Pmdd???

[sealed02]

I am 32 and just had my first child in February, so I am about 5 months post partum. I have definitely not been the same since the birth of my daughter but not exactly what I would call in the post partum depression category. This last month the irritability had built to a point that I literally felt like I would explode. And with the irritability comes this internal rage/anger. I snap at everyone and the smallest things set me off big time. It?s to the point that it?s causing problems with my husband and I. He has been wonderful and supportive but I can see myself taking it out on him. I can see myself acting irrational and out of control but I can?t seem to control it. I just know I can?t continue this way?. I don?t want to be this kind of wife and mother? I want to be myself again. So that last major occurrence was 2 weeks ago?.. today I got my period and over the last day or two the irritability has lifted. I had called my OB/family dr. and was in the process of getting bounced around the medical system for post partum depression. All of this ?talk to your OB.. no go see you primary care Dr? had just pushed me further over the edge. I am scheduled to go see a psychiatrist next week. But today when things seemed better with my period I googled PMS and pregnancy and came upon PMDD. When I think back the last few months I have had these ups and downs and can be linked to my period. I know I have not been formally diagnosed but feel pretty confident mine was trigged by the birth of my daughter. I still plan on seeing the psychiatrist but wanted to see if any of you ladies had your PMDD triggered by the birth of a child. I am a very private person and I have a hard time talking about these things with my friends?. So any advice or support you ladies could offer would be appreciated.

While it feels kind of good to know what?s going on, the psychiatric illness thing scares me. While I feel over the edge? I don?t feel crazy? I guess I just don?t like the stigma of the word.

I could have written your exact post (except it happened after my 2nd child, who is now 2yo).

After the birth of my son I went back to my OB because I was feeling incredibly on edge, she recommended a slew of vitamins, including primrose oil. It helped. Then I got an IUD, the symptoms subsided, so I stopped taking the vitamins, but my PMS was still pretty bad. I had my IUD removed 2 months ago, the symptoms returned with a vengence. Told my dh that our marriage was a sham and that he and the kids would be better without me. I didn't tell him that I actually pictured myself committing suicide. We have a very normal, happy marriage and our children are great. After our discussion the other night, I started taking the vitamins again, the last 2 days have been WAY better. I'm stilled scared of how down I had become and want more answers, I'm hoping to get into my OB this next week.

You're not alone.

[katster03]

i have been suffering with pmdd for last 2 years my doctor just seems to ignore my complaints and my husband is less than compassionate. I have three children and I just become so exhausted right before my period. I end up with terrible anxiety and just seem to cry at anything. It seems like two weeks out the month i am on such a roller coaster of ups and downs. I am so tired of this happening every month, I need a new answer to this problem. Once my family doc put me on zoloft during the time of my period but that was horrible, I took it once and it made me feel as though I was paranoid and and all keyed up. So I am afraid to try any other anti depressant. I guess I just needed to vent to people that would understand. If any one has a natural suggestions I would be happy to hear about them or any suggestions at all.

[constrc]

thanks.. you made me feel better.. none of th research I had done talked about things changing after child birth... I felt like I was falling in between the cracks of not being PPD... but not being myself.... I am still having issues and trying to find someone who wants to help is a nightmare.. see your primary care Dr.. see your OB.. see a pyschaitrist.... who only told me how busy she was and couldn't help.. what the .... I really hope you get some help.... its must be so scary for you to feel that way about yourself.... plus having the stress of a husband and kids running around.... if you want to commiserate post again and maybe we can chat about it.... I feel like a nut job talking to anyone else aobut it.... how do you explain that you want to divorce your husband becuase he didn't look at the parking space number we parked in that moring.. its totally irrational yet you can't control it and it seems to go to such drastic extremes!

[PMDD researcher]

Researchers at Rush University Medical Center are looking for participants in a study of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). PMDD is characterized by severe emotional and physical symptoms that occur premensturally. Your participation in the study will help to advance scientific understanding of women?s menstrual cycles and factors associated with PMDD. Women who complete the study will receive $100.
Participation Includes:
-A short orientation at Rush University in Chicago and physical including lab work (paid for by the study)
-Completion of a daily questionnaire (5 minutes) for two complete menstrual cycles
-At least three blood draw during each menstrual cycle (a phlebotomist can come to your home)
-Testing for ovulation using urine sticks
Eligible Participants Should:
-Have been diagnosed with PMDD
-Not be taking hormones (such as birth control pills)
-Not be taking antidepressants or other psychotropic medications
-Be between the ages of 18-53


There is a 5-minute phone interview to determine eligibility. If interested, please e-mail Katherine at womenswellnessstudyhotmail.com with your name and daytime telephone number.
Rush University Medical Center IRB #05102702
Principle Investigator: S. Ann Hartlage, PhD

[gdog]

I am so greatfull to find all of you!!! I know I have PMDD but I havn't been diagnosed. I saw my doctor in July (now that I have insurance) but she just thrust a paper about PMDD at me and said "every thing looks good, see you next year."
I have two kids and I had a bout of PMDD some time in between having my 8 year old and my 2 year old, but it went away, or seemed to, about a year before I got pregnant with my 2nd. But now its back!!! I don't know why but I can't handle it anymore! Last month I had no symptoms and I prayed that that was it, but this month it is back- and that hope of last month makes this one seem worse.

I have one or two really BAD days about 10 days before my period. I can feel it bubbling up inside of me and I fight it untill I can't think and I can't stand it, and then I just explode into this angry, bitter, yelling monster (usually toward my undeserving girls) that is so ugly that I think I'd be better off dead- I think "if I knew it wasn't the ******est idea in the world, I could just slit my wrists and be done with it!" And then I totally freak out and start to cry. After I cry I feel a lot better.

Here is a symptom that I haven't found in my research and wonder if any of you have experienced anything similar: every time I have my "big blow-up freak-out day" the very next day I get iching and burning in my vagina, sort of like a yeast infection, but not. I know it's not because it only goes away when I have my period. It always comes predictable to my cycle and my on-set of symptoms and it always goes away the same predictable way. It is almost like my body becomes extra acidic with my symptoms. Sometimes I even get canchor sores in my mouth. It is very uncomfortable and annoying (and imbarassing!!) Any thoughts or similar experience out there? My doctor did every test you can think of and everything came back good. I've been married for a LONG time to a very faithful man, so STD is not the problem.

My goal is to try the diet and exercise self-treatment. I don't exercise at all, eat poorly, drink 2-3 cups of coffee a day, love chocolate. The diet and exercise thing seems like it might be promising (at least worth a try before getting medicated). I can't afford to loose my drive because of a medication. I home-school my kids and their education depends on my being able to function well.

Thanks for reading my very long post, I hope someone is able to respond.

[vcooper]

I've always thought mine was pms until a couple of years ago. My doctor prescribed Zoloft at first but now i'm on a different one. It does help!!! I'm nuts without it. I don't like anybody and I'm cranky and mean. I teach elementary school and have fibromyalgia so I also suffer with depression. The medicine does help. I still dislike most everybody the week before my period but it's better with the meds.

[Colette]

Hi All

I'm new here, I have suffered Pmdd since 16-17 and I am now 40. No one believes me they would rather see me as a crazy or bad person, also I have been told my so called friend that I have a split personality.

Over the years I have had SSRI every kind which make things worst, hormone replacement as well as coils with hormone release. Nothing worked made things worst if anything.

Diet helped a bit and yoga does help, only thing is when I have PMDD I to tried and sore to do yoga, I have to force myself.

I have had no meds for about 10 years now and I can mostly cope by staying away from people, I have a son and daughter who help me they know how we have worked out ways of doing this. I have brought them up alone with very little support.

BTY Eli Lilly and other big Pharma companies are making a forture out of people like us, The medical professional seem happy to go along with them. There is not much proff Prozac helps. I feel they don't really care. Also If this illness effected men there would be a lot more money going into research by now. And why this illness is put in the categories of mental illness id beyond me. You can't be mentally ill for just two weeks at a time. But once again the patriarchy is in control.

Sorry for the rant in the paragraph above I just sick of being treated like a freak.

I post again soon and best wishes to all.

Colette

P.S

I am dyslexic so sorry for the spelling

[sealed02]

It's been a while since I posted, but I wanted to give everyone an update. I went to my OB, explained how I was feeling and she perscribed Zoloft immediately. She didn't even hesitate. She said that I'm a classic case of PMDD and the Zoloft will help tremendously. My OB leans to the natural side of things, natural childbirth (no drugs), etc. However, she said with this disorder you simply don't mess around. She also said she has MANY clients that have it and do very well with Zoloft.

It's been 2 months and the Zoloft is working wonders. I still feel PMS-y but not crazy. I'm not half as angry as I was. Life feels good again.

Just wanted to share a good story with everyone.

[carmimi]

Hi Belliemed1,

Read about your interest in education. My daughter, now 17, started severe mood problems at 11, about 10 months before she started menstruating. Wrongly diagnosed as Bipolar and put on strong meds and antidepressants for years. Nothing worked. In fact, the meds made her feel sick all the time and she complained about never knowing who she was anymore. She had to drop out of high school. I realized that the three times was was hospitalized for being suicidal or attemptimg suicide, she was either just about to start her period or had just started it. Now she's off all her meds and feels good most of the time. She is having accupuncture treatments weekly and taking 1,000mg of Sam-e every day. Sam-e has helped a lot but she still dips quite deeply in the 36 hours before her period and only picks up mood about 20 hours after she's started. Dipping this low ever for just a couple of days a month is till enough to unnerve you for the rest of the month. She's taking courses on-line to finish high school but now associates education with how horrible she felt for years and has panic attacks whenever we talk about it. We realize now that we must undo years of damage that was caused by the wrong diagnosis and the effects of strong meds before we can even move forward. Don't know if she'll ever get to college even though she's committed to getting there. But her confidence is shot. She's got a lot to overcome. She used to be a straight A student but now her academic record sucks big time and it's not about to get better. Self-esteem is damaged by bad experiences with presciption drugs; she was always hopeful that the next drug would work but when it didn't, and she got even worse, she became even more depressed.
Let me know if there's any support out there for girls in this situation.

[carmimi]

Hi, just posted a general reply but think it got lost somewhere. My daughter is homeschooling to finish high school because cannot attend school due to PMDD and long term effects of prescription drugs (taken when she was wrongly diagnosed as bipolar for years). Lots of damage done to body and soul. She desperately wants to attend college, is trying to finish high school on line but she has to overcome panic now associated with schooling first and then repair academic record. Off all meds now so she feels somewhat normal most of the time and is having accupuncture weekly and taking 1,000mg of Sam-e. Severe symptoms of PMDD only a few days a month now but the severity is enough to unnerve for the rest of the month. After years of suffering her confidence is shot.