PMT or PMDD - support or help

[Ayeshstar2020]

39... regular periods but from ovulation to period starting I get a depression or despair that gets worse up until my period. It’s unbearable. Two or so days before my period I am literally writhing with discomfort, both physical and mentalZ

The physical symptoms are incredible bloating and water retention. Fatigue. Insomnia. Clumsiness.

I’m circa a week away from my period and and everything is so dark.

I’ve had this for years and years. Sought specialist advice at one point and was prescribed hormones to stop ovulation. Didn’t ultimately feel comfortable with it so tried to address through diet, supplements, exercise. I’m sure it helps in that it might be worse without these adjustments but it’s still nightmarish.

I think it feels worse really as am single, have just spent a year isolated and alone, really want to meet someone and have a family. So the PMDD feelings of despair are sort of mirrored by real life challenges.

Fuck! I feel so alone! Every month such a struggle. I try to be positive but it’s like I’m stuck in a soup.

Looking for solidarity really or some recommendations :)

Didn't want to read and run. I believe I've had pmdd though I'm now perimenopausal and my issues are now different. I don't have any advice as such but I have belonged to a fantastic group on Facebook called "pmdd severe pms UK" ( I don't know if you are in the UK or not, sorry) and there are hundreds of supportive women in the same boat on there, I found it reassuring and made me feel less lonely, may even find some useful tips. Might be worth a look.

Lots of solidarity here and I’m so sorry you’re going through it too. I get rage, paranoia and really low mood just before I come on, and day one usually involves a couple of hours of throwing up, then crippling stomach cramps for the rest of the day. So I don’t have it as bad as some, but it’s pretty nasty.

What has helped me is eating better (fewer carbs and sugars, lots more veg) and shifting some weight (only a half stone so far though, so I think the diet is the main thing). Since making those changes I no longer vomit on day one of my period and the pain has receded hugely too. I actually managed to go to work on day one which would have been unthinkable six months ago (I did sit around the office moaning pathetically all day but I got through it!). The mood symptoms have also lessened and I have months where I have almost no PMT by comparison. I just started making these changes a few months ago so can’t say if they’ll work long term, but I did slip up stop caring last month and the nausea, pain and depression were back with a vengeance. So I really do believe it works, for me at least.

I hope you find something of a solution too - it enormously sucks. 💐

So sorry to hear of your symptoms OP. Please seek medical help. This condition can make life intolerable at times. I believe I suffered this condition but never got a diagnosis. I am now 4 years post a full hysterectomy (for other reasons) but I think they may be linked. I thank God every day that I no longer have to suffer menstruation. I turned into someone I didn't recognise and it spoilt my life for a week before every period where I had to retreat from activities, the fatigue was debilitating. Hope you get the help you need.

You need specialist help. Google Dr Panay in London.

I don’t have much advice OP but I wanted to say I know exactly how you feel, the week before my period is absolutely awful with extremely similar things to what you’ve said. The rage inside me is crazy, I feel hopeless, the hunger is so bad I could eat a horse, sad&down, I HATE my DP and everything he does makes me angry, and I feel like I’m the shittest mother ever.

It all subsides when my period starts though.

I’ve done a lot of reading into PMDD and it seems that there isn’t a one size fits all, the main thing that seems to work is low dose sertraline. I’ve been putting off seeing the GP due to covid, and also because it’s not very widely recognised in GP surgery’s lots of people are wrongly diagnosed with bi polar, but for the rest of the month I’m absolutely fine it’s just the week before, oof, it’s torture.

I have this, just started hrt which is helping but I had to see a gynaecologist which was hard. Eventually got referred for different menstrual issues.

I take high doseb6 and magnesium every day and that does help.

The first line treatments that the GP will want to try are antidepressants and hormonal contraception. Lots of women do ok with cerelle or mirena but the progesterone in hormonal contraception sends me loops :(

Hey I suffer from this badly. Seems to get worse when I have life stresses. I can’t sleep, feel like life is hopeless and throw things in rage. A few days into my period I’m back to normal. I tried setraline which didn’t agree with me and coming off it - on low dose 25mg but still had all the same symptoms a few days before period. I’m sick of it too. I’ve not found an answer and I take magnesium and evening primrose oil and drink camomile tea etc. Damn hormone crap

Hey op sorry to hear your going through this. I also suffer with pmdd it's very hard and scary the thoughts you can have. This month I dicided to seek help by speaking with my GP.

The weight that lifted off my shoulders was unbelievable, it was so nice to speak to someone who understood.

I was put on the combined pill and now on my period and I didn't have any suicidal thoughts or the hopelessness feeling in the pit of my stomach like I had before I was due my period. I felt so much happier and motivated this month haven't felt like this in so long.

I'm married with 2 dc I was very good at hiding it but I was butting heads with my son getting angry so easily could feel the anger inside and couldn't stop myself from losing it. Your not alone in this please speak with your GP.

Do you take an anti depressant? I was prescribed fluoxetine for PMDD 5 years ago (at your age) and it has been life changing.

Hi OP here to hold your hand. I suffered for years but didn't make the link between my cycle and my absolute deep depression and rage. Some days I was so brain fogged I couldn't string a sentence together and the complete lethargy was horrendous. I also suffered from thoughts of why am I here? What's the point of me? I wish everyone would leave me alone and also horrific thoughts of wishing something horrible to happen to my DH so he didn't come home from work. It is always worse when I'm tired or extra stressed. Once I had linked it to my cycle I broke down to my lovely GP. I cant go on the pill for medical reasons so she put me on 50mg of Setraline and I can't tell you how my life has changed. I realize now I haven't been 'normal' for at least 10 years. I hope you can get some help. Please dont suffer. 💐

Read the "period Repair Manual" by Lara Briden for PMDD. Cut of dairy, start taking Magnesium, Vit B6 and Zinc.

Hello, just read your post, in particular your mention of the pms support on Facebook.
I am gathering info once again in a bid to find out what (if any) new innovations or support or otherwise are provided by the NHS for direct help for girls/women sufferering from pms/ pmdd syndrome.
I am researching many sights but as yet am unable to find the provision on an "Individual Approach" as per sufferer which I believe is the best way to give each woman a voice. May I ask you if the Facebook is perhaps a sign post to get outside face to face help or is it more a place where you can chat and support each other?.. I hope you don't mind my asking but believe me I am trying to help by getting a true picture of (which I suspect)
what might be available to help sufferers.
This was something I did years ago and as a previous sufferer myself I could Not find or get help I so very desperately needed. I could say more but for now, anyone reading this are welcome to reply in terms of your/their experience/s thus far, it could be you have been offered drug therapy or anything up to a hysterectomy in trying to get help, indeed I note that some ladies are even electing to have "everything" removed.., for a hand full of women it may have led to partial alleviation but not entirely, moreover I have discouraged this radical approach in the past whereby some women Still suffered from the syndrome.

Thankyou for reading this and I do hope to hear from any and all females, be it on this platform or otherwise.
Regards Prianka x

It sounds like PMDD. There are some really informative and helpful PMDD Facebook groups.
I’ve been taking Sertraline from ovulation to day 1 of my period and have felt a lot better. I also take anti- hystemine and evening primrose which helps too with other symptoms.

My sister has had the contraceptive rod (progesterone) in and also feels much better.
This is a chemical issue- don’t punish yourself or feel it can be changed through diet and exercise alone.

Yeah i suffer PMDD and its awful. Sometimes mine starts 2 weeks before my period so half the year i can just be a different person. Even when the period comes its still there until day 3. Until I find relief mentally, physically its not too bad. Its strange as it started late for me. When younger i never had it. It started in my late 20s. I went to the GP recognising its not right feeling like this monthly. It was a rubbish appointment. He said he wasnt sure what PMDD was but it sounds like i need antidepressants. He said i should try herbal before that. I was recommended some herbal teas. Iv never found a clear solution. It is really tough i do understand how hard it is for u. Hope u know ur not alone in this as its a struggle.

Keep a diary and show your doctor so they can see the pattern. Read up on it loads. Go in to your appointment knowing what you want from it.
There has been reported success with microdosing of liquid fluoxetine. 10mg a day.
I had it and it really helped to find a GP who knew about pmdd.

@Ayeshstar2020

39... regular periods but from ovulation to period starting I get a depression or despair that gets worse up until my period. It’s unbearable. Two or so days before my period I am literally writhing with discomfort, both physical and mentalZ

The physical symptoms are incredible bloating and water retention. Fatigue. Insomnia. Clumsiness.

I’m circa a week away from my period and and everything is so dark.

I’ve had this for years and years. Sought specialist advice at one point and was prescribed hormones to stop ovulation. Didn’t ultimately feel comfortable with it so tried to address through diet, supplements, exercise. I’m sure it helps in that it might be worse without these adjustments but it’s still nightmarish.

I think it feels worse really as am single, have just spent a year isolated and alone, really want to meet someone and have a family. So the PMDD feelings of despair are sort of mirrored by real life challenges.

Fuck! I feel so alone! Every month such a struggle. I try to be positive but it’s like I’m stuck in a soup.

Looking for solidarity really or some recommendations :)

Sorry for doing the quote thing. I haven't yet worked out how to simply reply or post properly. As a husband, sure that I'm living with this, I'd like to thank you for this post. There's lots of support here which is what I need to give to my wife. I do try to be supportive, but it's so very difficult. I see her in pain yet she won't talk about it and I'm often the brunt (which if that helps then fair enough but it's gotten very serious at times) we don't understand what you ladies go through.
There's lots of useful info on here for me personally so thank you so much. Sorry this is an almost selfish post but I just wanted to send you my well wishes and my sincere gratitude to all that have posted.
I hope you don't mind me following this post.

I found my pms getting worse in my early 40s. I know how horrible it can be. Evening oil of primrose was just not cutting it anymore.

I am not sure if this will be relevant to you but I recently tried methylated B vitamins (the active, bioavailable form of B vitamins) and although it is early days, I think they are really helping. They seems more effective than ordinary B vitamins were for me.

It's lifted my mood in general but also decreased pms symptoms too. Last month I still felt a little low and more emotional but did not experience any despair, and my emotions were definitely not so strong.

I have an autoimmune condition and think I may have methylation issues, so this may not apply to you, but might be worth looking into.

I have been using Biocare Methyl B vitamins.