PMDD help

[Soror]

We have tried 2 bc's now and the side effects are so bad I am unwilling to try another.

Does anyone have any other suggestions that are not throwing hormones at it?

I think we will look at antidepressants. I've read some just use them during PMS. I tried getting her into a natural doctor that would look at other methods besides hormones but they wouldn't take a minor. 

TIA

[KSera]

9 minutes ago, Soror said:

I think we will look at antidepressants. I've read some just use them during PMS.

Are there any that work on a short term basis like that? The ones I’m familiar with take weeks to start working, and then often need to be weaned back off again. 

Im sorry the bcp didn’t work. I don’t know other good ideas. Did she try progesterone alone? Did anyone check her hormone levels? We had a naturopath suggest seed cycling many years ago for one of our teens, but that was too complicated for them. Hopefully someone else here has some good ideas. 

[KeriJ]

The only thing I have actually tried for myself was sweaty exercise, magnesium citrate, reduce sugar and caffeine consumption, prioritize protein, and eat before hungry. It "helped" somewhat at least. The sweaty exercise helped the most.

[OH_Homeschooler]

I have PMDD. I know you tried several BCPs but have you tried LoLoEstrin FE? I swore that every BCP made me crazy (as well as the hormonal IUD) and I was skeptical when a NP suggested yet another pill. I was in my early 40s by then so I'd tried a lot of them, but this one did the trick. It is 26 days of active pills instead of 28. I take it continuously so I just don't get periods. If you are willing to give it a try and insurance won't cover it, there is a savings card through the company that helps a lot.

I've been on antidepressants since my 20s for general depression, so that didn't really help my PMDD. But I have heard good things about taking them just for PMDD. 

Edited June 28 by OH_Homeschooler

[BusyMom5]

Did you call Dr Poppy?  

[aaplank]

I saw a PMDD specialist and she recommended taking Zoloft just for 10 days before my period. Surprisingly it worked for me, wasn't 100%, but greatly reduced my murderous rage and mood swings. 

[cintinative]

I use an antidepressant.  Exercise is the other thing that is really important for me. The more rigorous, the better. Plus extra sleep as needed. 

I never tried the special birth control designed for PMDD but I spotted all month on birth control anyway.  

Since I am in perimenopause, my cycles are unpredictable and my PMDD has also been much less predictable.

Also, honestly just knowing I had it helped me weather the hard week before my period. I used to wonder why I would get so low and so weepy. Then once I knew I had PMDD, I could look at my calendar (pre-perimenopause) and say--oh, my cycle is coming in five days.  It helped me to know I just needed to get through, and that it would be over soon.  

Hugs. It's so hard. 

 

Edited June 28 by cintinative

[Soror]

10 hours ago, KSera said:

Are there any that work on a short term basis like that? The ones I’m familiar with take weeks to start working, and then often need to be weaned back off again. 

Im sorry the bcp didn’t work. I don’t know other good ideas. Did she try progesterone alone? Did anyone check her hormone levels? We had a naturopath suggest seed cycling many years ago for one of our teens, but that was too complicated for them. Hopefully someone else here has some good ideas. 

I've not heard  of seed cycling. I'll have to look that up. We just tried progesterone alone, not as bad as the other but still unacceptable side effects.

10 hours ago, KeriJ said:

The only thing I have actually tried for myself was sweaty exercise, magnesium citrate, reduce sugar and caffeine consumption, prioritize protein, and eat before hungry. It "helped" somewhat at least. The sweaty exercise helped the most.

I've been reading about magnesium to help and plan to add that to her regime. Exercise is so hard when she's in that phase urgh

10 hours ago, OH_Homeschooler said:

I have PMDD. I know you tried several BCPs but have you tried LoLoEstrin FE? I swore that every BCP made me crazy (as well as the hormonal IUD) and I was skeptical when a NP suggested yet another pill. I was in my early 40s by then so I'd tried a lot of them, but this one did the trick. It is 26 days of active pills instead of 28. I take it continuously so I just don't get periods. If you are willing to give it a try and insurance won't cover it, there is a savings card through the company that helps a lot.

I've been on antidepressants since my 20s for general depression, so that didn't really help my PMDD. But I have heard good things about taking them just for PMDD. 

I can't remember the first one but it was a low dose monophasic. My other daughter did the LoE Fe but I can't remember if she did.

9 hours ago, BusyMom5 said:

Did you call Dr Poppy?  

I've thought about it but--- (1) I think although I agree with some things she does I think she's a bit out there on others (2) last I checked she didn't take insurance and was really expensive. I tried her for myself and was less than impressed (and I really don't care for her loud and obnoxious political rants).

5 hours ago, aaplank said:

I saw a PMDD specialist and she recommended taking Zoloft just for 10 days before my period. Surprisingly it worked for me, wasn't 100%, but greatly reduced my murderous rage and mood swings. 

thanks for the info on that! I knew I read of some using anti-dep just for that part of the cycle

[Carol in Cal.]

Borage oil got me through peri and got my DD through puberty.  It doesn’t work for everyone but it was amazing for us.