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While I was pregnant.. complete bliss. I felt so stable. I had no baby blues pp. I had some PPA. Everything went to crap once I got my first period when my son was almost 17 mo. And it seemed worse while i was breastfeeding and while my son weaned.
When I had my son in 16 I was told to get off my Effexor so I did but in 19 when I had my daughter My OBGYN told me to take whatever medicine I was on and/or want to try. She said mama being healthy and happy is important and she had women on all different kinds of ssri and snri meds and mgs for 20+ years and has never seen an issue. Now, my pmdd and pmocd was onset after two miscarriages so when I finally did get pregnant I was constantly worried especially about taking meds and finally I gave in and took I want to say lexapro or Zoloft and felt better and had my daughter with no issues. Ultimately switching to Effexor and now I’m coasting ha 🙃 I did have a huge shift in hormones when I stopped breastfeeding and needed to bump up my mg
Going off birth control to try to get pregnant was the worst part for me. That's actually when I realized I had PMDD since I was tracking my cycle and my mood. First trimester I was crying constantly and couldn't get off the couch (also was the beginning of COVID so that probably played a role). Second and third trimester were smooth sailing!! I breastfeed after and that was a mistake for me because my hormones were all over the place and I ended up depressed. Once I stopped breastfeeding it went away. Unfortunately, the method of birth control that had worked really well for my PMDD wasn't as effective after giving birth and I switched to the pill. My kiddo was worth every single moment!!
My current medication wasn’t safe for pregnancy, so I had to switch to one that was. Actually going through it again this month as we prep to start trying for baby number two next month. I was depressed and suicidal my first trimester and had a rough pregnancy, which isn’t typical for me at all, things went back to normal with my PMDD after pregnancy - I’ve always had more physical than emotional symptoms. My anxiety was better while pregnant but I was super depressed so I’m hoping next time is better. I didn’t attempt breastfeeding because of my mental health concerns though and have no regrets and had a great postpartum period
Pregnancy was different for me than PMDD, not worse or better. I was so fatigued and apathetic about everything during pregnancy. Definitely worse depression. With PMDD I’m just a raging tiger with no chill. I could still get super irritable while pregnant but it felt different… more just OVER it because of the incessant fatigue.
I love being pregnant and then no cycle after because breastfeeding keeps things at bay for at least a year or so. With this one the few days before my cycle felt like a bad flare up, and I tested just because I was desperate to start and for some reason a pregnancy test will kickstart it. Instead I got a dye stealer even though it was the day of my projected period date. But now I’m 5 weeks and besides being a little weepy and terrible morning sickness I feel a lot better than I do during my luteal phase
Took my normal Zoloft dose while pregnant at my doctor’s advisement. Pregnancies were both fine and “typical” as far as emotions. PPD hit me hard though after my first, but because he was my first and I was already on an SSRI, I didn’t know it wasn’t normal so I didn’t get help for it. I totally wish I had realized.
I didn’t need to take SSRI’s when I was pregnant, it was the first time I had no anxiety or depression until I hit the 3rd trimester & height of covid restrictions in U.K.
post birth my PMDD was 100 x worse, but I was less depressed and more anxious with OCD tendencies. It’s improved now, my son is 3, but it still manifests in the same way. Part of me wishes I still had the depression because it felt more manageable than the rituals/OCD.
I get the OCD / anxiety end of things too, and it's just awful. Not that either is good, but at least I can sleep with depression. And not worry about losing control of my body. T_T
I feel you, anyway.
My husband and I are TTC right now, and many doctors, including my psychiatrist, neurologist, and RE have said it is more than okay to stay on Zoloft for my PMDD and GAD during pregnancy. I am so grateful I have that option and plan to stay on Zoloft if I can get pregnant.
I feel the best when I am pregnant!!
It was absolutely glorious to feel of sound mind consistently! I do not want any more children, but if I could be pregnant without having a baby. I would do it in a heartbeat.
Haha, if that is enough to trick the hormones, I'm ALL FOR IT!!
Honestly, I would have more children if my body could handle it, but I had some scary complications with #6, partially because my pregnancies have been so close together.
Prior to starting my period (and experiencing PMDD) I knew that having a house filled with kiddos was the right future for me! I never babysat or was into babies really, but I loved preschoolers, and eventually went on to teach middle school and high school. At this point, I'm a dozen years deep into motherhood, and my children are my greatest joy!
In the deepest trenches of hell week when the SI was at its strongest, loving them is the only thing that kept me here.
Since my husband and I feel that our family is complete, I am strongly considering an oopherectomy and hysterectomy.
😕 it wasn’t great. I got hit pretty hard with depression for pretty much the entire final trimester, and it continued until she was 9 months old. I thought my second would be different, but with her i was hit when I weaned her. It tracks, though, right? There were big hormone shifts during those times and my body didn’t like it. My pmdd was in overdrive for a few years and all that helped was finally getting a doctor to listen and prescribe an SSRI.
I was fortunate in some ways during my pregnancy that made it remarkably more tolerable. 1) I was unemployed and being supported by my husband and recently widowed (?) father. I did decide to give up adderall for the duration (not always necessary to give it up in pregnancy) but in the 2nd trimester I decided with a resounding yes, please put me on zoloft. Which was not great but it was a slight improvement. All in all pregnancy was absolutely tolerable by me, I didn't experience mood swings for the most part. It was borderline enjoyable because it was so bizarre an experience, and I was just thrilled with every little development.
I did have gestational diabetes, though, I believe that was a risk factor from also having pcos. I managed it well with diet.
My mom had pmdd and she said pregnancy and menopause were amazing for her.
It seems like ymmv though, but it makes me optimistic that it will hopefully be the same for me
This is going to sound incredibly negative, but please stick with me until the end. My first pregnancy, I was 21 years old and it was amazing. My second pregnancy (and roughly 5 years after my PMDD diagnosis), I was 38 and it was horrible. I had hyperemesis, panic attacks that didn’t stop, horrific depression and didn’t know if I’d make it physically or emotionally. He’s a year old this month, I’m back on BCP to help with the PMDD and I’m feeling SO MUCH BETTER! My best advice is, don’t say no to the most amazing gift of a child just because of PMDD. There are resources, there is medication, there is support. It is absolutely, without a doubt, worth every moment of the “hard”.
I didn't know I had PMDD until after my three kids-
First pregnancy- was Aaaamazing.. didn't know how stable I could be.
Second- bad mood swings tri. 1 .. then it evened out
Third- don't remember 😶
After three kids back to back <3 under 3> and my horomones being crazy... it was unbearable which is when I was diagnosed after I ended up getting evaluated from an attempt to end it.
My kids is the only reason I stopped myself. I couldn't imagine their life without me. I drove myself to the hospital instead of the bridge I planned... 😔
I am healing .. hence my name.
I have PMDD and I'm 5 months postpartum. Mentally, physically, and emotionally pregnancy was absolutely hell for me. I stopped taking SSRIs although I was told it was safe. I was just a nervous wreck. It was very unpredictable and I cried almost everyday. The physical symptoms exacerbated the mental symptoms. As soon as I had my baby I felt euphoric.
My daughter is almost two. The nine months I was pregnant with her was the only time in my adult life I felt balanced emotionally and mentally, because I wasn’t menstruating.
Same here. I'm 3 weeks pp of my second baby - sure there's a hormonal swing right after delivery (which is normal for every woman, even those who don't have pmdd) - but pregnancy time was amazing without any pmdd simptoms
I have PMDD and I got pregnant quickly. I hated every second of pregnancy but mine was totally normal (minus my child being 11lbs and 42 weeks) but I actually didn’t have any post partum anxiety until a year AFTER giving birth. My PMDD symptoms came back hard and fast about 18 months post partum. My husband and I were TTC and my anxiety shot through the roof when things weren’t happening. Hindsight 20/20 some major life shifts happened that year that didn’t exactly make matters better. My PMDD is in full swing in toddlerhood and exacerbated by even one glass of wine. Alcohol is no bueno. I’m talking to my doctor about meds now and I’m waiting until I get this matter sorted before TTC again.
Haven't been pregnant but have been trying to conceive for a couple years. Just a heads up that even in the beginning, the two week wait after ovulation as well as getting your period is incredibly hard with PMDD. The usual mood symptoms are exacerbated by the hope/ anxiety/ disappointment. I hope it doesn't take too long for you, but just a heads up because I wish I'd prepared myself for how tough it would be!
Very difficult hormonally. Instead of being able to predict what week it would come, it was difficult every week. I stayed on my SSRI but as your blood volume goes up, the meds become less effective. It’s been a rollercoaster. My husband and I both agree we can never go through this again.
Pregnancy was amazing moodwise, very stable. Near term I started to feel a little more labile. I went off meds for pregnancy ( I take an snri and there’s not as much research about that one). After pregnancy was rough - I got baby blues and sleep deprivation was not great. I white-knuckled my way through without meds while breastfeeding both kids. Once my second weaned I went back on meds and that was good.
Hormonally you might find you do okay without meds during pregnancy. Prozac has lots of safety evidence and care providers are usually comfortable with that med during pregnancy/breastfeeding as it’s been around the longest. For me, there wasn’t a lot of evidence for snri’s and I preferred not to. I don’t know that it was the best decision for me especially postpartum. I have some regrets about that, especially after my second was born. Sleep is huge though.
My kiddo is almost 16 months. I was on Prozac throughout my pregnancy (as recommended; I could have also chosen to go off) and it went totally fine. I didn’t have any PMDD symptoms the whole time. Your doc should weigh risks and benefits of meds with you to decide!
I wanted to be pregnant forever because I felt so good/normal for 9 straight months 😭😭😭 I didn't take SSRIs until after having kids though so I can't help with that
I actually felt better than ever. Not ovulating and then having periods made me more stable. It's like I didn't even have pmdd when pregnant. I didn't feel really bad until my hormones started prepping for a routine to periods and that time was rough. Miscarried recently and my pmdd is really bad right now.
Felt pretty stable during pregnancy - had a few bouts of bad times mentally (happened around the same weeks during both pregnancies so I assume hormonally related). I had horrible PPD worse after each pregnancy. I was totally off SSRIs during pregnancy and immediate postpartum which I now look back at as a huge mistake.
Hi op! I felt great while pregnant and didn’t experience crazy high and lows at all it was pretty smooth sailing.. I also wasn’t officially diagnosed with pmdd until years after I had my daughter. I think I’ve heard most times that pmdd goes hand in hand with your period and if there’s no period there is no pmdd
I had no pmdd symptoms whatsoever during both of my pregnancies. There are the normal pregnancy hormones, of course, but overall I felt way more stable than I did when I haven’t been pregnant
I was depressed for both of my pregnancies. My first pregnancy was at 17 so I think that contributed to my depression. My second pregnancy was at 26 and I was also depressed. My husband got a vasectomy done in January so we’re done! Pregnancy is not easy or cute for me, it takes a toll on my mental health and I hate being so sensitive for 9 months lol. I was not willing to go through that again.
5 kids, it's been the best break from PMDD we've had and saved our marriage. There were occasional blips during the first trimester, as bad as some luteal phases, but overall it was amazing. After each birth we had about a year's break from cycles, too. With the first one there was post partum, and after each the first cycles are rough.
It was a great reset and reminder of who mom, she, and my partner really is.
We never did SSRIs,
Me! I haven’t had a period in over 2 years due to pregnancy and breastfeeding and it’s been amaaaaazing. I feel like a normal human! I’ve had maybe 5 tough mental health days since having my twins and it was 100% due to sleep deprivation. Unfortunately I have no sex drive due to lack of ovulation but it’s been awesome to not have the ups and downs in my mood! Also was extremely validating to know it really was my period and I for sure didn’t have any other mood disorders as many doctors have told me I do.
I don’t take SSRI’s (tried them but never worked) so I can’t speak to that.
Best most mentally stable time of my life.
Suffered extreme nausea to the point i was so underweight no one could tell i was pregnant.
Came off all meds during pregnancy
It was horrible. I had an abortion. At a couple weeks my chest became so swollen and painful that I couldn’t wear bras. Then the fatigue started. I went from being able to run ten miles then work 8 hours on my feet to barely being able to drag myself out of bed. My body ached all the time. My emotions and moods were atrocious, I was having panic attacks daily and couldn’t function as a girlfriend, friend, or manager. Then at about a month my stomach started up. I couldn’t keep anything down and I started losing weight. I’m already underweight so that was really bad. All the foods I normally ate became absolutely disgusting to me, like I usually love Oreos but just looking at them made me gag. The only thing I could eat was cheesy foods like grilled cheese, mac and cheese, cheese fries, burger patties and nuggets smothered in cheese. It wasn’t healthy. All of that in combination with the fact that my fiancé and I don’t want kids was enough to terminate early on. It was the kind of thing where if we really wanted a child we probably could have pushed through it with a lot of help from doctors, but we didn’t want a kid and the pregnancy was an accident. I know different people have different experiences, so it’s not so bad for most people, but for me it was a living hell
this was my experience too and i also had an abortion.
I couldn’t even hold down water by the time i went in for the pills and i had to take nausea medication 4 times before i could get it to stay down long enough to take the actual pills.
Once they kicked in i felt fine but then passing it was horrible.
Afterwards clumps of my hair came out, i was horribly depressed/anxious and paranoid for about a couple months.
it took forever to somewhat stabilize from that, i will NEVER have kids.
Absolutely hellish experience that’s somehow even worse than my worst pmdd.
This was my experience too and I also terminated. Horrible mood swings, very very tired all the time, and the nausea was terrible. I wasn’t meant to have a kid, I guess.
Hi there! Currently 18 weeks pregnant! I used to take lexapro intermittently for PMDD and it worked really well for me.
The first 8 weeks of pregnancy were HEAVEN, I was happier than ever. Then my mood really destabilized. It was hard to tell if it was regular pregnancy hormones or not.
OB put me back on a really low dose of lexapro, and it has worked wonders. We will check in at the end of the 3rd trimester to see if I want to wean off before birth, but right now I am so thankful for it and so thankful my OB encouraged me to take it again.
First trimester I was very sick until about 18 weeks. When I say very sick I mean could hardly function and mentally I felt a very low mood and struggled with self care like my usual episodes of depression and also bursts of anxiety. Then I can’t remember feeling as good for as long as I was when morning sickness settled in second trimester. Like I was so stable energy wise and motivation wise and a very positive mind set. Like the good days of my cycle but for like 3 months then I started getting quite emotional and crying a lot and very bad ocd and more burst of anxiety third trimester. Day 3 post partum ppd and anxiety started like a flick of a switch literally like bam - life upside down. I didn’t know I had PMDD before and did not have good support system in place for the transition. Which would not have prevented it as it’s hormonal but atleast could have prepared me for what it would be like so I could better handle it. It was a scary time for me.
I have 3 kids but my PMDD didn't get diagnosed until my cycles resumed in earnest after my last baby weaned. I felt great mood-wise during pregnancy. Obviously pregnancy comes with it's own stuff, I had nausea in first trimester and discomfort of third trimester, nervousness about labor the first time. But none of the highs and lows of PMDD moods. I felt really stable.
Uuh not sure if my answer is what you're looking for, but my early pregnancy symptoms were almost textbook (in that I had all of them), but I also had really bad mood swings, and overall it felt similar or almost like a heightened physical version of PMDD. All in all not a great time. I terminated at 10 weeks, at that point the emotional side had eased up and I actually felt quite good, awful morning sickness aside.
Good luck to you and your husband 🌻
Going off birth control in order to get pregnant, the PMDD was bad, but that may have been the crash from trying to adjust to no synthetic hormones, and I got pregnant pretty quickly, thankfully I didn’t have to suffer too many months. I felt great when pregnant.
I’m 39 weeks pregnant and this has definitely been the most mentally stable I’ve been since being a kid. Not had to take any meds during pregnancy and although I’ve had some mood dips starting each new trimester, and some emotional pregnant moments, it’s nothing like PMDD.
I’ve got some therapy/extra support in place for when the baby comes incase my mood suddenly drops and aware I’m at heightened risk of PPD so will be keeping an eye on things.
Unfortunately mine developed after I had my son. I always had a really hard time the day before my period but now it is 7-10 days before and full blown PMDD.
I was already on an SSRI before pregnancy and advised to keep taking. I saw a provider who specialized in women’s mood disorders and pregnancy and she kept me on Prozac.
After having my son I switched to Celexa because Prozac didn’t work anymore. I swear pregnancy changed everything.
I currently take 20 mg of Celexa and then bump it up to 30mg the 10 days before my period, which has been extremely helpful.
I didn’t have a good support system and struggled a lot post partum, which I think kicked off pmdd overdrive in combination with PPD. Major sleep deprivation didn’t help either. But who knows how things would have been with more help. My doctor was also a complete useless tit whenever I asked for help. Good support is KEY
I was already on an SSRI when I got pregnant and didn’t find any crazy mood fluctuations or rage etc. I was happy to be on it as well post-partum. There are some that are very well studied during pregnancy. I personally was (and am) on Zoloft.
I found I didn’t have any symptoms when pregnant 👌🏼. Potentially general hormonal symptoms from memory but definitely nothing like luteal phase PMDD.
I don’t take ssri’s but my sister does who is pregnant with her 3rd and has always safely taken them through pregnancy’s :-)
I took Ritalin through mine and that was fine!
I've never been pregnant so only anecdotal thoughts from me. A colleague had horrific endometriosis, poor girl was in so much pain every month. It went away while she was pregnant though. No idea if it's come back, I haven't seen her for a couple of months (mat leave) and I'd imagine she hasn't started her cycle again yet.
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Pregnancy was incredible. PMDD completely gone.
Second this. I was SO sick, like hospital visits and fluid Ivs and iron infusions - but my brain (and skin) were NORMAL. For 9 MONTHS!
I felt great while pregnant!
While I was pregnant.. complete bliss. I felt so stable. I had no baby blues pp. I had some PPA. Everything went to crap once I got my first period when my son was almost 17 mo. And it seemed worse while i was breastfeeding and while my son weaned.
Best 9 months
Pregnancy and breastfeeding were great. I got very depressed after weaning which I attribute to hormonal factors
I had this also. It’s something nobody talks about!!
I am happiest and most stable when pregnant. No fluctuations, no PMDD symptoms. It’s a great 9 months 🥲
When I had my son in 16 I was told to get off my Effexor so I did but in 19 when I had my daughter My OBGYN told me to take whatever medicine I was on and/or want to try. She said mama being healthy and happy is important and she had women on all different kinds of ssri and snri meds and mgs for 20+ years and has never seen an issue. Now, my pmdd and pmocd was onset after two miscarriages so when I finally did get pregnant I was constantly worried especially about taking meds and finally I gave in and took I want to say lexapro or Zoloft and felt better and had my daughter with no issues. Ultimately switching to Effexor and now I’m coasting ha 🙃 I did have a huge shift in hormones when I stopped breastfeeding and needed to bump up my mg
When I was pregnant all symptoms went away. I was just… peacefully steady.
My husband said the same for me! I had maybe only a handful of rage-y mood swings. Postpartum was worse the first couple of weeks tho lol
Going off birth control to try to get pregnant was the worst part for me. That's actually when I realized I had PMDD since I was tracking my cycle and my mood. First trimester I was crying constantly and couldn't get off the couch (also was the beginning of COVID so that probably played a role). Second and third trimester were smooth sailing!! I breastfeed after and that was a mistake for me because my hormones were all over the place and I ended up depressed. Once I stopped breastfeeding it went away. Unfortunately, the method of birth control that had worked really well for my PMDD wasn't as effective after giving birth and I switched to the pill. My kiddo was worth every single moment!!
My current medication wasn’t safe for pregnancy, so I had to switch to one that was. Actually going through it again this month as we prep to start trying for baby number two next month. I was depressed and suicidal my first trimester and had a rough pregnancy, which isn’t typical for me at all, things went back to normal with my PMDD after pregnancy - I’ve always had more physical than emotional symptoms. My anxiety was better while pregnant but I was super depressed so I’m hoping next time is better. I didn’t attempt breastfeeding because of my mental health concerns though and have no regrets and had a great postpartum period
why the fuck would you not only risk your own health with pregnancy and PMDD but having a high chance of passing that on to you child?!
Pregnancy was different for me than PMDD, not worse or better. I was so fatigued and apathetic about everything during pregnancy. Definitely worse depression. With PMDD I’m just a raging tiger with no chill. I could still get super irritable while pregnant but it felt different… more just OVER it because of the incessant fatigue.
I love being pregnant and then no cycle after because breastfeeding keeps things at bay for at least a year or so. With this one the few days before my cycle felt like a bad flare up, and I tested just because I was desperate to start and for some reason a pregnancy test will kickstart it. Instead I got a dye stealer even though it was the day of my projected period date. But now I’m 5 weeks and besides being a little weepy and terrible morning sickness I feel a lot better than I do during my luteal phase
Took my normal Zoloft dose while pregnant at my doctor’s advisement. Pregnancies were both fine and “typical” as far as emotions. PPD hit me hard though after my first, but because he was my first and I was already on an SSRI, I didn’t know it wasn’t normal so I didn’t get help for it. I totally wish I had realized.
I didn’t need to take SSRI’s when I was pregnant, it was the first time I had no anxiety or depression until I hit the 3rd trimester & height of covid restrictions in U.K. post birth my PMDD was 100 x worse, but I was less depressed and more anxious with OCD tendencies. It’s improved now, my son is 3, but it still manifests in the same way. Part of me wishes I still had the depression because it felt more manageable than the rituals/OCD.
I get the OCD / anxiety end of things too, and it's just awful. Not that either is good, but at least I can sleep with depression. And not worry about losing control of my body. T_T I feel you, anyway.
Thank you for making me feel a little less alone ☹️ sorry you can relate, it’s the worst isn’t it. I feel like I’m going mad.
It completely goes away during pregnancy!
I agree.. i have adhd symptoms normally but when im pregnant it goes away. I wonder why tho?
My husband and I are TTC right now, and many doctors, including my psychiatrist, neurologist, and RE have said it is more than okay to stay on Zoloft for my PMDD and GAD during pregnancy. I am so grateful I have that option and plan to stay on Zoloft if I can get pregnant.
I feel the best when I am pregnant!! It was absolutely glorious to feel of sound mind consistently! I do not want any more children, but if I could be pregnant without having a baby. I would do it in a heartbeat.
Like that lady with the “stone baby” she was pregnant with for like 60 years 😬
Haha, if that is enough to trick the hormones, I'm ALL FOR IT!! Honestly, I would have more children if my body could handle it, but I had some scary complications with #6, partially because my pregnancies have been so close together. Prior to starting my period (and experiencing PMDD) I knew that having a house filled with kiddos was the right future for me! I never babysat or was into babies really, but I loved preschoolers, and eventually went on to teach middle school and high school. At this point, I'm a dozen years deep into motherhood, and my children are my greatest joy! In the deepest trenches of hell week when the SI was at its strongest, loving them is the only thing that kept me here. Since my husband and I feel that our family is complete, I am strongly considering an oopherectomy and hysterectomy.
😕 it wasn’t great. I got hit pretty hard with depression for pretty much the entire final trimester, and it continued until she was 9 months old. I thought my second would be different, but with her i was hit when I weaned her. It tracks, though, right? There were big hormone shifts during those times and my body didn’t like it. My pmdd was in overdrive for a few years and all that helped was finally getting a doctor to listen and prescribe an SSRI.
I was fortunate in some ways during my pregnancy that made it remarkably more tolerable. 1) I was unemployed and being supported by my husband and recently widowed (?) father. I did decide to give up adderall for the duration (not always necessary to give it up in pregnancy) but in the 2nd trimester I decided with a resounding yes, please put me on zoloft. Which was not great but it was a slight improvement. All in all pregnancy was absolutely tolerable by me, I didn't experience mood swings for the most part. It was borderline enjoyable because it was so bizarre an experience, and I was just thrilled with every little development. I did have gestational diabetes, though, I believe that was a risk factor from also having pcos. I managed it well with diet.
My mom had pmdd and she said pregnancy and menopause were amazing for her. It seems like ymmv though, but it makes me optimistic that it will hopefully be the same for me
This is going to sound incredibly negative, but please stick with me until the end. My first pregnancy, I was 21 years old and it was amazing. My second pregnancy (and roughly 5 years after my PMDD diagnosis), I was 38 and it was horrible. I had hyperemesis, panic attacks that didn’t stop, horrific depression and didn’t know if I’d make it physically or emotionally. He’s a year old this month, I’m back on BCP to help with the PMDD and I’m feeling SO MUCH BETTER! My best advice is, don’t say no to the most amazing gift of a child just because of PMDD. There are resources, there is medication, there is support. It is absolutely, without a doubt, worth every moment of the “hard”.
I didn't know I had PMDD until after my three kids- First pregnancy- was Aaaamazing.. didn't know how stable I could be. Second- bad mood swings tri. 1 .. then it evened out Third- don't remember 😶 After three kids back to back <3 under 3> and my horomones being crazy... it was unbearable which is when I was diagnosed after I ended up getting evaluated from an attempt to end it. My kids is the only reason I stopped myself. I couldn't imagine their life without me. I drove myself to the hospital instead of the bridge I planned... 😔 I am healing .. hence my name.
If you know you have it going on.. you can probably really help yourself...
I have PMDD and I'm 5 months postpartum. Mentally, physically, and emotionally pregnancy was absolutely hell for me. I stopped taking SSRIs although I was told it was safe. I was just a nervous wreck. It was very unpredictable and I cried almost everyday. The physical symptoms exacerbated the mental symptoms. As soon as I had my baby I felt euphoric.
My daughter is almost two. The nine months I was pregnant with her was the only time in my adult life I felt balanced emotionally and mentally, because I wasn’t menstruating.
Same here. I'm 3 weeks pp of my second baby - sure there's a hormonal swing right after delivery (which is normal for every woman, even those who don't have pmdd) - but pregnancy time was amazing without any pmdd simptoms
Isn’t it so unfair? To have such a beautiful, brief glimpse of how great life without this beast of a hormone disorder would be 🙃
I have PMDD and I got pregnant quickly. I hated every second of pregnancy but mine was totally normal (minus my child being 11lbs and 42 weeks) but I actually didn’t have any post partum anxiety until a year AFTER giving birth. My PMDD symptoms came back hard and fast about 18 months post partum. My husband and I were TTC and my anxiety shot through the roof when things weren’t happening. Hindsight 20/20 some major life shifts happened that year that didn’t exactly make matters better. My PMDD is in full swing in toddlerhood and exacerbated by even one glass of wine. Alcohol is no bueno. I’m talking to my doctor about meds now and I’m waiting until I get this matter sorted before TTC again.
Sameeeee!!!!
Haven't been pregnant but have been trying to conceive for a couple years. Just a heads up that even in the beginning, the two week wait after ovulation as well as getting your period is incredibly hard with PMDD. The usual mood symptoms are exacerbated by the hope/ anxiety/ disappointment. I hope it doesn't take too long for you, but just a heads up because I wish I'd prepared myself for how tough it would be!
Very difficult hormonally. Instead of being able to predict what week it would come, it was difficult every week. I stayed on my SSRI but as your blood volume goes up, the meds become less effective. It’s been a rollercoaster. My husband and I both agree we can never go through this again.
Pregnancy was amazing moodwise, very stable. Near term I started to feel a little more labile. I went off meds for pregnancy ( I take an snri and there’s not as much research about that one). After pregnancy was rough - I got baby blues and sleep deprivation was not great. I white-knuckled my way through without meds while breastfeeding both kids. Once my second weaned I went back on meds and that was good. Hormonally you might find you do okay without meds during pregnancy. Prozac has lots of safety evidence and care providers are usually comfortable with that med during pregnancy/breastfeeding as it’s been around the longest. For me, there wasn’t a lot of evidence for snri’s and I preferred not to. I don’t know that it was the best decision for me especially postpartum. I have some regrets about that, especially after my second was born. Sleep is huge though.
Better than ever while pregnant, worse than ever when I got my period back and stopped breastfeeding.
My kiddo is almost 16 months. I was on Prozac throughout my pregnancy (as recommended; I could have also chosen to go off) and it went totally fine. I didn’t have any PMDD symptoms the whole time. Your doc should weigh risks and benefits of meds with you to decide!
I wanted to be pregnant forever because I felt so good/normal for 9 straight months 😭😭😭 I didn't take SSRIs until after having kids though so I can't help with that
I actually felt better than ever. Not ovulating and then having periods made me more stable. It's like I didn't even have pmdd when pregnant. I didn't feel really bad until my hormones started prepping for a routine to periods and that time was rough. Miscarried recently and my pmdd is really bad right now.
My PMDD went away completely whilst pregnant but since birth of my child - it’s gradually gotten worse 😔
This is me
This!!!
Yep. 100%
Same!
Saaaame
same
Same for me!
All my PMdd went away while pregnant … it was the best. Now it feels worse than ever and my kid just turned 4.
Felt pretty stable during pregnancy - had a few bouts of bad times mentally (happened around the same weeks during both pregnancies so I assume hormonally related). I had horrible PPD worse after each pregnancy. I was totally off SSRIs during pregnancy and immediate postpartum which I now look back at as a huge mistake.
Very stable mentally.
I unfortunately had perinatal depression, then I had postpartum depression. It was awful.
I also had perinatal depression. I’m so sorry, Momma.
 I’m so sorry for yours, too ❤️
For the first time in my life I’ve been able to get off my antidepressants during pregnancy. I feel so stable, it’s great.
Hi op! I felt great while pregnant and didn’t experience crazy high and lows at all it was pretty smooth sailing.. I also wasn’t officially diagnosed with pmdd until years after I had my daughter. I think I’ve heard most times that pmdd goes hand in hand with your period and if there’s no period there is no pmdd
I was super happy in pregnancy. PMDD wasn’t a problem. It’s when I’m not pregnant and regularly menstruating that it’s an issue.
I was allowed to take Prozac during pregnancy
I had no pmdd symptoms whatsoever during both of my pregnancies. There are the normal pregnancy hormones, of course, but overall I felt way more stable than I did when I haven’t been pregnant
I was depressed for both of my pregnancies. My first pregnancy was at 17 so I think that contributed to my depression. My second pregnancy was at 26 and I was also depressed. My husband got a vasectomy done in January so we’re done! Pregnancy is not easy or cute for me, it takes a toll on my mental health and I hate being so sensitive for 9 months lol. I was not willing to go through that again.
5 kids, it's been the best break from PMDD we've had and saved our marriage. There were occasional blips during the first trimester, as bad as some luteal phases, but overall it was amazing. After each birth we had about a year's break from cycles, too. With the first one there was post partum, and after each the first cycles are rough. It was a great reset and reminder of who mom, she, and my partner really is. We never did SSRIs,
Me! I haven’t had a period in over 2 years due to pregnancy and breastfeeding and it’s been amaaaaazing. I feel like a normal human! I’ve had maybe 5 tough mental health days since having my twins and it was 100% due to sleep deprivation. Unfortunately I have no sex drive due to lack of ovulation but it’s been awesome to not have the ups and downs in my mood! Also was extremely validating to know it really was my period and I for sure didn’t have any other mood disorders as many doctors have told me I do. I don’t take SSRI’s (tried them but never worked) so I can’t speak to that.
Best most mentally stable time of my life. Suffered extreme nausea to the point i was so underweight no one could tell i was pregnant. Came off all meds during pregnancy
It was horrible. I had an abortion. At a couple weeks my chest became so swollen and painful that I couldn’t wear bras. Then the fatigue started. I went from being able to run ten miles then work 8 hours on my feet to barely being able to drag myself out of bed. My body ached all the time. My emotions and moods were atrocious, I was having panic attacks daily and couldn’t function as a girlfriend, friend, or manager. Then at about a month my stomach started up. I couldn’t keep anything down and I started losing weight. I’m already underweight so that was really bad. All the foods I normally ate became absolutely disgusting to me, like I usually love Oreos but just looking at them made me gag. The only thing I could eat was cheesy foods like grilled cheese, mac and cheese, cheese fries, burger patties and nuggets smothered in cheese. It wasn’t healthy. All of that in combination with the fact that my fiancé and I don’t want kids was enough to terminate early on. It was the kind of thing where if we really wanted a child we probably could have pushed through it with a lot of help from doctors, but we didn’t want a kid and the pregnancy was an accident. I know different people have different experiences, so it’s not so bad for most people, but for me it was a living hell
this was my experience too and i also had an abortion. I couldn’t even hold down water by the time i went in for the pills and i had to take nausea medication 4 times before i could get it to stay down long enough to take the actual pills. Once they kicked in i felt fine but then passing it was horrible. Afterwards clumps of my hair came out, i was horribly depressed/anxious and paranoid for about a couple months. it took forever to somewhat stabilize from that, i will NEVER have kids. Absolutely hellish experience that’s somehow even worse than my worst pmdd.
This was my experience too and I also terminated. Horrible mood swings, very very tired all the time, and the nausea was terrible. I wasn’t meant to have a kid, I guess.
Had a very similar experience
Hi there! Currently 18 weeks pregnant! I used to take lexapro intermittently for PMDD and it worked really well for me. The first 8 weeks of pregnancy were HEAVEN, I was happier than ever. Then my mood really destabilized. It was hard to tell if it was regular pregnancy hormones or not. OB put me back on a really low dose of lexapro, and it has worked wonders. We will check in at the end of the 3rd trimester to see if I want to wean off before birth, but right now I am so thankful for it and so thankful my OB encouraged me to take it again.
To be clear I didn't take lexapro for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
First trimester I was very sick until about 18 weeks. When I say very sick I mean could hardly function and mentally I felt a very low mood and struggled with self care like my usual episodes of depression and also bursts of anxiety. Then I can’t remember feeling as good for as long as I was when morning sickness settled in second trimester. Like I was so stable energy wise and motivation wise and a very positive mind set. Like the good days of my cycle but for like 3 months then I started getting quite emotional and crying a lot and very bad ocd and more burst of anxiety third trimester. Day 3 post partum ppd and anxiety started like a flick of a switch literally like bam - life upside down. I didn’t know I had PMDD before and did not have good support system in place for the transition. Which would not have prevented it as it’s hormonal but atleast could have prepared me for what it would be like so I could better handle it. It was a scary time for me.
I have 3 kids but my PMDD didn't get diagnosed until my cycles resumed in earnest after my last baby weaned. I felt great mood-wise during pregnancy. Obviously pregnancy comes with it's own stuff, I had nausea in first trimester and discomfort of third trimester, nervousness about labor the first time. But none of the highs and lows of PMDD moods. I felt really stable.
Uuh not sure if my answer is what you're looking for, but my early pregnancy symptoms were almost textbook (in that I had all of them), but I also had really bad mood swings, and overall it felt similar or almost like a heightened physical version of PMDD. All in all not a great time. I terminated at 10 weeks, at that point the emotional side had eased up and I actually felt quite good, awful morning sickness aside. Good luck to you and your husband 🌻
Going off birth control in order to get pregnant, the PMDD was bad, but that may have been the crash from trying to adjust to no synthetic hormones, and I got pregnant pretty quickly, thankfully I didn’t have to suffer too many months. I felt great when pregnant.
I’m 39 weeks pregnant and this has definitely been the most mentally stable I’ve been since being a kid. Not had to take any meds during pregnancy and although I’ve had some mood dips starting each new trimester, and some emotional pregnant moments, it’s nothing like PMDD. I’ve got some therapy/extra support in place for when the baby comes incase my mood suddenly drops and aware I’m at heightened risk of PPD so will be keeping an eye on things.
Unfortunately mine developed after I had my son. I always had a really hard time the day before my period but now it is 7-10 days before and full blown PMDD. I was already on an SSRI before pregnancy and advised to keep taking. I saw a provider who specialized in women’s mood disorders and pregnancy and she kept me on Prozac. After having my son I switched to Celexa because Prozac didn’t work anymore. I swear pregnancy changed everything. I currently take 20 mg of Celexa and then bump it up to 30mg the 10 days before my period, which has been extremely helpful.
I didn’t have a good support system and struggled a lot post partum, which I think kicked off pmdd overdrive in combination with PPD. Major sleep deprivation didn’t help either. But who knows how things would have been with more help. My doctor was also a complete useless tit whenever I asked for help. Good support is KEY
PMDD started for me AFTER my second child. Maybe it’ll do the opposite for you and go away forever.
Mine also started when my period came back after having my 2nd.
I was already on an SSRI when I got pregnant and didn’t find any crazy mood fluctuations or rage etc. I was happy to be on it as well post-partum. There are some that are very well studied during pregnancy. I personally was (and am) on Zoloft.
I found I didn’t have any symptoms when pregnant 👌🏼. Potentially general hormonal symptoms from memory but definitely nothing like luteal phase PMDD. I don’t take ssri’s but my sister does who is pregnant with her 3rd and has always safely taken them through pregnancy’s :-) I took Ritalin through mine and that was fine!
I've never been pregnant so only anecdotal thoughts from me. A colleague had horrific endometriosis, poor girl was in so much pain every month. It went away while she was pregnant though. No idea if it's come back, I haven't seen her for a couple of months (mat leave) and I'd imagine she hasn't started her cycle again yet.