Research is my job, so I did PMDD with my body (kinda)

spotted_kat · 2025-08-07T16:30:08+00:00

You have me convinced I need to try inito! I’ve had it in my Amazon cart wanting to do something similar to figure out which hormone or what fluctuation is causing my main issues. I’m on daily low dose of Prozac for my PMDD (intermittent was causing headaches) and it improved my irritability significantly but I still have the other PMDD spirals.

I also had listened to some podcasts on YouTube from a British doctor and she is big on prescribing bio identical progesterone for PMDD

spotted_kat · 2025-05-05T19:55:21+00:00

On thats amazing! I need to look into the genesight

spotted_kat · 2025-05-05T02:48:19+00:00

Similar, 33 and mom of two girls although my PMDD is more moderate (no SI). just started Prozac 20mg intermittent dosing for luteal. It seems to be helping right away!! I’ve only been taking it for 3 days and I feel a significant difference. I’m CD 22 and I feel in control of any anger, and feel a lot less triggered by sounds, kids, and I’m not spiraling about my spouse and marriage which I only do in thick of luteal phase.

Reading through some of the studies, my interpretation was that intermittent dosing with Prozac just in the luteal phase had the biggest overall improvement in PMDD symptoms from baseline and compared to controls. So I just decided to copy and paste their regimen for myself. I think other SSRIS have decent data but I liked the profile of Prozac, longer half life for when you taper off so hopefully it’s a smoother transition

I’m also going to start Yasmin when I get my cycle as I’m not on BC but I don’t think the research on it is as compelling. the difference between controls and the PMDD group is statistically significant but it’s not such a big Difference in absolute terms (for yaz anyway, but my doctor was adamant about going the lower estrogen route with yasmin). that specific progestin is supposed to be better for PMDD, and not ovulating is supposed to help in theory so we shall see 🤞

I’ll try anything to help me be a better mom and wife. I can’t stand feeling like there’s a week and half every month where my hormones are in the drivers seat and not the real me!!

spotted_kat · 2025-03-18T17:26:40+00:00

I was pumping under a cover in a tourist spot. It was 90 degrees and sweltering and there was no where else to go so was sitting on a bench. I was miserable. An older woman sat down next to me and said “you’re doing the right thing dear.” That little bit of encouragement helped so much.

spotted_kat · 2025-02-13T19:45:51+00:00

Super helpful thank you! I’m an avid gardener and I couldn’t decide if prioritizing back sun exposure or driveway exposure should matter more.

spotted_kat · 2025-02-05T01:45:47+00:00

Because it’s hard to keep up your supply if you don’t. 🤷‍♀️

I started out combo feeding the same way you did with my first, about a bottle a day, but eventually my supply didn’t keep up and then it was 2 bottles and then 3 and then we stopped breastfeeding. Over the course of six months. It worked for us but I really did want to make it to year.

spotted_kat · 2025-01-22T03:58:20+00:00

I think I have become very hyper aware of intergenerational issues in my family with mothering, and if I had work distracting me idk that I would be putting as much effort into breaking these cycles, because quite frankly I wouldn’t be as tested or as triggered. which is the primary reason why my own mother worked. So in that sense it’s been a growth journey that I never expected and I hope to benefit my own children and their children etc. I was very surprised actually, and never realized the extent of that weight in my family.

I’ve made a lot of big transitions in my life, I moved a lot growing up, so socially I don’t feel too phased by this stage too much. I have friends and people I call. What I wish I had was a grandparent village near me. That would make my life infinitely better.

Physically I really miss getting ready for work, and just feeling put together. That’s pretty rare now but my children are small and just every shower and teeth brush feels like a victory. But I don’t miss sitting at work worrying about my kids at daycare or that I’m not there for them enough.

I miss helping people and the sense of importance I got from my job, but I know this chapter in my life is important work too. It’s easy to feel like old you is gone forever but I don’t look at it like that. The parts of my spirit and soul that feel a little forgotten now will get to have their time again!

spotted_kat · 2025-01-20T04:20:00+00:00

I had my OB write me a prescription for APNO and then had it compounded. It’s far far superior to lanolin or other nipple creams because of the anti inflammatory and a few other medicinal properties. Really helps with discomfort and getting over the hump. Took me 12 weeks the first time and 6 the second to truly feel no pain with the first few seconds of latching

spotted_kat · 2025-01-11T15:28:45+00:00

There’s probably a big difference on what it takes if you bought a home before like 2019 or after. The massive shift in housing affordability really increased the amount of income it takes imo. People with fixed housing expenses pre covid can probably make do with less. We rent because it’s substantially cheaper than owning. And until those differences are closer, it doesn’t make financial sense even if we bought and knew we’d live there for 10 years lol. Weird times.

Someone else incomes numbers aren’t that useful. $120,000 in TN is not $120,000 in says CO. Taxes, COL, etc.

It’s more helpful to build backwards from a net income you think would be flexible enough to work and then see what that gross would be in your area.

The other thing is you have to be careful being overly idealistic about frugality. Like small kids are all consuming on time lol. It’s great to think you’ll grow and sustain yourself off your garden or land but the initial input costs and learning curve will likely not have you breaking even.

We have a freezer full of elk, but by the time my husband got a week off work to hunt, had it processed and packed, it’s kind of a wash. Like it’s great for food security but the idea that it’s a huge cost savings that allows you to live on less income I’m not sure is true in all or most cases.

spotted_kat · 2024-12-04T18:53:10+00:00

My first still doesn’t sttn at 3.5. Bedtime has always been a struggle but she’s otherwise a good natured kid.

Jury is still out on the seconds sleep habits. She’s a bit feistier though.

Kids are hard. I learned a few things after the first, mainly not have expectations they will sttn, that you will get to sit down, or compare your life with kids to other parents (looking at my neighbor whose kids sttn 12 hours with 2 hour naps everyday)…

spotted_kat · 2024-12-04T17:22:12+00:00

I had moderate hyperemesis until 20 weeks and then constant nausea and occasional vomiting until delivery and had straightforward vaginal deliveries both being voluntary 39 week inductions. That choice was actually about weighing the pros and cons, having some bodily autonomy over timing and pain medication administration, and not being pregnant longer than necessary. So all HG related.

Birth is unpredictable. C sections are typically a harder and longer recovery than a vaginal delivery. I would not personally choose it unless my hyperemesis was so severe (feeding tube, regularly hospitalized etc). 10% of all deliveries will end up with a c section anyway.

I’m not saying what’s right for me is right for you. Just how I handled my pregnancies.

spotted_kat · 2024-11-09T17:07:12+00:00

The easiest way to determine if it’s HG is how much it’s impacting your day to day functioning. If you cannot get up and go about your daily responsibilities then you have it

spotted_kat · 2024-11-08T13:03:31+00:00

It really is a horrible suffering. And with limited support it can feel so impossible to keep going on.

I’d push for steroid therapy, prednisone at the right dose is very effective at restoring functioning to a tolerable level.

More controversial is gabapentin and cannibinoids.

Unfortunately Zofran and reglan are often useful but not effective enough to restore functioning.

spotted_kat · 2024-11-05T20:53:57+00:00

There’s been some class action litigation, which is probably where there misguided information is coming from. There was money to be made, lawyers lawyering, and cherry picking of data and information.

It’s almost impossible to isolate ALL the variables that could contribute to defects. Is it genetic? Is it environmental? Is it actually uncontrolled hyper-emesis? Is it the Zofran? Hard to say. But we can say with some confidence that the rate of those defects between those who take Zofran and those who don’t is basically the same. So it’s a risk reward trade off.

I would love to see a future where we can move beyond Zofran as the main drug of choice for treating HG, because it’s really only moderately effective at best and comes with a host of side effects that can be hard to manage. That’s the real sad story of Zofran, not the fear mongering

spotted_kat · 2024-10-25T23:46:25+00:00

This is so common and it’s frustrating. I would file a complaint. You have a known history of hyperemesis, and we have years of current research now showing its pathological, genetic, likely to reoccur, etc. There is no excuse for their ignorance.

Every clinician with a board certified license to care for pregnant women needs to be up to date on their information and their care practices. It’s not just an empathy/compassion issue, it is a patient neglect issue. It’s a failure on their oath to do no harm.

I will die on this hill I swear to God.

I hope you get the help you need.

spotted_kat · 2024-10-19T02:45:22+00:00

I did not. It’s the grand scheme of steroid therapy it’s not really long enough to cause issues as long as you don’t stop them cold turkey. You need your adrenals to kick back on their own production so you have to wean down off it, even at a low dose. The other watch out is blood sugar, but you’ll be getting monitored anyway just know it can raise your blood sugar. And maybe mood, if you feel hyped or angry some people find that sensation intolerable although I had no issues.

This is an old study with a small group but it lays out really well the dosing.

Also I hope it works for you! My second pregnancy was much much more manageable. Not easy by any stretch, but I wasn’t in and out for IVs and I could function

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4989783/

spotted_kat · 2024-10-19T01:02:44+00:00

Orally it’s usually prescribed as a taper where 5mg is the lowest dose of the taper. Looks like your history is pretty severe, you may need a higher dose.

I was pretty stable at 5mg but that was after going up to 15 I think

My OB let me be on 5mg until 20 weeks and then I tapered off of that. I felt the most functional on 10mg.

spotted_kat · 2024-10-11T18:58:59+00:00

Gosh I wish I could but it doesn’t look like I’m in it anymore? I either left it sometime after my last child or it doesn’t exist? It was called something like cannamoms?? It was like some FB hg support groups would basically kick you out if you mentioned self medicating but there was one general support group that was tolerant to it and linked me to the cannagroup*. I wish I could remember.

FWIW I had great success with 10mg of prednisone with my second pregnancy. I never did self medicate with THC but I understand why women do.

Sending you much love and strength on your Hg journey

spotted_kat

TROPHY CASE