What is Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)?

Season 01, Episode 02

~You make a choice: continue living your life feeling muddled in this abyss of self-misunderstanding, or you find your identity independent of it. You draw your own box. ~ Duchess Meghan

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a severe form of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). PMDD has all the same symptoms of PMS but on an extreme level plus more unusual symptoms (Office of Women's Health, 2021). It not only effects the female reproductive organs but also, (including but not limited too) hormone levels, certain brain chemicals such as serotonin, heart/neuro/ocular/respiratory/gastro & skin problems to name a few.

Unlike PMS symptoms, PMDD Symptoms typically appear 1-2 weeks, in rare cases 3 weeks, before the beginning of your cycle and end a day or two after mensuration starts. These types of symptoms severely impact day to day life and can make it extremely difficult to perform normal daily tasks. Some PMDD symptoms can be so relentless that woman can have a hard time functioning at work, at home, and in their relationships with family/friends & significant others (John Hopkins Medicine, 2019).

Common PMDD Symptoms

Psychological	Fluid Retention	Gastroinestinal	Other
Irritability	Swelling of the Extremities	Abdominal cramps	Decreased coordination
Nervousness	Periodic weight gain	Bloating	Painful Menstration
Lack of control	Diminished urine output	Constipation	Diminished sex drive
Agitation	Breast fullness and pain	Nausea	Appetite Changes
Anger/Rage		Vomiting	Food Cravings / binge eating
Insomnia	Respiratory Problems	Pelvic heaviness or pressure	Hot Flashes
Unfocused	Allergies	Backache	Anxiety Sweats
Depression	Infections
Severe Fatigue		Neurologic and Vascular
Anxiety/Panic	Eye Complaints	Headache/ Migraine
Confusion	Vision Changes	Dizziness
Forgetfulness	Eye Infection	Fainting
Poor Self Image		Numbness, prickling, tingling in arms or legs
Paranoia	Skin Problems	Easy Brusing
Emotional Sensitivity	Skin inflammation with itching	Heart Palpitations
Crying Spells	Acne	Muscle spasms
Moodiness	Aggravation of other skin disorders (ie, cold sores)
Trouble Sleeping

(John Hopkins Medicine, 2019)

Contact your PCM

PMDD is a relatively new medical phenomenon. The cause and cure is not known. Because PMDD's symptoms can resemble other medical conditions or mental health disorders (i.e. thyroid disease, depression, anxiety, bi-polar, and insomnia) it can take years to diagnose to rule out common conditions and disorders.

PMDD Treatments

With PMDD being a new diagnosis, treatments for the disorder are, at the moment, a form to help manage the symptoms to allow you to continue on with day to day life. Depending on what your symptoms are, your physician might prescribe to you a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), an oral contraceptive, prenatal vitamin, dietary change, counseling and lifestyle change. On more severe circumstances, Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs (GnRH analogs or GnRH agonists) can be prescribed (also known as chemical menopause). If all else fails and the disorder continues to worsen over several years (with physician's acknowledgment), the permanent solution is a Hysterectomy or Oophorectomy or both. (Short, MD, n.d.)

~It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything.~ Edward Norton as Tyler Durden

Fight Club, 1999

Tune in next for Episode 03: Dysmenorrhea vs PMS vs PMDD: What is the difference?

References

Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Serotonin: What is it, function & levels. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22572-serotonin

John Hopkins Medicine. (2019, November 19). Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Johns Hopkins Medicine, based in Baltimore, Maryland. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-pmdd

Office of Women's Health. (2021, February 22). Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Office on Women's Health. https://www.womenshealth.gov/menstrual-cycle/premenstrual-syndrome/premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-pmdd

Short, MD, H. (n.d.). Premenstrual disorders and menopause. IAPMD. https://iapmd.org/menopause