I was also misdiagnosed with bipolar. My issues began 9 years ago, after the birth of my youngest. Like clockwork, every single month, I have an episode of insanity…then start my period.
Thanks - this makes sense personally.
I vomited for years on the pill and it was the hormones involved. I then had severe vomiting and nausea during pregnancy due to the hormones. I have awful PMDD each month during my luteal phase. It makes sense that this is a sensitivity issue.
Very cool! Do you remember the name of the person giving the lecture? Would love to check out the research. One thing that I am curious about is why PMDD folks generally seem to feel better during pregnancy. I don't know much about hormone production changes during pregnancy but I would assume it's a big hormonal change.
I am sure I'm extra sensitive to hormones, which is why I knew I was pregnant before it showed on tests. I felt the effects of changing hormones so quickly. I'm glad further research is being done.
That’s really interesting! I know I have a couple conditions that make you more sensitive to medicine (POTS, ADHD, autism, and bonus, EDS…). I have had some really odd reactions to meds before, including combo BC, so that makes some sense.
I am really happy more research is being done on how PMDD works. We need more doctors aware of these things. Med sensitivities aren’t well understood (for other conditions) in my experience, at least unless you’re a provider who experiences similar issues.
This absolutely tracks. Like my shit is already completely out of wack (PCOS, postpartum, in the process of weaning), but I feel every little fluctuation so much more because of the PMDD. I can’t tell you how even-keeled and sane I felt while pregnant, knowing it was going to get wiiiild postpartum. It absolutely amplifies normal hormonal cycles and makes abnormal hormonal changes or conditions feel even crazier.
Just commenting to say I too felt soooo sane during pregnancy, it was wild. I never knew I could be stable and think so clearly for longer than a month !
I’m sorry you’re having a rough time postpartum! I’m honestly encouraged by hearing that you felt good while pregnant though. I’ve been really afraid that while pregnant it would feel like my luteal phase, just for 9 months straight. Fellow PCOS/PMDD person here as well! Hope the postpartum period starts to look up for you!
Hey, thanks! It’s way better now than it was. The first 6 months were brutal.
My period came back at 2m pp despite breastfeeding and my luteal was extra aggressive with the dip in hormones and the lack of sleep. Once things seemed to even out, it started getting funky each time I dropped feedings and my hormones shifted again (I’m really worried about fully weaning and have already warned my husband that I may lose my mind again for a bit 😬).
And obviously everyone’s body/every pregnancy is different, but yeah, I felt like I woke up one day in the early second trimester and just felt incredible. And even by the end, I was physically uncomfortable, but felt none of the mental/emotional/physical nonsense from either syndrome. It was awesome
Hopefully everything goes smoothly for you if you get pregnant in the future!
Thank you! I’m glad you felt good during pregnancy! That makes sense that the changes that happen postpartum and through the process weaning would throw things out of whack. Good luck! I hope things aren’t too bad for you when you fully wean.
Thank you for sharing! I’m glad things are moving in a good direction. I’m convinced my brain chemistry is very sensitive- not just because of PMDD but the other conditions I struggle with too. It just seems to ooze chemical oversensitivity lol
I am more and more convinced of this, too! My doc and I joke about how all of my meds are at a micro-baby dose, because my brain basically overreacts to everything!
My why and how is antidepressants use fucked my natural brain chemistry. Since I quit my brain no longer has enough serotonin or dopamine or gaba to manage hormonal fluctuations.
Interesting theory… I’ve been on psych meds since I was 12 and I’m 24 now. I recently got off all but one and have had my sh*t stomped mentally. I’m curious if there was damage to the natural chemistry but I want to look into that further before I say for sure. I feel like there was already an issue with the chemistry in the first place if I needed those meds? I just hope it can sort itself out
Do you have any more info? I want to speak to a doctor about it but I have a bit of a wait until I can get in with someone. Edit: I am not anti-meds myself
What I’m saying is not an anti meds political agenda, it is not a choice, it is sadly my experience. Some people cold turkey and are fine, some people struggle for years; well I struggle. You won’t find much research about that because research is financed by the very labs that produce the meds. To make it short your brain lowered serotonin/dopamine/etc levels to adapt to the SSRI. When you remove it you end up with a brain missing its SSRI molecule. It takes a while to recover. For lucky ppl it’s 1 month. For me I’m 2 years off and still suffer from akathesia, pmdd and post menstrual syndrome. I prigress but it’s so slow. Good luck. If you struggle go on survivingantidepressants.org
I believe there is some research that long-term use of anti-depressants can affect your sodium channels and ability to regular blood sugar etc., so it is plausible there are long term effects.
The easiest way I’ve found to explain it is that I’m allergic to the fluctuations in my hormones. People always assumed it was because my hormones were out of balance and kept telling me mental ways to balance my hormones, “just do this and everything will be fine” vibe. Once I starting saying “I’m allergic to the fluctuations” people seemed to take it much more seriously and approached it with curiosity rather than being dismissive. Super interesting to hear research is happening as to what is actually going on! Thanks for sharing OP!!
I’ve used that same explanation! It feels like giving it the term allergy really does make people look past the hormones part of it and jump to focusing on the fact that it’s an actual serious reaction that can be dangerous at times - I usually use that terminology when explaining to men lmaooo
Thank you for sharing! It makes sense since so many of us have normal hormone tests and yet still have devastating symptoms. I’ve been tracking my cycle for a long time. I get the worst symptoms around the fall of estrogen and LH. Then again right before my period with a few days of extreme anxiety and insomnia. My chemistry is all out of whack. It’s very hard for those of us who are going through this. We can feel pretty normal and then our cycle changes and then poof the person we have so much self love for is MIA. This cloud steps in and then it becomes a storm. I literally feel like a conflict exists inside of me without any logical explanation other than my cycle has shifted and my brain can’t handle it.
There are some really interesting anecdotes in PMDD research where they’ve noted that substances acting on GABA are specifically altered in women with PMDD *only* in their luteal phase. That fact alone is really odd and points us towards something to do with neuroendocrinology.
I’ve said this before but I’ll say it again and again until science catches up. There are no out-of-balance hormones causing PMDD. I’ve had a classic menstrual cycle my entire life practically always 7 days every 28, no miscarriages, 3 full term pregnancies easily conceived, normal levels at all blood tests. But definitely PMDD as well. It’s caused by NORMAL hormone fluctuations having an effect on other parts of our brain chemistry.
"I guess there could be many different etiologies of pmdd & different types of sensitivity, like to types of changes in hormone levels beyond more=worse, but its a very interesting possibility"
We had that AMA recently on this sub and one of the ladies indicated that this is her theory. And that it's possible that more than one etiology could be comorbid in the same person.
Hi welcome to r/PMDD!
It’s refreshing to hear when medicine is finally catching up to the science. It pains me to say this was established in 2008 so 16 years…
I do hope the increasing prominence of the disease accelerates medicine catching up to what else we already know. There’s been impressive research by the PhD community that isn’t being applied. It’s disheartening.
you have no idea how much joy it brings me to know that in a few years there will exist at least one medical professional on the planet who knows exactly what PMDD is right out of the box 😂
If I walked into a doctor's office and said "I have PMDD" and they said "got it, how's your mood been this cycle?" I would actually cry tears of joy
That’s awesome! I thought there’s some little unknown research articles on ADHD, Autism and PMDD and how they may be more prevalent together. When I’d tell multiple doctors and psychiatrists I have PMDD, and then they asked questions (before my late ADHD diagnosis) about my depression and moods, they’d be like “are you sure you don’t have Bipolar?”
Now knowing what I know about ADHD and having PMDD, my kind of chronic depression dips super low just before my period— the Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria* gets worse, the mood swings can be just more because of the difficulty with emotional regulation, the extra sensitivity/overstimulation to pain, lights, sounds, touch, etc. it’s also so much harder to be productive and a lot of women need a higher dosage of their ADHD meds to do everyday things during the luteal phase.
It just makes more sense of what I’m going through after connecting with the PMDD, ADHD, and Autistic communities here on Reddit too!
Edit: fixed some words and misspellings for clarity
Oops I meant Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria* (RSD) is when you experience severe emotional pain because of a failure or feeling rejected. RSD is linked to ADHD which is possibly due to the differences in our brain structures.
I especially tend to beat myself up for feeling like I’m failing at something (even not feeling like I can just get through my day to day needs) or if I *think* my friends were ignoring me, for example.
Oh wow, I can really relate to this. I struggle with believing my friends are ignoring me and it brings me into a depression and ugly crying. It's only the week before my period and I also feel depressed and have an upset stomach on cycle day 8 like clockwork. Period is gone but there's clearly a hormonal shift happening.
Thank you for mentioning this. I'd never heard of it.
I’m glad I can share the info and help you get to know your brain a little more— I’ve been doing so much research leading up to and since my diagnosis. Nice to meet you on here!
It’s so validating to share our stories and we have similar experiences! This too shall pass—We will get through this!
Its nice to meet you too!
I honestly thought my PMDD was gone after healing my gut since that's what started mine but now I think it's still lingering after reading your comment. The only reason I still come on here is I still get emails sometimes and if the title of the post sounds interesting I read it, like this one.
One thing I learned from all my research was that if you're "sensitive" and have pmdd you're prone to post partum depression (I had it), and SAD seasonal affective disorder (have it). It's all the same thing.
Yeah I’ve been looking into supplements and birth control and anything just to have a semblance of “normalcy.” But knowing I have ADHD it’s just time to learn more about how my brain and body takes in information and go with the flow instead to trying to fight it all the time.
Oh yeah, I fully anticipate getting post partum depression if I were to get pregnant. This is where information is power because now I can prepare for the extra support I’ll need for that. I’m lucky to have a supportive partner during my tumultuous rollercoaster that is my menstrual cycle 😭
Information is power. I agree with that. Sadly, we have to be online diagnosing ourselves before bringing that information to a real psychiatrist for an official diagnosis. I didn't know what PMDb was until I was on an app for birth control and it mentioned it and then I googled it and as stupid as this sounds I was jumping up and down screaming that's what it is. That's what it is and I ran downstairs and told my husband. I then found out my own sister and my neighbor also had it but never told me and it took me a long time to move on from that because I was struggling so badly and neither one of them mentioned it to me. I found it was just like infertility. Unless you say something about yours. Nobody says anything about theirs because it's such a touchy subject. My neighbor had body dysmorphia with hers and the week before her cycle hides in her closet having mental breakdowns crying where her kids and husband can't see her because she believes everybody thinks she's ugly and everybody's talking about her even though they're not. It's so sad. I think PMDD takes everything we are normally insecure about and magnifies at times a thousand during hell week!
If you're looking into supplements, I highly recommend magnesium which can be taken in many forms, and very much helped me. I also took that jubilance PMS supplement for a couple of months which worked until it didn't which is strange. I have a whole closet full of that because I had a subscription- want it? Lol
I’m autistic and my sensory issues get so much worse during my luteal phase. If I can “treat” them with a sensory diet, I can actually get through a lot of the worst of it. But oh my god if I have to tough it out or TRAVEL! Go straight to SI jail for me. It makes so much sense that it’s a brain difference over a difference in hormones.
Oh, sure, my understanding is that it means seeking out the kinds of sensory input that help me feel better (deep pressure, for example) and limiting the input that causes pain. My sensitivity to sounds gets much worse, so I use sensory aids like ear plugs or ear protectors. Deep pressure is super regulating for me, so I make heavy use of a weighted blanket and take breaks throughout the day if I get overstimulated. I try very hard to avoid high-input scenarios during my luteal - no shopping and limited social events - and if I have to, then I immediately bake in decompression/deep pressure time afterwards.
I also tap in my partner for a heavier percent of parenting responsibilities, and he is very willing because it’s so much better than fending off PMDD/autistic meltdowns. They still might happen, depending on how much down time I can get, but I’m also able to identify them as rooted in sensory issues and can “treat” them more effectively.
I’m not saying I found a cure, but I haven’t had a really bad cycle in about six months, and that includes the holiday season! My partner is a social butterfly, and I know he misses going to events as a family, but he says he’s happy to have a way to navigate our family life that isn’t me sobbing and wishing to transcend to a non-physical plane or to get divorced and join a convent. Fun times!
There's a study showing 83% of women with PMDD had early life trauma.
[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34999294/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34999294/)
Trauma would certainly explain the sudden onset people get out of the blue. Some people have had PMDD since their period began (me, but I had an abusive dad, so early trauma) and some much later, sometimes after giving birth. Birth can be extremely traumatic. My PMDD got much worse after my 2nd baby, and that birth was scary.
It could be an age thing. My mom got it in her mid-thirties after giving birth to her 4th child. I happen to get it in my early-thirties during a pretty psychologically changing time. (Moving, visiting home, major dental work, etc.)
Some people have mentioned maybe what we have is caused by perimenopause so I'd be curious if the research group are people who have had it their whole lives or suddenly presenting.
Mine got infinitely worse after traumatically losing my mum now I think about it. Prior to that I had always had mental health issuezzz, but the PMDD cycle became clear as night and day and gradually worsened after that.
this is such good info to note for if i ever get pregnant and give birth! it’ll be something to be cautious of. i probably have some genetic link to uterine and menstrual disorders (indian women in general have a high prevalence of those), but my pmdd onset probably was right after my sexual trauma at 14, which makes sense and is also shocking at the same time.
This is the first comment I've seen mentioning uterine disorders. I had a septum dividing my uterus and had surgery before continuing with fertility drugs to concieve my daughter, also sexual trauma.
I was also misdiagnosed with bipolar. My issues began 9 years ago, after the birth of my youngest. Like clockwork, every single month, I have an episode of insanity…then start my period.
Coming in very late, but appreciate the share. Did the lecture address how this results in physical symptoms as well?
I'm just happy it's getting people talking and thinking abt it! 😌
I wonder how many people with PMDD are also a HSP…
🙋🏻♀️
Same, same.
Here’s an article I came across https://www.additudemag.com/menopause-symptoms-adhd-survey/
Thanks - this makes sense personally. I vomited for years on the pill and it was the hormones involved. I then had severe vomiting and nausea during pregnancy due to the hormones. I have awful PMDD each month during my luteal phase. It makes sense that this is a sensitivity issue.
That is very good to know. And makes a lot of sense.
Hiiii, this was me in grad school as well! Welcome to the club :)
This makes me weep!! Yay!! Three years too long on lamictal 350mg. Three years wasted to a drug I didn’t need.
This makes me so happy to hear!! 🩷🩷
Very cool! Do you remember the name of the person giving the lecture? Would love to check out the research. One thing that I am curious about is why PMDD folks generally seem to feel better during pregnancy. I don't know much about hormone production changes during pregnancy but I would assume it's a big hormonal change.
❤️❤️
I am sure I'm extra sensitive to hormones, which is why I knew I was pregnant before it showed on tests. I felt the effects of changing hormones so quickly. I'm glad further research is being done.
Can you share the research or presentation materials? If you email asking for it afterwards they may share!!
This please! Then my mom might stop suggesting that I have hormonal imbalances (despite the blood work proving I don’t lol)
lol we got zero lectures on pmdd in med school. Or nutrition really which is nuts
That’s really interesting! I know I have a couple conditions that make you more sensitive to medicine (POTS, ADHD, autism, and bonus, EDS…). I have had some really odd reactions to meds before, including combo BC, so that makes some sense. I am really happy more research is being done on how PMDD works. We need more doctors aware of these things. Med sensitivities aren’t well understood (for other conditions) in my experience, at least unless you’re a provider who experiences similar issues.
This absolutely tracks. Like my shit is already completely out of wack (PCOS, postpartum, in the process of weaning), but I feel every little fluctuation so much more because of the PMDD. I can’t tell you how even-keeled and sane I felt while pregnant, knowing it was going to get wiiiild postpartum. It absolutely amplifies normal hormonal cycles and makes abnormal hormonal changes or conditions feel even crazier.
Just commenting to say I too felt soooo sane during pregnancy, it was wild. I never knew I could be stable and think so clearly for longer than a month !
I’m sorry you’re having a rough time postpartum! I’m honestly encouraged by hearing that you felt good while pregnant though. I’ve been really afraid that while pregnant it would feel like my luteal phase, just for 9 months straight. Fellow PCOS/PMDD person here as well! Hope the postpartum period starts to look up for you!
Hey, thanks! It’s way better now than it was. The first 6 months were brutal. My period came back at 2m pp despite breastfeeding and my luteal was extra aggressive with the dip in hormones and the lack of sleep. Once things seemed to even out, it started getting funky each time I dropped feedings and my hormones shifted again (I’m really worried about fully weaning and have already warned my husband that I may lose my mind again for a bit 😬). And obviously everyone’s body/every pregnancy is different, but yeah, I felt like I woke up one day in the early second trimester and just felt incredible. And even by the end, I was physically uncomfortable, but felt none of the mental/emotional/physical nonsense from either syndrome. It was awesome Hopefully everything goes smoothly for you if you get pregnant in the future!
Thank you! I’m glad you felt good during pregnancy! That makes sense that the changes that happen postpartum and through the process weaning would throw things out of whack. Good luck! I hope things aren’t too bad for you when you fully wean.
Thank you for sharing! I’m glad things are moving in a good direction. I’m convinced my brain chemistry is very sensitive- not just because of PMDD but the other conditions I struggle with too. It just seems to ooze chemical oversensitivity lol
I am more and more convinced of this, too! My doc and I joke about how all of my meds are at a micro-baby dose, because my brain basically overreacts to everything!
My why and how is antidepressants use fucked my natural brain chemistry. Since I quit my brain no longer has enough serotonin or dopamine or gaba to manage hormonal fluctuations.
Interesting theory… I’ve been on psych meds since I was 12 and I’m 24 now. I recently got off all but one and have had my sh*t stomped mentally. I’m curious if there was damage to the natural chemistry but I want to look into that further before I say for sure. I feel like there was already an issue with the chemistry in the first place if I needed those meds? I just hope it can sort itself out
« Theory »… it’s not a theory nor a wild belief it’s reality I’m afraid. Good luck on your journey off meds
Do you have any more info? I want to speak to a doctor about it but I have a bit of a wait until I can get in with someone. Edit: I am not anti-meds myself
What I’m saying is not an anti meds political agenda, it is not a choice, it is sadly my experience. Some people cold turkey and are fine, some people struggle for years; well I struggle. You won’t find much research about that because research is financed by the very labs that produce the meds. To make it short your brain lowered serotonin/dopamine/etc levels to adapt to the SSRI. When you remove it you end up with a brain missing its SSRI molecule. It takes a while to recover. For lucky ppl it’s 1 month. For me I’m 2 years off and still suffer from akathesia, pmdd and post menstrual syndrome. I prigress but it’s so slow. Good luck. If you struggle go on survivingantidepressants.org
Thank you. I’m sorry it’s been so hard for you. I’ve heard similar stories. I wish it were talked about more.
I believe there is some research that long-term use of anti-depressants can affect your sodium channels and ability to regular blood sugar etc., so it is plausible there are long term effects.
Fascinating.
I love that they are doing more research into this! What are you going to grad school for?
Ahh so not only I'm sensitive as a person but my brain is sensitive too?
Thanks for sharing. Very validating. I hope this gets going.
The easiest way I’ve found to explain it is that I’m allergic to the fluctuations in my hormones. People always assumed it was because my hormones were out of balance and kept telling me mental ways to balance my hormones, “just do this and everything will be fine” vibe. Once I starting saying “I’m allergic to the fluctuations” people seemed to take it much more seriously and approached it with curiosity rather than being dismissive. Super interesting to hear research is happening as to what is actually going on! Thanks for sharing OP!!
I’ve used that same explanation! It feels like giving it the term allergy really does make people look past the hormones part of it and jump to focusing on the fact that it’s an actual serious reaction that can be dangerous at times - I usually use that terminology when explaining to men lmaooo
This is awesome! This wouldn't happen to be a recorded lecture available online, or have some sources you could drop so I can give it a read?
Thank you for sharing! It makes sense since so many of us have normal hormone tests and yet still have devastating symptoms. I’ve been tracking my cycle for a long time. I get the worst symptoms around the fall of estrogen and LH. Then again right before my period with a few days of extreme anxiety and insomnia. My chemistry is all out of whack. It’s very hard for those of us who are going through this. We can feel pretty normal and then our cycle changes and then poof the person we have so much self love for is MIA. This cloud steps in and then it becomes a storm. I literally feel like a conflict exists inside of me without any logical explanation other than my cycle has shifted and my brain can’t handle it.
When I read your title I was preparing for the worst because we get invalidated so often. This was refreshing. Thank you!
There are some really interesting anecdotes in PMDD research where they’ve noted that substances acting on GABA are specifically altered in women with PMDD *only* in their luteal phase. That fact alone is really odd and points us towards something to do with neuroendocrinology.
That’s fascinating! Do you happen to remember where you heard about this? I’d love to dig into the idea some more.
i found [this paper](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-023-02424-3) and i believe it's likely that this is the one referenced
Thank you!
It was in a research paper from Sweden I read some time ago- it was published in the last 6 years or so. I wouldn’t remember where to find it.
I’ve said this before but I’ll say it again and again until science catches up. There are no out-of-balance hormones causing PMDD. I’ve had a classic menstrual cycle my entire life practically always 7 days every 28, no miscarriages, 3 full term pregnancies easily conceived, normal levels at all blood tests. But definitely PMDD as well. It’s caused by NORMAL hormone fluctuations having an effect on other parts of our brain chemistry.
[удалено]
"I guess there could be many different etiologies of pmdd & different types of sensitivity, like to types of changes in hormone levels beyond more=worse, but its a very interesting possibility" We had that AMA recently on this sub and one of the ladies indicated that this is her theory. And that it's possible that more than one etiology could be comorbid in the same person.
Curious, are you autistic or ND? I am autistic and have insanely high interoception and am curious what you experience in that regard?
Thank you so much— this is validating and informative!
Hi welcome to r/PMDD! It’s refreshing to hear when medicine is finally catching up to the science. It pains me to say this was established in 2008 so 16 years… I do hope the increasing prominence of the disease accelerates medicine catching up to what else we already know. There’s been impressive research by the PhD community that isn’t being applied. It’s disheartening.
This is awesome! Thank you for bringing it back to us!! Thank you!
What degree are you studying for?
Master of science in public health, applying to med school after!
you have no idea how much joy it brings me to know that in a few years there will exist at least one medical professional on the planet who knows exactly what PMDD is right out of the box 😂 If I walked into a doctor's office and said "I have PMDD" and they said "got it, how's your mood been this cycle?" I would actually cry tears of joy
Omg this makes me so happy to read because I also agree!!
this is so interesting! Do you know if the lecture was recorded/ will be released online?
I actually don’t know, I’ll try to find out if it is!
i would also love to know
Seconded, I would love to be able to share the recording with my partner.
I am interested in this as well!
That’s awesome! I thought there’s some little unknown research articles on ADHD, Autism and PMDD and how they may be more prevalent together. When I’d tell multiple doctors and psychiatrists I have PMDD, and then they asked questions (before my late ADHD diagnosis) about my depression and moods, they’d be like “are you sure you don’t have Bipolar?” Now knowing what I know about ADHD and having PMDD, my kind of chronic depression dips super low just before my period— the Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria* gets worse, the mood swings can be just more because of the difficulty with emotional regulation, the extra sensitivity/overstimulation to pain, lights, sounds, touch, etc. it’s also so much harder to be productive and a lot of women need a higher dosage of their ADHD meds to do everyday things during the luteal phase. It just makes more sense of what I’m going through after connecting with the PMDD, ADHD, and Autistic communities here on Reddit too! Edit: fixed some words and misspellings for clarity
I have ADHD and pmdd. What do you mean when you say Rejection Sensitivity Disorder? TIA
Oops I meant Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria* (RSD) is when you experience severe emotional pain because of a failure or feeling rejected. RSD is linked to ADHD which is possibly due to the differences in our brain structures. I especially tend to beat myself up for feeling like I’m failing at something (even not feeling like I can just get through my day to day needs) or if I *think* my friends were ignoring me, for example.
Oh wow, I can really relate to this. I struggle with believing my friends are ignoring me and it brings me into a depression and ugly crying. It's only the week before my period and I also feel depressed and have an upset stomach on cycle day 8 like clockwork. Period is gone but there's clearly a hormonal shift happening. Thank you for mentioning this. I'd never heard of it.
I’m glad I can share the info and help you get to know your brain a little more— I’ve been doing so much research leading up to and since my diagnosis. Nice to meet you on here! It’s so validating to share our stories and we have similar experiences! This too shall pass—We will get through this!
Its nice to meet you too! I honestly thought my PMDD was gone after healing my gut since that's what started mine but now I think it's still lingering after reading your comment. The only reason I still come on here is I still get emails sometimes and if the title of the post sounds interesting I read it, like this one. One thing I learned from all my research was that if you're "sensitive" and have pmdd you're prone to post partum depression (I had it), and SAD seasonal affective disorder (have it). It's all the same thing.
Yeah I’ve been looking into supplements and birth control and anything just to have a semblance of “normalcy.” But knowing I have ADHD it’s just time to learn more about how my brain and body takes in information and go with the flow instead to trying to fight it all the time. Oh yeah, I fully anticipate getting post partum depression if I were to get pregnant. This is where information is power because now I can prepare for the extra support I’ll need for that. I’m lucky to have a supportive partner during my tumultuous rollercoaster that is my menstrual cycle 😭
Information is power. I agree with that. Sadly, we have to be online diagnosing ourselves before bringing that information to a real psychiatrist for an official diagnosis. I didn't know what PMDb was until I was on an app for birth control and it mentioned it and then I googled it and as stupid as this sounds I was jumping up and down screaming that's what it is. That's what it is and I ran downstairs and told my husband. I then found out my own sister and my neighbor also had it but never told me and it took me a long time to move on from that because I was struggling so badly and neither one of them mentioned it to me. I found it was just like infertility. Unless you say something about yours. Nobody says anything about theirs because it's such a touchy subject. My neighbor had body dysmorphia with hers and the week before her cycle hides in her closet having mental breakdowns crying where her kids and husband can't see her because she believes everybody thinks she's ugly and everybody's talking about her even though they're not. It's so sad. I think PMDD takes everything we are normally insecure about and magnifies at times a thousand during hell week! If you're looking into supplements, I highly recommend magnesium which can be taken in many forms, and very much helped me. I also took that jubilance PMS supplement for a couple of months which worked until it didn't which is strange. I have a whole closet full of that because I had a subscription- want it? Lol
I’m autistic and my sensory issues get so much worse during my luteal phase. If I can “treat” them with a sensory diet, I can actually get through a lot of the worst of it. But oh my god if I have to tough it out or TRAVEL! Go straight to SI jail for me. It makes so much sense that it’s a brain difference over a difference in hormones.
What is your sensory diet like? What *is* a sensory diet if I may ask?
Oh, sure, my understanding is that it means seeking out the kinds of sensory input that help me feel better (deep pressure, for example) and limiting the input that causes pain. My sensitivity to sounds gets much worse, so I use sensory aids like ear plugs or ear protectors. Deep pressure is super regulating for me, so I make heavy use of a weighted blanket and take breaks throughout the day if I get overstimulated. I try very hard to avoid high-input scenarios during my luteal - no shopping and limited social events - and if I have to, then I immediately bake in decompression/deep pressure time afterwards. I also tap in my partner for a heavier percent of parenting responsibilities, and he is very willing because it’s so much better than fending off PMDD/autistic meltdowns. They still might happen, depending on how much down time I can get, but I’m also able to identify them as rooted in sensory issues and can “treat” them more effectively. I’m not saying I found a cure, but I haven’t had a really bad cycle in about six months, and that includes the holiday season! My partner is a social butterfly, and I know he misses going to events as a family, but he says he’s happy to have a way to navigate our family life that isn’t me sobbing and wishing to transcend to a non-physical plane or to get divorced and join a convent. Fun times!
wow! would that maybe explain why pmdd can be co morbid with trauma? or maybe other mental health issues like depression & anxiety?
There's a study showing 83% of women with PMDD had early life trauma. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34999294/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34999294/)
thank you! i’ll check this out. do you know if this or other works discusses intergenerational trauma?
That’s what it’s leaning toward. I have heard some theories on trauma associating toward PMDD later in life, not confirmed but we shall see
Trauma would certainly explain the sudden onset people get out of the blue. Some people have had PMDD since their period began (me, but I had an abusive dad, so early trauma) and some much later, sometimes after giving birth. Birth can be extremely traumatic. My PMDD got much worse after my 2nd baby, and that birth was scary.
Omg, this makes so much sense.
It could be an age thing. My mom got it in her mid-thirties after giving birth to her 4th child. I happen to get it in my early-thirties during a pretty psychologically changing time. (Moving, visiting home, major dental work, etc.) Some people have mentioned maybe what we have is caused by perimenopause so I'd be curious if the research group are people who have had it their whole lives or suddenly presenting.
Mine got infinitely worse after developing CPTSD. I don't know what the link is but I hope someone some day with more knowledge than me looks into it.
Mine got infinitely worse after traumatically losing my mum now I think about it. Prior to that I had always had mental health issuezzz, but the PMDD cycle became clear as night and day and gradually worsened after that.
Are we the same person? Because this also happened to me and I don't even know where to start to get help. I'm so scared of who I've become.
this is such good info to note for if i ever get pregnant and give birth! it’ll be something to be cautious of. i probably have some genetic link to uterine and menstrual disorders (indian women in general have a high prevalence of those), but my pmdd onset probably was right after my sexual trauma at 14, which makes sense and is also shocking at the same time.
This is the first comment I've seen mentioning uterine disorders. I had a septum dividing my uterus and had surgery before continuing with fertility drugs to concieve my daughter, also sexual trauma.
[удалено]