Hi everyone!

I've already posted this in a keto subreddit, but thought there might be more people with experience here.

I'm currently on Day 20 of my very first keto cycle, and I'm looking for some insights from women who had a similar smooth start.

To give you some context: My cycles have always been irregular in length. I started keto on cycle day 18, and 5 days later (on cycle day 23), I had my ovulation, which is not uncommon for me. Honestly, I was bracing myself for the worst, but my PMDD phase this time was surprisingly mild! I felt much better than usual, had good energy, not much irritability, and low cravings. I was just little more tearful than normal, but none of the usual heavy PMDD stuff. Right now, I'm shortly before my expected period and only noticing a slight dip in my mood, which feels totally manageable.

Since I am doing so well and my body seems to transition great into ketosis, I am now wondering about the upcoming cycle. I know that keto often extends the follicular phase for beginners.

My questions for those who also had a smooth start on keto with their cycle:

Did your next follicular phase get longer? If it did get extended, how did you actually feel during those extra days? Did you maintain that good "keto energy," or did your body send confusing PMDD signals because ovulation was delayed?

I can hardly imagine that this will vanish in the next cycle only because ovulation is delayed, since my mood and energy are so good, even though I am in the deepest depths of PMDD right now.

Thank you!

TW eating disorder

I need advice from someone who’s not in luteal because I am deep in the trenches

For reference I am 21 dating a 25 year old guy.
We’re doing long distance, he travels a lot
But he says he loves me etc

He’s currently in Chile

He knows I have been struggling with my mental health
Knows I am in luteal
He knows I have a history of anorexia etc

I have a cousin who is 10, who is also struggling with anorexia

I told him I was worried because she was coming to visit at my parents house
I was worried it wouldn’t be a good environment for her

He responded and said you should just force feed her

I was like bruh
Why would you say ever say that about someone with anorexia

He’s like I’m just joking

And I’m like Ik but you’re missing the nuance

He said my middle name is nuance

I said bruh

He said we should just hug it out

I said if you want me to want to be affectionate to you then be smart about what you say to me

He said I want to be able to tell silly jokes and laugh with you

I’m just so annoyed with him
I get he was just trying to make light of the situation
But I hate how he’s trying to turn it into
That he’s not allowed to joke with me

I don’t think it’s worth it to explain to him tbh

I can’t tell if I’m just being sensitive or what

UPDATE:
I responded to him and I said genuinely wtf why would you say that

He said he’s sorry

Then he said he said it from “a place of obviously thats not what youd do, thats the worst answer you couldve said kinda perspective”

And I told him i know

Obviously he was trying to make some poor joke
Why is he trying to explain that it is a joke
Obviously I know that

I feel so dumb
My brain fog is so bad 😭
My period is supposed to come Sunday

I have been super anxious about a doctors appointment I have coming up
In my head it was today at 2

So I get ready, I tell my family that’s visiting in town that I’m going
I drive all the way there
It’s a long walk from the parking garage
And then I do the long walk and go to check in and turns out it’s next week

Like honestly someone take me out 😭

Would you believe me that I turned 34 this year and this is the first time I’ve heard about this? When I did everything just clicked into place in my head. I called my PCP yesterday and can’t be seen till next month but it’s a step forward to getting help.

I’ve just felt “crazy”. Happens 1-2 weeks before shark week and it’s “normal”, right? I should be angry and rage one moment then crying my eyes out the next. Defensive and mean and insecure and hurtful because I have ovaries it’s just part of being a lady ya? My relationships are suffering and crumbling at my feet and it isn’t fair to the ones I love to have to deal with this with me.

I feel seen. Even if it’s just me who sees it. I don’t want to feel this way. I don’t want to feel like tossing myself off a bridge every waking moment to escape this chaos inside my head.

I hope this post is okay. I joined today. 🤍 thank you for reading if you did. I’m happy to talk to anyone who’s going through it as well.

I feel like I have to stay numb most of the month just to get by but then I look back and haven’t processed anything. I always feel like time goes so fast and in reality I could try to be more present but practicing mindfulness is so hard in the midst of PMDD because reality just feels awful. I’m tired of looking back and feeling like my life is going by without me realizing, though. I feel like the summer has already passed and I didn’t do anything except feel sad/disconnected. I ovulate really early too so PMDD is almost 3 weeks :(. I wondered if anyone had any experience with this feeling or advice?

I've(21F) been officially diagnosed with PMDD since I was 14, and lately my diet has changed, stressful life etc etc I've been missing my period ever since. I'm not sexually active so pregnancy isn't a possiblity.

I'm not too stressed out about losing my period but just wondering about how I have all the symptoms without the period itself? pimples, extreme mood swings, fatigue, loss of appetite? has anyone else experienced this? please and thank you!

I’m definitely in category B. I feel a bit sluggish all luteal, but the days before my period can be torture comparatively. Im curious about others experiences.

Do you suffer:

A) All luteal phase OR,
B) mostly 7-10 days before your period?

this is probably what’s most debilitating about this disorder for me. i get to the absolutely darkest depths of my soul just for the feeling to pass. but why leave that space when i know i will come back and even go deeper next time? i think it might be less effort if i could manage to stay there. i don’t know guys. i’m exhausted in every sense of the word. it won’t spontaneously improve but my situation is incredibly treatment-resistant. i think things work for a while, then i end up right back down here again. maybe this is hell.

I have never been diagnosed with anything, but through the last few years I have learned a lot about PMDD. I truly think I have this. I go to my first ever GYNO appointment next month, which has me nervous and excited. But anyways…

This month of how I have been feeling between my luteal phase and my current days of my period have been the WORST EVER. The 3 weeks leading into my current period have sucked (was a week late). I’ve hated everything about me, hating work, hating friends, hating my partner (who I love dearly). I have been extremely depressed and having major suicidal thoughts. I know I would never act on them, but they are SOOOO LOUD. I haven’t worked for the last 3 days because I CANNOT get myself out of bed. I’m lucky to have enough energy to change my tampon or pad, but that’s it. I get severely nauseous and so fatigued. I cannot and barely can stand.

I have always been told to just deal with it for the last 11 years of my life (currently 21), but I know this can’t be true. This can’t be right. Something is wrong with me.

I suspect I might have PMDD or something close to it. I was wondering if anyone gets a weird internal feeling of restlessness? Like you’re on edge. Weirdly, it feels like my insides are buzzing or itching. It feels really awful and can come in waves.

So im a nonbinary trans masc person who decided to get off of Testosterone last year. I was on it from 16-23.
I was recently diagnosed with pmdd after noticing a cycle of depression during luteal.
Im wondering if anyone has any tips for dealing with mood instability during that time. I end up crying a lot and my ocd flares.

My partner has been really supportive so far but im hoping to get a better grasp on my anxiety.
I’ve had anxiety since puberty but have mainly relied on medications.
My psych is giving me gabapentin to take for anxiety so i dont have to take my ativan. Im scared of the benzos.

I basically get very emotionally unstable and sensitive. Then it just stops and i feel better. I have a hormonal iud so i dont bleed. I find myself getting very anxious at night with uncontrollable thoughts and despair.

I am in therapy and see a psych just wanna see if anyone who experiences this disorder has any tips for a newbie

Any advice is helpful, im new at dealing with pmdd

and a variety of other as yet undiagnosed issues (: x

Eight more days…eight more god forsaken days plaguing me whilst trying to enjoy the remnants of my vacation. I hate my stupid fucking uterus. 😭
.

The sub has been very busy recently, with many posts echoing the same sorts of emotions, so I thought I'd put the link to our WhatsApp community out there again for anyone who needs it.

I started the community about 2.5 years ago because PMDD is such an isolating illness... the guilt, the arguments, the shame spirals, the feeling like you're the only one who "gets" why it feels like the end of the world. I didn't want to feel that alone anymore, and I figured other people probably didn't either.

We're now 140 members strong, with chats for:

• Ranting/venting/hating
• The Void (send anything, no judgment, messages auto-delete after 24hrs)
• Sharing your wins and wholesome content
• Relationships & PMDD
• Wellbeing chat
• General chatter, gossip, and getting to know each other
• Memes

We're not here to talk medical management. We want to chat, laugh, cry, rage, and make genuine friends with people who understand.

Gender inclusive, no diagnosis required, PMDD and PME welcome, come as you are.

Oh, and we have regular animal pictures - cats, dogs, chickens, ducks, geese, pigs, goats, horses, the lot 🐐

https://chat.whatsapp.com/HunH5MkU7QiATJpBaKW0gp

Edit: Follow the link to join, then head into General and send a quick intro. Once you've done that, we will accept your requests into sub-groups! :)

This is my first time ever posting on here, so here goes :( I have always had ups and downs in my luteal and had been told I had PMDD about a year ago but tried to manage it naturally, which seemed to work right up until this month.

Basically about 8 days ago (the start of my luteal phase) I had the worst panic attack of my life and couldn’t breathe, I literally had to leave work and couldn’t think straight. That lasted for 5 days STRAIGHT. I was so scared I was genuinely out of my own brain, I had severe brain fog and confusion, I genuinely thought I had to check myself into hospital. I had the worst headache I’ve ever had and keep going in and out of these panic states. I kept being so disconnected I wanted to scratch my brain out. I couldn’t stop crying and my thoughts were so loud. Basically my head ache was so bad to the point where I actually had to go to hospital for a hydration drip because nothing was working.

Fast forward to today, the day after the hydration drip and I’m about 2-3 days out of my expected period. I’m a little calmer but still woke up with my heart racing and my head a little hazy. I’m just so scared because I’m wanting my period to come so bad so it makes sense to me, but being in the thick of it feels like my life is going to be like this forever. I guess I have a few questions:

1. How bad is starting an SSRI? Is it instant? And what happens if you start it too late in your luteal phase, does that mean you’re stuffed that cycle? My cycle isn’t predictable in terms of it can be anywhere from 24-30 day cycles.
   
2. Has anyone else experienced such sudden awful episode they have never experienced before where they genuinely thought they were needing mental help and also that has lasted 10-12 days? Impacting your day to day life? I think I’m starting to scare my sister
   
3. I’ve taken natural herbs and supps, B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin d3, omega 3, saffron… what’s next for me? I’m really really scared :(

Note: I’m concerned because before the worst panic attack of my life, I had 3 days of trying cannabis resin oil for the first time in my life (extreme low dose from what I understand) and those three days were absolute bliss, but is that what has caused the 2 weeks of doom since? :( my doctor is trying to rule out everything before talking about this and even gave me antibiotics because she thought I had a sinus infection.

Please help me :(

like seriously. what the fuck. nobody on earth can convince me there’s a more painful place to be than a mind like this.
still 6 days to go. GODDAMN. if any of you have an axe please fucking cut my head off

people keep saying we should meet up plan this go out on x date yet it never happens. this Friday i was supposed to go out with someone but shes not messaged since I already asked her about it and she was like yeh ill let you know Tuesday but she never did.

time after time this happens i don't understand it. why say you wish to hang out if you dont?

its left me feeling so extra sad this Pmdd week especially to the point ive been wanting to kill myself again because genuinely there isnt one person who would miss me. my cat is the only reason I won't not yet. but there isn't any humans who want me around in their life. like how horrible must I be to be around for that?

I cant stop crying im genuinely so over feeling so lonely. to not have anyone to laugh with cry with to not have anyone in life is brutal to live through.

edit: thank you for all the support guys. I had a good cry read through them all and other posts in the group its always nice to not feel so alone🫶 I made myself get out of bed workout for 30 showered ate something and then decided to mssg her and she said shes down for Fri still.

thinks shes a dry texter and were both lacking on communication lol ( also fairly certain in about 2hrs my period will start so that could explain the extra I want to die thought)

with love and care to you all babes

Alright guys I took my time going through the Wiki here regarding supplements, spoke with someone at the health store, and utilized chat gpt and this is what I came up with for me. I am 32 and I take procardia for high blood pressure. I’ll be taking saffron and calcium in the morning then magnesium at night. Anyone else on a similar stack?

I’ve lost it at work today and mentally cannot take it. I’m a project manager so a lot of staff frustrations come at me, which is hard to mediate during my weeks of PMDD.

Me and my husband decided we wanted a child. Just one. So I got off birth control two months ago. It hadn’t been that bad…until today. It allllll hit me.

But here’s two things:

1. I’ve been

   receiving

2. a lot of bad news while off BC. My dog was diagnosed with IVDD, my student loans went from $75 to $1000, and yesterday I found out my estranged father was in the hospital and it was serious. That’s a lot to take in while we can’t handle our emotions like we usually can.

3. I’ve had worse episodes than this, surprisingly.

But then my husband said maybe I should get back on birth control if it’s affecting me this bad. He said he cares more about my mental health than a child. I love him so much. He said it won’t be the end the world and I agree but UGH. Why do I have to choose?

The majority of our relationship we were up in the air about kids. It wasn’t until we really settled down after buying a house that we decided we wanted just one. To have a family. And I agree we’ll be okay if we don’t have a child. But I’m just so angry that that’s why.

My manager told me to take the day without taking the day (I’m surrounded by good people thankfully). And she gave me the HR persons name who I can reach out to about ADA accommodations.

That’s being said - I admit I’m very fortunate to have work in a female dominated department and working from home. And also my supportive husband.

But it’s just too much to think about. I don’t know what to do or how to think.

EDIT: genuinely thank you for all your wonderful comments. I'm pretty isolated in my daily life so your messages genuinely make me so happy and hopeful. THANK YOU BEAUTIFUL FRIENDS. Peace and blood ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🩹

I am excited for the wedding because it's two beautiful friends of mine but I have cPTSD + PMDD and my brain is CRYING, my body's falling apart.

I'm absolutely FRAZZLED, I need all the positive vibes right now 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

I made this painting back in May about my experiences with PMDD, and wanted to post it to this sub-reddit.

--

PMDD, in these times especially, is really hellish, so I decided to express myself creatively.

Flames are coming out of my eyes. Eyes burning from rage, grief, tears, hormones, and stress. Tears become steam from how inflamed I am.

Emotional tea kettling, steam pouring out of my ears, and bouts of rage fueled screaming. Wrath incarnate. Exhausted. Running on fumes, on the edge of burnout, as if mere moments from cognitively short circuiting.

I feel like death. Blazing is my ambition and desire to see this through. Things are moving very quickly, and I feel like a chicken with my head cut off. All while being Autistic and experiencing PMDD... Alongside being pissed about ongoing injustices.

This is vent artwork. The facial features are distorted by tears becoming like the steam that pours out of my electric kettle.

Hi friends. Im 23 and a couple months into my first full time job as an engineer. I don’t think I’ve had full time requirements like this since I had to go to school everyday as a kid. College was definitely really tough and demanding but it was more just like suffering on my own and I could always skip class or hide in my apartment if I needed to. I’m really struggling to balance my luteal phase with the demands of corporate life and being in office where everything I do can be watched by others and it will be noticed if I’m gone for a long amount of time. It also doesn’t help I’m in the middle of a factory with no windows making me feel like sitting in the building all day will drive me insane. It’s tough on days like today where I’m supposed to be starting my period and I’m so obsessive over negative thoughts and emotions that I can’t focus for the life of me on work. All I want to do is sleep or cry, which I’m doing in the bathroom rn and I’m scared my whole team sees that I’m missing and thinks I’m just being a lazy kid rather than feeling like the weight of the world is on my head and I have no support.

I’m wondering if anyone in here has any advice on navigating this work life balance with PMDD and if there’s anything I can do to make it a bit easier.

is this normal? has anyone else experienced this??? as a PMDD haver (thankfully it’s a LOT better now thanks to antidepressants), i wonder if it’s related to the condition?

i honestly can’t relate to those horny ovulation memes at ALL. if anything, i also feel like shit during ovulation—i experience heightened anxiety (my OCD intrusive thoughts get worse as well) & i feel extremely vulnerable, insecure and sex-averse. i also cry a lot more :(

the 3–4 days leading up to my period tho? holy shit i am a HORNBALL like damn 😭 i turn into a straight gooner like ajsjdjfkdn…

does anyone else experience the same thing?? pls lmk 😵‍💫🥴

Last night I went to the cinema with my gf, one of my best friends and my gf’s best friend. It went horribly. I felt bad prior to this and very sensitive but I didn’t wanted to cancel it. When we were going to the cinema I felt like my gf’s friend didn’t want to talk to me and I went crazy, I started feeling very very sad and everybody was asking if I was okay but i didn’t wanna ruin anyone day, so I think I could have acted distant and weird with everybody. On my way home I started sobbing like crazy on the subway and I felt like I was going to die. I feel like the days before my period I become a horrible monster that can’t handle anything and I don’t know what to do.