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For at least a week every month, specialist mental health nurse Aimee feels like a different person. Sometimes she feels a deep paranoia, or a sense of despair, like something catastrophic is happening.

Other times, she feels anxious and scared, and wants to be completely alone. Then there蜜桃直播檚 trouble sleeping, with jolts of fear when she wakes, plus headaches and changes in appetite. At its worst, Aimee feels an acute depression and even suicidal thoughts. 

Aimee has premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) 蜜桃直播� a complex hormone-based mood disorder that manifests as a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), with extreme mood changes, anxiety, sleep disturbance and physical symptoms that start in the luteal phase, 1蜜桃直播�2 weeks before a person gets their period.

PMDD is a chronic condition that is frequently under-recognised and under-diagnosed. 

Knowing what蜜桃直播檚 normal

蜜桃直播淎s a teenager, I wasn蜜桃直播檛 really sure what was normal for a menstrual cycle, or PMS, I was just told about the bleeding, and then you just sort of get on with it,蜜桃直播� says Aimee. 蜜桃直播淚 was also overweight from the age of 23 and my periods weren蜜桃直播檛 always regular, but I was never taught to tune in and track my monthly cycle.蜜桃直播�

After a weight loss surgery in 2019, Aimee蜜桃直播檚 periods became more regular and with that she began to experience what she now knows were the first symptoms of PMDD, aged 31.

 

I was asking myself: have I always felt this bad and just not realised? 

  

蜜桃直播淚 received a late diagnosis of ADHD when I was 33. With changes to my understanding of self and the use of medication, my ADHD symptoms were soon under control, but these other symptoms were still occurring every single month. I was asking myself: have I always felt this bad and just not realised? 

蜜桃直播淚 started looking into PMDD online and found a cycle tracker.蜜桃直播�

After 3 months of filling in the tracker, Aimee could see a pattern. 蜜桃直播淭here were 7蜜桃直播�10 days each month where I felt totally incapable,蜜桃直播� she says. 蜜桃直播淭he more I learned, the more I realised I wasn蜜桃直播檛 being dramatic or oversensitive, I was unwell.蜜桃直播�

Aimee contacted the 蜜桃直播� a group of mental health professionals 蜜桃直播� and began therapy.

I felt validated for the first time 

She also presented her findings to her GP. 蜜桃直播淭here I was armed with my trackers and my hours of research, fully ready to be told: 蜜桃直播榊es, we all have PMS, it蜜桃直播檚 just life!蜜桃直播�, but instead I saw my brilliant GP who specialises in women蜜桃直播檚 health. I felt validated for the first time,蜜桃直播� she says.

 蜜桃直播淥nce you蜜桃直播檙e over the stigma, there蜜桃直播檚 a freedom in knowing that even though most months are as difficult as the last, there is a reason and it will pass.蜜桃直播�

Treatment options

Treatment for PMDD can include a combination of lifestyle changes, talking therapies, complementary therapies, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or hormone treatment to suppress ovulation. For Aimee, it蜜桃直播檚 been a case of trying different treatments to work out what suits her. 

蜜桃直播淎 big step forward was communicating about my condition with my employer,蜜桃直播� she explains. 蜜桃直播淚蜜桃直播檝e always been open, and I realise it蜜桃直播檚 easier said than done, but it was incredibly well received by my line manager.蜜桃直播�

Aimee蜜桃直播檚 manager made reasonable adjustments which account for her luteal phase. This includes not seeing brand new patients during this time: 蜜桃直播淚nstead, I do follow-ups with people who know me.蜜桃直播�

This window is also marked in her calendars at work and at home so her colleagues and family members are aware she might not be feeling well on these days.

蜜桃直播淚 also do what work I can from home so if I need a cry or a nap I can do that in safety of my own space,蜜桃直播� she adds. 蜜桃直播淚 realise these adjustments wouldn蜜桃直播檛 be suitable for every role, but it蜜桃直播檚 helped me a lot.蜜桃直播�

Recognising symptoms

Does Aimee have any advice for those who recognise the symptoms in themselves? 蜜桃直播淒ownload a tracker,蜜桃直播� Aimee says. 蜜桃直播淕ive yourself permission to reflect every day for 2-3 months and look at the trend. Take it to your GP. Tell them: I蜜桃直播檝e read about this condition and I think it might apply to me.蜜桃直播�

A combination of psychological support and treatment has helped Aimee manage the condition, but it蜜桃直播檚 not always easy. 蜜桃直播淎ll of this doesn蜜桃直播檛 make it go away, of course, but being on a treatment plan that includes vitamins, diet, and exercise certainly does help.蜜桃直播�

Informing practice

A positive, Aimee says, is that having PMDD has hugely informed her nursing practice. “With my patients I’m more inclined to ask questions and consider symptoms. All nursing staff need to be aware and incorporate it into our thinking,” she says.

“We often ask about appetites, sleep habits and so on. We need to include periods and PMS symptoms. If someone you’re caring for is saying that PMS symptoms are so severe they feel like a different person, we need to think: could it be PMDD?”

Employers too, need to be aware. “With PMDD what we’d be looking for is compassion and reasonable adjustments at a specific time in a person’s cycle,” Aimee says. 

If we don't talk about it, lives will be lost

There’s an urgency here – the condition can lead to profound mental suffering and 34% of people with PMDD have attempted suicide, according to the .

“If we don’t talk about it, lives will be lost,” Aimee says. “When my PMDD has been bad, I’ve never experienced a darkness and fear like it. But if you can work towards a diagnosis and understanding, there is help and support out there. We can find a way through the darkest times.”