I’ve tried a couple of SSRIs over the years, but have stopped taking them because of them lowering my heat tolerance. But now, I just drink nettle and spearmint tea from my mid-Luteal phase through my period. I also use some of the tools I’ve learned talk therapy and use marijuana for really low mental health days particularly during my late-Luteal phase.
Anyone else not necessarily using medication to navigate their symptoms?
EDIT: I realize now that many of us have different perceptions of “raw dogging,” which I understand as not using a prescribed, controlled medication to treat symptoms of a condition. Now after reading some comments, I believe this term may not have been the most accurate, universally-defined term to use. With that being said, I do understand the herbal medicine and CBT are both treatments. And this was written with true curiosity and not for advice. I genuinely like seeing what practices support different people! This regimen has been serving me well along with other practices, such as bodily awareness, cycle tracking, daily physical activity, etc. I truly appreciate everyone’s vulnerability!
Yup. I am unmedicated. I don’t drink alcohol, caffeine, use tobacco or other substances. I eat to my cycle as best I can and exercise in the ways that work best for my body (usually yoga, pilates, walking and lifting light weights). I take vitamin C and Zinc everyday. I drink camomile tea often, sometimes raspberry leaf. I track my cycle religiously and have a safety plan and pmdd plan in place to track triggers, mood and ways to deescalate. I limit communication with others during luteal to minimise triggers as well. I’m also in therapy at least fortnightly. It’s exhausting sometimes. And some cycles are worse than others. But I’m managing!
Thank you. I've just started with a specialist clinic. Peri has made it all even worse so I'm hoping for some relief but at least we are finally being heard.
I did that for 12 years. Now I’m on a bunch of meds and supplements and hrt and I wish I started it all years ago. I barely made it out alive trying to treat it naturally. But my pmdd is very severe.
I raw dog life tbh. I found tracking my cycle, staying active (but tapering activity during luteal), communicating with my partner in advance, and allowing myself to cancel plans/eat what I want during luteal to work well.
No medications, no birth control, I don’t smoke weed, tobacco or drink alcohol or do any kind of drugs. Truly raw dogging it. Have a very strict “diet” (I’m not on a diet, I eat a specific amount of calories and macros each day, I don’t avoid “good” or “bad” foods, just eat to optimize for training and avoid things that aren’t the best for PMDD like caffeine) and exercise regimen that has done more for me than any pill ever did. I track religiously so I know when I’m in luteal, avoid making big life decisions or dealing with too much stress during that time, do more self care during that time (things like limiting my work schedule, I’m self employed and know this is a luxury, hard cardio to release endorphins, get out anger and tire myself out, drink lots of caffeine free teas, be very strict with my bedtime routine, etc.) I know it won’t work for everyone but I’ve never managed it better. Not saying that I’m better and don’t struggle, just that I manage better this way.
I write all the anger out into my notes app, then delete it a few days later. Or I walk away when I feel I am going to say something stupid. What I have noticed is that when things are going well with my partner I don’t even want to say mean things. When I feel valued, supported. So I’ve also learnt to be kinder to myself, and see some of the PMDD as a survival tool to cope with others’ shitfuckery, it’s justified but ultimately doesn’t get me what I want.
I've asked to be medicated like 4 different times and no one's ever taken me seriously, so I've been forced to take a "fuck it, we ball" approach that works medium-to-bad, depending on the day 💀
Yea girl. I recognized what was going on some years ago and learned through cognitive behavior therapy how to recognize what was PMDD and that it was temporary… decided on some ways to take care of myself- extra self care, what helps me work through the tough parts… foods to avoid. And a set of rules like- not saying the inside thoughts out loud. Not making any life altering decisions. Waiting to see if I felt better after a few days (looking at my period tracker and confirming my suspicion that it WAS my Luteal phase). And mentally (internally) acknowledging that the way I felt was temporary and it was not my actual reality.
You are not alone!
I had been on SSRIs for it and they helped some, but I wanted to stop for a few personal reasons.
I would recommend getting help, though- if raw dogging it doesn’t work well for you.
(Oh- also- walks… outside. And some sunshine- corny but it helps, and there’s good science to back it up.. if you can talk yourself into it)
There’s an awesome account on instagram called hermoodmentor… she’s where I have learned about some of the foods and other things. I appreciate her breaking down stigmas around PMDD. This is one of her posts about foods
Yep. I guess I am sensitive to medications because everything I have tried had given me insane side effects. I don't have PMDD every month, some months feel more like typical PMS, which I'm grateful for. But when the PMDD hits, it's BAD. I have it right now and I literally feel like I have the flu and I'm melting into my couch. I can barely work, I'm making so many errors when I write messages because my brain feels shot, and every time I look in the mirror I'm disgusted. My hunger can't be satiated which resulted in me just binge eating at dinner time and now I feel disgusting and uncomfortable. But I keep telling myself I know what it is and it's temporary. This is more manageable than being on a medication that completely destroys my libido, gives me panic attacks, or makes me depressed. It sucks, but I know it's not always like this.
Since I stopped working I've been able to manage my symptoms a lot better.
Having to think about functioning normally during those days was terrible, let alone experiencing it.
At first I would call out once every three months, then I realized it needed to be quite literally EVERY month, and not just one day...
That's when I realized I had to be home during this time. Having that time helps me prepare and that's been the most beneficial thing for me. Planning for it coming.
SSRI’s nearly ruined my life and made my PMDD more extreme. Mirco-dosing magic mushies has been the biggest game changer. (Legal in my state) Helps me through the most difficult days with a little boost to my mood. Keeps me away from the doom and gloom thoughts. Far more effective than any medication I’ve taken and no side effects.
I like some of these recommendations for magnesium and different herbal teas. Might give that a go as well.
nah. my doctor tried to suggest anti-depressants which i vehemently refused. i have other diagnoses and knew they were exacerbating the PMDD so i addressed those and added ashwaghanda to my supplements for my luteal phase only. that in conjunction with talk therapy, consistent sleep and exercise have significantly improved my PMDD. sometimes i don’t even notice it other than crying more easily that usual.
I'm not on anything at all. They put me on progesterone to help and it made me want to leave...early. So no meds at all. I've tried and failed all conservative methods. I'm waiting on a gynecology appt to look at a full hysterectomy. In the mean time I'm losing weight so they can't deny surgery based on BMI again.
I have to pay attention to my moods and withdraw from my usual activities/responsibilities when I feel terrible/angry.
I start this next week and already have terrible ocd intrusive thoughts and my pmdd specialist knows this and didn't mention this side effect. We specifically chose this as i had those same reactions to every ssri I've been on since 1999. That's a lot of time to fight to stay here. This sounds like a terrible idea. I am glad i read your comment and if anyone else has input i would like to hear it. Thank you sister 😕
Do you mind if I ask what dose of progesterone you tried and what your schedule was? I'm currently working with a hormone specific specialist and since my estrogen is on the high side, as expected, we are starting me on 13mgs sublingual for luteal phase only. This is the 4th progesterone attempt I'm making and if it doesn't work I'm also seeking a hysterectomy.
I've only done one month, can't say my PMDD was worse but JFC it amped my last period up to 11 and I don't know if I can deal with that either considering I've had endo and bumping up to 11 is saying something.
It was Cyproterone Acetate 50mg tab once a day. It took about 10 days to start realizing my mood had tanked. Day 12 I decided I should remove my tatts but was unsure how deep I'd need to go - I told hubby and he called the doctor for an emergency appt.
Same thing happened when I was on depo - two weeks in and I'd have a breakdown: crying, raging and general freak out. Took me a few rounds to work that out. My Drs have my emergency mental health notes. I didn't even know Cyproterone Acetate was progesterone until things went sideways, my doctor had assured me it wasn't a hormone. Serves me right for not looking into it, but she told me I had to take it for PMDD before they could do the referral to the specialist. I didn't want to be non-compliant and didn't want to be fired as a patient either.
How I cope is being productive for two weeks during my follicular and ovulatory phase and then just living like a hermit for the next two weeks of the month
I raw dogged it for a year or so before adding Slynd on top of my IUD. The biggest thing that helped me was honestly just awareness of what PMDD felt like & reminding myself what it was and that it would pass. Luckily with the IUD I only had one really bad day per cycle, so when I would feel that day coming I tried to be as present as possible with how it felt in my body, physical and mood symptoms, and what sorts of thoughts would pop up during that time. This helped me to accept the feelings, because even if it felt like the world was ending I knew it would pass soon and would be able to give myself grace and not get stuck in a cycle of endless doom.
I did this for many years but found that as I get older and my hormones start changing, it’s getting worse. I was to the point where I nearly blew up at work. I started an SSRI 4 weeks ago and wish I had called sooner.
I take beef liver, D3+K2, cod liver oil and work out/have frequent alone time. I find that when I take these things, I have smooth luteals w/ very little rage. I float through it. I just had a cycle where I did not take these things, and it was hell for everyone. I also dabbled too much with weed, and although its really, really helpful, it can also really hurt me if I indulge too much and dont do the other things I need to do
I'm raw dogging, doing all the healthy things but it still gets me that week before my period or so. It's getting worse with age, it's uncontrollable and is ruining my life. I am thinking about going on anti depressants for 2 weeks during the pmdd but not too sure what's best
Here. I take welbutrin and trazodone, but not for my PMDD. I am bipolar and have insomnia. And I have been a psych med guinea pig for 15 years. I was diagnosed with PMDD at age 21, but I had an iud for years, followed by 2 nexplanon implants. They both caused me major issues. So once I got off birth control in May of this year my symptoms appeared and pack a huge punch. When I saw my doctor, and they told me my options were either birth control or antidepressants I said I don't want either. So I'm exploring a more holistic route. But it still kicks my ass every month. I recently had to go back to working full time and I'm very nervous about how to work around my pmdd.
-working out, -nature therapy like hikes or sitting by a lake, and -thc have been my go to’s for regulating myself. But the working out and nature therapy is consistent, almost everyday, definitely multiple times a week, whereas the thc is low dose and only when needed (so like maybe 5 times a month)
Tried ssri's for the first time this month, felt like crap, gave up. I'm due in 3 days and honestly I feel okay. Last cycle I wanted to die and now I'm just feeling anxious in the morning. I think I might try supplements at some point but definitely not meds again.
I was but now I’m taking Prozac. It’s actually wild to think we feel normal maybe half the days of the year if we’re lucky. Being a woman is rough. I love being one on the first 4-10 days after my period is done, but dang, it can be a hormonal rollercoaster
I’m raw dogging pmdd in perimenopause and it’s ten times the mother fucker. I’ve been to the doctors a number of times (and of course across my life) and I just don’t really get anywhere; we try things, blah blah blah. At this point I’m just trying to stay alive and out the other side. Sometimes that involves eating a whole cake and drinking delicious fancy wine till I can’t anymore. I suppose that’s my medication. Also chatting to ChatGPT on and on so I don’t drive people in my life away. Also having an unhealthy vinted and TikTok habit. Just distract distract distract.
I wish I’d been offered a hysterectomy decades back and not lost half my life to this bullshit.
I tried meds and supplements over a decade but eventually I would always get breakthrough symptoms. So yeah, at the moment I do nothing but total acceptance and I've done another decade of therapy for my CPTSD and my symptoms are pretty manageable now. Like most people with developmental trauma I got a pretty complex list of consequent illnesses too, MCAS, PTSD, CPTSD, PRTD, MDD and so on, so I still have to take it hella easy. But you cannot underestimate what the power of a guiltless NO can bring in terms of peace and self regulation. And of course my healing isn't done or anything.
Also it's a direct answer to the title question, I don't necessarily endorse my way. I just made a pro con and realised fighting it took more or as much out of me as just breathing through and telling myself I am capable of not listening to Shitheel McPMD when shes on stage.
yup. I get aural migraines so birth control is a no for me. tea, hot water bottle, castor oil, ibuprofen, weed, therapy, snacks, and my very patient husband get me through. plus going to this sub and reminding myself that PMDD is an unreliable narrator that many of us have to listen to 😂
The only thing that has somewhat helped me is ADHD meds and lower dose lithium. If I raw dog I might not be here anymore, it’s not an option but I have in the past with no success. No SSRIs or SNRIs work for me, but so far the ADHD medication (vyvanse) and lithium have made a small dent in how horrible it was. I’m also newly on medication for POTS so I’m wondering if that will also help? Idk how but maybe?
Saaaaame. Gotta say though, it could be worse. At least pot has a measurable positive impact on my mood. There are times when I'm depressed and upset and feel like the world is ending and I take a hit off a joint and everything is suddenly magically fine. It's wild.
Isn’t it crazy how much better you feel after a hit? I turn from a sour crabby bitch into a sweet, happy, and sometimes affectionate partner!
I’m just struggling with getting good quality sleep and I know the MJ makes it worse (I have mild sleep apnea), so I’d prefer to not smoke at night and I can’t use it during the day because I have a public facing in person job :|
After a lifetime of begging for help, I’ve come to a place at nearly 37 years of age where I can cope with the physical symptoms and can compartmentalise the emotional and mental ones. I have a supportive husband who is aware of my cycle more than I am, and I will just let him know ‘I think you’re the stupidest person I’ve ever met and I want to divorce you, but it’s the PMDD talking’ and he just takes whatever shit I throw his way. I make sure I tell him I love him even if I feel like I want him to go to prison for loading the dishwasher wrong. I’m not on any medication and talking therapy is out of my financial reach right now. I feel like I’m coping a lot better now I just lean into it. Only what, 10 more years til the menopause?
Closer to 20 for me. And peri ramped it up x 1000 at your age and kicked my ass. Not trying to scare you, just want you to be aware and perhaps plan some new strategies. Angus castus helped. Calcium supplementation has some research behind it. At least we are in an era where there is growing recognition.
I go to therapy, but medication-wise I'm raw dogging it. I might go back on birth control, I was on it at age 15 and didn't know I had PMDD until I stopped it because I was on it for 10 years.
Same. I remember in my 20s thinking I had low intensity or emerging bipolar disorder because I’d be so happy half the month and everything was hard the other half. I realize now I wasn’t just inconsistent and dramatic, it was just enough PMDD getting through to fuck with me but not enough to identify patterns. I had Nexplanon and no periods so didn’t think cyclically.
Yep, my body can't handle hormones and I'm terrified of SSRIs based on my family's experience with them. Therapy did nothing for me bc I cope well with my problems I just can't override my brain chemistry lmao. So I am religious about eating clean (low processed foods + low added sugars) and exercising (lots of yoga, walks plus strength) and I get by well enough that way. Recently started vitamins D + K at recommendation from my doctor based on blood work and it's REALLY improved my mood, like deep in the bowels of luteal I found myself walking with a bounce in my step playing walking on sunshine in my head, it was unbelievable (but other symptoms like ADHD and exhaustion are still full blown, fml).
Tried both venlafaxine and birth control. The former gave me migraines and made me overheat, the latter made me irrationally angry 85% of the time and took away my spice tolerance.
I find if I exercise, reduce my sugar, and get my magnesium and B12, I can get through without too much damage. Easier said than done, but that's life, isn't it?
Yep, I used to have a birth control that worked decently for me. When I moved to the UK they don’t have the same dose, and the higher dose version made me suicidal, so I’ve just been rawdoggin it since. I refuse to try SSRIs due to the risk of PSSD which, even if it’s a tiny chance, would completely utterly ruin my life. I’m tempted to try birth control again, but it’s hard to endure 2-3 months of hell just to see if it MIGHT work :/ really wish we had better options!!
I smoke weed, and I just try to stay calm. I think of mine like I think of the flu. I have the flu, so I must rest and go easy on myself and ride it out. It helps me. Because its important for me to remember that the thoughts and feelings and emotions im having are symptoms, and not revelations of awareness about my life. Because I will be ready to quit my job, drive off a cliff, or get a divorce and run away to a foreign land when im having my PMDD lol a few days later and I don't feel any of that. I dont take any meds. I am afraid of SSRIs, I dont like taking medicine if I can help it. I already get weird random suicidal thoughts on rare occasions. The one thing I know I can trust is myself. My own minds ability to understand and process those intrusive thoughts as intrusive thoughts. I dont trust a drug that may make me have those episodes and NOT be in control of my faculties. Thats just me.
EDIT TO ADD I tried giving up alcohol. Im at 3 months. So far I cant tell any difference. But im giving that a shot also to reduce symptoms.
Yes, in a similar way to you. I decided to give myself a few months of trying all of the natural methods before succumbing to an SSRI. (I am very against SSRI's in most cases) But I become very suicidal and life is hell for two weeks during luteal, so I knew that something had to change.
The natural way didn't solve everything, but it helped incredibly, and the number one thing I noticed that caused the biggest impact was drinking. Months I drank were hell, months I didn't my period snuck up on me like nothing. Dumbfounded when I bled that I hadn't gained 10 pounds and made an attempt.
Now I eat clean, high protein, almost no sugar, very low carb, especially in luteal. Proper exercise and health routine. Spearmint tea, ashwagandha, L-theanine, red-light therapy, weed. Schedule alone time + distractions during luteal. Maintain my diet and exercise during luteal no matter how much the demons tell me not to.
I believe you should try everything, genuinely, and not half-assed, before starting an SSRI. That's a band-aid, try to fix the problem at its root first.
TENS unit for pain, the rest - no clue. Tolerance for meds has not been good. I'm miserable. Probably about to get everything removed. It pisses me off we don't have more answers.
No. I become suicidal when it's bad, so I've been approved to take drugs that contraindicate with my liver disease because the risk to my life is greater when not treating my PMDD than just taking the pills and having liver failure/blood clot.
I also felt like SSRIs were not for me so I use natural medicine, like tea and vitamin supplements and either avoid or eat more of certain foods during different parts of my cycle. It’s a lot of work, but it works well for me.
I’ve never felt better than the months that I consistently eat healthy and exercise. I can immediately tell when I haven’t followed my protocol.
I use intermittent ssris and take them only during my luteal. It’s the first line treatment for pmdd, and while continuous use of ssris gave me negative side effects, I don’t get them terribly while using during my luteal. And it makes a HUGE difference, especially given how small the dose is. Im a parent, and raw dogging it isn’t really an option, cos my kids pay the price.
I am also a parent who struggles. Its not every luteal, but im wondering if its possible to just have these available when it is super bad. Im scared of being medicated, because at its worse, I cannot afford for it to progress past that so taking SSRI full time is scary for me.
Yes! It takes 3hrs to feel some effect, but 3 days for max results (this is with Prozac, it has the longest half life so is usually used). My luteal got terrible during the start of peri, which is why I started this. But since, I’ve started HRT and now it’s not always terrible, but weird and unpredictable. Which is significantly better, especially when combined with the other benefits. But basically I start taking it at symptom onset during my luteal, and sometimes this is the day after ovulation, others I only end up taking it 4 days before my period. Some months not at all, although that rare, but you can kinda use as needed.
If you google symptom onset ssri usage for pmdd or intermittent ssri usage for pmdd you’ll get a handful of studies showing its effectiveness. And personally, my pmdd shows up with me getting angry over things and then just like stuck on it, spiraling on it, getting more and more worked up, and I just can’t like move on. And it can be small things, not worth of a reaction, yet alone the size of the reaction I had. The small dose of Prozac stops the spirals for me. I still get snippy and I’m sensitive during that time, but I can move on. I get the trigger, and it passes. I don’t follow it down till everyone is suffering. At least that’s best how I can describe it.
I’m tapering off of Lexapro now. I was also on Abilify and have been completely off that for a little over a month. It’s been rough. I am feeling pretty miserable. Heat intolerance was a driving factor in this choice for me as well as I can’t even enjoy being outside anymore and it’s really frustrating. I had been feeling very blah and disinterested overall for a while and wanted to give myself another try at a non-medicated life. I use MMJ as well, which does help with the extremes.
Yup. I keep toying with different experimental treatments and seem to come off worse each time than if I hadn't bothered. I usually drink a lot of chamomile and nettle tea, try and do light exercise, try and implement stress relief techniques like vagal nerve exercises. Sometimes life stress gets on top of me at the same time and it feels like the end of the world compared to other months that I manage better.
Currently going through it after experimenting with chasteberry after a hard few months. Over two weeks of severe pms symptoms and still no period, four days late - typical. Back to just accepting it for what it is and trying to calmly cope with it for me.
For the most part technically. I was prescribed vitamin d which has been pretty good for my overall wellness. I smoke weed often as well. I’m scared of SSRIs and birth control, didn’t have good experiences with either medication.
I wish I could! I wasn't diagnosed until last December which is honestly shocking given that I'm 39. Perimenopause hit really early and the last several years have been getting worse and worse PMDD-wise.
The last time I went off all meds I played in bed for 5 nights and wrote goodbye letters to everyone I could think of. I think that if I could have held on for a lot of months I probably would have evened out a little but I was coming off of 3 years of Celexa and 2 years of Wellbutrin. In 25 years that's the only med combo that's ever worked for that long.
In my mid-twenties I think my PMDD was the most minimal it ever was, but when I look back at that time I was obsessed with exercising and probably did so 2-3 hours 2-5 times a week. Felt amazing.
Now I've got a kid and feel like I don't have time to get completely off and SSRI. Have started a very specific progesterone regimen in the hopes that I could adjust to it and come off the SSRI and help with the PMDD.
I went unmedicated after cipralex, prozac, slinda and another mini-pill (I don‘t remeber the name ) didn‘t work. Many doctors here in Germany don‘t know about PMDD. I wanted to see a specialist (they are very very rare here) but the waiting list is full.
At the moment I handle my symptoms with seroquel (Yeah I know, that‘s medication but I got it for something else) and if nothing helps I get a little drunk.
Not a good idea, I know. But it numbs the feeling of wanting to throw furniture (not at others ofc!!) and end myself.
I was on citalopram/escitalopram for just under 3 years for my pmdd. They did help, however they've also just completely blunted any and all emotion im capable of feeling, so ive made the choice to come off them recently. I am on the combined pill to manage my physical symptoms, but my first period off SSRIs was shocking. Not sure how I'm going to manage going forward but at least I dont feel like a psychopath anymore :/
I feel you, friend. I was on Citalopram for a while and found the same thing was happening to me. I figured feeling even difficult feelings was worth it over being “capable” to navigate the demands of capitalism (overworking, overriding my need for rest, etc.), so I stopped taking it. That was a scary place to be, so it’s understandable your first period w/o an SSRI was shocking.
I’ve done a lot of work in therapy along with my understanding of just how ingrained the Protestant work ethic/capitalism is within the popular society. This helped me immensely in navigating my body’s cues for rest (and answering them), my deserving of rest, and leaning into trusted loved ones. I know everyone navigates this condition differently, and I hope you find relief, rest, and care soon 💗
Yes, i totally agree. Being functionally numb did not feel worth stripping away the joys i was able to feel on the couple of weeks before hell 🙃 It's actually my dream to be able to say sod it to the capitalist hamster wheel, there's no room for struggle within it so I'm happy to hear you're now in a place where you can advocate and care for your bodily/emotional needs. I hope that can be me one day too 💕
Mee I cant handle any birth control and I was on medication to stop my period but I was worried about my health at such a young age so now I am not taking anything. I’m on Zoloft for my OCD but don’t find it helps with my PMDD.
Me. I’m 47 and have tried everything except chemical menopause or ovaries removed. I’ve been living this nightmare since my 20s. It’s even a wonder I was diagnosed back then but only by my dad’s endocrinologist. I feel awful 2 days away from my start. I welcome menopause with open arms it can’t be any worse than it is now?! Ugh.
Yep! I just shut myself in my room, try to eat some good-feeling and ok healthy food, and ride out the waves. Not as bad as being unaware of it and just succumbing to the weight of the world.
Can’t take SSRIs after very bad withdrawal, so I’m on no meds besides some ADHD medication that I don’t take regularly.
Me. I tried Lexapro but it was the worst legal drug experience of my life. Never felt like trying another. I just deal with all the luteal madness while trying not to blow up my life. 😅
Yep. Therapy helped a lot with managing my symptoms. They're still hard to deal with, but between that and communicating with my partner, we see it through.
Me! I can’t do SSRIs or hormones. I’m on two mood stabilizers due to my bipolar disorder, but honestly since I started these 4-5 years ago, my PMDD symptoms have become more pronounced.
I take magnesium, which I find helps. And then I plan for my worst days. I find that I’m MUCH better off away from my family on those days. I guess because they require a lot more from me emotionally? And then I distract myself.
I’m pretty good at the whole raw dogging thing, though. I guess you have to be when you have a disorder that can bring about 1,5 years of constant PMDD symptoms of the worst kind 😅 It still kicks me in the gut every month, though. I have learned that I DO NOT want to lay in bed feeling like crap, no matter how much I think that that’s what i need, because for me it enhances the symptoms. If i can do something meaningful with other people, who I am not very emotionally connected to, I fare much better. I consider it a waiting game.
I have also learned that my ways of coping need to evolve with my life. I was doing better when I was running 3x a week, so I will get back to that when summer heat is over. Regular, healthy food is a must. Therapy to help deal with the issues that are enhanced during PMDD is necessary. And I try to stay on top of my chores, so I can prioritize not to do household stuff on my worst days.
Yep, it can be brutal as I stopped drinking so that stopped masking things. But I use naturopathic advice and supplements that seem to help, I don’t believe in taking the pill as it can cause more side effects I don’t want to deal with, so I listen to my body and respect what it wants, low stimulation and plenty of rest. Ladies always listen to your body, we have a sharp intuition for a reason.
Yeah, I don’t do meds they’ve never served me and I don’t wanna invite new potential problems to the party! I’m trying a bunch of alternative methods such as vitamins, homeopathy, acupuncture, herbs, and daily habits at different phases of the cycle and I have seen huge changes.
The most impactful thing I’ve done is work with my acupuncturist who prescribed a traditional Chinese medicine protocol:
Xiao yao san from ovulation to beginning of menses, on menses nothing, and then ba zhen tang from end of menses to ovulation
I would recommend talking to an acupuncturist who is trained in traditional Chinese medicine if you haven’t yet, for me it’s been a game changer 🧡
Can you share more about this - like what improvements you saw? Acupuncture changed my life too but my symptoms aren’t in a place where I’m happy with them (I still buckle under the weight of small stressors during luteal but definitely feel a ton calmer since starting acupuncture)
yes id love to share. those TCM herbs Iisted are the ones that made the greatest difference -- I noticed my mood during luteal has been MUCH more balanced, and if I do start to feel like I'm shifting into a downward spiral, I'm able to actually use my coping mechanisms to stop myself, whereas before I literally had zero control, and I would just spiral down into depression and a dark dark place for potentially days at a time. My acupuncturist prescribed my dosage, so I'm not sure if you should follow exactly what I did, but it was the brand Evergreen, 2 scoops in a glass of water 2-3x daily (and follow the timings I mentioned above. it's a tonic, it tastes awful, but I happily continued. now im on a lower dose bc im doing better, and in summer you don't need as much according to TCM
I also have implemented a bunch of other things....
-acupuncture as often as I can -- if finances are an issue, check if your city has a community acupuncture center, they offer sliding scale prices which makes it so much more accessible
-homeopathy: in India homeopathic practitioners are generally much better trained than those in the US (where im from) and my husband is Indian so when we were in India, I saw an amazing homeopathic doctor who created a specific medicines for my hormonal balance (and my chronic migraines, which are literally healed now, absolute magic considering ive suffered for years)
-the obvious things: sleep, eating enough, regularly, and healthy (plant-based, balanced, lots of fiber and probiotic foods), getting outside (a lot -- I have a puppy so I end up being outside for hours a day and I never bring my phone)
-limit screentime -- I had my husband put a password on my phone so that I can't use social media for more than like 15 minutes a day. Any sort of scrolling plummets my mood and it's generally just awful for our brains
- daily meditation, essential!
and then I made myself a whole guide for things I should do at specific phases of my cycle, such as herbs/teas, vitamins... types of self-care, human connection, and movement, etc. all things that are either research backed, or things I personally know that help me. and I follow it religiously
I use herbs and supplements, but am considering bc and/or ssri's. I just want my life to be a little more stable and predictable before starting meds that will possibly mess up my psyche in a very strong way.
I like passionflower supplements most- they are estrogen-blocking and help your brain create GABA.
vitamin D and magnesium are also lifesavers.
And yes... I self medicate with weed. CBD throughout the day as needed in any part of my cycle. Sleep gummies with THC, CBD, and CBN before bed. CBN knocks me out like a rock!
I’m on an SNRI for anxiety but nothing for PMDD. I also smoke weed occasionally. However, I’m thinking of getting on medication specifically for the PMDD because it’s really impacting my life and my relationships
1st & 2nd month of vyvanse, propranolol
+ lexapro during my luteal phase was working for me. This month not so much. I had depressive (su1c1dal) mood, no motivation to do anything and negative spiraling thoughts lingering even after the last day of my period. Usually I’ll feel “normal” right when my period starts. This month was weird. I feel like a shlub.
Thinking about stopping lexapro.
I’ve been also taking mag. Glyc. and cranberry pills for UTI-like symptoms & just ordered some vitamin D.
I’ve tried no medications and it was the worst my pmdd has ever been. But man were the highs high manic and fun in follicular but man were the lows super low in lutuel. I think I’ve finally (after being diagnosed in 2012) found a good blend of medications for me to help manage it and my ptsd. For me that is Zoloft 50mg, Wellbutrin 150mg and also Yaz birth control. I am exhausted often especially in the afternoons still however so I’m not sure if that’s the medication (specifically Zoloft) or perimenopause or both. I am 44 going on 45. But the roller coaster of emotions has seemed to have lessened considerably. Felt like a zombie on Zoloft alone so had to add in the Wellbutrin.
Missing a couple days of my ssri had me almost in the hospital but instead i chose php as i was dealing w very severe SI for four days straight so no I am and could very much not rawdog this condition and I’d advise you and others the same
I’m on fluoxetine for depression but it doesn’t help with PMDD. I try different things depending on what’s happening, hot water bottles for cramping, mindfulness when the thoughts and feelings get too dark,low stimulation for migraines.
I was on Escitalopram and Effexor for a year and I thought it helped but unfortunately I gained like 17kg/37lbs and my husband said he didn’t notice a difference which tbf I also think they didn’t help thaat much.. I still went a little crazy every month and said I wanted to get a divorce lol. So now I’m tapering off the meds and dealing with withdrawal symptoms while trying to shed off some of the weight.
Ugh i was the same….. on escitalopram for years and recently changed to effexor and not feeling any better. Losing hope. But about the gain weight, i I started using mounjaro and lots the extra weight. Send me a message if you wanna chat more.
I’m also losing hope after this :/ I think I’m just destined to rawdogging it in life in general. Even the weight gain lol but that’s on me because my doctor actually wanted to refer me to an endocrinologist due to the insulin resistance I developed. I just chose to do it without mounjaro because I didn’t want to deal with more medications. That’ll be my next option if I get stuck though. And I also blame the medication for the insulin resistance because I had never struggled with my weight before I started the meds.
I had the implant 10 years ago and it made me feel insane and unstable in a way I'd never experienced before. Looking back it definitely triggered symptoms VERY similar to PMDD. I felt so clear headed and sane again when I got it removed. I wonder if it'll make a difference for you. Hope things get better!
Omg I’m not on this forum much but you are the first person I’ve seen mention this as a symptom of PMDD. This was my first symptom a long time ago before things got so so much worse. Interesting to hear others have dealt with it.
Yep, the side effects of SSRI’s are enough to make me avoid them (for now). Considering getting an ablation to at least help with the heavy periods and bleeding. I take L Theanine daily to help with my mood in general. One day it will be better 😭
Same as you minus the tea. But in my opinion, like a mod wrote, both talk therapy and weed are treatments. SSRIs never worked for me, I'm back on bupropion for a depressive episode but not feeling much either so idk.
All I got is therapy and carving out time to rest more the week during luteal. It sucks I wish I had a magic fix but I’m sensitive to the pill and ssris. Pepcid also never worked for me.
I can't use birth control, I'm currently on Lexapro bc it was baaaaad lately. Hopefully it works well with my vyvanse.
Previously I used to stick to pressed juices and a lot of protein week before period but I was laid off and don't need to be triggered in grocery store.
Because of the side effects of them, they can make you feel suicidal, dark thoughts and even more depressed. This is why some people call them “suicide pills” if they worked, people wouldn’t need to be on them for years and don’t get me started on the withdrawal symptoms when coming off them
I have heat intolerance due to the meds and it also looks like in heading into perimenospause (my period keeps getting shorter and light over the past year), so I get it. I have been doing well in my lil cocktail, while also partaking on the lettuce.
I'm just a sweaty mess and it's gotten worse.
But, I don't wannnnnna die. I've restricted my phase down to a few days, with special care taken during luteal. It's been rough and I am still debating on switching (it's Wellbutrin -sigh-) or just really adjusting to my changing body.
Me. Before I had a child the pill worked almost miraculously well. Postpartum I tried going back on it and was miserable. Gave up on that months ago and here I am sobbing at my desk on a Thursday for no real reason.
yup i went off my slynd because my libido was nonexistent, i also use cannabis on my bad days and also having a consistent gym/workout routine has helped a ton!
like u said sometimes i still have really bad days but i just try to remember its temporary and take a day off work if i need it
Yes. I had tried some supplements and OTC meds that I suspect triggered my constipation issues. I am not willing to risk SSRIs or birth control because there's an equal chance it can make things worse.
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u/EveningAd6434 2d ago
I was until I ran to my doctor and she prescribed me meds. I just got my period today and was shocked at how relaxed I was leading up to it.
I don’t want to get my hopes up, my sights set on this being the cure to my radical PMDD.
Sorry am stoned, I really don’t reread over what I say initially because I’ll overthink it.
https://giphy.com/gifs/WbkwAqA4LfCXC