I have pmdd which stands for Premenstrual dysphoric disorder. It is a very severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), which can cause many emotional and physical symptoms every month during the week or two before you start your period. It is sometimes referred to as 'severe PMS'. I have been a emotional wreck at times with it. I would like to hear from any women here who have this and how they cope with it emotional.
I don't consider myself a woman but I have it :/ isn't it the worst??? I can't believe a few hormones can make me feel so awful! I actually got on an SSRI medication (citalopram if you're curious) to help mine. It's cut the emotional toll in half at least. Now my periods make me feel a bit more emotional and moderately depressed instead of wildly emotional and severely depressed. I still do a LOT of self-care during it to cope. Chocolate milk and a cute movie cheers me up usually, along with pain meds and some cozy blankets and PJs. I cope by taking it easy when it hits and making sure to do lots of self-care.
I have read about pmdd, but I've never actually gotten a diagnosis. A lot of the symptoms are familiar to me, but I feel like I can't say that I officially have it. I mean, everyone deals with pms, and I have too, my whole life. But a while back, I had to have a thyroidectomy which threw my whole endocrine system off, and I've noticed since then, the week before my period every month is unbearable in a way it never was before. It genuinely scares me. One time I was so disoriented I forgot how to get home one night. I actually pray to get my period now, because all the pain I get from my period is easier to deal with than feeling so unlike myself. I told my gynecologist about it a while back, and she said that really the only thing you can do about it is to practice good mental health habits (therapy) and/or take a very low dose of prozac when you start feeling symptoms of pmdd. She wrote me the prescription, and I got it filled a while ago, but I'm so afraid to see how I'd react to it. Have you been prescribed anything to help with your symptoms?
