I’m a PMDD survivor. I want you to become one too.
I’ve compiled all the hard won knowledge I have of this disorder from 26 years of suffering, as well as tips, and summaries of the latest research. I also offer affordable coaching sessions.
What is PMDD?
PMDD stands for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, a cyclical, hormone-based disorder affecting menstruating women and girls.
PMDD causes severe emotional, mental, and physical symptoms, including (but not limited to):
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Extreme fatigue
- Irritability
- Brain fog
- Suicidal ideation
These symptoms occur in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (7-14 days before a period starts) and can dramatically disrupt one’s career, relationships, social life, and mental health.
How do I know if I or a loved one has it?
PMDD is more than “bad PMS.” It’s when you have a repeated pattern of severe mood and/or physical symptoms in the 1–2 weeks before your period, those symptoms improve when you have your period (or within a few days after bleeding starts), and they significantly disrupt work, relationships, and daily life.
How to tell
You may want to look for a monthly pattern: symptoms show up before your period, then ease soon after it starts. Common PMDD symptoms include marked irritability, anxiety, depressed mood, mood swings, feeling overwhelmed, trouble concentrating, fatigue, sleep or appetite changes, and physical symptoms like bloating, breast tenderness, headaches, or joint/muscle pain.
A major clue is severity. PMDD is typically considered when symptoms are bad enough to interfere with functioning at home, at work, or in relationships, not just feel unpleasant.
What diagnosis involves
PMDD can’t be diagnosed through blood, hormone, or saliva tests.The only current method for diagnosing PMDD is by tracking symptoms daily throughout at least two complete menstrual cycles.
Diagnosis requires 5 or more symptoms, including at least 1 mood-related symptom. Your doctor will ask you to do the tracking before he/she will make the diagnosis.
IAPMD provides a printable symptom tracker that is usually the go-to for clinicians.
You can also use a PMDD tracker app (my preference). Here’s a top rated tracking app for Iphones. I have used Clue which is great for giving your loved ones a heads up when you’re heading into PMDD.
Ready for Your Next Step?
Book a free consultation or coaching session.
Why I’m Doing This
I’m not in this for money. I’m not in this for notoriety. I’m doing this because I finally made it out of PMDD hell and I want to spend my new found freedom and clarity to help others find a way out also— or better yet, prevent women from never having to suffer in the first place.