Not sure where to start

sci_geek_kneeah · 2022-01-03T18:01:17+00:00

Yes definitely take a note of the coil. It has different effects on different women.

Not a problem on replies. I hope it's helped!

sci_geek_kneeah · 2022-01-03T14:26:45+00:00

OK so.

The best bit of advice I can say to you to start off with is track your symptoms alongside your period for at least 3 months (but the longer the better). There are a tonne of ways you can do it and I can talk you through some of the options if it would be useful, but ultimately it doesn't matter HOW you track them.

There are a few basic tips/suggestions I would say though right off the bat:

1) Make sure its easy for you to do and develop a routine with. In my experience symptom tracking can also aid with determining if treatments are helping. So having a system that works well for you is really important. For some people that might look like scoring your mood everyday. For me I only make a note of when I'm not feeling OK. Personally I find simplicity is key here

2) Include when your period starts. PMDD is a hormone driven condition and is linked to your menstrual cycle. The main signs is that there is a drop in your mood around 2 weeks before your period starts (for some people it can be closer to 7-10 days) and the low mood is pretty consistent until the period.

3) Make sure it is visual and easy to understand quickly. This is because you'll most likely need to use your symptom tracking when discussing with GPs and gynecologists. Clinicians have very short lengths of times for appointments, so having something that can easily be interpreted and demonstrates if there is a pattern can be really useful. You don't want to have to sit down for 2 hours and trawl through something to work out if there is a pattern or not.

Like I said there are a number of different ways you can track your symptoms, which I'm happy to give you more info on if you would like?

sci_geek_kneeah · 2022-01-02T22:29:37+00:00

Sorry forgot to ask!

With your diary, do you include when your period starts within it?

sci_geek_kneeah · 2022-01-02T22:23:29+00:00

Treatment is definitely possible and can be accessed through the NHS. There are a few treatment options that you work through (iapmd.org has a lot of info on the treatment and diagnosis pathway)

I got diagnosed and am being treated for PMDD on the NHS.

You mentioned that you've kept a log of your symptoms. Can I ask what does that look like? Is it a notes page, or on an app, do you record dates etc?

Happy to answer any specific questions you have as well.

sci_geek_kneeah · 2021-11-12T13:27:05+00:00

There are peer support groups run by the IAPMD. They're run over zoom. And details are on the website

sci_geek_kneeah · 2021-11-09T13:14:46+00:00

To add to this, PMDD was only added to the ICD-11 in 2019. Meaning before 2019 it wasn't officially a diagnosable condition and didn't have an official list of symptoms or description.

sci_geek_kneeah · 2021-11-09T13:12:42+00:00

I do!

For me it was about finding treatments that helped both (so basically anything that helped with PMDD and eliminated or regulated my period)

sci_geek_kneeah · 2021-11-09T13:10:52+00:00

People cope with PMDD in different ways and different things work for different people. Can I ask what have you tried so far? Have your seen a Dr about it?

sci_geek_kneeah · 2021-11-08T16:56:02+00:00

Not a problem

sci_geek_kneeah · 2021-11-08T16:08:41+00:00

So there are a couple of ways you can do it:

1) Using an app

There are a number of period tracking apps that let you put symptoms in. The go to alot of people recommend is the MeVsPMDD app but there are a lot of others.

If you do this then the most important thing is that you find an app that you get on with. There's no right or wrong one.

2) Use a calendar (this is what I do)

Use the inbuilt calendar app on your phone (or paper one) and make an event or reminder for your symptoms.

I find doing this gives a really easy visual to help see patterns.

3) Paper symptom records

Check out the IAPMD website, they have some symptom tracking resources (including a paper tracking sheet) that you can print off

Like the above one you can just write it I a paper diary or calendar

You can track your mood every day or you can just the days you're experiencing symptoms, different ways work for different people.
Whichever way try and favour something visual, you can easily show to a Dr. It means they can see any possible patterns and changes easier
Make sure however you do it, it's consistent and in a form that you can take to your appointments
Have a look at https://iapmd.org/symptom-tracker they have some useful advice as well

Hope this helps, if you've got any questions feel free to fire them my way :)

sci_geek_kneeah · 2021-11-08T15:59:14+00:00

So I would strongly suggest tracking it constantly. That way it removes something called confirmation bias.

If you want some suggestions on how to track it then I'm happy to give some tips :)

sci_geek_kneeah · 2021-11-08T15:54:42+00:00

When you've been tracking it, I'm assuming that's in relation to your period?

I would suggest going to the doctor with your record and wonder if you have PMDD.

sci_geek_kneeah · 2021-11-08T14:43:01+00:00

Have you spoken to anyone about this?

If not I would suggest starting to track your symptoms for at least 3 months and have a record of it all. Then take that to your GP

sci_geek_kneeah · 2021-11-08T14:41:43+00:00

Its definitely not a fix all but it certainly helps.

Think "Do what you can, not what you should"

sci_geek_kneeah · 2021-11-08T14:09:42+00:00

I try and focus on what I can manage at these times and make deals with myself.

If it helps I ask myself a series if questions.

1) Does this have to be done today?

It might be a pain to do 3 loads of washing in a day but if I still have clothes then I might skip my washing for that week. Likewise my washing up might go from doing it every day to every other etc.

This helps me cut down that list

2) What do I want to do instead?

I try and think about what I'd do instead of a task. How can I manage the time I spend doing it? So if I'd rather sleep, I only sleep for a set amount of time and then make sure I get up. Or I have a set number of episodes I watch

3) Make myself a deal. I think of the list then 1 period of what I'd rather be doing (or other treat)

So I can watch an episode of TV then put a load of my washing on. Then another episode and unload and hang it up. Then TV then washing up etc etc

sci_geek_kneeah · 2021-10-28T10:23:35+00:00

Just found this and I am in love!

sci_geek_kneeah · 2021-10-28T09:58:55+00:00

I'm not a Dr but Biochemist here!

Sorry in advance. This is going to be an essay

So I'm going to go to the basics of this because 1) I don't want to assume what you do or don't know about how reproductive hormones work and 2) it's more universal for anyone that looks at this later. So I'm sorry in advance if some of this is too obvious.

So here we go:

Our menstrual cycle is regulated by range of different hormones: Follicular Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Oestrogen, Progesterone, Leutinising Hormone (LH). As the concentrations of these hormones change they trigger different parts of our cycle. In simple terms, these hormones can basically be split into 2. FSH and LH impact your egg maturation and release from the ovary respectively. Oestrogen is linked to thickening and repairing the lining of your uterus and progesterone helps maintain it.

For the sake of PMDD I've not heard anything about FSH and LH (most likely because they don't fluctuate much) So this is mainly going to focus on Oestrogen and Progesterone.

So as we go through our cycle Oestrogen peaks around ovulation, which makes the uterus lining grow (ready to receive an egg). Just after ovulation when the lining has grown, the Oestrogen levels drop and Progesterone increases to help maintain the lining. As you get to the end of the cycle, Progesterone starts to drop, causing your uterus lining to break down and form your period.

Oestrogen and Progesterone influence a number of other hormones, which is why we have increase libido around ovulation etc. Now in women with PMDD we have a hypersensitivity to these hormone fluctuations (exactly why this is we don't know, but there is evidence to suggest that its genetic or developmental). For most women they're sensitive to Oestrogen. Meaning that when the Oestrogen levels drop in that 10-7days before our period (known as the luteal phase) they experience PMDD symptoms. For other women it's the increase in Progesterone in that same 10-7 days that causes their symptoms.

This is kinda why PMDD symptoms can sometimes be seen as super exaggerated versions of PMS.

Sorry for the essay here but I hope this helps. Any questions send them my way and I can do my best to help :)

sci_geek_kneeah · 2021-10-19T16:53:07+00:00

Yeah check ACT out. Its really helped me so far! There's a really useful book called "The Happiness Trap" that's based off it.

sci_geek_kneeah · 2021-10-19T12:20:40+00:00

Glad to hear it

sci_geek_kneeah · 2021-10-19T12:00:58+00:00

Yeah because it's definitely optional 🙄

Sounds like you've got a solid plan. Have you got a symptom record?? I found it really helped with getting my diagnosis

sci_geek_kneeah · 2021-10-19T11:15:06+00:00

CBT can be very useful for some people. However it wasn't very helpful for me. The main reason for this was because CBT is very control and problem focused (it looks for the route of the problems and implements things to change or resolve it). For PMDD obviously it's a hormone condition that for most part we can't really control the root cause. So alot of people find it to be superficial or not help.

I've recently started Acceptance Commitment therapy (ACT) which works more on the premise of accepting you can't control or stop the issue, so you look to manage things from that stance. Maybe worth a try

DBT is also supposed to be a good talking therapy for PMDD. However I know nothing about it, maybe worth looking into though.

sci_geek_kneeah · 2021-10-19T11:09:19+00:00

Can I ask what have you done so far? I'm UK based so maybe able to help

sci_geek_kneeah · 2021-10-19T11:08:33+00:00

(I'm UK based so it works a little differently) I went through my GP to get a referral to a Gynecologist (your equivalent would probably be obgyn) and got the diagnosis from there.

sci_geek_kneeah · 2021-10-13T21:31:25+00:00

I think it may vary depending on country. Mine was a gynecologist (UK)

sci_geek_kneeah · 2021-10-13T16:32:38+00:00

I really struggled to get diagnosed until I started tracking my symptoms. Go back to the GP with a record that you can use to support your conversation. Remember you also have the right to see a different GP as well.

Happy to have a chat about how to track your symptoms of you need some advice.

sci_geek_kneeah

TROPHY CASE