MAFS star Kristina Goodsell has hormonal condition PMDD, and doctors say the symptoms can be misinterpreted as different issues
A doctor has shared the symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) that are most misunderstood or overlooked. The condition, which is an intense form of PMS, can lead to emotional and physical symptoms ranging from trouble focusing and fatigue, to severe mood swings and even suicidal thoughts.
Married at First Sight (MAFS) star Kristina Goodsell, who has the condition, recently shared her diagnosis. The MAFS star’s ‘husband’, Kieran Chapman, 28, told experts during an October episode he was “questioning at the minute if I’m able to sustain a relationship with someone who suffers from PMDD.”
Since Kristina shared her diagnosis interest around the disorder has increased, with many people wanting to learn more about this specific women’s health condition. Dr Pallavi Bradshaw, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at AXA Health has shared information about PMDD including the misinterpreted symptoms and tips for getting the correct diagnosis.
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READ MORE: Doctor shares exact symptoms they look for before diagnosing hormonal disorder PMDD
What is PMDD?
AXA Health explains that premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a hormone-related disorder that affects not only your body but also how you feel. As a more severe form of PMS (premenstrual syndrome), PMDD can particularly impact day-to-day life.
Symptoms can also get worse during the luteal phase of a woman’s menstrual cycle, which can last around two weeks between ovulation and the start of a period. PMDD was listed in the ICD-11 in 2019, validating the medical diagnosis of this serious women’s health condition, yet as symptoms are similar to other health issues, this means that PMDD is still underdiagnosed.
Five misinterpreted symptoms of PMDD
Dr Bradshaw highlights that “there are a range of typical emotional and physical symptoms to look out for such as anxiety, headaches, breast tenderness/swelling and appetite changes.
“However, there are also five symptoms of PMDD to look out for that can help with distinguishing the condition from other health problems and getting a more accurate diagnosis”. These include:
Feeling overwhelmed
While it’s normal to feel overwhelmed occasionally as a result of life stressors, it can negatively impact your health and is a sign of PMDD that shouldn’t be ignored. This may include having irrational thoughts about a situation, experiencing a freeze response where you avoid or postpone tasks, withdrawing from a situation and friends/family, or overreacting to situations that wouldn’t usually affect you.
Increased irritability
Being irritable around your time of the month is due to fluctuations in serotonin levels and can be a symptom of PMS. However, irritability on a more severe scale can be a sign of PMDD.
Increased irritability may cause conflict in relationships and negatively impact everyday life, so it’s important to recognise this symptom, especially as this may be more noticeable around your period.
Muscle aches
This is a harder symptom to recognise if you regularly exercise and experience achy muscles from workouts. However, pay close attention to when the muscle aches happen, as if it aligns with your luteal phase and affects areas of the body you haven’t worked out as much, this could be a sign of PMDD that would instead go under the radar.
Bloating
A symptom many females will experience around their period is bloating, due to hormonal changes and water and salt retention. Yet, this is also a key sign of PMDD, especially if the bloating is severe, so it’s important to pay attention to this symptom.
Changes in sleep patterns
Struggling to sleep, sleeping more than usual or insomnia are also signs of PMDD which may go under the radar, as if you’re stressed and busy, you may put it down to these factors instead.
This symptom can be a result of other PMDD symptoms impacting your quality of sleep, such as anxiety. Hormonal shifts can also impact sleep patterns, which could be due to PMDD.
How to be effectively diagnosed
MAFS’ Kristina experienced a misdiagnosis of PMDD and was prescribed medication for depression. It wasn’t until after the initial treatment didn’t work, researching her symptoms in more depth and visiting a gynaecologist, that she received an official diagnosis.
With limited research on PMDD, the average time it takes to get a diagnosis in the UK is around 12 years, especially as it may take a long time to realise your symptoms follow patterns in line with your menstrual cycle.
Dr Bradshaw explained: “Many symptoms of PMDD overlap with health issues including depression, anxiety and thyroid conditions. It’s vital to ensure you can provide as much detail as possible about your symptoms when visiting a medical professional, so the diagnosis can be as accurate as possible. Noting down any correlations to your period will also help to distinguish if it is PMDD too. A symptom diary can be invaluable.”
Top tips for supporting your PMDD diagnosis
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Ask questions – Prepare for your appointment by writing down any questions you have or anything you’re unsure about so you don’t leave the appointment with unanswered queries
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Speak up – If you think you meet the criteria for most of the PMDD symptoms, voice this in your appointment by saying ‘I think I have PMDD’ during the conversation
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Monitor symptoms – Keep a diary of your symptoms to find if they worsen during your luteal phase, which will help a doctor understand if it is linked to PMDD or not
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Be open and honest – Being honest with your doctor and yourself about your lifestyle is important, as small changes could impact your symptoms as a treatment
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Provide feedback – If a specific treatment is recommended that you’re hesitant about or have already tried, make sure to let the medical professional know
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Seek further support – Asking to speak to a GP with a special interest in women’s health or for a referral to a gynaecologist if you aren’t responding to initial treatment and you feel you need more support or in-depth advice