August 23, 2007
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)
I always thought PMS was bad enough but that was a piece of cake until I developed PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder).
For months, I felt like those two weeks before my cycle I was going to hurt someone. PMDD is like PMS times 10.
PMDD affects anywhere from 3%-5% of menstruating women.
Symptoms of PMDD from www.healthyplace.com:
Women with PMDD complain of irritability, anger, tension, marked depressed mood, and mood lability (crying spells for no reason, verbal outbursts, or tantrums ) to such a severity that quality of life is seriously compromised. In addition to these symptoms, some women complain of lethargy, sleep disturbance, limited concentration and a host of physical symptoms such as breast tenderness, headaches, joint and muscle pain, bloating and weight gain.
The primary symptoms that distinguish premenstrual dysphoric disorder from other mood disorders (i.e., major depression) or menstrual conditions is the onset and duration of PMDD symptoms — with symptoms appearing during the week or so before and disappearing within a few days after the onset of menses — and the level by which these symptoms disrupt daily living tasks. (This diminished level of functioning is generally in great contrast with the same woman’s interactions and abilities at other times during the month.)
The doctor started out by putting me on 20 mg. of Prozac to take daily the 14 days before my cycle starts. That dosage appeared to be a little high at first because after I stopped taking it on the 14th day, I became majorly depressed. So she put me down to 10 mg. and then increased to 20 mg. later after being on it a while.
It has helped me tremendously and my family is thrilled too! You can also read about my journey with PMDD at my website below:
Comments(2)