I have suffered from anxiety and low libido for years but it has become really apparent in the last ten years how closely this is linked to my cycle and the symptoms are only getting more exaggerated with age (nearly 40). I can track it to the hour of ovulation and I feel like a different person for the remaining two weeks until my period arrives. Those 5 days are pretty miserable but then I feel great again for two weeks.
I've been having some arguments with dh about our sex life and in an attempt to explain what it feels like I started googling and came across PMDD. I know I cannot tolerate progesterone only contraception as it makes me bleed every day and I feel low the whole time and I cannot take combined contraceptive due to migraines.
I'm just not sure it is PMDD as some symptoms are not as severe but I'll list them to see what you think.
Painful ovulation (day 14-16), this is the light switch which changes me from a happy, patient, funny person into a recluse. I experience the following:
Low mood, loneliness, tears, lack of patience and irritability, hopeless, overwhelmed, lower abdominal pains, anxiety, stress, no libido, my dh and kids get on my nerves, I look in the mirror and feel fat and ugly where before ovulation and have more confidence, in social situations I will be very quiet and less likely to get involved in the conversation, headaches, I don't want to be cuddled or touched. I then get irrational rage and hot flushes but only for about two days before my period which are like clockwork.
Sorry for the long post, thanks for reading.