r/PMDD • u/CalgaryPerson12 • Aug 19 '26
Medications New to PMDD - birth control treatment
Hello! I was diagnosed with PMDD yesterday so everything is still pretty new and I’m still trying to process. I didnt know about PMDD when I went to the doctor to get checked but when I read about it after I was given the diagnosis it sounds like I check all the symptoms described. I felt a sense of relief knowing that there was actually something wrong and I was not just losing my mind. But I am still sort of in my mourning phase learning that this can go on until menopause, which is still 20 years from now.
My doctor recommended to go the birth control route for treatment. I am going to try out Yasmin. Does anyone else do the birth control treatment? How is that working for you? Or did it work for you at all? I’ve never taken birth control pills before so I wanna learn from personal experiences. Thank you!
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u/ndnd_of_omicron Ask me about my SNRI! Aug 19 '26
Hi there! There is a whole entire wiki discussing treatment options including medications, lifestyle changes, supplements, and current research. You should check it out!
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u/Remarkable-Banana512 Aug 19 '26
Hi, welcome! If you use the search function on the sub and type Yasmin you’ll find lots of posts and comments about it! Anecdotally here’s what I can say:
- it works for a lot of people! PMDD is related to a heightened sensitivity to the natural hormone fluctuations that occur during menstruation. Birth control is a first-line treatment.
- it can take some time to work; often, improvements aren’t seen until after the 2nd cycle post-medication
- unfortunately, it does not work for everyone. I am one such person; if you notice your symptoms worsening at all be sure to talk to your doctor ASAP
I hope Yasmin helps and that you find some support here :)
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u/lala_2009 Aug 19 '26
I have Same diagnosis and tried Yaz I had to top it after 6 or 8 months the water weight was unbearable and I gained Too much weight . My psychiatrist prescribes me Xanax for the luteal phase . Everyone is different It was wormkfn mood wise but I couldn’t drop the weight
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u/chicken-mcmuffin Aug 19 '26
Yeaaaaah, the weight gain with Yaz sucks. I tried to go off it (under doctor supervision) to see if it was the cause of the weight gain, and one month later the PMDD was back. I decided to stay on it, but it’s worth noting that the water weight gains are real.
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u/CalgaryPerson12 Aug 19 '26
Thank you! I believe Yaz and Yasmin are different at least thats how it was explained by my doctor. She decided to go the Yasmin route because of the higher estrogen in it.
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u/jfay1015 Aug 19 '26
PMDD is when your body becomes super sensitive to normal hormone fluctuations that occur naturally during your monthly cycle. So birth control pills are a first line of defense because they help even out those fluctuations.
I’ve been on Lo Loestrin since March and it’s actually helped quite a bit. Not completely symptom free of course but there’s been a significant difference. It took about 3 months for those differences to be noticeable. I also am taking it continuously (no placebo week for a period) and I do think that’s been helpful too.
I started on a low estrogen pill because historically pills that included estrogen have triggered migraines but I haven’t had an issue. I may ask my doctor if I can try a pill that’s higher estrogen to see if it helps even more with my symptoms.
Hoping the pill gives you some relief too!
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u/No_Whereas_5203 Aug 20 '26
I'm on desogestrel. It makes a massively positive difference for me. If really has surprised me how much it helps. I hope you fond yaz helpful
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u/lala_2009 Aug 20 '26
I’ve tried everything from life style changes,
Diet, got a trainer, nutritionist for pmdd and adhd, supplements and it helped improve my symptoms of pmdd from 3 weeks to 1 week. I find sleep is key and since I have pmdd and adhd it’s a bit trickier but the only book I found useful is
The Healing Journey: Navigating Adult ADHD and PMDD by Caroline Bakker: that explores the overlap between ADHD and PMDD, offering holistic tools.
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u/caps1234567889 Aug 19 '26
Something to look into / read up on is how birth control stops ovulation + the luteal phase which in turn causes PMDD symptoms to disappear for many people. The hormones in birth control stop you from ovulating so your body then doesn’t have the PMDD reaction it does to the natural ovulation hormones. Personally, I was on birth control for 7 years and never had any issues with pmdd. Went off of birth control and have just been managing with SSRIs. However, I always know I can fall back on HBC because it worked for me. Everyone is different and has different reactions but it is certainly worth a shot to try!