Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
- Appointments confirmed within 24 hours
- Accurate diagnosis from women’s health GPs and gynaecology consultants
- Personalised PMDD treatment and support to manage symptoms
- Dedicated women's health facilities
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EFFECTIVE PMDD CARE
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) may greatly impact your day-to-day life, but it can be managed effectively. At HCA UK, you can receive personalised care from PMDD experts in dedicated, state-of-the-art facilities.
We offer extended women's health appointments to give time and space to your concerns about PMDD symptoms. Our consultants and multidisciplinary teams can provide you with a reliable diagnosis and personalised care to improve and manage your condition.
We help thousands of women and people assigned female at birth to live with greater confidence from month to month.
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a more serious, less common form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affecting around 1.6% of women and girls globally. It involves physical and additional emotional symptoms that you may experience in the weeks before your period, including anxiety and depression.
With PMDD, these symptoms can be severe enough to disrupt your life for several days each month. Our experts can help prevent or minimise your symptoms and their impact through tailored PMDD treatment, helping you live your normal life.
The signs of PMDD can appear a week or two before your period and usually go away within a few days of it starting. You might experience them differently to other people. They include common PMS symptoms such as breast tenderness, joint or muscle aches, headaches and bloating, in combination with:
- Feeling sad or tearful
- Feeling anxious or tense
- Feeling angry or irritable
- Mood swings
- Low energy
- Reduced interest in things you enjoy
- Difficulty concentrating
- Feeling overwhelmed or out of control
- Changes in appetite
- Insomnia
- Conflict with others
- Suicidal feelings
These symptoms can be debilitating for some women, making it hard to work, socialise and carry out normal activities. Our women’s health GPs and consultant gynaecologists can help you get back to your priorities with minimal interruption.
As PMDD is connected to your menstrual cycle, the symptoms typically go away during pregnancy or after reaching menopause. If you're having suicidal feelings, please seek emergency help.
Like PMS, the exact causes of PMDD aren't fully known. Research suggests that increased sensitivity to normal hormone changes during the menstrual cycle plays a role. This may reduce your levels of serotonin, the brain chemical that regulates your mood, hunger and sleep.
Other factors may increase your risk of PMDD or worsen its symptoms:
- Pre-existing anxiety or depression
- PMS
- Family history of PMS or PMDD
- Personal trauma or stress
- Smoking
Our consultants can help you understand your risk of PMDD and give you advice on how to reduce or manage it effectively, however possible.
It can be difficult to get a PMDD diagnosis as common symptoms are also part of other conditions that may not immediately seem linked to your period. But if you're struggling with symptoms that show each month, speak to HCA UK as soon as possible, and our experts will determine whether PMDD is behind them.
It's particularly important to speak to healthcare professionals if you're experiencing extreme anxiety, depression or suicidal thoughts.
We offer same- and next-day appointments with specialist consultants to help understand your symptoms, even if they've been diagnosed differently or dismissed before. Our longer appointments and PMDD specialists ensure you get the answers and solutions you need to move forward with your life.
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PMDD DIAGNOSIS AT HCA UK
We've invested in dedicated facilities to provide care for complex women’s health conditions and give women a sense of belonging. You can quickly arrange extended appointments with our consultants in comfortable, dedicated facilities. They'll listen fully to your concerns and help you understand and manage what's behind them.
There are no specific tests that provide a PMDD diagnosis. However, by assessing your risk and physical and mental symptoms over time in relation to your menstrual cycle, we can provide clarity and solutions for what can be a distressing condition.
- Appointments confirmed within 24 hours
- Longer appointment times
- PMS and PMDD subspecialists
- Dedicated women's health centres
- Holistic care including psychology
PMDD TREATMENT AT HCA UK
We offer several effective ways to treat or manage symptoms and help you live a more comfortable, confident life. These range from simple lifestyle changes and PMDD remedies to medications and, in rare cases, surgery.
To recommend the right plan for you, a specialist multidisciplinary team will consider factors such as your symptoms, preferences and whether you want to get pregnant in the future. You can also receive holistic support through our network, including psychologists, physiotherapists and dietitians.
Your premenstrual disorder treatment or management options may include:
- Healthy lifestyle advice, such as exercise, diet and stress management
- Vitamin supplements
- Talking therapy, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
- Antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
- Oral contraceptives ('the pill')
- Painkillers and anti-inflammatories
- Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogue injections
- Surgery
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder FAQs
Both conditions cause physical symptoms like pains, headaches or bloating as your hormones change in the week or two before your period starts. However, PMDD can also have serious mental impacts such as depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. PMDD is less common, affecting 1.6% of women globally, whereas most women have PMS at some point.
We provide effective diagnosis, treatment and care for both conditions, making sure you understand your symptoms and feel supported.
PMDD can affect anyone who has periods from puberty through to menopause. Some women experience it from their first period, while others have it at different stages in life.
Symptoms occur between when you ovulate and when your period starts, known as the luteal phase. This lasts around two weeks for most people but can vary. You may experience PMDD symptoms every day during this phase or on only a handful of days. We understand that it’s a highly personal condition that needs to be treated and managed as such.
Due to its chronic, often debilitating effects if untreated, PMDD can be classed as a disability in the UK under the Equality Act 2010. This means that employers should make reasonable adjustments to accommodate you, such as allowing you to work flexibly when your symptoms are at their worst.
Our specialist consultants, effective treatments and holistic support can help you return to work and your other priorities confidently.
Some medical professionals describe PMDD as an endocrine disorder, meaning it relates to your hormones. However, due to its effects on brain chemicals, it's also classed as a mental health problem in guidelines that doctors use for diagnosis, such as the DSM-5.
How you choose to talk about your PMDD is up to you. Most importantly, our specialists can make sure you get the treatment and support you need to manage it effectively.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.