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By Sophia Sharma, MD and Jason Caplan, MD
What is PMDD?
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD),
perhaps better known as premenstrual stress (PMS), is characterized by the
repeated occurrence of numerous debilitating physical and emotional
symptoms, peaking in the days prior to menses. The diagnostic criteria used
by the American Psychiatric Association are listed below. It is important
to note that while an estimated 80% of women will suffer from one or more of
these symptoms, only a small percentage of them will meet the diagnostic
requirements of PMDD.
Five or more of the following symptoms,
occurring during most menstrual cycles within the past year, which are most
prominent during the last week of the luteal phase, begin to remit with
menses, and are absent in the week postmenses, with at least one of the
symptoms being either 1, 2, 3, or 4:
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Depressed mood, hopelessness, self-deprecation
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Marked anxiety or tension
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Marked affective lability
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Anger or irritability
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Decreased interest in usual activities
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Difficulty concentrating
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Decreased energy
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Marked change in appetite
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Sleep disturbance
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Sense of being overwhelmed or out of control
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Physical symptoms generally associated with changes in the
menstrual cycle
Symptoms cause a marked disturbance in
normal functioning and do not represent an exacerbation of another disorder.1
This site was last updated
07/20/06
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