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PMDD
16/f
How do I know if I have PMDD? I really feel like I do, but my mom doesn't believe me. Here are my symptoms:
- Depression (Like, I'll become really upset for a few days over NOTHING. I'll cry at random times for no reason. And I honestly am suchh a happy person!)
- Muscle aches in my legs.
- Very tender/sore breasts.
- Becoming very irritable/angry. (It gets reallllly bad. And it completely effects my relationships with my boyfriend, friends, and family. I'll often lash out at them for no reason or freak out over nothing.)
- Dizziness.
- Bad cramps and bloating.
- Panic/anxiety attacks. (Not all the time, but sometimes it'll happen.)
- Feeling anxious and just not myself.
- Majorrrr food cravings. (Mainly for chocolate and french fries.)
I know those are a lot of symptoms and I don't want anyone to think I'm being a hypochondriac about this, which is what I think my parents believe. But I really feel like I need to find out if this is PMDD or maybe just teenage hormones? All of these things effect my life and relationships soo much, I can't really take it anymore.
Does anyone maybe have some tips on how I can deal with this? Any foods that will help the mood swings and such?
Thanks so much! :)
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It sounds like you do have it, but I can't be sure it's not "just" PMS. Either way, it's still about your monthly hormone cycle and similar things should help for both.
I have severe PMDD, to the point where I can become psychotic (rarely) or suicidial (not so rare) just before a period. It can be very hard to reason wih me during this time. But it is getting MUCH better now. Maybe it will help you to try what I did:
-Every day that I can remember to I write the date and how my state was that day. I try to keep in mind whhich feelings were probably caused by my environment and what seemed to be my natural disposition that day (this is more attributable to hormones therefore more relevant). I write down what my body does, level of sex drive and appetite, food cravings, mood swings, how relaxed or how anxious I was, and sometimes the activities I had an easy or hard time doing. After a while of doing this, I read back over it and saw a clear pattern of feelings and behavior, now I know what to expect and when to expect it! It helps you prepare. But if you do it remember to try not to trick yourself- don't start thinking "oh I must have cramps now because I did at this time last month", just write down what happens when it does.
- When you start getting painful mood problems, remind yourself why it's happening. Comfort yourself the way you would comfort another person, remind yourself that it won't last and find relaxing and soothing things to do, maybe take a bath, get rest.
- For your relationships, talk to them about what happens to you if you can and try wo work out a way for them to respond to you that you're both comfortable with that could help diffuse your anger. My boyfriend knows that with me he should just try to understand that I'm not myself during that time so there's really no point in arguing or stressing over my irritability.
-Most pills won't fix it, I suppose it's possible that one could, but for the most part "anti-depressants" will only give you more problems...just listen to the side effects on the commercials. Everyone I know who has tried them has just ended up with more problems, even though the doctors at like they will magically fix you.
-Foods with lots of vitamins and minerals! carbs and protein are important ofcourse, but try to eat lots of colorful fruits and vegetables during this time. If you crave sugary foods try fruit instead of chocolate, the kind of sugar in fruit will do something different for your body, the sugar in chocolate causes fast drops in blood sugar after sharp raises, and this can worsen mood symptoms. Try eating natural, healthy foods, especially that have b vitamins.
Also, try to make sure you get a good amount of iron in your diet around your period, the blood loss makes you need more. (but don't just down a bunch of iron supplements, it could make you sick)
Hope this helps!
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It is really difficult to differentiate between PMS and PMDD. All the symptoms you listed could be just PMS- or more severe!
I have the same problem with you. I don't know if I have PMDD. I have an appointment with my doctor on Friday of this week to find out! If you had written this on Friday I would certainly be much more knowledgable than I am today but I have done a bit of research over the last few weeks to decide if I even need to see my doctor. I will share a little with you.
First of all, I am sure you know by now that PMS sucks. I would have bloating, really painful cramping, and mood swings. But with PMS mood swings you kind of lash out a bit and make your loved ones think "shesh! what did I do? I wonder if it is her time of the month". I am too ashamed to share what I have personally done a week to 10 days before my own period but I found a blog of other women who have confessed to being quite nasty during this time. One woman admitted she is happy her husband is so loving because she has actually thrown things at him and hit him- hers gets so severe.
One of my concerns stems from the fact that I am going to be 31 soon and had my menarch (1st period) when I was 13. So I know PMS well. What I have been experiencing for the last 4 months... is beyond anything I ever felt with PMS. Usually a chocolate bar (or 3 or 4) would make me emotionally feel better for a few hours at least while I was "high" on chocolate. This hasn't really been helping lately. I am still benging because of increased appetite... but it doesn't make me feel better... just less hungry!
I am getting right up there with this other lady. And it doesn't just make me "upset" that I am this way but rather, it frightens me. This is why I have taken the extra step to see my doctor. I have crossed some lines that I would NEVER have thought that I would cross. I am generally very mild mannered and upbeat. The feelings of depression and anger that I feel are so surreal and they truely scare me that it is ME who is behaving in such a viscious manner.
There are two websites that I found helpful in making my decision to see my doctor. These may help you in discussing it with your mom and potentially seeing your own doctor.
The first one is:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
and the second one, and my personal most helpful is:
[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)
Your disadvantage right now, and this may not be easy for you to accept, is you are 16. It is simply a medical, hormonal fact that you are still going through puberty and many things in your life are going to make you feel very melodramatic. If you truely feel you may have PMDD, you may need to work hard convincing Mom you need to see your doctor. He/she is the only one who can look objectively enough to tell the difference between PMS, PMDD, and normal teenage girl puberty issues.
I hope these websites help you out.
Best of luck.
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this sounds like PMDD to me, but im no doctor. this may just be major PMS, and some of it may be psychological.
what you need to do is ask your parents to schedule you an appointment with your family doctor, and ask her/him if they could tell you for sure whether you have PMDD or not.
im a hypochondriac, or everyone says i am -.-", and i think i have PMDD too. and what helps with my random outbursts of pissiness or depression, are two things: icecream and a ball. you take the ball outside and throw it against a wall as hard as you can. just pretend you're aiming for the person you're mad at. throw it however many times you need to in order to calm down. the icecream helps with the depression. sometimes crying gets all of those lost emotions out. so in order to cry, i usually watch a lifetime movie with a bucket of icecream. :)
maybe you're doctor can help you more than i did, but take care.
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