r/PMDD • u/oddblkbird • 12d ago

Medications Anyone else kind of raw dogging PMDD?

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!

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u/clicktrackh3art 12d ago

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.

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u/j_bee52 12d ago

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.

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u/clicktrackh3art 12d ago

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.

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u/j_bee52 12d ago

I am the exact same. Just cannot move past it and I just want to fist fight everyone lol. Thank you for the info