Fluoxetine for PMDD

[cosypompoms]

I'm hoping to find anyone who has some experience of PMDD or extreme PMT.

The dr gave me two options: contraceptive pill with no breaks or a low dose fluoxetine.

I chose the pill as that's something I've taken before. But it's not really solving the issues and I'm still raging.

The first dr who offered fluoxetine said I'd only take it for the luteal phase so two weeks a month.

I've rung the surgery now to try it and this other dr has said I should take it everyday. Google tells me a variety of answers.

Ideally I'd like to take as little as possible whilst being desperate to live like a normal person rather than Jekyll and Hyde.

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I've not taken it myself but have two friends who have. Both found that a low dose throughout the month was much better than just taking it for a couple of weeks.

Following with interest. Have you seen the IAPMD treatment guidelines OP?
https://iapmd.org/treatment-guidelines

Would be interested to hear how you get on.

Following as in a similar position, been told by one GP that I can take an antidepressant through the luteal phase and another that this would cause withdrawal effects every month. Currently trying the mini pill.

So thrilled to get a few replies!

@mynameiscalypso if they get withdrawal after two weeks I'm scared to take it all month and then suffer the withdrawal symptoms after a few years!

@Likeaburstcouch that's for that link. It was very interesting.

@roseopose the pill definitely helped but I wanted better results. I'm going to try 4 months on the Prozac and compare

I don't think that they got withdrawal per se but that it had most impact when it was a consistent dose. For what it's worth, in my time I've come off about 8 different anti depressants and never really struggled with any withdrawal effects.

@cosypompoms did you take the combined or mini pill?

@mynameiscalypso that's so great to know.

@roseopose It's Rigeidion combined pill but with no breaks.

I take 20mg daily for PMDD and have done for almost 10 years. It massively helped me very quickly and although I still have PMT, it’s nowhere near the hell of PMDD where I literally felt like I was going mad.

Take care that you are not progesterone intolerant- I had this and the pill made things much worse.

Tried both and daily was best imo

Thanks for the post OP.

can I ask how old you are?
I’m 40 and definitely suffering with the rage, anxiety, crying it seems to be mid cycle and before my period. I had this a few years ago after my last one was born but it settled down, but now I do seem to be struggling

@BumWad I'm 43 and I think I've been much worse since my last child was born

Just coming back to say I had a bad day with it yesterday and really benefitted from weight training. Reminded me of a graphic i saw once of the 'treatment ladder' for PMDD which started with exercise.

Following with interest.

Since my wonderful little boy arrived last summer, I have had a consistent struggle every month with my periods. I had PMT before but this is just next level. My GP said I had the pill or fluoxetine as my options but before going down that road I wanted to see a specialist so I’ve luckily got a BUPA referral (I’m covered through my husband’s job) and am going to see a specialist tomorrow. Hoping to understand more about the problem before I decide on how best to tackle it.

I have never taken antidepressants before and I’m nervous about doing so, but the more I struggle each month the more I think that life is too short to suffer like this.

Good luck OP, thanks for posting this as it was exactly what I was wondering myself.