I Suffer From PMDD.

I recently shared on my instagram that I suffer from PMDD. I'm also currently suffering from it, so thought it was about time to write about it on the blog.

What is PMDD?

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a hormone-based mood disorder, characterised by severe psychological, and sometimes physical symptoms, that arise in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, and are a severe reaction to hormonal fluctuations. - Vicious Cycle.

It’s basically a very extreme version of PMS, and its horrendous (not only for me but the people around me 🙈). It tends to occurs 2 weeks/ 10 days before your period.

Symptoms:

The below are Symptoms of PMDD. These usually occur 2 weeks / 1 week before the onset of your period, and start to improve within a few days after your period starts.

Feelings of sadness or despair or even thoughts of suicide
Feelings of tension or anxiety
Panic attacks, mood swings, or frequent crying
Lasting irritability or anger that affects other people
Lack of interest in daily activities and relationships
Trouble thinking or focusing
Tiredness or low-energy
Food cravings or binge eating
Trouble sleeping
Feeling out of control
Physical symptoms, such as bloating, breast tenderness, headaches, and joint or muscle pain.

According to IAPMD, a diagnosis of PMDD requires the presence of at least five of these symptoms. I'm being honest - I have all of the above symptoms. I've always suffered physically from very heavy periods, very painful cramps, water retention in my boobs and bloating and then mentally with my mood swings/ irritability / anger/ upset etc. It also effects my relationship (poor Whitney) as well as it was noticeable to my colleagues, prior to working for myself.

(Ok in reality that's also my hangry face haha)
Wondering if you have PMDD? Take the screening test here.
Anyone else suffer from PMDD? Since posting on instagram, I've discovered a whole lot of support out there, from others suffering from it as well as organisations and instagram accounts.

Resources:

IAPMD: International Association for Premenstrual Disorders.
This association is brilliant! They offer support and info, including helping to find doctors who specialise in PMDD as well as one-to-one peer support. Follow their instagram.
Vicious Cycle: is a patient lead project, raising the visibility of PMDD. Follow their instagram account.
Me v PMDD: an app to track your symptoms! (Downloading this now, as I currently use notes in my phone to record).
Warrrior - The Official Blog of Me v PMDD
PMDD & Me Conference, 24th April 2020. All about managing your PMDD: Symptoms & Solutions. Get tickets here. You can attend in person or virtually.
Also if you suffer from PMDD or severe PMS then the BBC are conducting research into PMDD for PMDD Wareness Day! Fill it in here.

PMDD Awareness Series

I was surprised to find out that quite a few of my followers also suffer from PMDD or it helped them to realise that they aren't going crazy and that they may have PMDD. Despite the above resources, there still isn't enough visibility about PMDD. I'm going to be sharing more about PMDD and tips to survive/ cope with it across our blog and social media accounts. I will also be looking into options to help cope with it. Make sure you're signed up to our blog newsletter and subscribed to our youtube channel to follow along. We're in this together!

Do you suffer from PMDD or an expert? Please feel free to get in touch via my Instagram.

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