How to tell when your period symptoms are cause for concern, and what you should do about it.
By Susan Crandell, BettyConfidential.com
PMDD strikes one in 10 women, causing symptoms so severe they interfere with daily life. If depression runs in your family or if you have suffered from it yourself, your risk is higher. No one knows what causes PMS or PMDD, though hormone levels are thought to play a major role. Scientists also believe the disorder is linked to lower levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter.
Is It PMDD?
How do you know whether you have garden variety PMS, or its evil twin, PMDD? According to the Cleveland Clinic, “PMDD is diagnosed when at least five of the following symptoms occur seven to 10 days before menstruation and go away within a few days of the start of the menstrual period.” The symptoms cluster includes: mood swings, anger and irritability, tension, fatigue, decreased interest in normal activities, sleep problems, bloating and a change in appetite, which can manifest as cravings, overeating or lack or appetite. PMDD can even cause muscle aches, joint pain and headaches. Sufferers say you'll know if you have it because you'll feel like crap.
If It Is, What Should You Do?
There are a number of measures you can take to ease the misery of PMDD. The simplest, and therefore the ones to try first, are lifestyle changes. Research shows that exercising regularly can ease the symptoms. A healthy diet, limiting salt and caffeine and including high-carb meals during the time of the month when symptoms strike can help. So can taking magnesium, calcium and vitamin B-6; and research shows that the herbal remedies chasteberry and L-tryptophan can alleviate the emotional effects of PMDD.
If more intervention is warranted, there are several drugs your doctor can prescribe. Oral contraceptives level out your hormonal peaks and valleys, damping down the resulting mood swings. You've probably seen the ads for Yaz, which markets itself as “the only birth control proven to treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder,” though interestingly it does not alleviate PMDD's milder cousin, PMS. For emotional distress, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends a particular class of antidepressants called selective seratonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which can help with food cravings and sleep issues as well as depression. For physical symptoms, pain meds like Advil, Motrin and Aleve are beneficial.
Many women say that one of the worst aspects of PMDD is how isolated they feel. “Going out of my mind!” “Someone rip out my uterus, please!” and “I feel so alone” are just a few of the comments posted at mdjunction.com, one of the Web sites that offers support groups for women suffering PMDD. Talking to other women can be a comfort. If you can't find a support group in your area, you can find one on the Web.
Read more about PMS from BettyConfidential.com: Gynecology Q&A and The Best PMS Remedy.
