PMDD symptoms get in the way of my life; how can I combat them?

[KatRoslyn]

I am a 21-year-old woman who suffers from immense menstrual symptoms. I am perplexed with the length in which these symptoms last. Two weeks prior of my menstrual cycle, I start to experience abrupt feelings of sadness, depression, or anxiety; sometimes there are reasons for them (whatever it is that elicits these feelings doesn't bother me as much on a regular day), other times, there is no actual reason, it's just a strong pang of hopelessness or anxiety. I notice I may cry over nothing, it could actually be because of the overwhelming emotions coursing through me during this time. What concerns me is that normally, or from what I've heard, PMS or PMDD occurs before the menstrual cycle. Some women experience symptoms during, but I noticed I experience symptoms throughout almost the entire cycle. It really, really bugs me, and there are times where I cannot stand what I am feeling and I shut down and want to hide away from everyone and everything. I overthink, I get confused easily, I get emotional over strange things, I become irritated easily, it just drives me nuts.

[Paxiled]

I would suggest skipping the OB/GYN, unless you want to be put on pharmaceutical hormones that increase risk to you in the long term.  Before doing that, I'd try seeing a naturopath or herbalist or practitioner of integrated medicine.  Nature has provided a host of plants and other substances that can help balance your hormones, which are right now way out of balance.  For most women in the US, the problem is progesterone, but a balanced formula of plants that gently encourage the production of hormones can be helpful.  There are some natural steroids that make hormones in the body that can help as well, partly by decreasing your female hormones and increasing your testosterone a bit.  There's a lot to try and experiment with.  Try buying a book called Prescription for Nutritional Healing to get an overview of how this has been dealt with using natural medicine.  I'd also ask if you exercise -- if you're a fit young person, women who exercise a lot usually reduce the intensity of their periods.  Professional and Olympic women athletes often stop having them altogether until they stop practicing their sport.  

I suffer from Endometriosis, and I feel the same way sometimes. it would be beneficial to see a OB/GYN about this. Also I use clary sage oil, that helps me with my extreme feelings when I am about to start my cycle