PMDD for Beginners – A Full Overview

Annie Jay

July 3, 2024

Estimated Reading Time: 20 mins

Please note – this post contains descriptions of PMDD that some may find distressing. Please read with caution. (Affiliate links are also provided. If you proceed to purchase, I receive a small commission at no cost to you).

Introduction

This post is for women who have been searching online to find out why life may seem more challenging for them than others. You’re subjected to hormonally induced emotional outbursts and you’ve been searching tirelessly for answers.

Here’s the bit that makes it a little complicated. You don’t have these feelings all the time, you’ve just noticed they come in monthly waves. For a couple of weeks each month, life actually feels entirely normal.

You’re sturdy and grounded in your ability to live and then suddenly, for no apparent reason, you hit rock bottom and can’t explain why. All the current challenges in your life appear to have insanely spiralled out of control.

Your past traumas begin to flash back repeatedly – it’s difficult to break away from negative thoughts. Your interest in anything you usually love begins to decline at dramatic speed. If someone agitates you, you’re ready to retaliate beyond reason.

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Unable to resist, you binge on unhealthy foods in excess, sleeping way more than usual or not sleeping much at all, you then begin to question the reason for your existence as you experience suicidal thoughts.

This is a depiction of the life of a woman who has Pre-menstrual Dysphoric Disorder. This was my life.

It’s been likened to having Pre-Menstrual Syndrome on steroids and I’m sure we can agree it sounds that way.

If you feel you have the condition and just started your research, hopefully, you’re already feeling relief being able to put the pieces together. Identifying it, is the first part of the process and for me it was one of the most relieving.

We just happen to make up a very small percentage of the female population who suffer with this condition (approximately 5-8%). If you’ve been criticising and convincing yourself that your crazy, it’s time to stop. It simply isn’t true.

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My Journey of Diagnosis

I personally self-diagnosed in 2014, and on looking back, I realise that I had it for years prior but apportioned blame to other factors. I had spent the most part of my menstruating life, knowing something was wrong but not knowing what it was.

I had assigned my ‘challenging weeks’ to other mental health conditions yet, the cyclical consistency of the symptoms made me realise I was missing something.

This is when, like you, I stumbled on someone else’s personal blog and it confirmed everything. I felt like she was narrating my life. It really was a lightbulb moment.

There’s something I need to explain. I still deal with PMDD and that is unlikely to change until I’m no longer of menstruating age. Before I embarked on the journey of retraining my mind, for many years I found helpful methods of treatment which I’ll share.

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First, I want to provide my backstory so you know you’re not alone. I’d always been in full-time employment, had to maintain my social relationships and be ‘the version of myself’, everyone was use to. It can become very draining when you’re struggling to manage the condition. Sound familiar?

No matter your background or which part of the world you’re in, there’s one thing you can be certain about. Many other women out there, can relate to you. Many who suffer from the condition have experienced medical misdiagnosis due to the lack of awareness of the condition globally.

Just know, there is a community of us standing with you and I pray this brings a sense of ease and comfort to your mind.

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I’ve spent years reading websites, blog post, expert findings, google searching and the list goes on. I’m passionate about encouraging other women who have the condition and my message is simple. Your quality of life is worth fighting for.

Our normal weeks when we’re our true authentic selves, is worth fighting for. Do not, under any circumstances, give up on you, no matter how bad the worst day seems and trust me, I know how bad it can get.

Once you find a method of treatment that works well for you, you’ll be proud you continued to remain vigilant in pursuing your enjoyment of life.

I’m aware that not everyone who reads my blog will be someone that suffers from the condition. You may be the partner, friend, or relative of someone who does and you’re researching, trying to find more information.

You may even have found my post by mistake and are intrigued. Either way, keep reading as it’s likely you’ll come across at least one woman who deals with this condition in your lifetime (likely more).

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PMDD in the Medical World

Let’s briefly get scientific for a moment and to clarify again for anyone who is new to this condition. PMDD is an abbreviation for Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder. It’s a severe form of Premenstrual Syndrome (commonly known as PMS).

It causes debilitating emotional symptoms along with physical symptoms each month, during the week or two before a woman’s period. That calculates to as much as half the year is spent experiencing the condition. This brings understanding to the gravity of its effect.

Sufferers have increased sensitivity to the changes in their reproductive hormones during the luteal phase of their cycle. This phase takes place after ovulation and before their actual bleed. The heightened sensitivity leads to alterations in the brain chemicals that control one’s mood and general sense of well-being.

Dr Peter Schmidt, one of the lead researchers on a study by the National Institutes of Health, produced a working theory. He argued that it’s the changes in hormone levels, not just the hormones themselves, that trigger the symptoms of PMDD.

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Life Can Get Better – My First Steps

Thinking back on my own experience with the condition, the emotional exhaustion of the mood changes is what led to suicidal ideation. I felt drained balancing the condition and life in between. Having to pretend life was perfectly fine for two weeks each month, took its toll and I was depleted.

If you can relate, it’s time to invest in your wellbeing, ensure you’re dealing with the condition effectively, and use every tool available. There’s no known cure at the point of me writing, however, there are a reasonable number of treatments available.

I’m going to look at three general areas of action that may help improve your quality of life living with the condition because prioritising yourself is necessary.

These steps may not seem out of the ordinary but when they’re tackled strategically, they can help in managing daily life with the condition. If you’re looking after you, you’ll be more capable of looking after others to.

The first step (in case you haven’t already), is to explain the condition to immediate family, close friends and your line manager or the like in your place of employment. I was a little apprehensive about laying myself bare, however, I was suffering from almost all the associated symptoms. Speaking out, became necessary.

During the periods of the condition when I felt down, sad, anxious and the like, it’d be noticeable. I didn’t want them to assume I was bipolar or suffering with depression. Explaining, brings a lot of understanding and it’s best to be equipped.

I shared a blog post similar to mine and sites with well-rounded explanations like that of the Mind group. To understand your condition better, it’s useful for them to read what you go through so they can support you effectively.

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The second step, get professional medical assistance. Once you’ve scheduled a visit, go equipped because this condition is not as commonly known as PMS and women are misdiagnosed in many cases.

If you have a calendar diary noting your symptoms as they’ve been occurring, take it with you. This will provide a clearer picture to your health professional. I printed two years’ worth and this may sound excessive, but it’s how long I went on for without proper help. My diary made it undeniable.

Two to three months’ data is usually sufficient. If you haven’t kept a diary log, I’d encourage you to start but don’t let that deter you from making notes from memory. You know your body best, you’ll probably have a good idea of your symptoms and when they happen.

The main things to point out are the cyclical nature of the symptoms and it’s severity. Try to be as clear and honest as you can about what you’ve been experiencing to avoid misdiagnosis. This is not the time to feel embarrassed, be as candid as possible.

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Your health professional needs to know exactly how this condition is affecting your day-to-day life so give them as much detail as possible.

Before my research, I thought I was suffering from some form of depression, and this is what I was incorrectly treated for in the past. Remember, you could indirectly be raising their awareness of the condition and the more it’s raised, the more research and treatments, with the hopes of curable treatment in future.

Being able to predict when PMDD is likely to happen can help with managing daily life so downloading a menstrual cycle/ovulation app will be beneficial. I’ll go into more detail on this below.

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Proactively Managing PMDD Symptoms

The symptoms below are the main features of PMDD that women with the condition are up against during the bad weeks. If you have the condition, this list will sound familiar:

- Difficulty concentrating

- Depression

- Anxiety, feelings of tension, being on edge

- Sadness, tearfulness, being upset (commonly, for no particular reason)

- Hopelessness

- Anger or irritability

- Lethargy

- Food Cravings

- Insomnia or Hypersomnia

- Mood swings

- Feeling overwhelmed

- Lack of energy/fatigue

- Loss of interest in activities you normally enjoy

- Suicidal thoughts/feelings

Trying to live life normally when you’re facing many of the above symptoms is a difficult task. See below my three point list you may wish to try below to aid in easing the severity of symptoms.

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1. Use the apps to predict when the condition will be active to help organise yourself. There’s nothing worse than having to act normal when you don’t feel that way.

Attending social events during the PMDD phase can be difficult, so don’t be afraid to turn invites down. Re-prioritise so you can give yourself the care and attention you need. The aim, to avoid worsening the symptoms by planning in advance.

This is not to say you’re giving in to the condition, rather, that life is made more manageable. I found this particularly helpful at the start of my journey.

2. Try and carry out some of your daily duties in advance. Meal prepping is a great example. Prepare your foods in advance of PMDD beginning especially if you’re susceptible to PMDD fatigue. Freeze the foods so you can easily defrost and cook during PMDD.

Alternatively, if you have the financial means, you can make use of precooked meals with a delivery company like Frive (formerly known as Lion’s Prep) if you’re in the UK. This has been a great way of overcoming the PMDD food cravings for me whilst maintaining a balanced and nutritious diet.

As an additional note, something that I find useful. I clean my home often during the good weeks so it’s just a matter of light maintenance during PMDD. This helps to minimise full cleans when I’m fatigued. In both cases, with food and chores, prevention is better than cure.

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3. Arrange your work schedule in a way that will ease your load and let management know if you’re struggling so they can assist where possible. We’re all human and everyone has their challenges so don’t be afraid to voice yourself when necessary.

As an example, the nature of my previous day job involved dealing with multiple people in a day. My manager would allow me to take some time away from the phone and focus on email queries and pressing administrative work.

I would schedule call backs with clients as an alternative. I still managed my workload effectively. I found a way to work smarter when it came to my condition.

Women with PMDD are by no means incapable although, a little support can go a long way. Everyone experiences at least one of the symptoms we go through at points in their life. We just happen to experience them on mass and per monthly basis rather than in sporadic intervals.

It’s a recognised condition and work places must be accommodating. You should never be discriminated against because of the condition.

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Additional Self-Help

Below is a shared list of further suggestions. Things I’ve tried and most of which I still do today, which help reduce the severity of my symptoms.

I’ve found over the years that doing as much as possible is greatly beneficial. It’s important to find what works and never give up trying until you do. There’s much effort required from us but with a condition that can be so severe, our fight back must be just as resilient.

So yes, it may seem like information overload but this is what it took in my undying pursuit of an unwillingness to give up fighting.

With that said, see below:

- Tumeric Water – One teaspoon of Tumeric Powder mixed into half a glass of water taken daily (for effective results, I add a quarter teaspoon of black pepper). Tumeric has many health benefits and has been known to improve mood. This was a product researched by my mother in her desire to help. I tried it and noticed a difference within a short period of time. Now, I begin taking it a few days prior to the condition starting and the severity of the emotional symptoms greatly reduce. Tumeric powder can be purchased at low cost from most supermarkets. I purchase mine from Amazon and you can follow this link should you wish to try the same. Research it yourself – it has many benefits.

- Fitness Routine – This might not be so popular; however, it definitely helps. I went from being totally inactive for years to working out a minimum of 2-3 times a week for 30 minutes each time at home. Fast forward to present day, I now work out 3-4 times a week in the gym doing 1-hour sessions each time. Exercising is well known for releasing endorphins, which give you that feel good factor and really has a great impact on your mood and emotional wellbeing.

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You don’t necessarily need to sign up for a gym membership and can utilise your home if you have space. I begun in the wide hallway of my previous modest one bedroom flat.

I begun with a skipping rope and resistance bands then progressed to HIIT workouts via YouTube later. It doesn’t need to cost you and it’s a marathon not a sprint. Start small, and build on what you’re doing and be proud of yourself.

It’ll greatly help to ease the condition’s symptoms and the physical changes will be noticeable after time which will boost your overall morale as a bonus.

- Check your food – Start the process of elimination to see what could be worsening your symptoms. I always felt that wheat and sugar had a negative impact so I started to minimise my intake. To no surprise, my mood improved. The saying, you are what you eat for us, is extremely meaningful. If you know there are foods you’re eating which may not be helping you, minimise your intake or in some cases, you may wish to eliminate certain products altogether. Small sacrifices are necessary when it comes to the greater good.

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Moving on to medical treatments, it’s likely there’ll be many out there so explore the options with your health professional. Below are medications I have tried and tested following appointments with my gynaecologist:

- The mini-pill – I’m no fan of contraceptive pills generally because of how much worse some of them made my condition, however, if I had to pick, it’d be the mini-pill. Of the mini-pill family, I had specifically tried Cerazette and later Desogestrel. I believe these may be the same pill type just with a changed name. These mini-pills worked by stopping ovulation altogether. There was no break, I had to take them every day.

Pros: I felt normal all the time. It was quite incredible.

Cons: I couldn’t stop eating and gained a large volume of weight. The weight gain was a serious concern because once I stopped taking the pills, being overweight decreased my morale which worsened the symptoms once they returned.

Self-critical thoughts are a common symptom with PMDD so you can imagine the effect. I no longer take pills for the reason mentioned, however our experiences may not be the same. Speak to your health professional if this option interests you. They will need to tailor treatments to your specific needs and health history.

- Evorel 50 Patches – These were later prescribed by my gynaecologist. I believe they’re commonly known for being prescribed to women going through menopause, however my gynaecologist explained they would help balance my hormones and were to be worn two weeks prior to my period (when PMDD begins).

Combined with my self-help items mentioned earlier, I found the patches effective. They were the alternative following the unpleasant side effects of pills I experienced. If these interest you, speak to your health professional to see what they advise.

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Summary

If you’ve made it this far, I’m hoping this post has been of some help to you or enlightening at the very least. Everything I’ve mentioned, I’ve tried over the past 10 plus years. It’s a lot of information so you may wish to bookmark it for later.

The condition took me to such a dark place and dominated my life in the past. The constant suffering provoked me to really do something about it, and that journey brought me here.

This is the oldest (and longest) post you’ll read in my blogs. It’s the first blog I ever wrote originally published in 2022 on my old website annieliveswell.com. I’ve updated it in 2024. Feel free to check out my other PMDD blogs to discover what else I’ve been sharing.

If you want to get in touch, click the Contact tab for details on how to reach me. I’d love to hear about your own experience living with this condition or even if you just want to say ‘hi’, I’d love to hear from you.

Here’s to a more fulfilled life as we continue to grow in health, wealth and successful living.