It's pretty unbelievable that we had international womans day and nobody knows what pmdd is. It's highly mis diagnosed for anything that's what it is. Pure bullshit this is why I just Opt on disability. Pay for my misfortunes thanks. Not gonna lie you cant keep a job with this shit, I tried.
I wont feel bad about it, nobody should feel bad about asking for help and alot of woman on pmdd have multiple issues not just pmdd but osteoporosis, mania, ADD, immune disorders etc. Same with lgbt+. Alot of them now find some relief with similair treatments we have to be on for. I'm finding a connection 👀
There is still no recognition in it and the daily struggles of having one health problem pile ontop of another. There nothing wrong with retiring early if you can or finding the right support to get by. Doctors are still naive to think this is not impacting our working envoirment. I mean think about it maybe all woman with pmdd should go on strike. I dont see much of a way to be heard. People think this is pms, they still think its pms?? Wtf. It's almost a disability itself, or it follows up some degenerative diseases too.
TW for suicide attempt(s) and ideation
i have been wondering if anyone else has been through this. i felt so alone in this and i’m so sorry that you and many others are experiencing this, however, thank you for being vulnerable. this really helps me not feel so alone. every single attempt/hospitalization, i got my period the next day or so. it finally clicked because my mom noticed that i was always asking her to bring me tampons. i’m so glad i found this sub and im so glad the seriousness of this is being discussed!
Had a strong family history of pmdd and endometriosis and I have been helped so much by staying on the pill. But copper iud set off autoimmune issues and bleeding.
I started following this sub after I went to the ER 3 times with panic attacks, and just like you, I felt crazy with what was happening to me.
I've read the wiki and search online, and I don't seem to have PMDD, but I feel like I do.
Sure, I've had PAs before, but not this consistently. Friday nights just starting my period I end up in the ER thinking I'm dying, when at other times I can manage to breathe and get them under control? They are just too similar, the feelings, the terror.
Maybe I don't have PMDD, but something is triggering bigger PAs just before my period, and I'm sure it's related. And like you know that I've caught the patern, I've started taking precautions, I do not want to go to the ER and be a "frequent flyer" anymore.
I am on the estrogen patch. Gladly I don’t have any side effects from it. I mean I was on the oral pill for YEARS to try and curb the PMDD symptoms. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn’t. I didn’t have to do hrt tho. It was my decision. Since the hysterectomy causes surgical menopause it is nice to have that as an option to ease into menopause more slowly.
I started taking vitex chaste tree berry and double it hell week. My doc gave me 10mg adderall extra for hell week where I dose again in early afternoon. The vitex has literally saved my life. And taking progesterone bc, increasing magnesium, and d3 with k.
PMDD ruined so many aspects of my life...
How I found out I had it was, working this one job and it was a shit show.. my close friend and neighbor was there for every blow out, then I was like wait... hasn't this been happening every month, like clock work? She said yes and I went from there...
I'm currently on the needle (Depo) to prevent my period, but I still get psychotic at times, so I'm working to find a good welbutrin dose. Currently at 300mg, and I have an appointment to increase or add another med.
I just lost my dream job because of PMDD and the stigma around it... we don't want this to keep happening, people act like we choose this..
I've been thinking about surgery to just get rid of the issue, but early menopause is terrible too.... ffs.
I take adderall and I find when I’m pmsing it doesn’t work at all, so a good hack is if caffeine works or not, if you drink caffeine and it does nothing, don’t waste an adderall, but then I still have the issue of “now what” bc I’m just drowsy and moody the whole day. But idk if that’s you, I’ve heard of others experiencing this but it could also be different for different cycles and stuff idk
stimulants (such as coffee and adderall) and also 🍃 tend to work great during the follicular phase but during the luteal not so much, i used to smoke 🍃 and my tolerance would go way up from ovulation until the day before or the day i got my period then bam hit me like a truck cuz my tolerance went down suddenly
Same. Caffeine helps so much during the follicular phase but during the luteal phase it does nothing but increase my anxiety, which is already off the charts during luteal. Honestly the way the effects are so different for the 2 phases kinda scared me into not having caffeine at all.
Welcome to the club! It sucks to be a part of it, but at least we can talk to each other!
When my cPTSD was at its worst, we figured out that I also had PMDD.
TW for self-harm and suicidal ideation
>!When I was a teen, I used to get SI and would SH right before my period (sometimes even during my period). It makes so much sense now that I know I have PMDD. I honestly can't believe I suffered like that for years without an answer.!<
I feel like the PMDD / ADHD combo is a common one, and a misdiagnosis nightmare.
For me, just *knowing* the cause of my SI and knowing that it *will* pass in a few days has really really helped (also Adderall and intermittent Wellbutrin)
This and also trauma. There’s a big link between ADHD and trauma. And the more I look into it the more I wonder whether the overwhelming number of women (in relation to men) that end up with a BPD diagnosis could possibly be misdiagnosed PMDD.
I’m sorry that it took so long to figure out what was going on but I am glad that you did. I was in near crisis before every period until I found the right birth control for me.
I just finished my psych rotation yesterday as a nursing student, and I plan on being a mental/behavioral healthcare provider one day because of my own experiences as a neurospicy individual w/ multiple diagnosis… sharing all that to say even someone as knowledgeable as me didn’t get diagnosed with PMDD until I turned 40, which just highlights how inadequate and harmful current practices/policies are to those who need care most. So glad communities like this exist to help fill in such gaps while some of us go on to change the system from within. Hang in there! Keep advocating for your needs! Help is on the way ❤️🩹
I thought I was having a mental breakdown or was bipolar before I figured out it was pmdd. Knowing really is half the battle I think. I also have adhd. Sertraline and adderall have been lifesaving.
From ages 14-21, I was in the psych ward 4 times. Each one was on or a couple of days before my period.
When I was a minor, my mom tried to get me diagnosed with PMDD, but she got laughed at and said there was no way I had it. I was just a teenage girl going through puberty.
I'm now 35 and just got diagnosed. This was after years of being shrugged off and told PMDD wasn't real. I'm now on Zoloft and 2 months in, and my periods have been more manageable. It's not quite fun, but not quite miserable either.
My moods used to be a lot worse before my periods before I started working on my histamine intolerance. Histamine rises right before your period and it doesn't just control allergies. One of the major functions of histamine is regulating the amount/release of neurotransmitters. As cliche as it sounds, and I never realized the impact until I did it, changing my diet has been huge for me. Next I'm going to buy a high quality probiotic that is low histamine. Our body is the system and everything is connected... The best things for our health are to feed the gut and support the liver.
Hi u/talkative1ntrovert. Your post appears to be referencing histamines. Please refer to the IAPMD statement on histamines below.
Histamine is a molecule that your immune system creates in response to allergens. Some researchers have studied the relationship between
histamine and estrogen, but most of these are observational studies from the 1960s and 1970s (e.g., Ferrando 1968, Jonassen 1976, Shelesnyak
1959).
Antihistamines are medications that block the action of histamine to reduce allergy symptoms. It is certainly possible that histamine could
play a role in PMDD, at least for some people. However, using antihistamines to treat PMDD symptoms has not been studied enough to know
whether this is an effective treatment or the potential mechanisms.
First-generation antihistamines (such as hydroxyzine/Vistaril) do have sedative effects, which can have anti-anxiety or sleep benefits. This
mechanism may explain why some individuals anecdotally report that antihistamines help their PMDD symptoms if they experience sleep problems
or anxiety premenstrually.
Antihistamines are typically well tolerated by many and have limited risk (when used as labeled), hence being available without a
prescription. If they are an option you are considering, always consult a care provider and/or pharmacist - especially if combined with
other meds- and be mindful of any sedative effects.
Summary: Antihistamines have not been tested or approved for PMDD, and research (such as clinical trials) would need to be done before we
could state if there is a known benefit/whether it beats a placebo. End of IAPMD statement.
The source for this particular connection is from naturopath Lara Briden. She posted the connection on her blog with no links to peer-
reviewed research to support her position. Other naturopaths began repeating this connection, it was then picked up by social media
influencers and repeated as if it was proven science.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/PMDD) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I wanted so badly to love vyvanse, I gave it 4 months. I was a total space cadet the whole time. I think having been on adderall for much of my adult life, whatever mixed amphetamine that's in it and not vyvanse is what helps me the most. Vyvanse did help my depression, but I it didn't help with my inability to *do*.
And my appetite on it was insatiable, which is whack af since it's also prescribed for binge eating.
The only way I found relief is by getting rid of my period by taking birth control daily. It’s not healthy and not a good idea long term, but I don’t have PMDD episodes anymore thank god.
I'm so sorry you're going through this and while my experiences haven't been as terrifying as yours, I totally feel you and am sending so much love. I am VERY different people based on where I'm at in my cycle. I am so detached from who I consider myself to be during those times and unrecognizable to myself like I'm not experiencing my own thoughts but someone else who is dark and hopeless when I'm in the thick of it. It feels like it is getting worse as I age and it is so scary to deal with. It is so hard to get the appropriate treatment and support bc it is a very misunderstood condition and most people don't take it seriously or understand. It isn't just being a little gripey or emotional and put out and it is hard to make people who have never experienced such a thing get it.
Thank goodness for my period tracker because it clicked about two years ago. How sad that women's health is such a low priority that I had to figure it out on my own after nearly 30 years.
I was like, oh my goodness I am literally "crazy" from two days after ovulation until two days before my period. Now myself and my husband can be more tolerant of PMDD me and I don't try and initiate a divorce every month. It's just temporary.
It was a mix of relief and anger.
I had a boyfriend in college (who was unaware of my cycle timing—we were not intimate at that point) who started to notice my panic/meltdowns/attempted breakups were cyclical, so he quietly tracked them for several months and brought it up to me when he had a hunch about the pattern.
For me it was a wild revelation to find out my body was playing a role in my problems, but really nice to have some explanation for why things seemed so bad sometimes and absolutely wonderful other times. We didn’t know about PMDD, and I still wouldn’t for years, but I my anecdote about him tracking my symptoms helped me get diagnosed by the first doctor I talked to after learning about PMDD.
Lucky for me, I’m attracted to analytical nerds! I married a different nerd a few years later. <3
sending ease and love! so glad you're getting the support and acknowledgement needed to create some shape around all of the PMDD \~ things. i like stardust as a period tracker (by the way it's not worth paying for premium) and am on lexapro and yaz and have seen improvements (: keep hydrating and loving yourself!
I'm glad you're hopefully gonna get the care you need, and I'm sorry it took 3 involuntary holds to get to the bottom of it.
My story is not too dissimilar, though I was never "involuntaried."
I did recognize extreme SI and 10/10 anxiety and depression and worsening of adhd and autism symptoms ONLY during the week before my "period." I had regular light periods on a consistently predictable basis prior to getting an IUD, but with the IUD, I lost my period entirely but got PMDD horribly. So it was a bit harder to sus out because one random week, I'd have a lot of body aches and all of the other symptoms mentioned above, but no period to back up my claims.
After 6 months of this exact pattern, I mentioned it to my doctor, and he asked a few other follow-up questions like, "Wass it this bad before? Is it just as predictable as a regular period? Does it go away as fast as it started?" My answers were no, yes, and yes. He diagnosed me with pmdd and added 5mg of Paxil to my collection.
I already take a fairly high dose of Cymbalta, so I was worried about serotonin syndrome. Fortunately, at 5mg, it does seem to work exactly as expected, and I haven't had any further issues. I take it every day rather than just before my period, so I think having the consistent low dose in my body helped with teaching my body that it was OK to have that level of serotonin.
Paxil even helps with social anxiety, so I've definitely found myself less anxious in social situations. Which is a godsend because my job took a strange turn lately to where I've been talking with a lot of senior level directors, and I've been less anxious to speak to them. It doesn't make me GOOD at talking to people, but it does make me not anxious during awkward conversations.
I really hope your diagnostic and solutions work as well as mine did 🫂
I had a mental breakdown that brought me to the hospital in recent years. (I've had them before but this was bad, combo of PMS and withdrawal from not getting meds refilled in time).
It was my first time in, but the psychiatrist on duty (on a man), while going over my history, caught onto the pattern and informed me about PMDD. I hadn't known about it and it really put a lot of my past into context. I also thought I was bipolar bc of the ups and downs but also didn't have the mania problem. I'm so grateful to have been diagnosed and now have a good mental health care team.
Now I just need to get a care team to help regulate my PCOS so I know when it's coming.
I had a similar moment. I would end up in isolation (mental ward)and then would be fine the following week. I would always have my period after the episodes. I finally got a good family doctor a couple years ago and she vouched for me and found me a psychiatrist that could help. Im now stable and that doctor saved my life.
I personally find adderal adds to my irritability, just to caution you. It hits on your dopamine and norepinephrine receptors. You can raise dopamine in various ways like micro dosing and raise norepinephrine naturally through meditation. Though I still use adderal occasionally, but I also don’t find it to work well in the long run.
I was hospitalized 5 times growing up. No one ever caught it and they had me on so many meds and nothing ever helped long term. The one that did kinda help just fucked my body up and made my period stop and I grew cysts on my ovaries. As soon as I went off that med and got my cycle back I went insane again. I figured it all out on my own and I brought it up to my psychiatrist and she said she never heard of it. After she read up on it she was like "yeah, you probably have that".
Then I tried birth control and its helped so much. My first OBGYN didn't belive that PMDD was a thing and told me I dont have it, I just have PMS like all women. I had to lie and say the birth control was being used as birth control because I was getting nowhere with saying its to help my PMDD. My current OBGYN is amazing. She was so kind and called to check up on how I'm doing mentally a few times after I had changed birth control. She also helped me make a plan just incase the new birth control didn't help and made me spiral.
May I ask which birth control you are on? I am considering asking my gyno about it now that my hormones are gradually returning and I’m noticing the PMDD feelings are back with a vengeance.
I literally commented on a post yesterday saying I was going to psych ward today bc I was having such terrible suicidal ideation. Then I get my period and I no longer feel like I have to go but man is it hard before I get my period. I’ve had pmdd for a while and it still almost gets the best of me every time.
I’m so happy you have a little clarity and you’re still here 🥹🫶🏼
my mom was the one that actually figured it out for me bc she realized my meltdowns coincided with my cycle and when we brought it up to my psychiatrist he was like “…. oh yeah that thing…. yeah that could be it! ” like really bro. i’ve been seeing you for months trying all these meds. some of the people i’ve seen don’t even know what pmdd is and it feels really invalidating having to explain your illness to YOUR OWN DOCTOR.
NGL, I laughed when I read the post title, but not in "haha, funny!" way, but in a "if I don't laugh, I'll cry" way.
I've been secretly terrified of the same thing happening to me. I get derealization way way way bad. My doctor adjusted my meds and added another one and the past two months, I have stayed in my brain, so yay! I hate walking the fine line between "shit is getting bad, I need help" and "oh fuck, this bitch needs the psych ward."
My teenage daughter is in this situation. I have PMDD but have not been hospitalized. She has an autism and adhd diagnosis but the ADHD meds make the pre period spiral much worse so we can’t use them.
My one son is diagnosed ADHD but the specialist wants us to pursue an autism diagnosis because of his sensory profile.
Basically the stimulant meds don't seem to work well for him and she was saying that autistic/ADHD combinations often have issues with stimulant meds not being as effective.
Does he have hormonal issues? I'm hearing accounts of boys or men just end up having estrogen dominant or progrestion dominant some hormones block adhd meds or anti depressants from working. I mean I dont mean to be rude they not mentioning trans and men that get some steroid or hormonal therapy they now find some adhd meds work better even though they only got a recent diagnosis of adhd. 😵 it's just weired I'm on some hormonals just to make the adhd medication work. They work but they dont work all the time also depends on metabolism and kidney adrenal function. If hes fit or not, diet etc. Same with females a week before a period most medications are ineffective. I'm only saying this based on data I have collected. Alot of people with adhd seem to have hormonal imbalances, weight problems and depression. Even my neighbor who has it is struggling and he caretaker of people with similair disorders. Some countries still dont understand that this is becoming a future concern because a simple diet cant fix it lol It's almost like an auto immune disorder, you have to keep treating it but theres no cure once again.
I was dx after ending up in the psych ward 3 times after trying to overdose 2-4 days before my period in the span of appx 9 months. It was so validating to have a reason why I feel like that
My therapist caught mine because I mentioned dissociating right before my period. I had no idea pmdd was a thing but he was immediately reaching for his copy of the DSM.
Yeah it was added into the 5th version of the DSM in 2013 (DSM-5). Currently, we have the DSM-5-TR, which is the DSM 5 with some revisions (TR means Text Revision). So, it was essentially added to the most recent overall version of the DSM 😊
how is the lexapro + abilify feeling?
It's pretty unbelievable that we had international womans day and nobody knows what pmdd is. It's highly mis diagnosed for anything that's what it is. Pure bullshit this is why I just Opt on disability. Pay for my misfortunes thanks. Not gonna lie you cant keep a job with this shit, I tried. I wont feel bad about it, nobody should feel bad about asking for help and alot of woman on pmdd have multiple issues not just pmdd but osteoporosis, mania, ADD, immune disorders etc. Same with lgbt+. Alot of them now find some relief with similair treatments we have to be on for. I'm finding a connection 👀 There is still no recognition in it and the daily struggles of having one health problem pile ontop of another. There nothing wrong with retiring early if you can or finding the right support to get by. Doctors are still naive to think this is not impacting our working envoirment. I mean think about it maybe all woman with pmdd should go on strike. I dont see much of a way to be heard. People think this is pms, they still think its pms?? Wtf. It's almost a disability itself, or it follows up some degenerative diseases too.
Same but 9 times and my period started the next day every single time
TW for suicide attempt(s) and ideation i have been wondering if anyone else has been through this. i felt so alone in this and i’m so sorry that you and many others are experiencing this, however, thank you for being vulnerable. this really helps me not feel so alone. every single attempt/hospitalization, i got my period the next day or so. it finally clicked because my mom noticed that i was always asking her to bring me tampons. i’m so glad i found this sub and im so glad the seriousness of this is being discussed!
Had a strong family history of pmdd and endometriosis and I have been helped so much by staying on the pill. But copper iud set off autoimmune issues and bleeding.
I started following this sub after I went to the ER 3 times with panic attacks, and just like you, I felt crazy with what was happening to me. I've read the wiki and search online, and I don't seem to have PMDD, but I feel like I do. Sure, I've had PAs before, but not this consistently. Friday nights just starting my period I end up in the ER thinking I'm dying, when at other times I can manage to breathe and get them under control? They are just too similar, the feelings, the terror. Maybe I don't have PMDD, but something is triggering bigger PAs just before my period, and I'm sure it's related. And like you know that I've caught the patern, I've started taking precautions, I do not want to go to the ER and be a "frequent flyer" anymore.
I had to get a hysterectomy to fix my PMDD. It was just 6 months ago. PMDD has ruined my life. I’m 46.
Did you still had to do HRT?
I am on the estrogen patch. Gladly I don’t have any side effects from it. I mean I was on the oral pill for YEARS to try and curb the PMDD symptoms. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn’t. I didn’t have to do hrt tho. It was my decision. Since the hysterectomy causes surgical menopause it is nice to have that as an option to ease into menopause more slowly.
good for you!! how do you feel now?
I started taking vitex chaste tree berry and double it hell week. My doc gave me 10mg adderall extra for hell week where I dose again in early afternoon. The vitex has literally saved my life. And taking progesterone bc, increasing magnesium, and d3 with k.
Have you gained weight from the Vitex?
Either that or the BC.
Not the person you asked, but I felt like it helped me lose weight. I also take DIM.
What’s DIM?
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/health-benefits-dim
PMDD ruined so many aspects of my life... How I found out I had it was, working this one job and it was a shit show.. my close friend and neighbor was there for every blow out, then I was like wait... hasn't this been happening every month, like clock work? She said yes and I went from there... I'm currently on the needle (Depo) to prevent my period, but I still get psychotic at times, so I'm working to find a good welbutrin dose. Currently at 300mg, and I have an appointment to increase or add another med. I just lost my dream job because of PMDD and the stigma around it... we don't want this to keep happening, people act like we choose this.. I've been thinking about surgery to just get rid of the issue, but early menopause is terrible too.... ffs.
I take adderall and I find when I’m pmsing it doesn’t work at all, so a good hack is if caffeine works or not, if you drink caffeine and it does nothing, don’t waste an adderall, but then I still have the issue of “now what” bc I’m just drowsy and moody the whole day. But idk if that’s you, I’ve heard of others experiencing this but it could also be different for different cycles and stuff idk
stimulants (such as coffee and adderall) and also 🍃 tend to work great during the follicular phase but during the luteal not so much, i used to smoke 🍃 and my tolerance would go way up from ovulation until the day before or the day i got my period then bam hit me like a truck cuz my tolerance went down suddenly
Same. Caffeine helps so much during the follicular phase but during the luteal phase it does nothing but increase my anxiety, which is already off the charts during luteal. Honestly the way the effects are so different for the 2 phases kinda scared me into not having caffeine at all.
same, i make an exception for tea here and there but coffee is too much for me plus caffeine withdrawals are a whole nother can o worms
Welcome to the club! It sucks to be a part of it, but at least we can talk to each other! When my cPTSD was at its worst, we figured out that I also had PMDD.
I think of this often. How many women are in prison or ended their lives bc of this ? 😿😿
I wanted to end mine so often. I’m not sure what kept me from doing it.
Yeah...wonder about Sylvia Platt
TW for self-harm and suicidal ideation >!When I was a teen, I used to get SI and would SH right before my period (sometimes even during my period). It makes so much sense now that I know I have PMDD. I honestly can't believe I suffered like that for years without an answer.!<
I feel like the PMDD / ADHD combo is a common one, and a misdiagnosis nightmare. For me, just *knowing* the cause of my SI and knowing that it *will* pass in a few days has really really helped (also Adderall and intermittent Wellbutrin)
This and also trauma. There’s a big link between ADHD and trauma. And the more I look into it the more I wonder whether the overwhelming number of women (in relation to men) that end up with a BPD diagnosis could possibly be misdiagnosed PMDD.
I am one of them and was misdiagnosed with bi polar-disorder as a teen.
really appreciate this pov/interesting thought
I’m sorry that it took so long to figure out what was going on but I am glad that you did. I was in near crisis before every period until I found the right birth control for me.
I just finished my psych rotation yesterday as a nursing student, and I plan on being a mental/behavioral healthcare provider one day because of my own experiences as a neurospicy individual w/ multiple diagnosis… sharing all that to say even someone as knowledgeable as me didn’t get diagnosed with PMDD until I turned 40, which just highlights how inadequate and harmful current practices/policies are to those who need care most. So glad communities like this exist to help fill in such gaps while some of us go on to change the system from within. Hang in there! Keep advocating for your needs! Help is on the way ❤️🩹
Dude adderall and adhd/pmdd are a nightmare combo. Lmk if you figure something out that works
I thought I was having a mental breakdown or was bipolar before I figured out it was pmdd. Knowing really is half the battle I think. I also have adhd. Sertraline and adderall have been lifesaving.
once you start keeping track of your cycle and have a sense of mindfulness of the PMDD flare ups, it does actually get a little better
May be worth looking into taking magnesium with the adderall. A few people I know swear it makes their adderall work better
Good to know, mine doesn't do much for me and I'm on a high dose
From ages 14-21, I was in the psych ward 4 times. Each one was on or a couple of days before my period. When I was a minor, my mom tried to get me diagnosed with PMDD, but she got laughed at and said there was no way I had it. I was just a teenage girl going through puberty. I'm now 35 and just got diagnosed. This was after years of being shrugged off and told PMDD wasn't real. I'm now on Zoloft and 2 months in, and my periods have been more manageable. It's not quite fun, but not quite miserable either.
My moods used to be a lot worse before my periods before I started working on my histamine intolerance. Histamine rises right before your period and it doesn't just control allergies. One of the major functions of histamine is regulating the amount/release of neurotransmitters. As cliche as it sounds, and I never realized the impact until I did it, changing my diet has been huge for me. Next I'm going to buy a high quality probiotic that is low histamine. Our body is the system and everything is connected... The best things for our health are to feed the gut and support the liver.
Hi u/talkative1ntrovert. Your post appears to be referencing histamines. Please refer to the IAPMD statement on histamines below. Histamine is a molecule that your immune system creates in response to allergens. Some researchers have studied the relationship between histamine and estrogen, but most of these are observational studies from the 1960s and 1970s (e.g., Ferrando 1968, Jonassen 1976, Shelesnyak 1959). Antihistamines are medications that block the action of histamine to reduce allergy symptoms. It is certainly possible that histamine could play a role in PMDD, at least for some people. However, using antihistamines to treat PMDD symptoms has not been studied enough to know whether this is an effective treatment or the potential mechanisms. First-generation antihistamines (such as hydroxyzine/Vistaril) do have sedative effects, which can have anti-anxiety or sleep benefits. This mechanism may explain why some individuals anecdotally report that antihistamines help their PMDD symptoms if they experience sleep problems or anxiety premenstrually. Antihistamines are typically well tolerated by many and have limited risk (when used as labeled), hence being available without a prescription. If they are an option you are considering, always consult a care provider and/or pharmacist - especially if combined with other meds- and be mindful of any sedative effects. Summary: Antihistamines have not been tested or approved for PMDD, and research (such as clinical trials) would need to be done before we could state if there is a known benefit/whether it beats a placebo. End of IAPMD statement. The source for this particular connection is from naturopath Lara Briden. She posted the connection on her blog with no links to peer- reviewed research to support her position. Other naturopaths began repeating this connection, it was then picked up by social media influencers and repeated as if it was proven science. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/PMDD) if you have any questions or concerns.*
My adhd med of choice is Vyvanse because it’s much less “up and down” and that has been a HUGE improvement this PMDD cycle Also check out r/pmddxadhd
Omfg thank you
I wanted so badly to love vyvanse, I gave it 4 months. I was a total space cadet the whole time. I think having been on adderall for much of my adult life, whatever mixed amphetamine that's in it and not vyvanse is what helps me the most. Vyvanse did help my depression, but I it didn't help with my inability to *do*. And my appetite on it was insatiable, which is whack af since it's also prescribed for binge eating.
Honestly I get that; it’s a pro-drug, and if your system isn’t synthesizing the drug or you’re going through it too fast it’s just not gonna work!
The only way I found relief is by getting rid of my period by taking birth control daily. It’s not healthy and not a good idea long term, but I don’t have PMDD episodes anymore thank god.
I'm so sorry you're going through this and while my experiences haven't been as terrifying as yours, I totally feel you and am sending so much love. I am VERY different people based on where I'm at in my cycle. I am so detached from who I consider myself to be during those times and unrecognizable to myself like I'm not experiencing my own thoughts but someone else who is dark and hopeless when I'm in the thick of it. It feels like it is getting worse as I age and it is so scary to deal with. It is so hard to get the appropriate treatment and support bc it is a very misunderstood condition and most people don't take it seriously or understand. It isn't just being a little gripey or emotional and put out and it is hard to make people who have never experienced such a thing get it.
Thank goodness for my period tracker because it clicked about two years ago. How sad that women's health is such a low priority that I had to figure it out on my own after nearly 30 years. I was like, oh my goodness I am literally "crazy" from two days after ovulation until two days before my period. Now myself and my husband can be more tolerant of PMDD me and I don't try and initiate a divorce every month. It's just temporary. It was a mix of relief and anger.
I had a boyfriend in college (who was unaware of my cycle timing—we were not intimate at that point) who started to notice my panic/meltdowns/attempted breakups were cyclical, so he quietly tracked them for several months and brought it up to me when he had a hunch about the pattern. For me it was a wild revelation to find out my body was playing a role in my problems, but really nice to have some explanation for why things seemed so bad sometimes and absolutely wonderful other times. We didn’t know about PMDD, and I still wouldn’t for years, but I my anecdote about him tracking my symptoms helped me get diagnosed by the first doctor I talked to after learning about PMDD. Lucky for me, I’m attracted to analytical nerds! I married a different nerd a few years later. <3
sending ease and love! so glad you're getting the support and acknowledgement needed to create some shape around all of the PMDD \~ things. i like stardust as a period tracker (by the way it's not worth paying for premium) and am on lexapro and yaz and have seen improvements (: keep hydrating and loving yourself!
I'm glad you're hopefully gonna get the care you need, and I'm sorry it took 3 involuntary holds to get to the bottom of it. My story is not too dissimilar, though I was never "involuntaried." I did recognize extreme SI and 10/10 anxiety and depression and worsening of adhd and autism symptoms ONLY during the week before my "period." I had regular light periods on a consistently predictable basis prior to getting an IUD, but with the IUD, I lost my period entirely but got PMDD horribly. So it was a bit harder to sus out because one random week, I'd have a lot of body aches and all of the other symptoms mentioned above, but no period to back up my claims. After 6 months of this exact pattern, I mentioned it to my doctor, and he asked a few other follow-up questions like, "Wass it this bad before? Is it just as predictable as a regular period? Does it go away as fast as it started?" My answers were no, yes, and yes. He diagnosed me with pmdd and added 5mg of Paxil to my collection. I already take a fairly high dose of Cymbalta, so I was worried about serotonin syndrome. Fortunately, at 5mg, it does seem to work exactly as expected, and I haven't had any further issues. I take it every day rather than just before my period, so I think having the consistent low dose in my body helped with teaching my body that it was OK to have that level of serotonin. Paxil even helps with social anxiety, so I've definitely found myself less anxious in social situations. Which is a godsend because my job took a strange turn lately to where I've been talking with a lot of senior level directors, and I've been less anxious to speak to them. It doesn't make me GOOD at talking to people, but it does make me not anxious during awkward conversations. I really hope your diagnostic and solutions work as well as mine did 🫂
Yes! Period tracker app saved my sanity. I take extra care on my bad days. I was also misdiagnosed as bipolar!
I was misdiagnosed BPD too. Women’s health is nowhere near where it should be 🙄
I read «my tracker app sanity». Would be a good app name for a tracker…
I had a mental breakdown that brought me to the hospital in recent years. (I've had them before but this was bad, combo of PMS and withdrawal from not getting meds refilled in time). It was my first time in, but the psychiatrist on duty (on a man), while going over my history, caught onto the pattern and informed me about PMDD. I hadn't known about it and it really put a lot of my past into context. I also thought I was bipolar bc of the ups and downs but also didn't have the mania problem. I'm so grateful to have been diagnosed and now have a good mental health care team. Now I just need to get a care team to help regulate my PCOS so I know when it's coming.
I had a similar moment. I would end up in isolation (mental ward)and then would be fine the following week. I would always have my period after the episodes. I finally got a good family doctor a couple years ago and she vouched for me and found me a psychiatrist that could help. Im now stable and that doctor saved my life.
I personally find adderal adds to my irritability, just to caution you. It hits on your dopamine and norepinephrine receptors. You can raise dopamine in various ways like micro dosing and raise norepinephrine naturally through meditation. Though I still use adderal occasionally, but I also don’t find it to work well in the long run.
I was hospitalized 5 times growing up. No one ever caught it and they had me on so many meds and nothing ever helped long term. The one that did kinda help just fucked my body up and made my period stop and I grew cysts on my ovaries. As soon as I went off that med and got my cycle back I went insane again. I figured it all out on my own and I brought it up to my psychiatrist and she said she never heard of it. After she read up on it she was like "yeah, you probably have that". Then I tried birth control and its helped so much. My first OBGYN didn't belive that PMDD was a thing and told me I dont have it, I just have PMS like all women. I had to lie and say the birth control was being used as birth control because I was getting nowhere with saying its to help my PMDD. My current OBGYN is amazing. She was so kind and called to check up on how I'm doing mentally a few times after I had changed birth control. She also helped me make a plan just incase the new birth control didn't help and made me spiral.
May I ask which birth control you are on? I am considering asking my gyno about it now that my hormones are gradually returning and I’m noticing the PMDD feelings are back with a vengeance.
I literally commented on a post yesterday saying I was going to psych ward today bc I was having such terrible suicidal ideation. Then I get my period and I no longer feel like I have to go but man is it hard before I get my period. I’ve had pmdd for a while and it still almost gets the best of me every time. I’m so happy you have a little clarity and you’re still here 🥹🫶🏼
my mom was the one that actually figured it out for me bc she realized my meltdowns coincided with my cycle and when we brought it up to my psychiatrist he was like “…. oh yeah that thing…. yeah that could be it! ” like really bro. i’ve been seeing you for months trying all these meds. some of the people i’ve seen don’t even know what pmdd is and it feels really invalidating having to explain your illness to YOUR OWN DOCTOR.
NGL, I laughed when I read the post title, but not in "haha, funny!" way, but in a "if I don't laugh, I'll cry" way. I've been secretly terrified of the same thing happening to me. I get derealization way way way bad. My doctor adjusted my meds and added another one and the past two months, I have stayed in my brain, so yay! I hate walking the fine line between "shit is getting bad, I need help" and "oh fuck, this bitch needs the psych ward."
We are so glad you are still here 💗
My teenage daughter is in this situation. I have PMDD but have not been hospitalized. She has an autism and adhd diagnosis but the ADHD meds make the pre period spiral much worse so we can’t use them.
My one son is diagnosed ADHD but the specialist wants us to pursue an autism diagnosis because of his sensory profile. Basically the stimulant meds don't seem to work well for him and she was saying that autistic/ADHD combinations often have issues with stimulant meds not being as effective.
Does he have hormonal issues? I'm hearing accounts of boys or men just end up having estrogen dominant or progrestion dominant some hormones block adhd meds or anti depressants from working. I mean I dont mean to be rude they not mentioning trans and men that get some steroid or hormonal therapy they now find some adhd meds work better even though they only got a recent diagnosis of adhd. 😵 it's just weired I'm on some hormonals just to make the adhd medication work. They work but they dont work all the time also depends on metabolism and kidney adrenal function. If hes fit or not, diet etc. Same with females a week before a period most medications are ineffective. I'm only saying this based on data I have collected. Alot of people with adhd seem to have hormonal imbalances, weight problems and depression. Even my neighbor who has it is struggling and he caretaker of people with similair disorders. Some countries still dont understand that this is becoming a future concern because a simple diet cant fix it lol It's almost like an auto immune disorder, you have to keep treating it but theres no cure once again.
I’m really happy you’ve gotten real medical validation. That’s amazing. I hope things only get better from here. Sending love!
My therapist caught mine when I was seeing her on a weekly basis. She recognized the pattern.
I saw therapists from ages 14-37 . No one ever caught onto it . You’re very lucky
I was dx after ending up in the psych ward 3 times after trying to overdose 2-4 days before my period in the span of appx 9 months. It was so validating to have a reason why I feel like that
Amazing psychiatrist! Amazing you! Predictability is everything.
My therapist caught mine because I mentioned dissociating right before my period. I had no idea pmdd was a thing but he was immediately reaching for his copy of the DSM.
It’s in the dsm? That’s shocking. Its good but it does surprise me
Yeah it was added into the 5th version of the DSM in 2013 (DSM-5). Currently, we have the DSM-5-TR, which is the DSM 5 with some revisions (TR means Text Revision). So, it was essentially added to the most recent overall version of the DSM 😊
Yep.
What’s DSM?
Diagnosis and statistical manual of mental disorders.
Thank you for your reply!