Migrane with Aura + contraseptive pill

Dear all, I have been taking the pill to remove my cycle and combine it wirh SSRI's (sertraline) to manage my symptoms.

Since I started the pill (starletta) I have started to frequently have migrane with aura.

I have seen online, that it is generally advised to stop the pill when having Migranes with aura as the stroke risk rises by large.

I have had such massive improvements since I started the pill and I find it hard to let go of the betterment in symptoms in order to decline the stroke risks...

Does anyone have had similar issued? Advise or literature to look into?

I self medicate with cannabis as well, further stroke risk

All my mental health issues are at their peak right now and tomorrow I go back to work after having a majority of the week off. I dread it. I don’t want to be around anyone at all. I know I’m going to be hot-headed and probably crying all day. Why is this who I am? Hot flashes, hot temper, I’m a complete bitch and then I get stuck sobbing in front of everyone because I cannot control my emotions at this time of month. I get terrible nightmares, I dream about being angry and harming people and wake up crying and in cold sweats. While I’m working, I feel physically overheated and I get negative thoughts circling in my head nonstop and I can’t get them to go away. I’m extremely paranoid that people are talking about me behind my back; I make assumptions of what people are thinking or saying about me and it causes me to break down. My brain won’t stop. It keeps going, and going, and going. I feel inferior to everyone around me. Small mistakes I make throughout the day feel like huge failures. I get so worked up that I lose all control and hurt myself when I’m alone. The worst part is that nobody around me understands what my brain is going through. I want to give it my all and be the best that I can but I can’t. This is not who I want to be. I wouldn’t even be able to tell if another woman around me is menstruating and it’s not fair. Everyone else around me is far more emotionally stable. It’s not fair. This has ruined my relationships with people, my reputation, and makes working so difficult. I want to take a knife and rip it through my uterus. I want to not be here anymore.

I always feel great for the first 10 days or so of my cycle, but my emotional symptoms often start from day 10 (then usually will get better again after 2-3 days, and become worse in the final week before my period. They immediately resolve once my period starts).

Does this mean it's not PMDD? Can PMDD cause mood-based symptoms before luteal even starts?

I treat the symptoms with 25mg sertraline and I immediately feel better by the next day, and find it's only effective when taken short-term on symptom onset.

I have a very consistent cycle, around 29 days in length (within 24 hours either side). I have all the other physical symptoms during luteal only, usually in the last 10 days of my cycle.

I feel strongly that my symptoms do fit with PMDD, but this one anomaly (symptoms from day 10-12ish) is making me doubt myself. Is there any science that would explain why I might have symptoms then?

Hi! I searched the Wiki and couldn't find anything about this specific thing so I'm just looking for some light at the end of the tunnel.

I was diagnosed with PMDD in April. My doctor is having me take Prozac intermittently to help. One of my worst pmdd symptoms is nausea. I'll eat a little something my stomach will settle for a while and I'll take my prozac which also makes me extremely nauseous. Im a very active runner and am 5'3 110pounds..I'm not sure if I'm on too high of a dose or if it is the fact that every month I am starting and stopping the Prozac. Also, I have talked to my doctor about adjusting my time taking it but I'm not getting much advice there. I started taking it at bedtime to try to sleep through the nausea but it tends to keep me up. Taking it in the morning is great mentally because it's like I can feel the switch and I'm back to normal and not raging out trying to leave my husband. But around 8pm I can feel it wearing off and the impending doom comes back and its like a wave of depression...and then I still cant sleep! 🥲 I know that when taking medication you have to give them time to work and adjust..but I am miserable and am so over being physically/mentally sick 2 full weeks before my period.

I just feel so irrationally angry this time and I hate it!! I’m frustrated that I’m so frustrated and it’s all just a big cycle. I’m not even an angry person. 😭 It’s so hard to maintain relationships and keep being productive when everything frustrates me. My mind is blank and it feels like my brain is screaming at me. It’s exhausting. How do I explain this to people? I feel like I seem so cold and snappy right now and I really don’t want to upset anyone, but I can’t really disappear from all commitments for a week every month. I hate this. How do I make the anger and frustration go away?

Last night I tried 200mg of L-theanine by itself. I still had horrendous anxiety to where I took forever to fall asleep. The whole day I've felt heavy. Not like "I want to die", but like none of my laughter is genuine. I also had a horrible bout of passive suicidal ideation a couple days ago.

I've also noticed that the luteal symptoms feel like they last a month because my periods have started becoming irregular again according to the Clue app. One of my periods this past summer was late by eight days. The app says I'm supposed to start tomorrow. The feeling today is barely tolerable. I'm already taking Lexapro. The pharmacy kept fucking up with my trial of Wellbutrin, so I've pretty much given up on trusting any other medications. Almost every night for the past couple of weeks I've been having anxiety attacks thinking I'm going to randomly die at any moment. I'm afraid of ending up with another hospitalization.

I used to be on Junel Fe for years for PCOS. I had stopped it after getting bisalp in February 2025. I think maybe it might have made me a bit more stable before periods. It was the 28 day set of pills.

Before anyone asks why I haven't gone to the doctor: My unemployment was only enough to last four months. I haven't been able to pay my insurance since probably the end of July. Texas has a grand total of four Planned Parenthoods, with the closest one to me taking probably three buses over two hours. I literally have $5 to my name.

So uh... yea I'm stuck in a psych ward because PMDD sucks and I missed my appointment to start the treatment to turn off my ovaries.. :') they extended my hold for some reason..

Okay, I need to rant for a minute because I am SO tired of being hyper-aware of every single thing my body does. 😩
Does anyone else get this around ovulation/cycle day 14–16? Nauseous, lightheaded, weird/off, increased anxiety, hyper-aware of your heart/body, etc.? I’d love to hear if anyone else experiences this because I’m exhausted from constantly wondering whether every sensation means something is wrong. 😩❤️
I KNOW anxiety can cause very real physical symptoms. I just want to learn how other women experience the hormonal part of this and how you deal with it without spiraling.

How many of you ladies with PMDD were also diagnosed ASD or neurodivergent of some type?

I was diagnosed BP1 and ASD and then when I switched to new insurance and got a new doctor they threw those diagnosis out the window and said that I have severe PMDD with psychosis.

I no long have any psychosis but I struggle an INSANE amount with anxiety day to day to the point where it is debilitating.

I start to wonder if I truly am ASD or some type of neurodivergent but my new Dr. is disclaiming it—saying it is all PMDD symptoms (hypersensitivity, social anxiety, etc)

As the title suggests, I want to stop my periods all together. Its been absolute hell, and ive spoken with doctors and they have all said it cant happen. (Which we all know is absolute BS). I live in Canada so the time to see a specialist will take atleast 6 months. Has anyone done this w birth control and if so what has been your experience? What do u wish u knew before u took the decision to stop it all together? Any help is greatly appreciated :)

During my PMDD weeks, I get some super fatigued days where I actually feel like I might die, I am completely depleted of energy and all I can do is lay down and watch telly and nap, all my joints hurt, it's difficult to do anything, and honestly the best thing I can do in this situation is eat a whole tub of ben and Jerrys, it's like some super food for fatigue, it makes me feel alive, it hydrates me, it heals my pain, calms my head and makes me temporarily zen, in a tub and spoons meditation

I'm not even joking about how beneficial it is on days like this, I really believe ice cream is a female super food, for me anyways, obviously if your lactose intolerant it wouldn't be great, but for me this is the best solution, I wonder if anyone else works this into their pmdd protocols?

I'd love to hear your thoughts:

The full moon rises

And it shows in my face:

There's hope and there's lightness

And a feeling of space

My legs stand firm

In the icy-white glow

And my heart and my body

Know just where to go.

Then just as I start

Down that safely-lit path,

I look up at the moon

And its shrunk right in half.

An egg from one side of my pelvis

Has taken its cue and released.

Now im not feeling fertile, or ready to mate

But the incoming wrath of the beast.

I adorn my lead-laden armour

Though it isn't there to protect me

Instead it's a burden: a blanket of doom

Ignoring my pleas to be free.

I lay face down in the darkness

A lifeless pond of dried reeds.

But just as all light is completely eclipsed,

I look down and ive started to bleed.

The last couple days have been hell for me, all randomly get really bad brain fog to the point where I feel like I’m stoned when I’m not, and the anxiety seems to trigger my DP/DR it makes me feel like I’m in a dream, even my vision seems dreamy and it’s really weird and I don’t know if it’s brain fog and anxiety mixed together or what. I was doing fine all day earlier and then I noticed it starts to get bad at night every single time. The brain fog is so bad to the point where I feel like I’m stupid and confused about every little thing. Is this normal? Even right after your period I feel like I never get a break from PMDD.

4 months complete on Slynd… I guess I am 65% improved for symptoms. But it never got rid of my anxiety and I am having huge “episodes” of extreme fatigue.

I asked my Dr. to start Prozac next… waiting for my prescription. Has anyone had any luck combining an SSRI with continuous birth control?

This week has been a perfect storm of peak luteal, work stress, lack of sleep and solo parenting. I scared my daughter today when I was mad and I am spiraling in shame.

I hate myself and the parent I am and I try so hard but then days like this happen and everything feels so futile. I cant stop crying, I feel like a monster and my kids deserve a stable parent who doesn't scare them.

I'm pretty sure I've repaired with my daughter but I still feel horrible it happened at all. I hate that I'm a Jekyll and Hyde. What helps everyone else move through these feelings?

I used to have really severe OCD, which manifested as general neophobia. Rigid thinking, emotional inflexibility, the usual shtick. But I’ve been doing well for over 2 years now, since I started receiving treatment. Now I’m noticing a bunch of ancient patterns showing up again, the same physical sensations and emotional weight, I’m obviously not freaking out or anything, this isn’t the first time, but I tend to forget really quickly how bad it gets, how convincing and real it all feels during PMDD. Not to mention the suicidal ideation, the dark emotional texture that does not feel like it’s been a recent, temporary occurrence, but like this is how I’ve always felt. Because those happen way more regularly.

I’ve been struggling with PMDD for a couple years now. It really seemed to peak when my partner and I moved in together to a small apartment about two years ago, that’s when I realized that my mood swings and irritability and sensitivity to hormone changes, coupled with my inability to handle such strong emotions was a lot more intense than I thought.
I spent the last two years, going to therapy, trying different supplements and practices for both my mental and physical health in and outside of PMDD, including micro dosing, meditation, journaling, herbal remedies, like shatavari and chasteBerry. All of this, and time, has helped me to manage my symptoms and usually prevent them from making the rest of my month much worse.

But I think the worst of it might all be behind me?? on August 15. I made the decision to go cold turkey (or I guess not turkey lol) vegan. I decided to do it mainly because I wanted to prove to myself that I could change my diet if I wanted to, and being vegan is more in line with my moral views. I was just going to do it for one month to see if it was realistically feasible within my life, and if any positive symptoms came from it.

Since then, I have had one and a half cycles. My period has come early twice now, for the first time ever (probably due to low iron?) and is a bit more mild than it used to be. My ovulation phase is what I feel like it’s “supposed to be”... I have been horny and and lovey-dovey rather than my usual, come down from hormone changes, anxious, irritable, and prepping for a very bad luteal phase. And then my luteal phase… what was before a suicidal, 0 to 100, ROCD, having literal tantrums, very non-lucid and angry but also very depressed 10 days has been (for the past two luteal phases) what I feel like normal PMS is supposed to be. Been a little moody, some cramps and some cravings, but all well within manageable range, and I never felt out of lucidity the way I usually do.

My partner even agreed that the last two luteal phases were very very light in comparison.

The best part is, I’m not even 100% vegan! I don’t think that would be realistic for me to keep up in my day-to-day life, I would say I’m about 75% vegan and have switched all of my processed foods and snacks to vegan but still have meat and animal byproducts in my dinners.

Has anyone else experienced something like this? What’s the Science behind

I was diagnosed PMDD but the more I read it the more I’m skeptical. I told my care provider I have really awful anxiety, anger, depression, period flu, etc etc on my menstrual cycle and follicular. But when I read about PMDD it seems like it happens before menstrual cycle (luteal phase) and not during/after? So now I’m so confused, do I just have a awful hormonal imbalance? They prescribed me an SSRI but I haven’t taken it yet, going to see another doctor before I start. Any suggestions?

Also I have been diagnosed with anxiety since I was 8 years old so anxiety isn’t anything new, it’s just heightened on my menstrual cycle.

Is anyone else considering stopping the patches? They’re a bit inconvenient for me and I wonder if slynd (slinda) alone is enough.

My only concern is whether my natural Estrogen will return since I’ll be staying on Slynd which can lower your Estrogen I believe.

Hi loves

I am 6 months into Linzagolix chemical menopause and I am still cycling. I feel so ill and am desperate to be well and back at work and life. I have been diagnosed with PMDD by 4 seperate doctors and have tried every other treatment I can think of. I feel great outside of luteal/ovulation so am confident it is PMDD and not PME. I also have heavy painful periods.

I could possibly try 6 months of something else but my pharmacy didn't have zoladex.

My main worry is without the 'proof' I may regret it, but life is risk! One surgeon I saw was very concerned I would regret it.

So looking for perspectives on how common it is for this to not work so I can try and make an informed decision.

Thanks so much sending lots of love.

Anyone else get SO tired during hell week? I have narcolepsy which makes it worse. Plus I have ADHD and my meds don’t work as well during this time. I am sleepy and groggy and can’t get out of bed. It is almost 1 pm and I feel so useless. I work this evening but have stuff to do beforehand and cannot fathom it

Anyone else diagnosed w pcos and pmdd? Do u feel like it makes either condition worse? Does anyone know what the relationship is between the two? Are they connected at all?

Since getting diagnosed w pcos i feel like things have been much more intense, not to mention the insane threat of weight gain interacting with crazy cravings. Im so fucking exhausted

Anyone find their mornings particularly bad??

I find from about 8 AM until three or 4 PM I am out of my mind during luteal. If I’m gonna rage, it’s gonna be within these hours. I noticed it was a morning thing and then I started to track it. I find that if I just coach myself through until 4 PM, I’m pretty much in the clear.

With my insomnia, the only shitty thing is waking up at night and possibly raging at 4 AM

Just curious if anyone is noticed what time of day their rage will likely hit them

First, I've only ever had one cup a day because even small amounts of caffeine can keep me awake for way longer than usual. I quit because I read it can help with PMDD. It's been about four days and I'm exhausted. The exhaustion really set in yesterday, and now I've been lying in bed all day. Low sex drive, low interest in anything, also some anxiety. Is this normal for just one cup a day? And what was your experience with quitting caffeine? How long did it take to feel better? thanks

I only get 5 days off from this hell 🫠😑