PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder): What it is and How it is Treated

PMDD, or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, is a fairly new term that is being diagnosed in women right before their menstrual cycle. This is different from the monthly PMS that most women experience. With PMDD a woman's moods and symptoms are worse. Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder is a debilitating set of symptoms that are associated with parts of a woman's monthly cycle. It can cause major mood effects in women. It generally refers to a type of depression and women who suffer from depression are at a greater risk for PMDD.

Women usually experience PMS about a week before their monthly cycle. With PMDD these symptoms tend to be more severe, that a woman's day-to-day activity is disrupted. Because this disorder is so new, many women have never heard of it. It only affects three to eight percent of women.

Some women who have PMDD complain of these symptoms, which are irritability, anger, tension, marked depressed mood, and mood liability to such a severity that quality of life is seriously compromised. Also, in addition to these complaints, women have also experienced lethargy; sleep disturbances, limited concentration, and many physical symptoms such as breast tenderness, headaches, joint and muscle pain, bloating, and weight gain.

Treatments for PMDD depend on the severity of the symptoms. If a woman has a mild case, then treatment would consist of diet modifications like reducing the use of salt, and the intake of caffeine and alcohol. It is also recommended that women look for ways to alleviate stress. Some ways to do so would be exercising, counseling, and stress/behavior management. For women who suffer a more severe form of PMDD, a more aggressive approach is often taken using a combination of medications with non-medical treatments. Some medications used to treat PMDD are Serotonin and Fluoxetine.

Women who have more severe cases of PMDD will have to take even more of a drastic measure to help with their PMDD symptoms. For some women, it is recommended that they take hormone therapies. These work by suppressing the menstrual cycle. Effective hormone therapies include gonadotropin agonists, estradiol, and danazol. However, these drugs can cause other problems in women and they may not be able to take them for very long.

If you suspect that you might be suffering from PMDD, then seek the attention of your physician. Describe to them your symptoms and then discuss a course of action to help treat the symptoms of PMDD.