Is This Normal?

From the time I started my period at 12, I could always tell when I was about a week away from starting. 

I could track a migraine five days beforehand, and I experienced other symptoms that caused concern for me. For one, I have always been emotional beforehand. As I have gotten older, however, the symptoms of emotional distress have heightened. I have found myself, more often than not, during the week before my period, apologizing to friends for texting in what I deem a passive-aggressive way. I feel like a burden and experience my anxiety levels increasing by the moment. 

I also begin to experience greater amounts of anger and frustration, something that under normal circumstances, I do not experience. I don’t want to express my anger, which leads to more bottling up of emotions and being more upset.

I didn’t realize how much it affected me until I started college and began talking to my friends about these symptoms. I discovered that I wasn’t alone, but I deserve to know why it happens. I don’t have a diagnosis, admittedly, but, based on my symptoms and through tracking when they begin, I’ve concluded that I have symptoms of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, or PMDD.

Emotional symptoms are not the only indicators of PMDD. I have also noticed myself having physical symptoms like leg cramps during the night, bloating, and general joint and muscle pain. The best way to describe my pain is by saying that I constantly feel achy and like I need to stretch out every part of my body to relieve it. 

These symptoms are more common than you’d think, and I assumed they were normal because my mom also struggled with leg cramps and hormonal migraines.

I’m not a medical professional, but I can tell you one thing. If you have any inkling that something is off or if you notice any sudden changes, you deserve to receive care that meets your needs. 

I have been begging (along with the help of my mom when I was younger) for at least eight years for my pediatrician to acknowledge that my hormonal migraines linked to my periods are not treatable with a pair of glasses or allergy medication. 

Once I began advocating for myself in the doctor’s office, I started to see more results. They still do not recognize what seems like a clear problem to me, but they have noticed a change in my levels of anxiety in the last 10 years. They noticed that I needed therapy but didn’t ask when my anxiety and obsessive thoughts were the highest.  

While I don’t know if I have PMDD, I do know that my experience is just as valid without a diagnosis. I know my body, and I know that it’s not fair to me to have to experience a week or two each month of upset and discomfort. 

For anyone experiencing discomfort, especially around your period, know that you are not alone and that there are resources and doctors who will affirm what you are feeling. You don’t have to be alone in this, and you are worthy of good care! Advocate for yourself and remember that you know yourself better than anyone else!

• health
• periods
• pmdd
• womenshistory