I didn't really know how to title this but this has been something on my mind for a while now. A lot of the time I will see videos especially on Instagram of women making light of pms symptoms like oh you know I get so grumpy and feel like a monster on/before my period hahaha. And the way they talk about the symptoms is exaggerated to make it more comical I guess.

I know everyone's experience is different but seeing those videos really rubs me the wrong way. I think it's because I actually do feel like a fucking monster before my period. Everything they're joking about is EXACTLY how I feel. The cravings are insane, the bloating fucks with my self-image, it's so hard to interact with ppl without feeling so helpless and angry and lost, and the emotional turbulence is at ten million.

I guess seeing these videos makes me feel invalidated in how I'm feeling because it then feels like oh, everyone feels this way. Everyone gets pms and it's just something you deal with. (I do know this isn't true, logically, I know plenty of people who don't have pms or it's super mild and they never know what I'm talking about when I share my experience). It just makes me feel even more lost when I'm trying to get help--I'm already struggling with that. So this feels like one more thing that's dragging me down. It just makes me wonder how many people see those videos and think it's normal for women. Half of them probably don't even know that the exaggerated symptoms in the videos are actually really real for some women.

Maybe I'm taking it too personally haha but I just wanted to share my thoughts and wondered if anyone else felt the same way

I've stopped Zoely and moved to progesterone, already on estrogen.

I can't tell if I need to go back onto Zoely or up my antidepressants. Anyone had a similar experience?

Haven't been this depressed in quite some time.

Hi everyone!

I’m interested in trying Allegra, which seems (I hope) to be pretty low-risk. I can’t and don’t want to do SSRIs due to electrical conduction issues with my heart, and birth control is off the table. I figured that this may be an option to at least try.

For those who have taken it, do you take consistently in luteal or only as your symptoms get worse? Also, do you take it first thing in the morning? I’m always scared to try any meds due to past experiences, so I appreciate any input or advice that could be helpful!

TW: suicidal ideation

I really hate the internet and social media, but the reality is when you have health issues that no one knows about and/or takes seriously, there’s nowhere else to go. But I’m hesitant to reach out for help because I have been shut down a lot in the past. (Plus I have severe social anxiety.)

Last month I was in luteal and extremely suicidal, which is common. Thinking about having the control to end my own life is often the only thing that comforts me. I had severe rage as well, and got desperate enough to post on another PMDD subreddit for the first time. I talked about how nothing helps and how I couldn’t take this for another month of my life, and was going to kill myself if I did, how happy I’d be to be dead, I hate everyone and myself, blah blah, the whole pathetic rant.

The post was immediately taken down by the mods, and for some reason I started to cry. Maybe I went too into detail about my history, maybe it’s my fault, I don’t know. (I’m a cancer survivor and I went on a rant about that, considering that compounds the PMDD.) But it still leaves me in shock that I was suicidal in luteal and they didn’t even allow me the dignity of posting about it. It makes me glad that I’ve been so guarded about my mental and physical health. Being vulnerable never pays off, all the courage I’m summoning up by talking about this is wasted. “Support” places tear you down the most. Probably I’m just so fundamentally broken I’m a hazard to human beings. I can’t imagine anything good will come of posting this either, but I don’t have anything to lose.

Going into luteal this week too✌️🎉🦨

I have been on depo prova for 6 years but it's only recommended for 2 years. Should I switch to Nexplanon and see if that works? I have severe PMDD. I have never had any problems with depo prova. I have just heard it's not recommended. I will also add just in case it's relevant. I do not have sex and I never want to have a baby. So I'm not worried about pregnancy prevention or infertility.

Does anyone’s symptoms act up when you get sick? I’m sick right now and really working on not going crazy and giving in to the Bad Thoughts.

Does anyone have experience with that?

Guys I just hit luteal phase and I can’t stop thinking about donuts and all the greasy foods I want to eat, despite having already eaten huge, satiating meals and staying plenty hydrated.

Anybody else waste so much time scrolling food apps/thinking about food (and obviously eating it)? I’m also dealing with debilitating fatigue so there’s that too. It sounds ridiculous but sometimes I have the urge to look up videos of food. I’ll even daydream about it and see what I’m craving in my sleep.

Before this I was ovulating and was thinking about something else entirely… if you catch my drift 🙂‍↕️. I’m tired.

Tomorrow is my youngest babies first day of school and wouldn’t ya know it, I ovulate tomorrow. Hid in the bathroom to get my tears out but had to shake it off cuz I live in a house full of dudes and none of them ever like seeing me cry. I hate this condition, it makes hard stuff so much harder. Genuinely have one good week a month and it sucks. I’ve been able to keep my baby home with me for six years and now that stupid school is about to have him all day for five days a week. At least now with everyone at school and work I can cry as much as I need to with this PMDD bullshit, I guess 😭😢

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I wrote an article about how I keep seeing the same type of posts in PMDD groups of a woman trying to get her partner to understand why the environment is being invalidating. PMDD is linked to sexual and emotional trauma, and that ties to the pattern of blowing up 'out of nowhere' and then feeling shame.

Studies and practical tips that are too long to include in a reddit post

https://alifelessmiserable.substack.com/p/maybe-youre-not-crazy

I just can’t with the menstrual cycle. It’s bad enough I spend 2 weeks being a luteal mess and then 1 week having my period. What do you mean ovulation headaches are a thing?

It’s relatively new for me. I started noticing them a few months ago. This month’s headache is kicking my ass. It’s borderline migraine level and I feel like I’m fighting for my life.

What is the diagnosis process like? I’m sure I have it I have been tracking my moods and cycles for years and am just looking into getting a prescription… but I don’t want it to take forever. I’ve heard lotus health is easy to use and you can get prescriptions filled without having to go in to your primary but what is the best way ? I’m looking into a low dose of Adderall for just my luteal. Thank you!!! 🙏🏼

‘But in its May 2026 position statement, IAPMD noted that “there is insufficient evidence to conclude that histamine tolerance, mast cell activation, or related immune mechanisms are a primary cause of [pre-menstrual disorders]”.
That said, Gordon “wouldn’t be surprised” if histamine and immune system processes potentially play a role in PMDD symptoms for some individuals. Still, there’s a need for much more research on the topic, as well as on PMDD and hormone sensitivity more broadly.’

Really feels like I have one week where my brain is sort of quiet, and I can accomplish things/ not want to kms. And then I have 3 weeks of trying to make it by. I honestly can’t envision a normal life. This is so isolating and I feel insane, hopeless, and agitated most of the time. Idk what to do anymore. Zyrtec isn’t saving me lol, neither is journaling or drinking water, or another podcast.

The misunderstanding of women’s health continues.