PMDD Rears It's Ugly Head...Again

WARNING - FEMALE CONTENT 

Good evening folks. Sorry I haven't posted in a while. For those of you who've followed my blog for a while you know that I have Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). For the most part it's under check by taking the birth control Yaz, but from time to time I get a really heavy period that leaves me completely exhausted. 

This was one of those months. I've been on edge, extremely "crabby" (which is putting it politely) and totally exhausted. I haven't had a bad month is quite a while. Sometimes I forget that I have PMDD and then a bad month creeps up and I'm left completely drained. 

For those of you who are wondering what the heck PMDD is - let me explain. It's like PMS to the extreme. Take all the symptoms of normal PMS and multiply it. Before being on the pill it was like I was depressed and completely crazy for 3 out 4 weeks every month. Doctors suggested I take anti-depressants but I'd always ask them how many people with depression get a week off every month? It's not just the hormones that are worse, it's also physically worse. My periods last longer and are a lot heavier than the norm. 

Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia that explains PMDD more clearly: 

PMDD is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Like less severe forms of PMS, premenstrual dysphoric disorder always follows a predictable, cyclic pattern. Symptoms always begin in the late luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (after ovulation) and always end completely shortly after menstruation begins.

Emotional symptoms are always present, and in PMDD, mood symptoms are dominant. Substantial disruption to personal relationships is typical for women with PMDD. The cardinal symptom—always surfacing between ovulation and menstruation, and always disappearing within a few days after the onset of the bleeding—is irritability. Anxiety, anger, and depression may also occur. The main symptoms, which can be disabling, include:

• feelings of deep sadness or despair, possible suicide ideation

• feelings of tension or anxiety

• increased sensitivity to rejection or criticism

• panic attacks

• mood swings, crying

• lasting irritability or anger, increased interpersonal conflicts; typically sufferers are unaware of the impact they have on those close to them

• apathy or disinterest in daily activities and relationships

• difficulty concentrating

• fatigue

• food cravings or binge eating

• insomnia or hypersomnia; sleeping more than usual, or (in a smaller group of sufferers) being unable to sleep

• feeling overwhelmed or feelings of being out of control

• increase or decrease in sex drive

• increased need for emotional closeness

I can't imagine how my family puts up with me when it's this bad. I'm blessed and thankful that they DO put up with me. I think they must chalk it up to being "Mommy's crazy week". Needless to say, I have not worked out this week. I just couldn't do it. Having said that I will not use this week as an excuse to completely stop working out. Expect a post from me on Monday after my workout.