PMDD Treatments: Everything You Need to Know
Have you ever asked yourself, “What is PMDD?”
PMDD is an acronym that stands for premenstrual dysphoric disorder. This disorder has uncertain causes but most experts believe that it’s related to an unusual response in the body to hormone alterations that come from a woman’s menstrual cycle. In order to live with the disorder, many people need PMDD treatments.
PMDD symptoms can affect your emotions, making you irritable and anxious, giving you mood swings, and possibly affecting you with menstrual depression. Physical symptoms include cramps, bloating, fatigue, headaches, hot flashes, breast tenderness, and more.
Unlike PMS (premenstrual syndrome), however, PMDD can be much more intense and debilitating.
PMDD can negatively affect your daily life. If your doctor has given you a PMDD diagnosis, you shouldn’t worry because there are ways to treat it so you can live a more comfortable and normal life.
Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about PMDD treatments.
1. Diet and Exercise
Did you know that PMDD is a fairly common disorder? If you have PMDD with symptoms that are mildly severe, then you may benefit from regular exercise and a healthier diet.
Aerobic exercises such as running or brisk walking might reduce your premenstrual symptoms. Exercise is important for your overall health, so even if you don’t see results related to reducing your symptoms, it’s still worth a try in the long term.
Besides exercise, you can also use a healthy diet to fight against the symptoms of PMDD. Reducing the amount of caffeine you consume or getting it out of your diet altogether can go a long way in easing your anxiety and irritability. You can reduce bloating and edema by decreasing the amount of sodium that’s in your diet, too.
Changing your diet and doing regular exercises are two stepping stones toward a healthier life. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you may need to do more than that.
2. Nonpharmacologic Treatment
The emotional symptoms of PMDD can be a bit trickier to treat than physical symptoms, but you should not ignore them. There are some effective treatments that avoid the use of pharmacologic drugs.
The emotional stress that comes with PMDD can wreak havoc on your brain chemistry. One way to treat the emotional symptoms is by reducing stress. There are many ways to reduce stress, including yoga, meditation, listening to calming music, and more.
More formal treatments like anger management and assertive training can go a long way in both reducing your stress and improving your relationships with friends, family, and coworkers.
Such training can teach you positive ways to handle your emotions and interact with others daily.
3. Nutritional Supplements
Besides reducing the caffeine and sodium that’s in your diet, you can also use nutritional supplements to give your body even more of what it needs. They have proven nutritional supplements to effectively manage PMDD.
There is a range of supplements you can choose from to add to your diet. Vitamin B6, vitamin E, calcium carbonate, magnesium, and tryptophan can all help manage the symptoms of PMDD in certain patients.
You should consult your doctor about these supplements and whether they’re right for you. You should also ask about how to take them, when to take them, and what dosage would be appropriate.
4. Herbal Treatment
With herbal treatment, both chaste tree berry and evening primrose oil have been shown to reduce various symptoms related to PMDD.
The chaste tree berry herbal remedy has the potential to reduce prolactin levels, which can ease swollen breasts.
The evening primrose oil herbal remedy contains gamma-linolenic acid, which may help your body fight inflammation, making breasts feel less tender.
More studies need to be done, which is why it’s important to consult your doctor before starting on any herbal treatment, especially if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.
5. Medications
PMDD can increase your risk of suicide because of its negative effects on the mind. If your symptoms are severe, then you should probably go the route of pharmacology.
With severe PMDD, serotoninergic antidepressants are often taken to alleviate the symptoms.
Some medications have shown to reduce all symptoms related to PMDD majorly.
Depending on the drug you take, you might experience various sexual side effects, which is why you should consult your doctor before taking any medication.
6. Hormonal Treatment
Hormonal treatment is definitely an option for everyone, but it can be effective for some people with PMDD.
Hormonal therapy drugs can relieve many symptoms of PMDD. However, some might also cause menopausal syndrome. If you combine them with ovarian hormone supplements, it could reduce the chance that menopause will occur.
Hormonal treatment can have variable effects depending on the individual. It’s best to consult a medical professional before deciding on a definite course of treatment.
Are You Ready to Take Advantage of PMDD Treatments?
Now that you’ve learned everything you need to know about PMDD treatments, you can try them for yourself so you can get back to your life and be healthier and happier.
Maple Leaf Medications can give you access to everything you need to treat your PMDD while also saving money. You shouldn’t have to go into debt to get treatment for PMDD. We can connect you to international groups of authorized and reputable pharmacy partners so you get the treatment you need at an affordable price. The process is safe, convenient, and economical.
If you have questions, contact us. We’re always happy to help!
