Antidepressants for PMDD

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Has anyone tried these? If so, what is your feedback?

Another month of cyclical depression and I'm still not due for another 2 weeks!

I've called in sick AGAIN after a shouty then teary school run. The only way I can see myself getting through the day is to stay under the covers and hide from the world.

I have come to accept that I can't go on like this. I literally loose half of every month wrapped in anxiety, depression, intrusive thoughts and non productivity, which lifts on day one of my period.

I'm literally loosing years of my life.

Every contraception makes things worse including the Mirena.

I've been trying to avoid antidepressants but I have to do something but I'm scared of messing with my brain chemistry and hormones as the Mirena had me near suicidal.

I like myself and love life for two weeks of the month, and I suppose I'm ultimately scared of messing with that.

I've been prescribed antidepressants which I've been told to take on a 2 week on and two week off basis. From what I've read this goes against the very nature of antidepressants, in that they are supposed to have an accumulative effect.

I've also read that things get worse before they get better. I suppose I wonder him much worse this is because it may seem logical to continue to go through the ridiculousness that is PMDD every month.

It took a good year to ween the contraceptives out of my system so I'm naturally reluctant to just 'give them a go'. There is no worse feeling than wanting to escape your mind and the random things it's feeding you, but being unable to do so.

Experience and PMDD coping recommendations welcome.

I've tried

1. ALL contraceptives including the Mirena and Yasmin pill.

1. 5HTP

1. St John's Wort

1. Evening primrose oil

1. Vitamin B complex

1. CBD Oil

1. CBT

1. Dietary changes

1. Excercise

Thank you if you've got this far

My total sympathy. My daughter is going through this at the moment and hasn't as yet been diagnosed - the doctor keeps telling her he doesn't know, he'll have to research. I'm pushing for a referral to a gynecologist. Someone has to know what the solution is, you can't keep going through life like this. So far she's been told to stay on her pill and give herself a break every three months and 'prepare' for the down time. She's young, no children and I'm worried for her. Where do we go from here ? She's been on anti-depressants for about 5 years, but they don't make the symptoms go away, neither do diet and exercise, giving up smoking and no alcohol - although she has done both the latter in the last few months.

I have found this - all be it is an American reference but there is a reference to intermittent anti-depressants
www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/treating-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder

I have also been considering ADs for the same reason. For what's its worth - I took a low dose AD for around 18 months a couple of years ago for anxiety and it really worked for me, I came off it gradually and felt fine. I haven't noticed any long term effects although in the grand scheme of things 18 months isn't that long. What I don't really understand is how taking ADs for only half the month helps, we for me it was definitely a cumulative effect - didn't feel brilliant for the first 2/3 weeks then felt an awful lot better. Did your GP explain the logic?

I have the copper coil and take sertriline for this reason, ie i have stopped trying to control my hormones and now just treat them instead.

I didn’t get worse before I got better I just got better. I’m still a bit down approx 3 days before my period but still significantly less than the shouting sobbing wreck i’d become.

I take them all month, as the side effects profile isn’t any worse and my period does drift a bit. But I’m told the two week thing is effective.

I got to the point where I thought I had nothing to loose!

It may be that you're progesterone intolerant, something most GPs fail to consider.

There is another treatment option, which is GnRHA injections. They bring on a temporary menopause and you then add back the hormones you need, but as you're adding them you can get the levels right. However if there's any possibility of you becoming pregnant now or in the future I'd advise against the injections, they caused me to lose a baby through ectopic pregnancy (and long after I'd stopped the injections, you're told to take precautions whilst having them).

Thank you all for your replies.

I've been in and out of sleep all day which consolidates this is hormone related. I think this is my big eastrogen day which always knocks me out and comes accompanied with a 2 day unshiftable migraine.

Thanks for the Gynae recommendation. I've previously had a shit one and left with recommendations for CBT!

I spoke to my GP regarding my concerns on the cyclical taking of antidepressants and he literally said the computer says yes, give it a go!

The GNRHa injections are interesting. I'll keep them in mind. I don't think I want any more children but I'm early thirties so I don't want to commit to anything just yet.

I hope your daughter finds some respite. I can't help but feel we wouldn't find such difficulty in this if it was a male issue.