This is not the first time I’ve tried magnesium, but this is the first time there seems to be a noticeable effect. Natural Calm (mag citrate) has done nothing for me, and Magnesium Glycinate alone seemed to give me insomnia (possibly related to a B1 deficiency).

For the past 5 nights, I’ve taken Magnesium Breakthrough in the evenings, which contains all 7 forms of magnesium. I’ve slept more deeply, and felt noticeably sunnier during the day. I’m in peak luteal right now and would normally be planning an escape to build a whole new life and snapping at my boyfriend for breathing too loudly, but instead I feel… normal. I’ve been able to get through my day and even enjoy myself in the process! It probably helps that we just had a long holiday weekend, but my PMDD has never cared what day it is, and has absolutely ruined weekends in the past.

It’s too soon to confirm a true correlation, but this is the only recent change I’ve made. I ordered my first bottle from Amazon, and just made a bulk order directly from the BioOptimizers website. It’s a click-bait-y site but had a good deal. For any of you in the Functional Medicine world, this particular magnesium supplement was recommended by Dr. Hyman, which is why I checked it out in the first place.

Sending peace, calm, and magnesium to you all! 💗

I’m curious to know, does anyone here have POTS?

Who diagnosed you?

What were your symptoms?

I’m really thinking my hormonal imbalance would be a mix of POTS as well.

It's December now, my birthday is in a few days, as well as my period. I hate how the days are so short now. I miss when it stayed light well until 9 P.M. It's cold as balls outside now where I am, can't plant anything outside which is a big hobby for me. I have a few houseplants, so that gives me something green to gaze upon. Looking forward to longer, sunnier days.

Currently one day away from scheduled period, and I've been feeling absolute shite for about 3 days now, but generally just that moderate level of "mehh" since I finished ovulating.

I'm currently having random intense cramps on and off for the past 3 days that make me think I'm going to shit myself. (I usually get this feeling during my period, never before). My appetite seems to do the opposite of what most menstruators experience - it completely tanks to the point where even a cup of herbal tea makes me feel bloated and queasy.

I feel so full and uncomfortable, but also hungry and queasy at the same time. I feel frustrated, weepy, overwhelmed, irritated, exhausted and sleepy, but I also feel emotionally numb to all of it. It's like I'm feeling TOO much, so my brain is defaulting to numbness.

The physical and psychological implications of the menstrual cycle make me wonder how I am going to get through another 15+ years of this. I'm too scared to go back on birth control (haven't taken it in 11 years).

I just want to feel consistently normal on a day-to-day basis again.

I haven't had a stretch of time where I wasn't in some kind of discomfort in years. I have other things going on physically which I know are exacerbated by my cycle, but man, I just want to feel okay again.

Could use this community right now, as I'm due to tango with Aunt Flo in a few days and I genuinely feel like ripping out my ovaries and uterus atm. Gag. FUCK Hell Week.

So, I am on day 25 of my cycle. I will likely start by the weekend. I'm feeling really crappy and it just feels like there's this greyish black storm cloud forming in my body and brain. The anxiety feels like a presence. Body and mind are tense. Muscles are sore. It's kind of like going up an incline on a roller coaster and just waiting to drop down. There's an awful anticipation, not unlike aggressive storm clouds gathering and the awful knowledge that there will be natural chaos - unrelenting rain, foreboding darkness, deadly lightning, and deafening thunder. Only...IT IS INSIDE OF ME. Hijacking. Lame.

Logically, I know that I will feel better once I start bleeding. From a rational perspective, I know that I also have o c d which makes this worse. It's still really brutal to go through every month. Rationality only helps a bit when you're in pain.

I'm trying to enjoy the holiday season but today my anxiety is pretty rough. I'm proud of myself for getting up, fixing breakfast, and being productive. But frankly I really just want to be unconscious until I get my period. I would literally pay money to start my period now. I just want to start shedding and get a bit of relief!!! Please God.

So does anybody else get a feeling of a storm brewing inside them during hell week?

PS y'all wanna hear something pathetic? I MISS the horrendous cramps from my teens and 20s. I'd take them back in a damn heartbeat over the emotional, psychological, psychiatric, and hormonal chaos and agony of pmdd.

And do not vet me started on the ocd. If having my spleen removed without anesthesia would get rid of it, I'd do it. Sick of this shit. 😠 💔

Ever since my PMDD symptoms began increasing this last year, I’ve suddenly developed horrible stomach problems. I get so bloated and cramped esp around my period, it feels like anything I eat is a gamble of how bad it’ll make me feel hours later. It’s my birthday today and I woke up with the most agonizing cramps and I pooped so much that I feel like I lost 5 lbs. 😭 How do you guys deal with this on top of all the mental symptoms like brain fog and anxiety?? I feel like the older I’ve gotten, the worse it gets!

Hello I'm seeking advice about my moods and if anyone can relate..

My periods have been getting worse the last few years. I'm 23 and have tried hormonal birth control like the mirena at 20 it took away my periods but this made it hard to track my moods to how I was feeling. At the beginning of using hormonal birth control it was intense because of heavier periods but it decreased over time. I felt awesome that I wasn't getting my periods. However, I have switched to the copper IUD and my symptoms have come back again. I switched to this birth control because I thought the hormones from the previous IUD was the cause of my issues.

I also feel unsupported and not taken seriously for what I'm going through. I was diagnosed with bipolar from a psychosis at 18 after being hospitalized. I believe this was due to an over amount of stress during my period and hormones I assume. I take an anti-psychotic and mood stabilizer but I'm not sure what to do in the luteral phases because my symptoms of depression and anxiety come back :((

I'm thinking of going back to an antidepressant and/or switching birth control. When on an antidepressant I believe I was happier. Although it still feels frustrating that the doctor's slap a diagnosis like bipolar on to me when I do not think I've ever had a manic episode!! They told me I'm meds resistant but I'm wondering like wouldn't that raise any alarm bells to the doctors that this isn't the right diagnosis?? The feelings of depression don't really go away and the week before my period I'm just so tiredddd. My menstrual cycle is very regular so I expect my mood to always go downhill at the same time at the start of every month. It's very debilitating and I can't live my life for a few weeks of every month :(((

My quality of life has decreased because of this. I'm worried I won't be taken seriously and be told I'm wrong. :(( I feel really alone right now.

Sorry for the long rant I hope you understand if you have been through this and I hope I'm not alone 🩷 thank you for reading 💓

First, this post might be a little bit all over but I’m just feeling super down right now, so I’m sorry if it’s incoherent and all over the place.

I’m feeling super emotional & overwhelmed on my first day back. I thought I was going to have an ok day, but between my fussy baby (I WFH so I have her & working), my apps not working, uselessness of my colleagues, and it being 2 weeks before my period I broke down.

I contacted my psychiatrist so I can get a refill on my Prozac last month, but she’s been MIA and I haven’t been able to reach the office. I got prescribed EluRyng instead of Nuvaring after my 6 weeks postpartum check and didn’t think it would be an issue but boy was I wrong…

This sucks, it was such a nice relief not having to deal with PMDD for almost a year but now I’m back to reality 🥲😭

Possible TW for self harm

I’m supposed to have my first therapy session this morning, but of course I’m in luteal, and I’d rather do anything but go sit in a room with someone being paid to judge me. I know she’s going to judge me, I’m a shit person and don’t even like myself that much. I went to therapy years ago, stopped going because it wasn’t doing anything for me, so I decided to try it again, only to realize the therapist lady is going to work in “radical acceptance” with me, and I’ve tried that crap before it’s absolutely useless to me. No therapist or person could ever make me think this life is enjoyable and worth living so I’m not even sure why I signed myself up. I just wanna cancel, but I’m still going to be charged $200 for the stupid session and I’m nervous they’re going to call my emergency contacts and make sure I’m fine ?? Like I’m not, I have spent the entire morning scratching myself, hitting myself, feeling like an absolute idiot for signing myself up and wasting everyone’s time for something I’m not even motivated to do.

My therapy is working out and reading, I don’t want to talk to people, I don’t even like people.

Is it rude to just call and say “actually I changed my mind I don’t want to do therapy” ?? I’m scared they’re going to call a wellness check on me or something but I know I don’t want to end my life, I just hate my life and know that my mindset wont be changed by a stranger who doesn’t actually know me or how I feel.

Any advice is welcomed, I’m just overwhelmed and want to cry all day.

So I'm wondering, is it PMDD I have or is there something else wrong with me? My menstruation ended a few days ago so my ovulation is coming up. Feeling like sh*t today, not able to concentrate on my job, feel ugly, feel not worthy, feel alone.. All this whilst this weekend I felt great. Went for a run yesterday and went to a local market with my partner. Enjoyed all of this and chilled in the couch watching christmas movies afterwards. I was like YES finally I'm feeling good again, want to feel like this everyday. But then today I woke up, tired, not willing to get up.. Don't know what to do anymore. Wanted to excersice today but my shoulder is acting up (had an accident a couple of years ago..)Or does it has to do with my job? The job is not fulfilling my emotional needs but on the other hand thanks to this job I'm able to work 4 out of 5 days (unitil January). Or does it has to do with something I saw on social media? Sorry for the rant but I'm feeling hopeless...

I’m 33 years old and have struggled with PMDD since my early 20’s. My mom also had PMDD, although at the time she was undiagnosed. I just started Slynd at the beginning of this past cycle. My luteal phase was a lot calmer than normal, I just felt tired, whereas I normally feel rageful and irritated. I have not yet started the sugar pills for the end of this cycle, and have already started bleeding. All of the feelings that I normally feel doing my luteal phase I’m feeling right now during this bleed – and I feel awful. I’m wondering if I should skip my sugar pills and just keep a constant dose of hormone in my system? Does anyone have any experience with Slynd? If so, any tips?

So my iud has stopped my period and I just can’t track my cycle. All my mental symptoms start on the 10th/11th of each month (ish). But after looking back through my calendar I’ve noticed that my acid reflux/stomach problems flare up around 1st/2nd each month. I’m assuming that pmdd makes these worse as it does with every other symptom in our bodies. I guess this is a rant but also a cry for help. Does anyone else have an iud and how do you track?

Been thinking about moving from the pill to the iud.

Just had a consultation with a healthcare professional about the different contraception option. They didn’t have a clue what PMDD was (surprise surprise) so they couldn’t advise me In that sense. She did say the hormonal iud is more local and can help some people with PMS symptoms.

So my question is, to the people with PMDD that got the hormonal iud, what was your experience like? Did it affect your PMDD?

Would the copper iud be more recommended over the hormonal iud for someone with PMDD?

Thanks!!

I just realised I have pmdd and my only source of crashing out has been my ex - now turned good friend (we’ve been on and off because of me). Anyways long story short I bring up the same issue once a month. And this is usually a few days before I’m about to start my period. It has gotten to the point where I feel stressed out and a little bored bringing it up. Which has led to me breaking up with him twice! It’s a bit tiring can’t lie but I’m glad he’s someone that understands. Anyone with ideas on how else I can crash out before losing the person that understands me without knowing my condition🥹?

disclaimer: This is NOT meant to shit on people who use supplements in any way! Do whatever works for you. I just need to hate on scammy companies like FLO for a second.

I deleted the app anyway even before the privacy incident since it messed up my carefully scheduled calendars I kept for two years with an update, thus critically failing it’s main feature and the sole reason why I used it in the first place. I use clue now which is better for obvious reasons, but what was pissing me off also was how they shamelessly tried to push those expensive AF supplement subscriptions all the time. It always gave me shady vibes.

Like, on my worst days I was completely out of my mind and willing to try everything accessible to feel better- Hell at the beginning I was even eating loads of avocados because I heard somewhere that it helps and they go like „ HII have you checked out our awesome science-based superfood magical ingredients supplements? There’s like 50 different kinds of them and you can get them all for a ridiculous amount of cash a month so you can finally Optimize Yourself™ further and become better!“

getting treatment for this condition is a mess anyway so I was suffering to hell and back for a decade and theres just sooo much stuff getting suggested to you all the time. So if I want to know if something works, I need to throw hundreds of gold at some online shop for months? That’s exploitative AF if you ask me.

I am 24 and was told I have PMDD about 8 months ago. I am already on antidepressant (fluoxetine) and was told to just increase my dosage to treat these PMDD symptoms. I have been noticing a big, positive difference in my mood during my period, but I had a moment and stopped taking my medication consistently this month.

I got my period the other day and yesterday I was chilling in the living room, when a massive anxiety attack hit me. I felt completely helpless to this attack and I couldn’t do the techniques I usually use to calm myself down, as nothing I did helped.

Does anyone else experience more anxiety during their period?

In the past year I have switch my entire wardrobe to more cute feminine clothes, I like showing off my feminine features. It gives me a boost of confidence and motivation to go out. It makes me feel like my old self, when I was little and didn't have a care for the world.

But every time my luteal phase starts I want chop off my beautiful hair and put on baggy clothes and don't even want look at myself in a mirror. I just want see if anyone has a similar experience?

I am not currently on antidepressants but used to be on lexapro 10mg. I don’t feel I need it all of the time, but definitely during my luteal phase. The last 10-14 days of my cycle. Is it safe to take medication just during those 10-14 days and would it take effect fast enough? Anyone have experience with this?

I am fairly confident I have PMDD. Every luteal phase I have an identity crisis, I question the quality of my marriage and love for my husband (who is an amazing partner), I have an intense fear about living the life I want to live, and I have bouts of anger and yelling. I always feel so ashamed. Once I reach my period, I feel better, in love with my husband, confident in who I am again, and more calm. So. All that to say, I think I have PMDD. lol. I have taken antidepressants before, and they actually worked well for me, but I didn’t have any to be on them forever and didn’t love the side effects. However, I’m willing to go back on if needed. First, though, I want to try holistic methods of exercise, nutrition, and supplements. I take supplements by Dr. Jolene Brighten (if anyone has any insight on these). They seem to give me a boost, but it also makes me nervous taking something every day that I don’t know if it has been researched enough.

Anyway, would love any insight or comments on any of the above, but what originally led me here was wanting to find a podcast I could listen to to feel less alone and get tips for managing symptoms.

Ugh. The last week of my cycle is hell. Plus the medication my doctor gave makes me sleepy so my productivity doesn’t improve either way and I have to spend more for those pills so what’s even the point

So yeah, I got diagnosed not long ago, it, 27 years, been on my period since I was 9.It was really hellish, lost a lot of people in my life because of it, some stayed like my parents, but I think I have a lot of explaining to do to the people I hurt because of my episodes, it's really hellish. I'm still doing tests to see what they could give me, but I'm making myself go to the gym and do something about myself, I just wanted to share this here so that I can see and learn: does it get better, do the black thoughts ever leave, can I be "normal" during these 14-10 days in the month like I am the rest?

Big hugs to anyone who is going through this, right now I gotta go hit the gym and get my grades up again. 💪

Girrlllsssss my period is there. You know I stopped smoking in January this year, 10 months sober now. In April I tried Ashwaghanda to help with the withdrawal process. I noticed with Ashwagandha my cycle ist much longer 30 days! Normal my cycle are 26 days. My Pmdd was worser with it. You know Ash lower always the cortisol but in PMS it’s not good when the cortisol is too low, because this can make PMDD harder.

With ash, I have spotting 4 days!! brown blood bevore my period. Without ash, it’s just 2 days spotting.

I mean without ash, my mental health is not perfect too, I am crying in Pmdd and feel uncomfortable in my skin. But with Ash, the mental health for my period was really bad, it took my to dark places with suicidal thoughts.

The only benefit was, less hunger, no appetite.

That’s my experience I didn’t cycled Ash off and I took 1000 mg since April. I stopped it round about 3 weeks. I had too many bad experiences and I noticed it tooo late. I thought it’s depression

EDIT: This is just my personal experience. jFYi. You can eat as much ash what you want, I just wanted to share what I experienced and I speaked to my doc

haven’t heard anyone else talk about this yet but do your pupils ever get super dilated during luteal??

I’m on night three of 100mg progesterone prescribed to me for my luteal phase to hopefully ease my menstrual symptoms (heavy bleeding, cramps, moodiness, rage). The last time I was on any hormone anything (birth control) was 7 years ago and I had to stop because it made me crazy. I’ve only had two doses so far and already it feels like the world lost all color, everything is blah, and I’m just irritated and mad at everything, no inspiration at all. Is this normal? Should I stick it out throughout the luteal phase and see if it does help with menstrual symptoms?

So I've suffered with PMDD pretty much since I first got my period at around 15.

I started Desogestrel 75mg (progestogen-only pill) in April of 2022 just as birth control. I am unable to use other hormonal forms of birth control for health reasons.

I found after the first 2 months, I stopped having periods and with it, I stopped having PMDD symptoms, which honestly has been life changing. However, the past few months I've found myself struggling mentally again, in a cyclical nature, similar to PMDD. I'm worried this will be a permanent thing again and I'm obviously feeling really anxious about this.

I haven't had any other issues, I still don't have periods so I do not track my cycle as I'm not really sure to go about it. Is it possible the pill has 'stopped' working for my PMDD? I know progesterone only isn't recommended for PMDD, but it really has been life changing for me. Is there a way I can track my cycle to see if it is PMDD? Or has anyone else has a similar experience where a treatment stopped working?

Two month in a row now my partner has seen the brunt my irritability…. And I really am trying to express myself before needs and he knows I’m in My luteal phase. I hate who I am. I hate that I’m like this and I really need support from people who may understand. I don’t wanna feel this way towards him. We had a phone call that basically was me crying and expressing to him how I feel we are incompatible if he can’t meet my needs witch are pretty reasonable and where expressed pretty explicitly as mostly a big deal when I’m PMSing and now he is saying like “ I think I just wanna get some rest I wanna see you and talk I lm person tomorrow” and I’m over here having a fucki panic attack cause I did it again!!!

Does anyone else feel this during their luteal phase? Like a heavy dread that something bad is going to happen. Maybe it’s paired with the suicidal ideation symptom. I’m not sure how to deal with it right now as I was recently diagnosed; I just go through the day on the verge of a panic attack.

I have Kyleena and this is start of the 4th year I’ve been on it. It’s completely stopped my cycle (around year 2), no blood or indication that I’m PMSing besides major mood swings but I’ve always chalked that up to extreme situational stress I’ve had in the past year or so.

How do you keep track of your moods and how they might correlate with your “time of the month” if you don’t have any physical indication that you truly are PMSing?

I currently take 75mg Zoloft prescribed by my OBGYN. I’m not under the care of a therapist or psychologist at this moment in time.

Any input about IUDs and PMDD would be appreciated. I’ve searched the sub before but lots of info is from years ago, so I’d like to see any new thoughts or experiences.

One last thing, has any experienced IUD working for mood stabilization for a few years then not so much when it’s closer to the time to replace?

I’m so tired of this. I deal with GAD and OCD all month long and as if that weren’t enough, two weeks before my period and up until the last day of my period, it somehow gets so much worse. All I want is to curl up in my bf’s or my mom’s arms and cry. But at the same time I don’t want anyone near me. I feel so crazy. I’m so tired of this. I’m so sick of being exhausted, moody, and scared.

I just want to throw my whole reproductive system out the window. I don’t want to do this every single month :(