London Gynaecology - The Portland Hospital

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder, also known as PMDD, is a condition that manifests before the menstrual period and is characterised by its symptoms of severe psychological and physical distress. It can occur anywhere between two weeks up to a few days before the period, and during the period it is much milder. It is related to premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual tension (PMT), but is notably quite extreme in comparison to those two. In this article, consultant a general practitioner and menopause specialist explains clearly what PMDD is and how to handle it.

Every menstrual cycle, just like every body, is different. They might differ in duration, in the length of time between periods, in how much blood is shed, what the accompanying symptoms are. Normally, the length of the cycle is between 21 to 42 days. The standard of an “irregular” period will be based on what is “normal” for each individual, as they are determined by age, weight, contraceptive methods, if there have been previous pregnancies, breastfeeding status, and proximity to menopause. This is because these factors affect hormone levels, which may disrupt “normal” periods. In this article, a consultant gynaecologist and laparoscopic surgeon goes over some of the reasons why a period may be irregular.