How To Ease Pms Depression

What Are The Risk Factors For Pmdd

While any woman can develop PMDD, the following may be at increased risk:

• Women with a family history of PMS or PMDD
• Women with a personal or family history of depression, postpartum depression, or other mood disorders

Other possible risk factors include lower education and cigarette smoking

Talk with your healthcare provider for more information.

Premenstrual Syndrome And Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

Many women experience symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome . In some instances the mood symptoms and emotional components of PMS are the most troubling. To women in such cases, PMS is often referred to as Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder .

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder is a more severe form of PMS, affecting 5-10% of women in their reproductive years. In contrast to PMS, PMDD is characterized by more significant premenstrual mood disturbance that can seriously impact relationships and impair functioning. Many women with PMDD experience clinical levels of depression or anxiety during the week or two before each menstrual cycle. It is not uncommon that the emotional symptoms of depression anxiety and irritability can seriously interfere with normal functioning and relationships.

Common symptoms include: irritability, depressed mood, anxiety, or mood swings. Mood symptoms are only present for a specific period of time, during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Symptoms emerge one to two weeks before menses and resolve completely with the onset of menses. Women with PMDD should experience a symptom-free interval between menses and ovulation. An estimated 40% of women who seek treatment for PMDD actually have a premenstrual exacerbation of an underlying mood disorder rather than PMDD. Therefore, it is important for patients to be carefully evaluated for the presence of an underlying mood disorder in order to develop the best treatment plan.

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How Is Pmdd Managed Or Treated

Your healthcare provider may recommend one or more of these treatments to help manage PMDD:

• Antidepressants to help manage your brains serotonin levels.
• Dietary changes, such as cutting back on salty, fatty or sugary foods and caffeine.
• Over-the-counter pain medicines to ease cramps , headaches, breast tenderness and other physical symptoms.
• Regular exercise to improve mood.
• Stress management tools, such as deep breathing exercises and meditation.

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Should I Take Any Medication

The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have demonstrated clear efficacy in treating both the physical and mood symptoms of these disorders. Prozac has been approved by the U.S. FDA for the treatment of PMDD. Other drugs in this category, including Celexa , Paxil , and Zoloft , have also been shown to be effective.

In most cases, home treatment will help to reduce PMS symptoms. However, if your PMS symptoms have lasted for more than two weeks, it is advisable to visit your doctor to avoid any complications.

Natural Remedies For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder

Do you experience extreme emotions like deep sadness or rage before your menstrual periods? Many women experience problems like mood swings, bloating, pain in the abdomen, and tenderness in the breasts before their periods start. This is a condition known as premenstrual syndrome and it can be quite uncomfortable.

Its thought that hormonal changes that occur during the menstrual cycle have a part to play in the development of these symptoms. But for some women, the symptoms can be so severe that they interfere with normal life. This severe form of premenstrual syndrome is known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder . Women with PMDD may also experience other psychological symptoms like depression, anxiety, anger, low self-esteem, or anger.1

Lets take a look at some measures that can help you deal with PMDD.

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Symptoms Of Winter Blues

Common symptoms of the winter blues include sadness, food cravings, social withdrawal, and sleeping a lot . These symptoms are caused by a combination of wintery factors that can take a toll on mental health. For example, sunshinean amenity thats in short supply during the winterhelps make vitamin D and dopamine, both of which boost mood, pleasure, motivation and concentration. With less daylight, the mood swings we experience during our period can intensify and feel more difficult to cope with. Winter also often means spending more time indoors, moving less, and eating more. This can have a negative impact on premenstrual symptoms because research shows that women who are more active tend to have more regular and manageable cycles than those that moved their body less . Between inclement weather and scraping ice off your car’s windshield, winter may also prolong your commute. You may struggle to get your steps in because sidewalks are too icy or temperatures are too cold, and the resulting cabin fever can contribute to winter blues and worsening PMS .

Black Cohosh For Pms Depression Reviews & Guide

Learn to identify your state of mind swings as well as indication, such as decreased rest. Get therapy and stick with it healing requires time as well as its hard. Call your licensed mental black cohosh for pms depression wellness professional if you are currently working with one. Ketamine treatment, offered intravenously, along with various other medicines has actually been shown to be practical in treating bipolar depression.

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Be Prepared Ahead Of Time

The main thing you should do is monitor your menstrual cycle which is especially important if your periods are irregular. You can keep a diary of your symptoms each month or download a menstrual app that helps to track them. This way, youll be able to spot the pattern youll know when they begin and how severe they are.

Its not only important for a correct diagnosis but also helps you be prepared for whats to come and build a routine that alleviates the symptoms.

When youre not aware you have PMDD, its easy to confuse the difficulties with other health issues, especially if you have a history of mental health problems. Knowing the changes in your mood and behaviour are hormonal will give you a sense of control.

Don’t Overload On Sugar

“If you’re craving sugar, you’re craving it for a reason,” Somer says. That reason is shifting levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which can also decrease levels of the chemical serotonin in the brain. These changes may affect a woman’s mood and trigger PMS symptoms.

In fact, studies have shown that some women with PMS may take in 200 to 500 more calories a day. Those additional calories typically come from fats, carbohydrates, or sweet foods.

Rather than turning to sugar to boost serotonin levels, Somer advises eating whole grains instead.

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Key Points About Pmdd

PMDD is a much more severe form of t premenstrual syndrome .

The exact cause of PMDD is not known.

• The main symptoms that distinguish PMDD from other mood disorders or menstrual conditions is when symptoms start and how long they last.
• Symptoms of PMDD are so severe that it affects your ability to function at home, work and in relationships.
• Aside from a complete medical history and physical and pelvic exam, there are very few tests to diagnose the condition.
• Over the course of a year, during most menstrual cycles, 5 or more of the following symptoms must be present:
• Depressed mood
• Lack of interest in activities once enjoyed
• Moodiness
• Insomnia or feeling very sleepy
• Feeling overwhelmed or out of control

Understanding Pms And Pmdd

PMS is defined as having one or more of the following symptoms either immediately before or concurrently with your period.

Breakouts

Constipation

Food cravings

If the symptoms occur around the time of your period every month, then you likely have PMS. When you also have emotional changes that occur with these symptoms each month, then you are looking at PMDD instead.

The causes of PMS and PMDD are related to hormonal changes that occur during the menstrual cycle. Women need to have a certain amount of estrogen in their body in order for things to function normally. Too much estrogen has been linked to

PMS and PMDD are typically self-diagnosable, and once you identify their existence, you can begin successful treatment. PMDD symptoms are more severe and often require extended and ongoing treatment.

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How Is Pmdd Treated

PMDD is a serious, chronic condition that does need treatment. Several of the following treatment approaches may help relieve or decrease the severity of PMDD symptoms:

• Changes in diet to increase protein and carbohydrates and decrease sugar, salt, caffeine, and alcohol
• Regular exercise
• Vitamin supplements
• Anti-inflammatory medicines
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
• Birth control pills

For some women, the severity of symptoms increases over time and lasts until menopause. For this reason, a woman may need treatment for an extended time. Medicine dosage may change throughout the course of treatment.

Reduce Stress To Fight Pms Symptoms

The combination of stress and premenstrual syndrome might create a cycle of exacerbation. If mild to moderate anxiety or irritation is part of your PMS pattern, try calming your nerves with yoga , breathing exercises , or mindfulness-based stress reduction . Some types of therapy like cognitive behavioral therapy may help with premenstrual symptoms, but more research is needed .

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What Are The Treatments For Pms

The treatment of PMS can sometimes be as challenging as making the diagnosis of PMS. Various treatment approaches have been used to treat this condition. Some measures lack a solid scientific basis but seem to help some women. Other treatments with a sound scientific basis may not help all patients.

General management includes a healthy lifestyle including:

A variety of medications are used to treat the different symptoms of PMS. Medications include diuretics, analgesics, oral contraceptives, antidepressants, and drugs that suppress ovarian function.

It is important to know that these drugs, although useful in treating mood disturbances in some women, are not necessarily effective in treating the physical symptoms. Often, it is a combination of diet, medications and exercise that is needed to afford the maximum improvement from the many symptoms of PMS

Treatment Of Postpartum Depression

Reported treatments for PPD include antidepressants, hormones, and psychotherapy, but there is a paucity of well-designed controlled studies, samples are small and there are no definitive conclusions.

Antidepressants

Sertonergic antidepressants with reported efficacy for PPD include fluoxetine in double -blind study, and sertraline, venlafaxine, and fluvoxamine in open studies.- Results in the sertraline study suggested that response is swift and at low doses, but these findings were not supported in another retrospective record review. The many antidepressants available are clearly effective for depression but are generally unstudied for PPD. Other considerations in the selection of an antidepressant are the patient’s tolerability of side effects and the response to a previously prescribed antidepressant. For women with previous episodes of depression, the general guideline is to prescribe the antidepressant used in the previous episode if the patient had a satisfactory response.

A major concern about drug therapy for breast-feeding mothers is the effect of medication on the infant. In small studies, amitriptyline, nortriptyline, desipramine, clomipramine, imipramine, sertraline, fluvoxamine, and paroxetine were not detected in quantifiable amounts in infant, plasma and all infants were thriving.- The results are encouraging, but cannot be generalized to all infants exposed to these medications.

Hormone treatments

Psychotherapy

Management

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Management Of Depression In Perimenopausal Women

Current consensus guidelines for treatment of depression in perimenopausal women recommend an antidepressant for severe depression. Data indicate that an SSRI may be preferred to a tricyclic antidepressant for women who are not postmenopausal. For women with previous episodes of depression, the general guideline is to prescribe the antidepressant used in the previous episode if the patient had a satisfactory response.

Transdermal estradiol may be of benefit for perimenopausal women with major or minor depression, based on preliminary but consistent findings of two new studies.,

Minor mood symptoms associated with the perimenopause are also improved with estrogen therapy. A progestin must also be prescribed for women with a uterus and may reduce the improvement of depressed mood in some women. Estrogen therapy is generally contraindicated for women with breast cancer, any potentially estrogen-dependent malignancy, active liver disease, and active thrombosis. Speroff et al indicate close surveillance for women with seizure disorders, familial hyperlipidemias, and migraine headaches. Other considerations include a history of breast disease, history of stroke, myocardial infarction or thrombosis, and active gall bladder disease or gallstones.

Avoid Stressful People And Situations

Stress is a major factor which can affect people having the premenstrual syndrome. It is important to engage in various activities that can help to reduce the effect of stress exposure. Women with this syndrome can watch movies at leisure and do things that gives them pleasure always. Women should always find the best possible ways to reduce their risk and exposure to environmental and work stress. Going on trips or lively gatherings with friends and family can also help greatly.

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Meditate To Treat Pms And Pmdd Mood Changes

People have been meditating since the beginning of time, and its clear why. Meditation measurably changes the structure of your brain, and the changes come with perks, like:

• Overall health benefits
• Increased self-awareness which increases control
• Increasing folds in the outer layer of the brain, which is a marker of intelligence
• Reduced stress hormones

You can tie all of these benefits to improved moods one way or another. Mood changes are a large and disruptive part of PMS, so its worth paying attention to meditation because you can likely affect your monthly mood changes for the better.

Theres evidence that a mindfulness practice reduces PMS symptoms. Evidence from 20 randomized control trials concluded that meditation was effective in reducing the severity of non-psychotic mood disorders such as PMS. Meditate all month long, not just when your period hits, to reap the benefits.

Treating Multiple Symptoms Of Pms

Research has shown many symptoms of PMS can be reduced by consuming 1200 mg of calcium daily. Calcium is an important nutrient for women of all ages and can prevent osteoporosis later in life.

One of the best ways to reduce PMS is through regular exercise. Not only can exercise decrease premenstrual syndrome symptoms, it is an excellent way to reduce stress and lower your risk of other conditions such as heart disease and cancer.

Dietary changes that may help reduce the symptoms of PMS include following a low-fat vegetarian diet, or reducing your intake of sugar, dairy, red meat, alcohol, and caffeineall known to be inflammatory foods. Instead, increase your consumption of complex carbohydrates, leafy green vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

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Natural Ways To Treat Pms And Pmdd

• Theres a pretty good chance youve had an uncomfortable period at least once in your life. PMS and PMDD are caused by a number of factors, but theres a strong link between nutritional deficiencies, and estrogen dominance.
• PMS includes physical and mood symptoms. PMDD includes any of the symptoms you might experience with PMS, but mood symptoms are much more severe and affect your relationships and life.
• Nutrition, supplements, and even paying attention to your poop can reduce the severity of your symptoms.

Theres a pretty solid chance youve had some type of premenstrual symptom at some point in your life. PMS, or premenstrual syndrome, is having one or more symptoms that immediately precede or happen concurrently with your period. A lot of women have similar PMS symptoms, like:

• Breakouts
• Food Cravings
• Constipation

Even though there are symptoms that a lot of women have in common, PMS is an individual thing. If you have a symptom around period time, month after month, its probably PMS.

What Helps With Cramps

Here are a some things that can help ease cramps:

• Over-the-counter pain medicine like ibuprofen , naproxen , or acetaminophen . Always follow the instructions on the bottle. Talk with your doctor before taking pain medication if you have an allergy to aspirin or severe asthma.

• Exercise.

• Hormonal birth control .

• Acupuncture and acupressure.

• Transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation therapy that uses mild electric currents to stimulate your nerves to relieve pain.

• Certain vitamins and herbs like vitamin B1, fish oil, fenugreek, ginger, valerian, zataria, and zinc sulfate.

Cramps are a pretty normal part of getting your period, but sometimes people have period cramps that are so painful its hard to do everyday things . If your period pain is really bad, and over-the-counter medicine doesnt help, talk with your doctor. They can help with other ways to manage the pain, or they may want to check to see if theres something more serious going on.

Cramps that are really bad may be a sign of:

• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease an infection in your reproductive organs.

• Endometriosis a condition where the lining of your uterus grows outside of your uterus.

• Adenomyosis when the tissue that lines your uterus grows into the muscle wall of your uterus.

• Uterine fibroids non-cancerous tumors that grow inside your uterus, in the walls of your uterus, or on the outside of your uterus.

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Supplements Vitamins And Over The Counter Medications

Women who crave sugar as a PMS symptom may find relief by supplementing their diet with 300 to 500 mg of magnesium. Magnesium also may help reduce breast tenderness. Some women experience a decrease in symptoms by taking 50 to 300 mg of vitamin B6 daily. Make sure you take the correct dosage, too much vitamin B6 can cause numbness and other negative side effects. Women who experience premenstrual breast tenderness can lessen this symptom by taking 600 IU of vitamin E daily.

Other treatments that may be helpful include taking about 1500 mg of Primrose oil daily or using natural progesterone cream. Some women are able to control the symptoms of PMS by using oral contraceptives.

Over-the-counter treatments that may help include ibuprofen, naproxen, and other drugs specifically made for relieving premenstrual symptoms. Aspirin is not the best choice because of its potential to increase the length and severity of menstrual bleeding.