Join some Facebook support groups, there’s a lot of help there as many have been dealing with it a long time and have explored a lot of avenues. It’s alway amazing to suddenly not be alone in this crazy situation, many others totally understand and during crisis, these guys can literally be life savers.
This is a really difficult and potentially dangerous condition to live with and it’s vital to understand the beast as best possible and educate yourself as so many professionals do not understand it at all, you need to become an expert to best help yourself and if you can, get your family to learn about it too so they understand your behaviour. My husband used to think i somehow was like it on purpose but once he understood it was something that happens to me, it really changed things. He know instinctively when it’s ovulation day and reminds me to look after myself and take my diazepam before I convince myself of horrible things. It’s exhausting going through it every single month.
Stress makes the bad time worse, good diet can make big difference, exercise helps fill brain with nice chemicals. Progesterone seems to be my nemesis. It’s not a hormone imbalance, it’s sensitivity to normal levels.
rule out thyroid issues with blood tests as these symptoms can be similar and this can be tested for unlike PMDD.
Check out IAPMD website, great resource.
There’s huge differences in what works for people. First thing is to keep a daily diary logging your symptoms. There are a lot of possible symptoms and some are so random, like the sensation of being on a boat, light sensitivity, but these are obviously nothing compared to the anxiety and suicidal ideation. It’s a really cruel disorder.
You need about 3 months of logging symptoms which will assist getting diagnosed. It’s also helpful to predict bad times coming and to plan around it if possible. Some GPs are clueless, others amazing.
Good things to try include Agnus Castus, Ashwaganda, antihistamines during luteal stage (I find this helps with physical symptoms to an extent) and b vitamins. There are many more, you’ll find them on the Facebook support groups, people are so helpful.
First line of treatment from doctor would be birth control pills or SSRIs. Birth control works for some but can make others much worse. I can’t take either of these options as I reacted badly to both.
Then there’s the hormonal coil and oestrogen patch.
and if still no luck, it’s chemical menopause, or even oopherectomy which is removing both ovaries but this is a last port of call.
it got unmanageable after 2nd baby for me. I’m waiting (and waiting) for hormonal coil and patch. It’s really hard being a mum with this condition, I despise that it interferes with my children’s lives and my long suffering husband.
I take diazepam to snap me out of the downward spiral and have 14 each month during luteal stage. I tried acupuncture last week (literally will try anything at this point as it needs to get under control!) and was surprised at how much better I felt after.
there are a lot of options and hope. I hope this meandering information dump helps. Sending much solidarity, I’ve just come out the other side and have about 12 glorious days of freedom from it!