Natural Treatments for PMDD?

[Canuck]

I have PMDD. I've been suffering with this for a long time, but it has become significantly worse in the past couple of years. I absolutely hate who I become the week before my period. I have no patience, can't concentrate, can't bear social or professional interactions...I'm terrible to be around. My husband and son have to live with a madwoman for a week each month and I know that my problem has very much become their problem as well.

My job is high stress and requires a great deal of concentration and focus (I'm a lawyer). Over the past year I'm finding that harder and harder. I spend most of that awful week each month with my office door closed, avoiding clients and co-workers because I just can't handle interactions with them. It's become so bad that I have actually started to work from home a couple of days a month just to avoid being around people.

A few years ago, when I was diagnosed, my physician put me on SSRI's and touted them as being the ultimate solution to my problem. I stayed on them (first Paxil, then Effexor) for about 8 months. My experience was that these drugs are just as terrible for me (and consequently my family) as dealing with the PMDD. I stopped taking them and have been trying to manage the PMDD on my own ever since.

I just can't do it anymore. I feel like I'm completely falling apart. Once I get my period, I'm fine. But the week leading up to it is it's own kind of living . There has to be some natural treatment out there.

Has anyone consulted a naturopath or a herbalist about PMDD? What was the result?

[C]

I have signed on to put this on three times....Three times I have signed off without putting it on........I chickened out.....Maybe the fourth time will do it or else there is the possibility that I will regret opening my big mouth....Seeing this falls in line with who I am and has never stopped me yet, here goes.....MAYBE...

I don't know your age, but have you considered having a hysterectomy. I wish I could say I had heard of a remedy for this situation but I can't. Paxil can be pretty rough and I am not sure how this works with anxiety such as you have. I thought the primary use of this was depression....I am very familiar with anti-depressant drugs...

I had a hysterectomy at age 48 because of tumors and horrible periods. I was so anemic that they had to build me up before they could operate. My husband said that at that time in my life that I was terrible to live. He was not kidding. After the surgery, it was like night and day. I also had my ovaries taken out which was a surprise to me but sexually it has made absolutely no difference. I didn't let it.

What troubles me is that if you are having such a terrible time now what will it be like when you reach menopause. After surgery, I never had menopause. Please understand I am not trying to interfere in the life of a woman at child bearing age but I thought if you are possibly in your later 40's that this may be something that you might want to think about.

I wish you well and hope everything turns out OK.....

[Canuck]

Thanks for your words and suggestion. I'm only 33, so the idea of a hysterectomy is really unappealling. I just don't feel ready for that.

This is why I've been trying to look into natural remedies. I'm more than willing to do the work required to make things better for myself. If that means significant changes to diet, excercise, the use of supplements, etc., in order to avoid surgical or pharmaceutical interventions then so be it. The one thing that I can't and won't do again is go on those bloody awful SSRI's. I know that they are a wonderful help to some people, but they were absolutely terrible for me.

[C]

Yes, you are far too young....Try forgetting about what you are going to be each month...This is your inner self preparing to be a B....Kick her out the door....Fight yourself....The minute she shows her face, step on it....You don't need help, you are strong inside...Women never were like this until they read about it...Now they find it an excuse....and it appears...It can be a mind game...

When they took away all my sexuality after my hysterectomy, I fought to be sexual again. It was not easy but I fought...Now try fighting the inner you that wants to be this person every month...Tell her to take a hike...Take a glass of orange juice and pretend this is your magic remedy to stop this...It can be done.....

Honey, I wish you well....Much love coming from this end of the keyboard...Caroline

[breatheeasy]

I'm not sure if I believe that you can fight it, nor do I believe it's true that "women were never like this before." Human beings aren't all exactly the same, and it's not hard to believe that while others might have normal levels of hormones, others might be lacking in or deficient of certain hormones that regulate our moods. I believe this is what PMDD is...

I don't know much about it, but it's something I just began looking into to - I'm only 19, my life is pretty healthy and happy except every now and again, I get incredibly overwhelmed to the point where I convince myself that suicide is the right idea. ! Normally this sounds LUDACRIS to me, I love my life so much, I have an amazing life, but once in a while I'd get "depressed" and it wasn't even like I was manic and wanted to impulsively do something... I would really convince myself there's it's the only solution, that everything is too much to deal with, I'm gonna be alone forever, I'm never gonna be happy, etc etc etc
Crazy stuff!
Then, last month when I couldn't control my emotions about it in public, and then broke down in front of my mother and broke out in HIVES while I was talking to her because I was such a nervous wreck... I realized that I have my period. And it doesn't happen every month, but every time I DO get like this, I believe that I have my period.

I believe in fighting it to the point that, at the least, I know not to make any major decisions during this time! But I cannot control the way I feel, especially if it's because my hormones are out of whack.

They list a host of different things to try, from vitamins and supplements to natural herbs, dietary changes, etc.
I believe they also offer help in creating and maintaining a personal program for a fee, if that is something you would be interested in. If not, they have a ton of free information, just browse the website.

One of the options is to take St. John's wort, a natural anti-depressant. But other options might work for you. Do some research, type in "PMDD natural" on google, and a host of things will come up.


As for myself, I'm just starting with a multivitamin and fishoil and keeping my fingers crossed. I'm also going to begin taking Meltonin for sleep problems, so maybe that could somehow help as well.

Best of luck to you!

[CHANDLERS WISH]

Thanks for your words and suggestion. I'm only 33, so the idea of a hysterectomy is really unappealling. I just don't feel ready for that.

This is why I've been trying to look into natural remedies. I'm more than willing to do the work required to make things better for myself. If that means significant changes to diet, excercise, the use of supplements, etc., in order to avoid surgical or pharmaceutical interventions then so be it. The one thing that I can't and won't do again is go on those bloody awful SSRI's. I know that they are a wonderful help to some people, but they were absolutely terrible for me.

My poor staff, of 11. I used to warn them ( only the women) watch out, as 1 week before i'm a real b.....h and often i would stay home for at least the first day.

I didn't change diet, or excersise or use supplements. I went into the "mind", hard to do, don't get me wrong.

But touch wood, the past 3 months, bliss, happy as a pig in s...........
and i wish i new before hand how to do this....

I basically decided that i had had enough.

Every single possitive and happy thought that i could muster, i did daily, i refused any negativity including pain, and said, what can you do to me, nothing, i am beautiful and happy and giggle giggle.

Bottom line is i used Visualisation of happy thoughts and decided i had enough.

Your a Lawyer, you tell your clients daily, " have hope, faith, we can"....

Give it a go, let go of all those "bad things" i am a Proprietor trust me there are bad things. But let them go, and say so what, everything is "good" everything is "great" and if it's not, trust me it will be" and laugh and smile. Laugh at work, with your collegues, be cheeky and laugh at yourself, your male companion if you have one, meaning with him just be in a "good place" and trust me it will just go.....

I am living proof, it does happen and it will.....

Best of luck

[LA_Lady]

I have PMDD. I've been suffering with this for a long time, but it has become significantly worse in the past couple of years. I absolutely hate who I become the week before my period. I have no patience, can't concentrate, can't bear social or professional interactions...I'm terrible to be around. My husband and son have to live with a madwoman for a week each month and I know that my problem has very much become their problem as well.

My job is high stress and requires a great deal of concentration and focus (I'm a lawyer). Over the past year I'm finding that harder and harder. I spend most of that awful week each month with my office door closed, avoiding clients and co-workers because I just can't handle interactions with them. It's become so bad that I have actually started to work from home a couple of days a month just to avoid being around people.

A few years ago, when I was diagnosed, my physician put me on SSRI's and touted them as being the ultimate solution to my problem. I stayed on them (first Paxil, then Effexor) for about 8 months. My experience was that these drugs are just as terrible for me (and consequently my family) as dealing with the PMDD. I stopped taking them and have been trying to manage the PMDD on my own ever since.

I just can't do it anymore. I feel like I'm completely falling apart. Once I get my period, I'm fine. But the week leading up to it is it's own kind of living . There has to be some natural treatment out there.

Has anyone consulted a naturopath or a herbalist about PMDD? What was the result?

First off, congratulations for reaching out for help with your PMDD. I tried for years and years to slog through on my own, thinking that I just had PMS and that it was my lot in life. I also tried every natural remedy I heard about to ease my symptoms, and I hate to tell you this, but none of them worked for me. Some, like accupunture, eased my symptoms to a small extent, but not to lasting or marked extent.

What did work for me was Lexapro and working with a great therapist. I'm fortunate in that the only side effect I had from the Lexapro was weight gain (a very small price to pay), and it almost completely erased every single one of my symptoms, physical, mental, and emotional. I really wish that I could wave my magic wand and make it work the same for everyone else.

You mention in your post that you have a stressful job. If that is the case, have you considered that it might be contributing to your symptoms? Not causing them, of course, but perhaps making them worse? When you were on medication previously, did you work with a therapist or psychiatrist? I benefited tremendously from working with a therapist at the same time I was on medication. It helped me to reduce the normal stresses in my life to better cope with the ones that came with my PMDD. Perhaps you might consider visiting a mental health professional for a few sessions before you take the expensive step of consulting an alternative medicine practitioner.

Sending all sorts of positive thoughts your way! Remember, you are not alone.

[myabyss]

I am new here, but I have been suffering from very severe PMDD for over 5 years now. I have tried many things with little or no relief. I have wanted to give up so many times as the whole thing becomes more and more exhausting. Several months ago I started taking SAM-e (look it up its a natural suplement) it has made all the difference in the world. I am no longer having suicidal thoughts, or depressive thoughts like I was before. In my opinion its at least worth a try. Slowly I am starting to get my life back.

[breeziewylie]

I'm 26 years old. PMDD ruins my life a week out of each month as well. Its destroying my relationship, its causing me severe depression. It makes me so mean and sad and grouchy and needy... its really pathetic and I hate it. I have no idea what to do. I tried taking some womens herbal supplement and it made me late (that or maybe I was pregnant and it didn't stick?) I'm just tired of it. I can't wait to just start every month, so I can be normal again for a couple weeks. If anyone knows of anything please fill us in!

[WildChild]

I'm with CW on this, the only time I've had trouble with this is if I'm really down, not eating well and not exersizing. I think a lot of it can be stress. But by all means go get a full physical with blood work and hormone levels. If you can get a copy look into The Women's Advantage Diet. It was developed by a doctor and utilizes the fact that the levels of various hormones in a woman's body change throughout her cycle. This causes us to need a different diet at different times and to respond differently to he chemicals in our food (food is chemicals). I used it when I was younger (before perimenopause) and found it worked great! It also helps you control your weight very nicely.

I'd exhaust all other possiblities before I considered removing body parts. Your ovaries do for you what a man's testicles do for him, you want to keep them if you can.