Menstrual cycle comes with a lot of baggage for women. It is accompanied with menstrual cramps, physical exhaustion and fatigue, drowsiness, mood swings, depressive symptoms, etc. These symptoms may start one week before the main day and continue till after the cycle is over. Women who face hormonal troubles and conditions like PCOS and PCOD have it even worse. Some women can barely get up from their bed because of excruciating pain, some women get period diarhhoea and some might faint during the days. These extreme symptoms have been diagnosed by medical experts as PMDD, or premenstrual dysphoric disorder. However, just when we think that the symptoms cannot be any more extreme than that, we are proved wrong. There is a condition called premenstrual exacerbation, or PME which is rare but comes with the worst symptoms.
Our society must be informed about this condition especially amidst the debate on period leave and the thousand reasons why women want it to be institutionalised.
What Is Premenstrual Exacerbation Or PME?
This condition happens between the phases ovulation and menstruation. This is the luteal phase of the cycle during which the hormonal changes begin. The timeline is about one or two week before menstrual cycle. Studies note that women might experience the symptoms of major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar illness, or other mood disorders. This happens to the women who have these pre-existing disorders and just before periods, the symptoms may flare up. According to a study, almost 58 per cent of women with depressive disorders also suffer from PME. This condition is debilitating because increases the risk of suicide during the pre-menstrual phase. The worst part about this condition is that, pills for the medication might not work the similar way during this phase. For instance, if a woman takes her bipolar medication, she might notice that it is not helping her with the mood fluctuations like it normally does when she is not menstruating.
Symptoms That May Get Worse During PME
As per the International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD), experts state that the symptoms of the following conditions can also worsen due to PME:
- Schizophrenia
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
- Alcoholism
- Posttraumatic stress disorder
- Psychosis
- Substance use disorders
- Borderline personality disorder
- Eating disorders
- Persistent depressive disorder