Ladies Only - PMDD??

[petmad]

Hi Ladies

I have suffered with bad hormones for years now, didn't get on with the pill and have terrible PMT. I also get very tired, have trouble sleeping and get very anxious, feel I can't cope and get depressed before and during my period.
I hadn't heard of this but I have come across it, premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Its worse than ordinary PMT and the symptoms sound so like me, only difference is they do not go with a few days, more like a week.
Has anybody been diagnosed with this and if so can you help and what have you been prescribed. I so want to sort out my hormones and not get this awful feeling month on month. It gets worse as I get older.

any help would be great x

[clutterbug]

Hi Petmad,

YES. I have felt that I have had this for most of my life. It was just run-of-the-mill PMS, but, lately, as I've gotten older it has turned into depression/anxiety about 2 wks before my period, then it takes about a week to go away. Essentially, I'm getting one good week a month. This past month (about 2 weeks ago) I had a serious episode of depression quickly followed by anxiety. I went to the doctor, the emergency room, and finally ended up back at the doctor. He put me on citalopram (9 days now).

I've heard that the birth control pill Yaz works on PMDD. I'm perimenopausal. I have only one partial ovary left so the hormones have been haywire for years now. It is a real thing. For years I thought I was imagining it or that it was coincidence. Now I know it is real, and it has gotten so bad. I don't know if the citalopram is going to be the ticket. I guess I won't know until next month. So far I feel a little better, but, now I'm very tired. It beats the other symptoms though. I was almost unable to function between crying and staring out the window and the horrible insomnia. I never thought I could feel so bad.

I know this isn't a huge help, but, know that you're not alone

xo,
clutterbug

[petmad]

Hi
Glad I am not the only one, I often have months where I only feel normal for about a week also, it drives me mad and makes me a horrible person. I so wish doctors would take it seriously, instead of brushing me off as a PMT woman. I may go back and ask about this as its getting me down and I often feel so low and depressed at the end of the period. Like now! I feel so tired and have no energy and at 38 I really shouldn't feel like this!
thanks for your support
xx

[jadeybags]

Yes i get it horrendous. Starts 5 days before, and stays til about 5 days after. If i drink alcohol whilst i have pmt, i have twice planned on commiting suicide. Once in my car, thankfully the hosepipe wasn't properly joined so it did no harm at all! The other time i didn't get that far, but planned it. its horrible and no one seems to be able to do anything about it. Ive been put on Diazapam 5 days per month, and in the past that Citalopram. But within 2 days i was sick as a dog, thought i was going to die, and the doctor said it was side affects that would go in 2 weeks. I couldn't look after my kids, so had to stop those! (

[Liverbird67]

How spooky is this? When my bad episode kicked off in February I was beside myself anyway a couple of months on, I read in a book which advised me to keep a diary to see if there is a pattern emerging guess what around 2 weeks - 10 days before a period I can feel my mood change, and things go down hill very quickly by the day. I think there is definitely a link here, my g.p tested me for the menopause and said I am not in it, but I have heard of this perimenopause and I seem to match a lot of the symptoms. On my next little trip to the library I am definitely going to look up this one and try any tips that they recommend.

You can bet your bottom dollar if this was a man thing, it would be well sorted.

Good luck girls

Debbie

[petmad]

Hiya

I went to my docs who has given me some hormones pills to use 2 weeks in the month. I shall try them and hope they make a difference.
I have always suffered from hormones but they have got worse with age, I am not in the menopause, but have read about the pre-menopause and my doc says they can get worse with age! Great eh, the menopause sound a nightmare and I am bad enough normally!

If anyone has any miracle cures, do let me know...

xx

[rachel1010]

hiya,
Wow I too only have about a week a month when I am the nicest person you could ever meet. I have seen all different doctors and only one has ever suggested I have PMDD she upped my dose of prozac put me on the pill and also gave me vitamin B tablets to take 3 time a day but because my life has been all over the place for the last few years when I feel I cant cope I run away and go on big binge drinking periods for days / weeks at a time which then leave me feeling even more depressed and go off the medication I have been prescribed. Total nightmare.......
Plus I find it so hard to get an appointment with a female doctor and when I do I never seem to keep them unless I can see the doctor the same day I want to....
Glad to no I am not the only one with the same kinda problems

[carefree68]

Have you thought about Marina Coil?

[jca]

I have pmdd. The two weeks leading to my period, for about six months, I would become violently angry for no reason. The littlest things would set me off. I would also feel worthless and have suicide thoughts a lot. I felt like myself, but I felt wrong. Then, I would feel COMPLETELY unlike myself. I was never suicidal, still not now. I do not want to die. But I constantly thought about it. It was sooooo weird. And I couldn't cope. I didn't know HOW to cope. The last month (feb) that I went through it, I exploded at a work meeting for no reason. I felt like I was being attacked, but no one was even talking to or about me. Then, that afternoon, I kicked a cat that wouldn't get out of my way. I LOVE ANIMALS. I knew that something was wrong for me to behave in those ways. I still haven't forgiven myself for the things I did during those months. I have been on fluoxetine for nearly a full month. I have had bouts of rage off and on some days... I'm in the second week before my period. A month ago, I could have killed.. Today, I am ok. I am not pleased with other parts of being on the meds, but I haven't had the rage. That was the most important part for me.

From what I've read, people who do get/suffer from pmdd have underlying mental/emotional problems... I agree with that. I think the meds and some therapy will help me overall. I am so happy to not have wanted to rip my face off and kill things this month. But I would be even more happy if I didn't constantly think about suicide. Still not suicidal. I just think about it alllll dayyyy long!!!!! Like, "if I did it, how many people would say "i saw it coming" and how many would be surprised.

A month ago, it was a scary thing to be thinking. But, a couple of weeks ago, a young man hanged himself in a hotel room where I work. So, I can give that event some credit for my thoughts about suicide this month.

PMDD is real. I am so fortunate that I have a doctor that totally gets it. She has had some cases prior to meeting me and tons of success stories with those cases. I am hopeful. I am hopeful for you too! Let me know if you need to vent or just let some rage out. I understand and will be there for you! This f'ing sucks!

[PinkRoxy]

I think I had PMDD but wasnt too sure.
It kind of got noticeable midway through last year at work. I couldnt cope and there was a pattern of my emotional and angry behaviour coincidently it was always around the same date of every month lol, sometimes exactly but mostly around it.

After feeling confused of why I was feeling like that I put the pieces together and went and told my doctor she told me to keep a diary. I did and then ended up not coping I rang in work saying I was sick and spent the whole day in bed and crying and had no idea why I was feeling like that. I was just lifeless and depressed and had destructive thoughts.

I knew this wasnt right I explored the options with my gp and she recommended the contraceptive pill so have been on that since end of last year. I have noticed a difference but still get PMT but not as bad.

I have now been taking two capsules of evening primrose oil now for a month and have noticed even more of a difference. It just another thing extra to take away that emotional tension. I still get it but its definitely copable and it doesnt stand out like a sore thumb anymore and am able to carry on with my life.

So I really do recommend that if your pms is starting to interfare with your life and work for that matter then I would def go and get it checked out and discuss it with your gp. No female should have to live like that aye.