By Lucy Wilcher

Whether you are reading this blog for yourself, a friend, or a lover, I am sure we all have that 1 friend who has really bad PMS.

Around 50% of women of reproductive age experience PMS; with up to 8% having a severe form of PMS called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) (Ryu & Kim, 2015).

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is classified as reoccurring physical and emotional symptoms that some women experience leading up to their period and disappear within a couple of days after the onset of your menstrual bleed.

Some of the PMS symptoms can include:

Psychological – Irritability, anger, depression, anxiety, mood swings, crying, and tearfulness.

Physical – Headaches, breast pain, tenderness and swelling, period pain and cramping, back pain, bloating, fluid retention, fatigue, insomnia, food cravings, and weakness

PMDD

PMDD accounts for the most severe form of PMS.
It is currently diagnosed via the DSM-5 criteria. PMDD is distinguishable by the dysphoria that is experienced. Feelings of being completely overwhelmed, spiraling thoughts, outrage, anger, frustration, anxiety, and suicidal ideation coupled with the physical symptoms of PMS.

Women with moderate-to-severe PMS or PMDD experience more quality-of-life detriments, work-productivity losses, and incur greater healthcare costs than women with no or only mild symptoms (Borenstein et al, 2007).

What is the cause of PMS and PMDD?

It is not clear why some women develop PMS/PMDD, although there are several factors that may contribute to the condition. Due to the cyclical nature of PMS symptoms, it suggests that it is the fluctuations between the hormones oestrogen and progesterone which is behind PMS symptoms, along with hypersensitivity to these hormonal changes. Another factor is the interaction between steroid hormones and neurotransmitters such as GABA and serotonin.

The difference between depression or PMDD.

There are many symptoms that overlap between Depression and PMDD, but the main difference is the cyclical pattern of PMDD which follows the menstrual cycle, Tracking your menstrual cycle is a great way to get in tune with your body.

Here are 3 tips to reduce PMS/PMDD:

1. Stress less

Stress can make PMS and PMDD worse. Do something daily that helps you de-stress. This might look like going for a walk, meditating, or playing with your pets.

2. Support neurotransmitters e.g., GABBA and serotonin.

Magnesium is a great supplement that helps to stimulate GABA receptors in the brain.

There has been a lot of research showing the effectiveness of herbal medicines such as Saffron (Rajabi, Rahimi, Sharbafchizadeh & Tarrahi, 2020).

3. Eat enough food

Especially complex carbohydrates. Carbs can help increase serotonin levels and are needed for ovulation AKA production of progesterone.

Please leave your questions below, or feel free to reach out if you are looking for one-on-one support with your PMS or PMDD.

You can book a Discovery call or Initial Session with me here.

REFERENCES

Borenstein, J. E., Dean, B. B., Leifke, E., Korner, P., & Yonkers, K. A. (2007). Differences in symptom scores and health outcomes in premenstrual syndrome. Journal of Women's Health, 16(8), 1139-1144.

Rajabi, F., Rahimi, M., Sharbafchizadeh, M. R., & Tarrahi, M. J. (2020). Saffron for the management of premenstrual dysphoric disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Advanced Biomedical Research, 9.

Ryu A, Kim TH. Premenstrual syndrome: a mini review. Maturitas. 2015 Dec;82(4):436–40.