Premenstrual Syndrome PMS and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorders PMDD: A Complete Guide for Every Girl

You are trying to finish that last chapter of The Spanish Groom by Lynne Graham when you suddenly feel your heart beating rapidly for a few seconds.

While you are trying to recover from it, you hear your African mom calling you from the living room to pass her the DStv remote in front of her. Suddenly, you feel like shouting back at her to “pick the bloody remote by herself.”

If this is you a week or two before your menstrual period, you are probably experiencing some symptoms of PMDD and PMS.

In this article, you’ll find a complete guide on everything you need to know about PMDD, premenstrual dysphoric disorders and PMS, premenstrual syndrome. You’ll also have a better understanding of why you feel and behave a certain way whenever you’re about to start your period. Keep reading!

Premenstrual Syndrome vs Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, PMS vs PMDD

Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, refers to the changes your body undergoes from the period of ovulation to when your menstruation begins, as a result of some hormonal secretions in your body.

There are obvious changes that do not affect your everyday life like breast tenderness and acne breakouts. However, when you find yourself experiencing symptoms that affect your daily activities, you know you are dealing with a case of premenstrual syndrome.

The changes start from around seven to fourteen days before your period. It can be emotional, physical or even behavioural. Knowing, understanding, and managing these changes will help you enjoy your everyday life as a growing woman.

Meanwhile, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) refers to an advanced state of premenstrual syndrome. It is a more extensive and severe form of premenstrual syndrome. The changes here can range from angry outbursts to suicidal thoughts.

PMS is usually self diagnosed, that is, you can tell if you display any of the symptoms after careful observation over a period of time.

Three months is enough time to observe and conclude if you have PMS or not. This means you have three menstrual cycles to observe, document and draw conclusions on the state of your menstrual health.

Now that we’ve established what PMS and PMDD are, let’s have a look at some of their symptoms. You can also decide to mentally tick off the traits you exhibit and jot them down for future reference.

Symptoms of PMDD and PMS

Understanding your menstrual anatomy might seem like unnecessary stress.

I mean, “why should I bother monitoring the changes in my body? I just need the red flag to rear its ugly head for five days and I’m back to normal.”

However, observing and documenting these changes will help you understand your body better, and give you the opportunity to figure out a way to manage the symptoms that come with PMS and PMDD more effectively.

It is always rare, if not impossible, for anyone to have all the signs. However, the symptoms vary each month and it is different for everyone. There is also the possibility of experiencing changes as you advance in years.

This is why it is necessary for you to keep a journal for your lady issues. It is important that you continue to observe and take notes.

[ I recommend downloading a period tracker app that allows you to add notes and keep track of your menstrual cycle. One of such period trackers is the My Calendar app.]

Nevertheless, the same way the changes in your body can be grouped under physical, emotional and behavioural, the symptoms of PMS and PMDD can also be grouped under these three categories:

1. Emotional Signs

• Anxiety
• Mood Swings
• Crying
• A strong desire to be alone
• Depression
• A strong feeling of being overwhelmed or out of control
• Angry outbursts/ low tolerance/ heightened irritability

2. Physical Signs

• Pimples or acne breakouts
• Breasts tenderness
• Pain in your joints
• Excessive hunger
• Headaches or migraines
• Muscle aches
• Cramps. You may experience abdominal or even anal cramps.
• Bloated hands and feet
• Bloated belly
• General body weight gain
• Constipation or diarrhea.

If you continue to experience sharp pain from your anus up to your abdomen, so much so that you find it difficult to sit properly, anal cramps may be one of your PMDD symptoms.

Some people tend to have a ‘runny stomach’ before and during their period. While some others find it very difficult to ease their bowels.

3. Behavioral Signs

• Forgetfulness
• Loss of mental focus or easily distracted
• Fatigue
• Insomnia

Some other symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorders include dizziness, anal cramps, nausea, excessive horniness, rapid heartbeats, and in severe cases, suicidal thoughts.

What Are The Causes of PMS and PMDD?

Over 90% of women worldwide are diagnosed with PMS symptoms every year, and in Nigerian universities alone, 6.1% of women were diagnosed with PMDD symptoms.

Despite being a common occurrence among women, there are no known causes of PMDD and PMS symptoms in women. However, it has been clarified that only women that are of child bearing age or have started menstruating can experience PMS or PMDD symptoms.

Meanwhile, certain lifestyle habits can affect or increase PMS symptoms, so do well to take note.

They include:

• Smoking
• Extreme stress
• Not exercising
• Insomnia or sleeplessness
• High alcohol intake
• overconsumption of salt, red meat, or sugar
• Depression

Since PMS and PMDD symptoms are self diagnosable, you don’t need to go to a clinic to get tested before you know whether you have them or not.

Instead, you can read up on both of them for better understanding. After which, you can visit a certified medical doctor with your observations for further diagnosis and possible treatment.

There is no specific prescription for the treatment for PMDD. This is because PMDD treatments vary according to individual PMDD symptoms. What will make any difference is the lifestyle changes your doctor will recommend to you after your PMDD diagnosis.

Note: symptoms could last for a few years or for an entire lifetime. This is why you are advised to identify your symptoms early so you can learn how to manage PMDD and PMS effectively.

8 Tips On How to Manage PMDD and PMS

Knowing how to manage PMDD and PMS will help you to enjoy a happy, healthy life during your ovulation and menstrual period.

Since changes range from physical to emotional and behavioural, it will be good if you sit down to note the changes you experience in your body personally. Doing this will help you understand your body better – why you do certain things or react in a certain way.

Observing and documenting changes in your body also helps to stop you from making the wrong decisions or doing something you would regret later on. If left unchecked, PMDD symptoms can destroy relationships and disrupt your flow of work because of your mood swings, feelings of hopelessness and irritability.

You want to find a way to fix that.

The keys to managing premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorders are very easy to implement. In fact, with assistance from a qualified medical practitioner, you can carry them out by yourself.

Self care is the best treatment you can give your body. This is why medical practitioners advice women that struggle with PMS and PMDD symptoms to:

1. Exercise

Engage in 30 minutes of exercise everyday. Aerobics in particular help to improve your cardiovascular health. This can also help if you tend to experience rapid heartbeats like I do. Burn those calories, sister!

2. Change Their Diet

Consider eating foods that are high in calcium, protein, and whole grains. Try to reduce your carbohydrates and sugar intake. You can start by consuming green leafy vegetables and dairy products like milk and cheese.

3. Stop Smoking

4. Reduce Alcohol, Salt and Caffeine Consumption

If possible, avoid them completely. They are known to increase blood pressure.

5. Take Lots of Vitamin Supplements

6. Try Therapy

Mental therapy can help with behavioural and emotional symptoms like angry outbursts, frustrations, low tolerance etc.

7. Get PMDD Treatments

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and anxiolytics help to reduce stress, anxiety, and tension. They also help to curb insomnia, and enhance sleep. You can get a prescription from your doctor if you experience any of the aforementioned symptoms.

Don’t neglect your body. Get a PMDD diagnosis, get your PMDD treatment, and enjoy your everyday life.

Conclusion

It is difficult enough living as a growing woman, hormonal changes make it even more difficult to keep up with your daily life. Today, you feel like you are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders and tomorrow you are having a panic attack.

In the midst of all this chaos, you can still enjoy a semblance of normalcy when you figure out your body pattern and understand why your body acts the way it does in and out of season.

Understanding the distinctive PMDD and PMS symptoms that affect your body specifically will not only save you from future problems, but also help to promote a healthy lifestyle that can manage its effects.

If you know any other symptom or effect of PMS and PMDD, you can drop your answers in the comments section below. We would love to hear from you!

All images are sourced from istockphotos