Lived experiences of PMDD with our guest blogger, Katie. You can read more about Katie below.
For years, I was told I was just “one of those women”, you know, the emotional kind. One doctor even said, “some women get like this,” as if I’d accidentally subscribed to the deluxe version of PMS. Spoiler: I hadn’t. What I actually had was Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.
I started dealing with symptoms in late primary school. Mood swings, exhaustion, anxiety, uncontrollable crying, the full emotional rollercoaster! I was put on different contraceptives, poked and scanned in every direction, and just when I thought we were getting somewhere… nothing. No explanation. Just the classic, “Well, some women get like this.”
Two weeks feeling on top of the world, followed by two weeks of totally falling apart.
So, I gave up. I stopped asking questions. I stopped booking appointments. I felt like I was bothering doctors by even being there. And honestly, when you feel like you’re overreacting and exhausted from the inside out, fighting for answers isn’t exactly top of the to-do list.
Once it got to a point where I couldn’t handle it anymore, I went back and kept doing so until I got some answers. This is when I was prescribed sertraline, an SSRI, and honestly — it changed my life. For the first time, I had clarity, calm, and most importantly: a name for what I was going through. It worked wonders at first, but after a while, things started creeping back in. The dosage got increased, and it’s helped, though some months are still tougher than others. The fatigue? Brutal. The random crying over burnt toast? Still happening. But now I know why. I can tell myself: it’s not me, it’s PMDD. And that understanding is powerful in itself. The symptoms didn’t magically disappear, but at least I didn’t feel like I was possessed every time my luteal phase rolled around.
Not pictured: The full-on couch tantrum about actually having to leave the house.
So, this is where I am now, surviving, managing, and tracking symptoms like a grumpy scientist who just wants a break! The fatigue can still knock me out, and some months are better than others, but knowing why this happens and that it’s PMDD, not “just me,” makes all the difference.
This year, I decided to throw caution to the wind, share my story publicly for the first time, and sign up for the Great Scottish Run 10K to raise money for The PMDD Project. Before this, I hadn’t really spoken about it much, apart from to a few close friends and family. There’s so much stigma around women’s health, especially anything hormonal or emotional. But the more I’ve shared, the prouder I’ve become of how far I’ve come, and the more I’ve realised that nobody should feel alone and stuck in the dark like I did for so long.
This run isn’t just about raising money. It’s about raising awareness, sharing stories, and finally giving PMDD the visibility it deserves. If you’re struggling, please know you’re not alone, and that it’s okay to keep fighting for answers.
With love,
Katie 🩷
About our guest contributor
Meet Katie…
“I’m 20 and from a tiny island off Scotland’s west coast, though these days I’m pretty much all over the place. I live in Glasgow during term time, make regular trips home to visit family, spend summers in Kintyre with my boyfriend, and somewhere in between I attempt to keep it together. Over the summer I work in a gin distillery, which is really just a fancy way of saying I’ve discovered an excellent staff discount and gin has become a surprisingly effective coping mechanism.
PMDD gatecrashed my life a long time ago but I only got the official diagnosis about five months ago. Since then it’s been a full-blown emotional rollercoaster — one I definitely did not ask for and neither did the people around me, who honestly all deserve medals. I started sharing my story after signing up for the Great Scottish Run to raise money for The PMDD Project. Running felt manageable. Talking about PMDD online felt terrifying. But once I did it, the support was overwhelming and it reminded me how many people are struggling with this in silence.
I think The PMDD Project is doing exactly what needs to be done. It is helping people feel seen, spreading awareness, and pushing for real change. PMDD is still underdiagnosed, misunderstood, and often brushed off as just hormones. People deserve faster diagnoses, better support, and to be taken seriously. Sharing stories is one way we can help make that happen. So here I am, saying it a little louder. PMDD is real, it is brutal, and it is time people got the memo.”
You can follow Katie’s Journey on Instagram
And donate to her fundraiser HERE. https://www.justgiving.com/page/katie-cook-4
