PMDD?

[Se1401]

Hi all, just wanted to see if anyone is the same as me and what can I do as I feel like I’m losing my life.

I’ve suffered severely from anxiety ever since my first pregnancy 10 years ago, I’ve been on different antidepressants plus propranolol and at one point diazepam.

I really think that hormones are to blame and I think I may have PMDD but my gp basically said it’s just pms and that I might be peri menopausal.

im 35 and I’ve noticed the symptoms worsening over the last year, my cycles have got shorter now 25/26 days but what I’m really worried about is roughly 12 days before my period I become a different person. Anxiety is so severe usually about health to the point I’m ringing the gp and other services and becoming a nuisance because I convince myself there’s something wrong with me. My breasts hurt, I ache everywhere and get bloated, I get angry so easy and on one occasion have hurt myself to try and stop the anxious thoughts. I have horrible intrusive thoughts too, last month I convinced myself I had HIV so I went to the drs, I went to the gum clinic having blood tests etc all because I had a dry mouth. I then told myself that if I did in fact have it I would kill myself rather than tell people. It was honestly awful, I was stood in the kitchen and suddenly thought about drinking bleach to “kill the hiv” then a few days later my period came and I was normal me again and able to see how silly it was. I’ve had every cancer going in my head and was also convinced I had MS at one point. This is always for the 10 days or so before my period then I’m ok until ovulation where it all starts again.

Now it’s 10 days before my period and the anxiety is setting in again and I’m sick of it. I feel like me for about one week of the month and it’s ruining my life!

I wish they would take me seriously

i have started antidepressants again but I’m not depressed, it’s definitely hormonal. I’ve referred myself for counselling, started vitamins and meditating as well as walking but nothing helps. I wish they would take my ovaries out so I could enjoy my life.

Hiya! I too have had a suspicion that I may have PMDD. I have had long standing mental health conditions - bipolar 2, BPD, Anxiety and depression. I have PCOS so my periods WERE irregular before I went into intensive care ( for attempted suicide) I was in a coma for 8 weeks. ( this was Jan 2023) when I was stepped down ( to normal ward) I had a period in a April then every 28 days. I'm due on now but roughly 11 days before my period, I'm exactly like you, my anxiety is off the scales, angry just by people breathing in my direction, just looking at people brings on the terrible intrusive thoughts. I am suicidal, thinking about all the ways I could kill myself, so completely horrible to my husband and mum. I'm a nasty horrible person. I can't help it but I can't go on like this ( especially with my history of fatal overdoses. ( I'm on 3 daily prescription and my husband keeps my tablets in our safe) but I just wanted to let you know you're not alone xx

I’m so sorry for you :(

I am definitely not suicidal, in a way it’s so weird that I get those intrusive thoughts because my whole anxiety is about health and being terrified of dying so it’s strange.

the last week I’ve felt amazing, happy with loads of energy and just fine but I could feel the anxiety creeping in yesterday and today and looking at my calendar I’m due on next Friday so once again the time scale matches. I feel ok during my period then crap again in the lead up to ovulation then ok after ovulation so I think I get roughly 10 days of normal me a month.

i feel like I’m living a lie sometimes because I don’t want my children to see how much I’m suffering, genuinely think I could win an Oscar for my acting!! But pretending that nothing is wrong is really hard and I’m exhausted by evening

I feel for you. It’s hard to explain to some people.
I’m a very chilled normal person…except every so often around 10 days before my period my anxiety was crippling, paranoia was awful and my tolerance for things not normal, I could feel the aggression. My marriage was affected we would only argue during one of these episodes, my husband is a defensive person so combined it wasn’t great. I once was very angry in a queue and quite loudly shouted management sort it - VERY unlike the usual me who would just say it’s one of those things :( coupled with very painful periods and sore breast and even my joints would ache. At times I would scratch my skin to the point of causing it to bleed.

I have been on the pill which did help to a certain degree but then headaches and other issues meant I came of them. I have endometriosis and after my last operation I had a mirena coil inserted - this has changed my life 8 years on I very very rarely have these issues. My husband and I very rarely argue now!

Hormones - I’m amazed how an imbalance can cause so much change in a person.

@Se1401 I could've written your post myself. I'm on cycle day 22 and I feel irrationally angry. I've sat and cried this morning after a panic attack while taking my son to school.
I don't have suicidal thoughts as such but I do think about not being here. Would my children be better? Am I damaging them somehow?
It generally starts around day 11 and lasts until my period (day 27). I have no idea what I should do. I take 50mg of Sertraline for anxiety but it seems to be doing very little. Do GPs diagnose this or will it be shrugged off as PMS or hypochondriacal disorder (as is already on my records).

My symptoms are from ovulation:
Swollen tender breasts
Binge eating
Anger/rage where I can literally scream
Tears
Anxiety/health anxiety
Panic attacks
Palpitations
Joint pain/muscle pain
Headaches
Money impulsivity
Fatigue/hopelessness
Thinking about my death/funeral

@AnxieteaAndBiscuits Everything you have listed is literally the same as me. I’m just coming to the end of my period and I’ve been a mess the last week.. in a way I’m so relieved that it’s not just me although I am sorry you feel that way too!
I am sure my drs think I’m just a hypochondriac and sometimes I’m sure I can sense the receptionist roll her eyes when I call haha.. I’ve started keeping a diary, of how I feel each day as a way to track my symptoms. They wanted me to start the pill but if I can help it I don’t want to do anything to affect my cycle tracking

I don't want to start on the pill if I can help it. I'm 43 and carry more weight than I should and to be honest the associated side effects terrify me!

I'm going to start keeping a diary of my symptoms. I really can't stand the thought of being this way until menopause hits.

It definitely helps knowing there's more people out there with these symptoms. For so much of the month I feel like im literally losing my mind.

I was diagnosed with it 4 weeks ago after I attempted to take my own life in a pmdd episode 8 days prior to my period. Although I have a diagnosis they didn't discuss meds and as such I've just had another pmdd experience which included self harm. This is with me being on anrideptrsselants newly prescribed anti psychotic and sleeping tablets to help the bad sleep/anxiety cycle. I have a doctors appointment and will state that - showing him the psychiatrist report I have untreated pmdd and need a plan because I reckon I'll just end it all next time.

Sertraline was excellent for my PMDD. I don’t take it anymore (had a baby which rebalanced things it seems - also helped my autoimmune condition) but highly recommend! Way smaller dose needed than when used for depression, and only took it 2 weeks out of 4. Luckily my GP had a special interest in PMDD but hopefully whichever GP you see will be forward thinking.

@AnxieteaAndBiscuits For so much of the month I feel like im literally losing my mind.

For real! Either losing your mind or trying to get you life back on track from the down days!

@Iguessyourestuckwithme I'm so sorry you're going through this. There is such a lack of help and support out there for most women. I really hope you get the help ypu need.

@PerspiringElizabeth I've never had depression. I get anxiety but it's always from ovulation onwards whether I take sertraline or not. I was thinking about increasing the dose but, maybe it needs reassessing completely... my GP is awful. They seem to lack complete knowledge of female health and hormones. As I said I'm actually diagnosed with hypochondriacal disorder - and that's quite possible but it's only for 2 weeks out of the 4 🙄

So the psychiatrist said I had pmdd but didn't advise what to do effectively during that week. So had a gp appointment and asked apparently I just call 101 /2 and talk through the crisis week.

It’s not for depression if you’re taking it for PMDD. It’s a totally separate use. I’ve not been depressed either. Extreme anxiety, yes. Really really helped me, was just a suggestion for the OP, I’m sorry you haven’t found it helpful 💐