A Vicious​​​​​​​ Cycle

We know all about pms, but premenstrual dysphoric disorder is its much more extreme sibling – and it’s often misdiagnosed. Here’s what you need to know

If you’re a woman, chances are you know all about the classic signs of premenstrual syndrome. There’s the cramping, the cravings, and that time an innocent comment from a well-meaning workmate left you fighting the urge to burst into tears. PMS affects around 90 per cent of women, but at what level does it go beyond being annoying, to becoming debilitating, life-altering and miseryinducing? For the four to eight percent of women who experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) symptoms of PMS become so severe that it puts a halt to their normal routines and can disrupt all aspects of everyday life.

AT THE EXTREMES

You may not have heard of PMDD, but for the women who know it well, it’s impossible to ignore. Symptoms vary widely and can include depression, paranoia, confusion, extreme emotional sensitivity, gastro upsets and pelvic pain.

Sufferers have also reported sleeping issues, fluid retention and severe fatigue during the worst stages of PMDD, where symptoms usually begin a week before menstruation and taper off a few days after the start of a period.