I’ve had what feels like a thousand different diagnoses over the years. Mental health issues, thyroid issues, and autoimmune to name a few. On top of that, I was diagnosed with PMDD, also known as Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder about 5 years ago. Want to know what it’s like living with PMDD? Well, it’s no joke my friends. It takes the term PMS to a whole new level and it’s important to know the difference between the two so that you can get help if you need it. Quiet frankly, it’s a hormonal fight that NO woman should have to have.

Let’s talk about PMDD below and see if it might be something you or someone you love might benefit from looking into.

What exactly is PMDD?

PMDD or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder is a glorified version of what most of us know as PMS. Maybe you’re one of the lucky ones who experiences only mild symptoms of PMS but in case you need a recap of some of the classics, here they are…

• Bloating
• Headaches
• Breast Tenderness
• Moodiness
• Fatigue
• Irritability

Living with PMDD is all that… and more. PMDD has a strong focus on the emotional aspects of your cycle. It can develop later in life, often in your late 20’s. For me, it seemed like having children really kicked the PMDD into gear. PMDD can be severely debilitating and rule your life if you’re not careful and while it can look different for certain people, it’s often a combination of the following, typically on an intense level.

• Extreme Mood Swings
• Depressive Episodes & Feeling Hopeless
• Intense Fatigue or Lethargy
• Sensitivity
• Anxiety
• Issues in Relationships
• Appetite Changes
• Anger & Irritability

What It’s Like Living With PMDD

The Flow

This may be TMI but you’re likely here for a reason so I’ll be transparent. The average length of a period lasts about 3-5 days. But with PMDD? It would sometimes last me as long as 3 weeks. This meant the majority of my life was spent on my period. Not only was the length of my period extremely annoying, but it was also insanely heavy. I’ll spare the details here but if you’ve ever had a heavy period, you know that it’s not only obnoxious, it’s painful and restricts aspects of your life.

The Irritability

You know how you can get a little moody and crabby the week before your period? Take that feeling and times it by 20 because with PMDD, I was irritable for weeks. For me, irritability was a super short temper. I was always agitated with my surroundings and even the people I love. Everyday things that had been a part of my life for years, or were a very normal part of other people’s lives would drive me up the wall and it left me feeling miserable.

The Inconsistent Mood

Aside from being irritable the majority of the time, I felt unpredictable in terms of moods. One minute I would be super emotional or crying and the next minute I’d feel cold, angry, and disconnected. If you’ve read some of my other blogs, you know that mental health in general has been a challenge for me over the years. So this hormonal roller coaster was only adding fuel to a fire that was constantly fluctuating.

The Depth of Mood

Whatever mood I was in, it was heightened to say the least. If I was feeling low, I often felt realllllly low. If I was irritable, I was extremely irritable and snappy for no apparent reason. In a nutshell? I was uber-sensitive about any and everything. Not only did this become confusing for me, but I know it was super confusing for the people around me too!

Bloating & Water Weight

Another glorious part of PMS is often temporary bloating and water weight gain. But with PMDD, it feels like you’re in a constant state of bloat and “big”. It doesn’t matter how much water you drink or what dietary changes you make, it’s a constant feeling of being uncomfortable. I remember trying to take water pills to depuff, but it ultimately just made me more irritable. (yes, it’s a real thing and this can be a side-effect of water pills!)

Depressive Episodes

I know I’ve already touched on moodiness and irritability, but living with unmanaged PMDD made me have deep, depressive episodes all the time. My sadness would often feel never-ending and when I was in that dark state, I just couldn’t seem to pull myself out no matter how hard I tried. It can become really difficult to sort out your own thoughts when hormones are in the driver’s seat.

Weakened Immune System

I always noticed growing up that if it was the week before my period, I could pretty much count on getting sick. Did you know this is a real thing? The body’s immune system and its cells actually become weaker right before your period, making you more likely to catch whatever is going around at that time. So with PMDD being such a constant struggle every month, for me, this meant I was getting sick all the time. Supplementing with Vitamin D and Zinc, along with discovering an immune system issue has helped this too. (future blog on that soon!)

Getting an Official Diagnosis

If you look at all the possible symptoms above, you can see some overlap with other physical and mental diagnoses that could cause the same symptoms. This is why PMDD can often go undiagnosed, or people just get used to the routine of it each month. I’m here to tell you that it CAN get better, and settling for this monthly shit show isn’t something you need to be doing.

Once I finally took all this to a certain OB, they were pretty quick to suggest PMDD. I want to point out that certain doctors can be pretty old school. PMDD is a relatively “new” diagnosis and may not be on everyone’s radar. In fact, just telling people that you have PMDD often brings up the question, what is PMDD? So once again, just having the awareness allows YOU to bring it to your healthcare provider whether it’s something they diagnose a lot or not.

What Helps PMDD

For me, the biggest game changer has been the birth control Yaz. It is the only birth control that has been studied and used to treat symptoms of PMDD and it has “controlled” my PMDD better than any other SSRI, which is also often prescribed for PMDD. Honestly, it’s less than ideal having to take a birth control pill every day when I could ultimately get tubal ligation to stop the chance of having another child. But having that surgery will not change my hormonal fluctuations so for now, this is what has been working for me.

I’m aware that there are not only side effects from taking birth control pills but also that there are long-term risks. That being said, the relief I’ve found outweighs that right now and so for me, this is the right fit.

What It’s Like Living With PMDD For Friends & Family

Not only does PMDD drastically affect you, it drastically affects the people you love. I say this as a reminder that it’s not everyone else’s responsibility to deal with our hormonal fluctuations. Our hormonal fluctuations can cause us to be different versions of ourselves and for me, that version wasn’t always easy to be around. I feel more confident being in control of my emotions and this allows me to have better relationships with the people around me. I often look back at certain interactions (especially with my husband) and feel bad knowing that my hormones caused more battles than necessary.

If you think you might be living with PMDD, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor about it or do your own research. You deserve to feel your best and like I always say, that starts with you being your own advocate! Let me know if you have any questions, I’m always happy to help!

Remember friends, just as the great Ice Cube once said… Chickity Check yo’ self before you wreck yo’ self.

Note: This blog is based on personal experience and opinion. I am not a medical professional but believe that we can all benefit from each other’s experiences and life challenges!