joy of finding her new life.

Hi all

This is a great site, and I am glad to know there are people out there who are going thru these difficulties, and that I am not alone in this struggle!

I noticed a distinct pattern of UP and DOWN with my cycle after I became pregnant and miscarried. That was over six years ago. I let it go for a long time and it progressively got worse. I think that is part of the problem, the worse you get and longer you let it go, the harder it is to treat.

At any rate, my PMDD was diagnosed by my psychiatrist recently. I also manic-depression which is also diagnosed over a year ago. The PMDD set off the symptoms and aggravated the manic-depression. With treatment for that (Lithium right now), I don’t get as extreme up, but still track down, though less severe, before my cycle.

I have tried St. John’s wort, as it is a Seratonin pill and under my doctors supervision. I don’t think it is strong enough because i am still having the downs. Time to try the real deal I guess. I think I am going to go with Paxil, as my mother is on that and has had success.

Amy,

Glad you finally got a diagnosis. And yes, I think in some ways, it can be harder to treat simply because your body and mind have been worn out by it for longer. Also, your mind has developed unhealthy habits (trying to cope with unreasonable emotional swings) for a longer period of time. After 3 1/2 yrs of postpartum depression and PMDD, I would say it took me a good couple of years to truly minimize the bad depression-thinking habits I had.

Still gotta watch the residual effects now and then, but not like it was when I was just newly improving. I was so oversensitive for a while. Just took some time to get my courage and confidence back, take the semi-negative self chatter down a notch.

Best wishes for your plan of recovery – hang in there!

I am so glad I found your site on the web. Anyway, this Dec. is when I really started noticing my moods around the time I ovulate or a few days before my period starts until it ends. I would become depressed and cry all the time. Didn’t think much of it. Now this has happened every month since Dec. I saw a commercial for Yaz. OMG that sounds like what I have. The past few month have been BAD. I started tracking in July! This past period was the worst. For 5 days I was depressed, crazy anxious, couldn’t sleep all night, then laid on the couch all day, headaches, couldn’t eat, crying etc. This is ruining my life. I have 3 children and a husband who need me. I made an appointment to go see a doc tomorrow. Just reading these stories helps me realize I’m not crazy and I can get help.

I’ve been what it seems like a battle with PMDD since I was a teen. I’m in my late 20’s now. When I look back at when I was 15yrs old and my own dad was fed up with my “PMS” as he would call it. He took me for my first doctor visit!

Since my first doctor visit at 15yrs to 26yrs I never know of PMDD. I was on all kinds of birth control! Even on birth control that had nothing to do with hormones! I never realized how much my young life I had been dealing with all this.

Up until I found this site I thought I was alone. I dislike feeling the way I do 20days out of the month. I feel bad for all that I’ve put my children, husband, friends, and both our families through!

Though I found a really good doctor a year and a half ago who helped me. Got my hormones in check and my depression in check! I was finally living life like how I always wanted to feel. I was back in control.

Being a military wife our doctors constantly change well…. that day came for me. I know have a in-out doctor that isn’t hearing me. I’ve been switch off what was helping my hormones to back to square one! As for the depression I’ve had my good days and my bad. I’m more aware of those pits and work hard to stay very far! I’m on antidepressents that used to work until my birth control was switched.

I guess what my question is am I going to constantly have to switch my meds to get my PMDD in check? The depression part is what drives me nuts!

Please give me some feed back! I have a really supportive husband and family. Is there even a doctor that specialize in PMDD?

Thank you,
Bevileane

Bevileane,

You might try googling “PMDD” with your city. Or begin contacting ObGyn’s in your area and simply ask them if they specialize in PMDD treatment, and if not who would they recommend. Tell them you’ve had some ups and downs with your treatment, who is the local expert? Something like that.

Hopefully that would help you get on a better track. I really don’t know if any doctor’s completely specialize in it, but I believe a few larger universities have some research going on and perhaps those professionals (if they are local to you) may be a great resource. Google PMDD and your city and see what comes up.

I really don’t know if you *always* have to switch medications. Though I do know that some people do have greater difficulty with medications working well and consistently.

Keep on going and best of luck to you.

Thank you Erika,

I actually just started to Google PMDD a few weeks ago when I started feeling like I was back to square one! The hot flashes, weight gain, and most of all the depression are not really helping in this PMDD out of wackness I’m feeling!

I don’t like how I feel in that I will not give up on feeling how I should! Again that Erika.

I am wondering how many of us with PMDD is 30lbs or more overweight. Which would be linked to being inactive and poor eating habits. I am overweight and I have PMDD. I know my body is missing out on so much of what it needs. If I lost the weight, exercised, and ate right (along with my medication) that just maybe.. my body could overcome my PMDD symptons I still have.

I am so grateful to have found this website. I just recovered from the worse bout of PMDD yet.
All last week, I felt like I was going crazy. Thinking irrational thoughts, not being able to function at work or at home, even feeling suicidal, hopeless, fearful of how my relationship was being affected by it. Too exhausted to do anything after getting home from just a 4 hour work day. I’ve been feeling like the scum of the earth. Worthless, frustrated, agitated… and I’m usually a happy person!
I never really knew I had PMDD up until a few minutes ago, but know I have been struggling with it for much longer. It was that overwhelming feeling of relief I’ve experienced in the past once my period came. Today is the first day of my period.
I’ve always chalked it up to other common types of diagnoses. Yet I never completely fit into any certain category. I’ve read up a little on PMDD in the past, but I, too, was a skeptic a/b this ailment and took little regard to it.
Reading other people’s stories on this site and others, I felt for the first time in years that I wasn’t a crazy person. Others experience the same things as I am. I even cried a little. Tears of joy because now I can start working on ways to cure my PMDD once and for all.
So thank you all, from my entire heart.

Hello everyone, I have a question. Has anyone had sever shakiness throughout there legs,head or hands. I have had pretty much all the pmdd symptoms but I do not know if the severe shakiness I have is related or if pmdd can cause this. I have 7 wonderful children age 11 down to 1 and it seems to me the most wonderful husband in the world because after 12 years of marriage he still sticks with me through it. And sometimes I can get really mean and hateful during the week before I start. Don’t want to but can’t seem to help it. Please let me know if anyone experiences these symptoms the shakiness last several hours when this happens. Thanks for listening.

Ladies,

I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression in July following my husband being in hospital 5 times and out of work (self employed) for just over a year. I would not accept that I needed medication and carried on until 5 weeks ago when I totally crashed and burned. My GP was fantastic and I agreed to take fluoxetine (prozac). After just 3 weeks I felt so much better. I really started to function properly. And I can hand on heart say that I was HAPPY and that I felt like a normal person again.

On Sunday I started……. we had just walked the dog about 2 miles and had settled down to watch a film. I had the panic attack. My daughter came in from the pub and I verbally attacked her. I then ran upstairs and sat sobbing on my bed for 2 hours. My husband came up and sat patiently waiting for me to calm down.

I came down stairs and cooked the evening meal. Next morning I got up and started severly shaking and felt absolutely terrible. I was starting the really negative feelings and thought if I drove the car, it would crash and that my shallow breathing was cancer and all the nasty things like that. Hubby or should I call him Saint, suggested that I stay home and not go into work. I angrily snapped at him and went in.

I stepped into my office and sat at my desk. My boss (male) was extremely sympathetic and asked my why I was crying. I didn’t realise that I was! He told me that I should go home and ring him later and went off to his first meeting of the day. I sat at my desk for 5 minutes sobbing uncontrollably into a hankie before eventually the lady in the next office came to me and offtered to get the OCC Health nurse. She was unavailable so my colleague called my daughter who drove me home.

When I calmed down, I decided to research depression and anxiety to see if I could do some self help and came across PMDD. I retracked my life over the past 12 months and there is a pattern. Luckily for me I get 3 and a half good weeks and then crash for about 3-4 days and is definatley worse when my period has been late.

I now have an apppointment with the female GP in my pracitce this afternoon to discuss the symptoms and hopefully get a diagnosis.

If I have PMDD, then I will sing it from the rooftops to all my friends, including the men.

I will update the blog later with the details.

I have found this string of comments extremely useful and hope that tomorrow, I will be in a position to help others get diagnosed and help

Della

Hello. Well just doing some searching on the subject of PMDD. This has been the most debilitating illness and seriously the most frustrating thing in my life. I am normally a very rational logical person, but as soon as this kicks in every month I might as well kiss everything I work for the rest of the month goodbye. When I was 13 my parents sent me to see a counselor who said she thought I was bi-polar because of my mood swings. I have tried anti depressants which do nothing for me except make my brain foggy and I can’t think. Every woman on my mom’s side of the family has had serious issues with PMS or PMDD but they never sought treatment. It was just something we all dealt with but never talked about until the last few years because of what my sister and I have gone through. My mother got through it and said that it subsided when she went through menopause. My sister is now 38 and is in such a bad state I am not even sure what to do. I have been to every doctor I can and don’t know what else to do. I started on Metformin 6 months ago and it does make me feel better, but I still fall into this really horrible state of mind every 3 months or so just prior to my period. About a day or 2 after I get my period I am fine again. I know that my androgen levels are to high. However, there is no physical explaination. I have no cysts, I have nothing wrong with my uterus, adrenal glands, thyroid or anything else that can be picked up by the tests I have had run.
I sincerely worry about how much worse this will get. I see my sister and I know that is where I am headed. I support myself and always have, but there is only so much that my job can afford to take. FMLA has covered me so far(I don’t get paid for time off though). I have an appointment today with my primary doctor and am going to ask about the option of having my ovaries removed. I have no children and I am 34 so this is a difficult decision to make. I am not sure this is even a feasible option at this point. I know the people in my life who understand what I am dealing with (like my mom and sister) will always be there for me. It is just a very very difficult condition to get people who don’t suffer with it to understand. They tend to think you are weak or crazy. I honestly justify in my mind at this point having my ovaries removed will prevent me from having a child that I will just pass this condition on to. I guess I am just venting right now. Thanks for providing the format. If I get any new info. on treatment I will post. : )

Hi there. It is so nice to see that I’m not alone in this. My PMDD effects me socially, I am fine normally, but then a week before my period I become obsessed with what others are thinking about me, I begin to with drawl. I also suffer from a rash covering my neck and cheeks, I believe its anxiety related. It is debilitating. I also become extremely tired, nauseated, constipation mixed with diarrhea. Like Missy I also believe that it only effects one ovary, I am noticing that I only get severe PMS every other month. I have suffered from chronic attacks of both BV and Yeast infections, I take natural probiotics that treat the issue but don’t cure it. I am a healthy twenty-six year old woman and a mother to an eighteen month old son. I too don’t have health insurance and I am at a loss as far as treatment goes.

I havent stopped crying since I first opened this page– the support and resonance is overwhelming. I dont really have anything special to add, as previous ladies have pretty much summed up the situation to a T: I sleep only a few hours per day, I cant hold a job due to lack of motivation, I can’t function in social situations as I cant even focus on the conversation at hand, and just a general sense of deep loneliness. This leads me to my next point –> I am wondering how you ladies cope in your personal lives.

I’m 28 and just realized I have PMDD. For a month now, I’ve been seeing a therapist and next week have an appt with a psychiatrist. Perhaps its just now showing its ugly self, or I’ve been in denial…most likely the latter. Regardless, I finally am in a relationship for the first time in years (he incessantly chased me for a year!), and we are having such a hard time with this. Because we know that I have PMDD, it’s easy for both of us to simply dismiss any issues I bring up as “oh it’s because of the pmdd, you’re over-reacting.” I want to know if there are tips on how to assess objectively a situation. Should i/we wait until I start bleeding to discuss things that bother us? I tried this last month, but the issue (however small) simply eats away at me to a debilitating state. But if I bring it up, it undoubtedly blows out of proportion, and awful words are said. My bf is not particularly a compassionate person, and is defensive by nature– think teenage boy who is never wrong, an excuse for everything. He says he won’t “indulge your insecurities by pandering to you.”

Peter– I am so impressed with your support for your gf. Just reading your post insighted a flood of tears. You are an amazing man. What I would give if my BF were half the man you are…. I wonder what made you stay for 7 yrs? And how do you cope with her during the days? Does she seem especially needy or more withdrawn?

Please help. I can take it. I wonder if I’m just not ready for a relationship (especially with an emotionally immature person) and that I need to get myself under control first? OR do I need to just wait it out a bit for the meds and therapy to start working? IF it works….

Melinee– please update on the ovaries situation. I am also very interested in such procedure if it could help. I resent my mom for physically and mentally passing this on to me, and I can’t live with such responsibility either.