Dude, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, otherwise known as PMDD, is real. Most women experience a little PMS before they start their period, but few experience dehabilitating pain and severe mood changes. I am one of those people. I have had this “issue” for a while, but when I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism a few years back, my intense PMS was thought to have been a side effect of that. However now, over two years later, I’m much healthier as far as my thyroid is concerned, but I still experience the PMDD. In fact, I believe it has gotten worse. I gain up to 2-3lbs before my period. I usually feel depressed. I have mood swings. My breasts become sore. I have cramping. I could go on and on. It seems unfair, but at the same time, it seems like it’s a part of my life. I just kind of . . . deal with it.
I am the type of girl who (generally) hates even taking Advil. Yeah, I admitted to a mild and short-lived Vicodin addiction, but in all seriousness, I’m pretty much an au-naturale gal. So, for that reason, I will not take antidepressants (which can even make it worse!), nor will I take birth control. I don’t like to eff with my body too much. Now that I’m older, my periods come regularly (like clockwork), so I believe my periods aren’t the problem, per se. I believe what I’m putting in my body and how I’m treating it is a whole is where the problem lies.
When I’m very active and have a good work out regime going on, eat lots of complex carbs and load up on calcium, I am usually okay. It’s harder said than done, of course, but it works. I believe that yes, my hormones are out of whack, but it’s from all the synthetic hormones, pesticides and unknown chemicals that are in the food I eat, the drinks I guzzle down, the air I breathe, etc. It makes me crazy that I can’t control everything that goes into my body, but I do the best I can . . . and is that not all we human beings can do in life?
Last week when I wrote my rant about the woman at work who said I “don’t act black” or whatever, I was experiencing PMDD. I realize now that her words and feelings towards me have NOTHING to do with me. It more has to do with the way she was raised and her own personal feelings about herself. In all honesty, I don’t care what she thinks. Go ahead, think I act white. Just don’t say anything about my character or how I treat people, because that’s when it hurts. That’s when I take it seriously. I can say this now with less estrogen running through my body and with a week’s time to realize it doesn’t matter.
PMDD is REAL, folks. I do believe it’s treatable, but don’t think it’s some lame excuse for women (or something we make up in our heads) because it isn’t. You’ll know it’s true if you hang out with me around the 13th-22nd of next month.
If you’d like to learn more about PMDD, please visit the following website: http://www.pmdd.factsforhealth.org/.
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