Talk to me about PMDD

[HarryHarry]

Can anybody talk to me about their experiences with premenstrual dysphoric disorder?

What were your symptoms? How did you know they were more than just PMS? What treatment, if any, worked for you?

I’m asking because I think this might be what’s wrong with me!

(This isn’t really an AIBU but nobody ever really responds to my questions on other boards. MN can move it if it’s not allowed here).

My advice would be to keep a daily symptom diary for the month. If its pmdd you should see a clear pattern in symptoms. For me I have around 1 week feeling good/'normal', the over next around 10 days mood starts deteriorating symptoms getting worse and worse upmuntil point my period starts. Start period and within a day start to feel normal again. Its physically and emotionally draining cycle.

My symptoms can be physical- extremely sore boobs, body aches, very painful cramps, migranes. The worst are the mental symptoms though- hopelessness, depressed, suicial thoughts, extreme anger and rage, can't concentrate (I'm terrible driver week before I'm due on), no self esteem, no joy etc. Then day 1/2 period all gone!!

I saw GP, I don't think they really got it however did prescribe an anti depressant. I would say it has helped, seems to even my moods out and I don't get the extreme lows anymore and can manage life much better. I'm pregnant now and pmdd has also completely gone (for now) but I am dreading being back in the cycle of it all again.

I had exactly the same as pp, felt normal for about a week out of 4 if I was lucky, I could feel the mental symptoms building on an hourly basis like I was going to explode ( I often did) the physical symptoms could have me in bed for up to 2 weeks, fatigue, cramps, flu like symptoms contraception made me worse, I was already on a high dose of antidepressants due to clinical depression and anxiety most of my adult life ( convinced that's hormonal to) I just didn't want to live, I hated myself, I was an evil bitch and I put my family through hell..
I went to the doctors so many times, had tests etc blah blah blah, everything always came back normal.
Then by chance I went to the doctors so desperate one day I just sobbed as soon as I walked in and told the doctor ( one I'd never seen for this issue before) I couldn't live like it anymore and if she couldn't help me I was scared what I'd do.,
She asked me loads of questions and actually listened! I told her what I thought it may be and (pmdd) and she agreed!! Because I was 39 at the time she said it was probably getting worse because I was heading into peri- menopause. So urgent referral made to a menopause clinic and I was on HRT patches within 6 weeks,
Oh my god I felt like a new woman with in a week! I've been on them 3 years now, I'm still peri-menopausal but all I get now is mild pmt. that doctor that listened saved my life.
I found out from the menopause clinic consultant that some HRT can effectively treat/control PMDD.
The biggest problem is getting a doctor or nurse to bloody believe you.
It's hell I know, and being brushed off as if your exaggerating or it's in your head happens far to much unfortunately 😞

For about 8-10 days leading up to my period I feel absolutely desperate. I loathe everyone and everything with an intensity that frightens me, including my nearest and dearest. I think about walking out on my (wonderful) DH and my (interesting and rewarding) job. I have no interest in seeing friends. I feel hopeless and that my life has no meaning. I am forgetful, my concentration is shit and having to make even the smallest decision seems overwhelming. I am so angry, I feel as though I am on the verge of screaming all the time. I cry at the slightest thing. On top of this as the week progresses I feel more and more physically unwell. It feels like I'm coming down with the flu- everything aches, I feel nauseous and my stomach is easily upset, in completely exhausted. The worse I feel physically the more difficult it is to cope with the emotional symptoms and I start to think that it would be better if I wasn't here. I start to think about how I might end my life. I've gone as far as googling methods and starting to formulate a plan before.
Then my period comes and within a day or two those feelings are just gone. I suddenly know with absolute clarity that my DH is the kindest man in the world and we're perfect for one another, that my job is my passion and I am lucky to do what I do. I start wanting to socialise again, I feel thankful for all the good things in my life and I can't believe that just 24-48 hours earlier I was thinking about ways to kill myself. I feel "normal", if a bit drained from the rollercoaster of the previous 10 days, but it's hard to enjoy the feeling because I know the whole awful cycle is going to start again very soon.

The symptoms have gotten progressively worse after the births of my DC but I've had very heavy periods and bad PMS since I can remember.

My GP is extremely supportive. I was prescribed an SSRI and was hopeful this would help but had to stop taking it as I developed a rare complication that could have been really dangerous. So the next line of treatment would be HRT (which I'm very nervous about, still undecided) and if that doesn't work then a hysterectomy is a possibility but this is only considered as a last resort for PMDD.

I genuinely thoughy I had it, but the got divorced and my MH improved massively. I think I'm still hormone sensitive BUT a couple of months ago something happened that should have sent me raginy and it didn't, that's why I'm 100% I don't have it.

Thank you, I cried reading your replies. Particularly @Pussysgalore when you said it’s like you’re going to explode and @welcometohell when you said you feel like you’re on the verge of screaming all the time. That’s it exactly. Since I had my second child nearly a year ago, I maybe get a week or 10 days of feeling OK if I’m lucky. The rest of the time this awful, unbearable, overwhelming feelings are getting stronger and stronger and I just keep saying over and over in my head “I can’t take this” and feeling like I HAVE TO die because I can’t go on in that state.

It’s destroying my life. Which would otherwise be the best it’s ever been.

I’m not willing to take antidepressants again as I spent years on them and hated it but I’m wondering whether a contraceptive might work. I know there is one that is approved for treating PMDD. That or a hysterectomy.

I’ve been wondering lately if it’s possible that I’m experiencing this, except I’ve never had any real PMS symptoms in the past.

I had my second DC nearly a year ago too, and the last 5 months, either during my period or just before, I’ve been in meltdown mode!! It’s awful! I’m peri menopausal and thought it could be linked? Although I’m on birth control pills, which I thought would have dealt with the issue. I even skipped my period the last two times, but still had the meltdowns 😫

I’ve seen the doctor and she suggested keeping a diary of symptoms, so I’m doing that and will head back in a month.

I just hate feeling like a different person, a rage-filled, emotional wreck, for part of each month. And I worry about my family relationships too, poor DH and DC. 😞

@HarryHarry does sound like it could be pmdd. Contraceptive pill never worked for me, in fact made me worse. There are some good support groups on Facebook for info and help.

@HarryHarry it does sound like pmdd, I'm sorry, it's really awful. I have antidepressants that I take cyclically but don't really do much for most of my symptoms. Mine started also after my second child and then got a lot worse when I got divorced, which apparently can happen (a major life trauma) I have irregular periods and seem to get my pmdd symptoms for probs 2/3 weeks running up to my period, including:

-a despair for my life situation (it's not even bad, have a nice home, lovely family, two amazing children, a really great understand partner) but when I have pmdd I feel like it's awful and generally all I want is to be around my children so when they go to their dads I tumble into an awful state of mind.

-I suddenly hate my partner (who btw is loving caring and has never been anything but wonderful in the year I've been with him)

-I become suicidal

-motivation of anything is non existent.

Mine started up again yesterday

I have found that taking a high dose vitamin B 6 has helped last month

@boymum9 I might try that. I’m sorry for your experiences.