PMDD

Warning: Girl Stuff Alert!!

It has been months now, maybe even a year ago that my gynecologist suggested that I suffer from PMDD. I don't think about it often, only when it flares up. Like this week. I asked Butch what the "DD" means because I forgot. It's Dysphoric Disorder. I looked it up and found some interesting stuff.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder or PMDD is a condition associated with severe emotional and physical problems that are linked closely to the menstrual cycle. Symptoms occur regularly in the second half of the cycle and end when menstruation begins or shortly thereafter. PMDD is not just a new name for premenstrual syndrome (PMS), a condition that affects as many as 75% of menstruating women. It is, however, considered to be a very severe form of PMS that affects about 5% of menstruating women. Both PMDD and PMS share symptoms in common that include depression, anxiety, tension, irritability and moodiness. What sets PMDD apart is its severity. Women with PMDD find that it has a very disruptive effect on their lives. (emphasis mine)

I took an assessment quiz on this website.

My results are as follows:

Your health assessment
Your symptoms rank in the severe category. The demands you place on your body are almost overwhelming. By comparison, the support that you give yourself is inadequate.
What your assessment means
Severe symptoms mean that you suffer from entrenched hormonal imbalance. We see this degree of hormonal imbalance most often in women who are in perimenopause or transitioning through menopause, although in some cases it also occurs in younger women. Your symptoms will continue, or even worsen, unless you take action to improve your hormonal health.
Very Severe demands mean that your body is experiencing a much greater burden than most women, and this burden is overwhelming your ability to balance your hormones. Some of these demands are not within your control but it’s important to minimize those that are. In the meantime, it’s essential that you give your body extra support to counter this burden. Remember, the greater the demands on you, the greater your need for support!
Inadequate support means that you are not giving yourself the support your body needs for hormonal balance. Your symptoms are likely to get worse if you do not improve this level of support. The good news is there are simple, natural things you can do that will make a big difference in your health and well-being. Many women are surprised to learn that taking medical-grade nutritional supplements coupled with incremental changes in diet, stress management and fitness habits can go a long way in providing the support you are missing.

And because it was linked on one of the websites, and it fascinates me, here are the diagnostic symptoms listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – edition IV.

DSM-IV symptoms are as follows:

• Depressive symptoms
  
  • Markedly depressed mood, feelings of hopelessness, self-depreciation That's a yes.
    
  • Suddenly feeling sad or tearful, with increased sensitivity to personal rejection Yup.
    
  • Decreased interest in usual activities So-so. Maybe a little bit.
    
  • Lethargy, fatigue, marked lack of energy At least a little bit.
    
  • Accompanying depressive symptoms there is always the danger for suicidal ideation and behavior. Um, not to worry you or anything, but yes.
    
  • Marked changes in appetite and cravings for certain foods Sometimes
    
  • Insomnia or hypersomnia Messed up sleep patterns, for sure. Sometimes too much, sometimes too little.
    
• Anxiety symptoms
  
  • Marked anxiety, tension, feeling of being keyed-up or on-edge Yup
    
  • Persistent or marked irritability, anger, increased interpersonal conflicts Oh, yeah!
    
  • Feeling overwhelmed or out of control Very much
    
• Cognitive symptoms - Subjective sense of having difficulty concentrating Irritatingly so
  
• Physical symptoms - Breast tenderness or swelling, headaches, joint or muscular pain, weight gain, bloated feeling Not so much, usually. Not this time, anyway.
  

Risk factors for PMDD include the following:

• Personal history of a major mood disorder Check
  
• A family history of mood disorder Yeppers
  
• Premenstrual depression Oh yeah
  
• Premenstrual mood changes. Yep
  
• Past history of sexual abuse Thankfully, no.
  
• Past, present, or current domestic violence Thank the deities, NO!
  

This looks pretty much on target. Have I given adequate information over the past couple of days for analysis? What do you think?