1. The Rollercoaster of PMDD: My Journey – Part 1

Have you ever felt like your emotions were on a wild rollercoaster? Join me as I share my personal journey with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). Discover the ups and downs, the challenges and triumphs, and the strategies I've learned to navigate this complex condition. From the debilitating symptoms to the moments of hope and resilience, this blog post offers a raw and honest perspective on living with PMDD.

PMDDHORMONES

9/29/20247 min read

This one’s personal, and I'm going to keep it raw and real.

No sugar coating here, and a lot of it comes right from my notes I wrote at the time.

I feel the desire to share this, as so much of what we are told is normal isn't. It may be common, but it’s not normal.

But when I came to the realization that I had more going on than I thought, reading other peoples stories made me feel so much less alone, and that I wasn't going crazy every month.

Something that took a lot more searching and learning was how to heal this so it doesn't effect my life in the way it was. That parts still a work in progress, but I have made so much progress, and that needs to be shared.

It may just be the thing that helps you, or someone you know. And that is my goal in sharing.


May 30, 2024.

Finally… a realization that I’m not crazy half the time…

Life should be so good right now.

When it should be feeling amazing. I have my dream man, moved back to my favourite state, we are making good money, and I’m starting to build my dream business online. But the truth is, I have been struggling so much this year. And it doesn’t feel right

It’s like I’m two different people living two different lives.

At work for two weeks, I’m so motivated to get home and build the business, start my blog and share all the things I have wanted to for years.

And we get home, and I have nothing…

No motivation, depressive thoughts and don’t want to leave the house.

And it starts getting progressively worse.

Until I feel like I’m in the darkest hole I have ever been in. And I’m not a nice person to be around.

The simplest things drive me mad, and I end up in bed, or bundled up on the couch.

Ignoring everything and everyone including those I love most.

~ And then ~ I get my period. Just in time to head back to work. And start the cycle again.

These aren’t just your run of the mill periods either, cramps that make you sick and keep you up all night, so heavy you worry about leaving the house or wearing anything but black, and then, by day 3, it settles and all seems like I just missed a week or more of my life.

It’s been so hard for me to understand what has been happening. And on a little more reflection the cycle seems so easy to see.

Things seem so good, and I love life, only to keep falling in this hole.

It wasn’t until I had spent 2 days in bed, before my period even started, I seriously questioned if I was okay.

And when my period finally arrived, spending that day in bed ~ something I have been used to for many, many years ~ I went to the doctor, doctor google that is. And typed extreme PMS…

~ I was looking for something, maybe a supplement that might help, anything that might help ~

Now pms isn’t something that’s new to me. But to have realized I have been having pms for much longer than normal for all of the year, was scary. Not just a few days of being snappy or sad…

And there it was… PMDD

I read every article and story that came up, and with that came the realisation that maybe I wasn’t going crazy.

I cried. I’m not sure if they were happy tears, sad tears or tears of relief. Maybe it was all of them.

But I cried and kept reading.

Finally feeling seen and validated in my thoughts of “this can’t be me going crazy”, and realizing there is a reason that I have all this motivation, love and excitement for my relationship, life and business while we are away at work, and then come home to the exact opposite.

That it wasn’t just me being shit at life, that it wasn’t that my partner is horrible (he’s not at all! I just felt like he was, but it was me being horrible and hard)

And that it is just shit timing that work lined up so perfectly with my cycle.

If there is one positive about my period is that it’s bang on time every month, as are our flights to work…

So while reading all these stories, I felt so grateful for those beautiful women who have shared theirs. And that I’m not alone, and there are ways to help this.

If you have a story you want to share with the world, please do! You really never know who needed to hear your words, and it just might be enough to help someone get through one of their harder times.

It’s scary to feel like you have a condition, but also comforting to know what it is and what direction to head to heal.

I knew that GPs might not be much help,

So I booked the next available appointment at a local women’s health Center.

In 2 months time…

They specialize in these sorts of things, and I feel like that’s what’s needed for more unique issues.

And booked a GP appointment too, I thought I could get the ball rolling and maybe some blood tests to start as a baseline.

~Well nothing like a mainstream GP to throw you right back into feeling unseen, unheard and invalidated. When I wouldn’t immediately go on the pill and antidepressants, and with no more knowledge than I had already found online, and a blood test script I was swished out the door.~

~I understand GPs can’t know everything, and may not have heard of more unique things, but I do expect to not be made to feel like I don’t know my own body and mind…And to suggest someone is wrong for not wanting to hide their symptoms under pharmaceuticals and offering them with no prior knowledge of my health and after having a 5 minute conversation with me feel extremely irresponsible~ The system is broken ~

So while I waited for my blood test and my appointment at the women’s clinic, I researched all I could about what might help and what I could get locally before flying out to work.

In part two I will share what I have been taking, why I chose those things and how it’s working in these early days.

____________________

My Journey with PMDD – Part 1


So what is PMDD?

PMDD is a more severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Symptoms typically occur a week or two before menstruation and subside a few days after the period starts.

How is PMDD diagnosed? Your doctor will talk to you about your health history and do a physical examination. (my first GP did none of this, and if yours doesn't find a new one!)

You will need to keep a calendar or diary of your symptoms to help your doctor diagnose PMDD. You must have 5 or more PMDD symptoms, including one mood-related symptom, to be diagnosed with PMDD.

Emotional and Behavioural Symptoms:

  • Severe mood swings

  • Depressed mood

  • Anxiety or tension

  • Irritability or anger

  • Feeling overwhelmed or out of control

  • Difficulty concentrating

  • Loss of interest in activities

  • Social withdrawal

  • Fatigue or low energy

  • Suicidal thoughts

Physical Symptoms:

  • Breast tenderness

  • Bloating

  • Headaches

  • Joint or muscle pain

  • Changes in appetite

  • Insomnia or excessive sleepiness

You need 5 to be diagnosed, I had every single one of the Emotional and Behavioural Symptoms. And most of the Physical ones… Nicely topped off by horrible period pain.

I remember sitting on the bed crying, reading about all this, and showing Sammy the symptoms, and instantly he confirmed that it has to be it.

The symptoms listed sound heavy, and they feel even heavier. Add them all together and it feels like the world is imploding, every month.

And when you finally start to feel better again, the dread of this happening all over again, feels too much to bear...

So I'm going wrap up the start of my experience with PMDD there for now, and as I do it's clear that sharing these stories helps others to heal. Whether you're just starting out or looking to deepen your understanding, remember that the body wants to heal and has the ability to do so. We just need to listen and give it what it needs.

Thank you for joining me on this journey and allowing me to share it with you. My hope is to inspire anyone who is seeking answers to trust their intuition, and remember the system isn't designed for us to be our healthy vibrant selves. Only we have the power to do that.

If you have any thoughts, questions, or experiences to share, please leave a comment below or send me a message over on the gram. I would love to hear from you!

Much love,

Ps.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms or symptoms related to your cycle or hormones, please reach out. While I am no medical professional, I am here to support you, and can share things I have found that have helped me so much in just a few short months.

Subscribe

Never miss a post, extra insights and my wild ramblings, and no spam ever.

a woman's handwritten message that reads it's not a worda woman's handwritten message that reads it's not a word
a black and white photo of a black and white text that says, back toa black and white photo of a black and white text that says, back to