Disease/Disorder #1: PMDD

So, a few of you may be wondering, 'What is PMDD?'

Let's just say for now, it's PMS' evil twin or half.



PMDD stands for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.

As my doctor once said to me when she -finally- diagnosed me, 'It's PMS on steroids.'

Yes, I have PMDD.

Here are the symptoms:

paranoia

anxiety/anxiety attacks (i.e. panic attacks)

uncontrollable impulses/urges (almost like Tourette's Syndrome) to lash out at people

disturbances and interferences with relationships with mainly spouses and family members, or those close to you

depression (to the point where it interferes with your life: i.e. school, work, socialization, etc.)

mood swings

feeling at war with yourself (like Jekyll and Hyde)

low/poor self-image

crying spells/crying at random things (i.e. a pencil dropping on the floor, or crying about a pizza that is made out of gyros)

nervousness

weight gain (i.e. bloating, water weight gain) with a possible chance of gaining 5-10 lbs in water weight alone (in others, it might be different. It varies person to person)

cravings for sweet or salty food (i.e. chocolate or shrimp--in my case)

aversion to alcohol

acne

suicidal ideation

paranoia as to whether or not spouse is cheating on you or whether or not you two should break up

intense rage/tantrums/fits (i.e. throwing items)

on 'edge' feeling

possible cramps (I don't get cramps, which I will explain in a later blog)

binge eating/starving self due to lack of hunger pangs

breast swelling & tenderness (or either or)

feeling bloated

problems sleeping (hypersomnia--too much sleep or insomnia--too little sleep) which causes changes in sleep patterns

more aggressive

splitting headaches (and not those 'OMG, I have a headache!' when it's a migraine. There is a difference.) to the point where Tylenol only lessens it and not get rid of it

Super sensitive to comments or remarks. Like, they're taken personally--all the time--especially rejection and criticism

Joint pain

'Fullness' in the face

Marked periods of anger in which it has to be brought to the woman's attention because she is unaware of it (interference with social interactions)

Usually anger is directed to close male spouses or relatives

Causes and Background History:

PMDD occurs in 3-8% of women that are of reproductive age, but mainly in women aged 18 until about their mid 30's.

There is no known reason as to why it happens, but there are some theories:

1. It is possible that due to a lack of B6, which is important for mood and impulse, causes PMDD.

2. People who have anxiety or mood disorders, such as depression or paranoia, are at higher risk for getting PMDD.

3. There is a possible chance that this disorder is connected to PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome--which I will discuss in my next blog), in which the normal functions of the menstrual flow (i.e. mood, cravings, etc.) are enhanced.

4. It also may happen due to a lack of fatty acids, such as Omegas 3,6 and 9, in which the body needs in order to not only 'lubricate the system,' but to keep certain things, such as weight, and processing fat, down. These fatty acids also help in regards to lowering cholesterol.

Also, this is classified in the DSM-IV manual as a 'disease that needs further study.' It was first recognized in the 1920's-1930's, but not acknowledged by the Psychology/Psychiatric Board until 2004.

This disorder is looked down upon in the medical field, and therefore not taken seriously by doctors. It is suggested to go to an OBGYN (Obstetrician Gynecologist) that has more knowledge in this field, since they are trained to do so.

What happens?:

With PMDD, the symptoms can start from anywhere to 5 days (late luteal phase)-2.5 (early onset/luteal phase) weeks before a woman's period. It is emotionally based, as opposed to PMS, which is more physically based. The emotional symptoms are less intense in PMS individuals as opposed to PMDD individuals.

Unfortunately for me, my fiance has to put up with this for 2.5 weeks, where I only get a rest period of 1.5 weeks. It becomes draining after a while. And mind you, he has put up with this for almost 2 years before I was officially diagnosed.

I'm pretty much the angrier version of the She Hulk or a depressed emo kid on some days. Now, when I mention 'depression,' it is no ordinary one. This 'depression' is something that has no reason. Unfortunately, it is unexplainable unlike actual depression. Because of this, it makes explaining it even more harder.

Remedies:

Most doctors will prescribe anti-depressants or SSRI's (Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors) in order to alleviate the depression symptoms in PMDD.

Personally, I do not take SSRI's due to other, personal medical issues, which I will blog about here later, but they are recommended to take.

Please do your research on SSRI's, as in the long term, they can be dangerous to your health

Other alternatives, (if you're into the natural stuff--like me) is exercise. When you exercise, your body produces hormones and chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin (feel good chemicals) in order to have your body level out. Also it's good for alleviating weight problems and the bloating problems.

Also, drink tea, such as peppermint. It'll help you sleep and relax. It tastes good, too! :)

Additionally, if you have the severe depression, like I do, to the point where you can't get out of bed, and you have to do something (i.e. school, work, gym, etc.) you can do one of three things:

1. Pretend that you're on a beach and sipping your favorite drink.

2. Meditate/Take up Yoga

3. Hell, play video games.

What I don't suggest is:

DON'T EAT CHOCOLATE!

I know it sounds weird, but bear with me.

When you eat chocolate (not white), you excite your system more, which aggravates it if you have PMDD. When that happens, the emotional symptoms become more enhanced.

Yes, I do encourage you to indulge in your cravings, but be careful. It's a lot of sugar, and can aggravate you. If you don't believe me, try it.

Advice:

Men: If you know your woman is PMDDing, try not to take it personally. It's really hard to control the emotional bit. It's almost like fighting another person. Literally.

My best piece of advice is patience, if you really love and care for your woman.

Also, if she wants a hug, give her one. Hugs make the world go round and help ease the pain, believe it or not. It makes the pain feel lessened.

If you feel overwhelmed, which I could understand, take a walk or do something to alleviate the stress (it is time consuming and draining--and this is a hard thing to deal with), but don't make it seem like you're abandoning her. She will probably take it personally and may even over react.

Also, if a woman lays her hands on you, and she does not have PMDD, she has no excuse. It's not that bad and she's using that as an excuse to abuse you. But, this does not mean that I condone PMDD women to hit their men and get away with it either. I understand that PMDD makes women very impulsive and very intense, in which in turn, makes it hard for them to keep their emotions in check, but physical abuse or violence is no excuse.

And if she does use that as an excuse to hit you: LEAVE.

As a side note: My PMDD isn't that bad to the point where I do that, but I have heard some horrible horror stories and even seen them in action. It's truly terrifying for me to watch a man get beat the hell up by some girl (not a woman). :/

I don't care how sick you are: YOU DO NOT LAY YOUR HANDS ON ANYONE! EVER.

Anyway, I hope this helps. Here are some useful links below.

Oh, and by the way, I typed most of this from my phone, so if there are mistakes and I didn't catch them, sorry. And also, I am typing from experience and from what I read. Let me know. ^_^

Links:

This site talks about how PMDD is misunderstood in the medical community and society itself: http://www.womentowomen.com/understandyourbody/symptoms/pmspmdd.aspx?id=1&campaignno=pms&adgroup=ag2pmdd&keywords=pmdd

Disclaimer: I hate using wikipedia, but I use it as a starting point for its links. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premenstrual_dysphoric_disorder

Just a general overview site: http://www.pmdd.factsforhealth.org/

Here is the link from Yale's site, which I was surprised about: http://www.yalemedicalgroup.org/stw/Page.asp?PageID=STW023227

Here is the site from the NIH (National Institute of Health):www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0004461

Hope these help! ^_^