Signs You Might Have PMDD (That Your Doctor May Miss)
If you've ever found yourself googling “Why do I feel insane before my period?” at 1am, you're not alone. And you're definitely not crazy.
For many women, the days before their period bring more than just bloating and a bit of moodiness. We’re talking about a complete emotional hijack—intense rage, panic attacks, crushing sadness, and a level of sensitivity that makes you want to retreat from the world. Then, almost like magic, the clouds part the moment your period begins.
If this sounds familiar, you might be experiencing PMDD—Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. And unfortunately, it’s often missed or misdiagnosed.
Most doctors are trained to recognise physical symptoms and diagnose conditions based on blood tests or visible signs. But PMDD is different. Hormone levels may look “normal” on paper, and yet the emotional, mental, and energetic toll can be utterly life-derailing. That’s why so many women are told they’re just anxious. Or stressed. Or overreacting. Or offered antidepressants or the pill without ever being given a proper explanation.
In this article, we’ll walk through the signs of PMDD—especially the ones your doctor may overlook—and help you understand what’s really going on beneath the surface. Whether you’ve just discovered the term PMDD or you’ve suspected it for years but haven’t felt believed, this is for you.
Let’s get into it.
What Is PMDD—and Why Is It Often Missed?
PMDD, or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, is a severe and often debilitating sensitivity to the normal hormonal changes of the menstrual cycle. It affects mood, energy, sleep, relationships, and sometimes your very sense of self. Unlike PMS, which might cause some mild discomfort or moodiness, PMDD can hijack your entire life for one to two weeks every single month.
What makes PMDD so confusing is that hormone levels in women with PMDD are usually normal. It’s not a hormonal imbalance—it’s a neuroendocrine sensitivity. Your brain and nervous system respond differently to the natural rise and fall of oestrogen and progesterone, especially in the luteal phase (the two weeks before your period). For some women, this triggers severe emotional and even physical symptoms.
So why is it often missed by doctors?
Short appointment times. It’s near impossible to unpack a full cycle's worth of symptoms in a rushed 10-minute consult.
Normal bloodwork. Most standard hormone panels come back “within range,” leading to your symptoms being dismissed or mislabelled.
Misdiagnosis. PMDD is frequently mistaken for anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or “just stress.” The hormonal rhythm behind it often goes unrecognised.
A lack of training in menstrual health. Despite affecting 1 in 20 menstruating women, PMDD is still barely covered in conventional medical education.
A bias toward suppressing symptoms. The go-to response is often to medicate (e.g., SSRIs, birth control) rather than explore deeper root causes like trauma, nervous system dysregulation, and inflammation.
If you’ve been told “it’s just PMS” or “you just need to manage stress better,” you’re not alone—and you’re not wrong for wanting more answers.
In the next section, we’ll explore some of the most overlooked signs of PMDD, especially the ones that are easy to brush off or internalise.
Common Signs of PMDD That Are Often Dismissed
PMDD doesn’t always look the way people expect it to. It’s not just crying at sad movies or getting snappy when you’re tired. It’s the kind of emotional and psychological shift that can feel like you’ve been temporarily replaced by someone else entirely.
Let’s break down the signs of PMDD that your doctor—or even your friends and family—might miss:
▸ You feel like a completely different person before your period
This is one of the most common and most unsettling signs. You may feel fine for two weeks, then spiral into rage, anxiety, hopelessness, or hypersensitivity in the second half of your cycle. It’s not just a bad mood—it’s a complete personality shift.
Women often say things like:
“I can’t trust myself before my period.”
“I’m scared of who I become.”
“It feels like I’m watching myself from the outside.”
▸ You experience rage—not just irritability
This is more than snapping at your partner. It’s sudden, intense, and can feel like it comes out of nowhere. For many women, this PMDD rage is one of the most distressing symptoms—especially if it affects their relationships, children, or sense of self.
It’s also deeply misunderstood. Rage is rarely talked about in medical appointments, but it’s a powerful red flag that your body and nervous system are in overwhelm.
▸ You feel anxious, depressed, or emotionally fragile before your period
If you feel like you’re spiralling, losing hope, or struggling to function in the week or two before your period—but then feel fine once your bleed starts—that’s a classic PMDD pattern. Many women are prescribed antidepressants without being asked if their symptoms are cyclical.
PMDD-related anxiety and depression are often misdiagnosed because they disappear as suddenly as they arrive. That’s your clue.
▸ You have intrusive thoughts or suicidal ideation
This is an important one to speak about gently but honestly.
Some women with PMDD report scary or unwanted thoughts in the luteal phase that make them question their own safety or sanity. These thoughts typically vanish as soon as menstruation begins. If this is your experience, please know it is more common than you think—and there is help.
▸ You have physical symptoms—but they’re not taken seriously
Breast tenderness, bloating, headaches, joint pain, insomnia, brain fog—these physical PMDD symptoms are often chalked up to “normal hormones” or aging. But if they occur alongside emotional instability and follow a monthly pattern, they’re part of the PMDD picture.
▸ You feel instant relief when your period starts
This sudden shift can feel like coming up for air. One day you’re drowning in overwhelm. The next, you feel grounded, clear, and emotionally stable again. This “like a switch flipped” phenomenon is one of the most telling signs of PMDD—and it’s one that many conventional practitioners overlook entirely.
The Difference Between PMS and PMDD
Many women are told, “Oh, that’s just PMS—everyone gets a bit moody.” But PMDD is not just PMS with extra drama. It’s a very real, often debilitating condition that affects every part of your life when it flares up.
Here’s how they differ:
With PMS, you might feel a bit cranky, tired, or bloated in the days before your period—but it doesn’t throw your entire life off course. You can still function. You can go to work, show up in your relationships, and manage your emotions, even if you feel a bit ‘off.’
PMDD, on the other hand, is a different beast. The emotional shifts aren’t mild—they’re overwhelming. We’re talking about rage that scares you, anxiety that spirals, and dark thoughts that feel out of character. Your relationships might suffer. You might cancel plans, pick fights, or withdraw completely. Work becomes overwhelming, basic tasks feel impossible, and your sense of self erodes.
One of the most telling signs? With PMDD, you often feel totally fine once your period starts. It’s like someone flipped a switch. That kind of pattern is a major clue that your symptoms are hormonal in nature—but not necessarily due to a hormone imbalance. Instead, it’s your brain’s extreme sensitivity to normal hormone fluctuations.
So while PMS might be uncomfortable, PMDD is often life-altering—and it deserves to be recognised and treated as such.
Why These Signs Are Often Missed by GPs
One of the most painful parts of living with PMDD isn’t just the symptoms—it’s not being believed.
Many of the women I work with have been dismissed for years. Told they’re “just hormonal.” Advised to try the pill, take an antidepressant, or “manage their stress.” All without anyone asking about their cycle patterns, nervous system health, or emotional triggers.
So why is PMDD so frequently overlooked in medical settings?
1. Short appointments
In a 10-minute consultation, there’s barely time to mention the emotional rollercoaster of the luteal phase—let alone have it properly understood. Most GPs aren’t trained to spot complex cyclical mood disorders in such a short timeframe.
2. Normal-looking blood tests
Here’s the catch: women with PMDD usually have normal hormone levels. That’s because PMDD isn’t a hormone imbalance—it’s a hormone sensitivity. Your test results might come back “within range,” but that doesn't reflect how your brain and nervous system respond to those hormonal shifts.
3. Lack of menstrual health education
PMDD affects roughly 5–8% of menstruating people, yet it’s barely mentioned in most medical training. Many doctors haven’t been taught how to identify it—let alone support it naturally.
4. Misdiagnosis
Because PMDD can cause anxiety, depression, and even dissociation, it’s often mislabelled as generalised anxiety disorder, major depression, or even bipolar disorder. But the cyclical nature of PMDD is the key difference—and it’s easy to miss if no one’s asking about timing.
5. Gender bias and stigma
Let’s be honest: women’s emotional pain has long been minimised. From “hysteria” to “overreacting,” there’s still a lingering cultural habit of dismissing women who feel deeply—especially when that feeling coincides with our menstrual cycle.
If you’ve ever walked out of a clinic feeling unheard, ashamed, or more confused than when you walked in, please know: it’s not in your head. It’s just that your doctor may not have been taught to see what’s actually going on.
Here’s Section 6 of your blog:
What To Do If This Sounds Like You
If you’ve been nodding along and thinking, “This is me”, please know—you’re not alone, and it’s not your fault that no one spotted it sooner. PMDD is under-recognised, underdiagnosed, and under-discussed. But that doesn’t mean you have to keep suffering through it.
Here are a few first steps to take:
✦ Start tracking your symptoms
Use a cycle tracking app or journal to log your moods, energy, sleep, and physical symptoms throughout the month. Look for clear patterns that repeat each cycle—especially in the two weeks before your period.
If you notice symptoms peaking before your bleed and then lifting once your period starts, that’s a strong sign of PMDD.
✦ Work with a practitioner who understands PMDD
General blood tests and basic dietary advice aren’t enough. What you need is someone who can see the whole picture—your nutrition, hormones, nervous system, trauma history, and daily stress load—and offer support that actually fits.
That’s the heart of what I do. I’m a naturopath, but I’m also someone who’s lived through the darkest sides of PMDD. And I’ve seen, again and again, that with the right support, women recover. Cycles stabilise. Emotional volatility softens. Peace comes back.
✦ Look beyond just supplements or the pill
While natural remedies can help (and I’ll share more about that in other posts), PMDD is rarely solved by a supplement alone. The deeper work—balancing blood sugar, nervous system regulation, resolving stored trauma—often makes the most lasting impact.
You don’t need to figure it out alone. And you certainly don’t need to “just deal with it.”
PMDD FAQ
To help you get clear answers (without falling into another rabbit hole of confusing advice), here are some of the most commonly asked questions about PMDD—answered simply and supportively:
❓ What are the symptoms of PMDD?
PMDD symptoms usually appear in the two weeks before your period and can include:
Sudden mood swings or rage
Intense anxiety or depression
Fatigue and low energy
Insomnia or disrupted sleep
Crying spells or emotional sensitivity
Intrusive thoughts or hopelessness
Feeling disconnected from yourself or others
Relief once your period starts
These symptoms can deeply affect work, relationships, and your overall sense of wellbeing. If this pattern feels familiar, it's worth exploring further.
❓ How do I know if it’s PMDD and not just PMS?
PMS may feel inconvenient or uncomfortable. PMDD can feel unmanageable. The key difference is that PMDD disrupts your life—it can affect your work, relationships, sense of identity, and ability to function. If your symptoms feel extreme, cyclical, and resolve once your period begins, PMDD is worth investigating.
❓ Can PMDD be missed by doctors?
Yes—and it often is. PMDD doesn’t show up clearly on hormone tests, and many healthcare providers aren’t trained to recognise cyclical mood disorders. That’s why tracking symptoms over several months and working with someone who understands PMDD can make all the difference.
❓ What emotional symptoms are common in PMDD?
Some of the most common emotional signs of PMDD include:
Irritability or explosive anger
Anxiety or panic
Depression and sadness
Suicidal thoughts or feeling like “what’s the point?”
Overwhelm and hypersensitivity
Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
These symptoms are often amplified by stress, trauma, and blood sugar imbalances—but they are treatable.
❓ Is there a natural way to treat PMDD?
Yes. While medication helps some women, many others find lasting relief through a holistic approach that supports:
Nervous system regulation
Nutritional therapy (especially magnesium, B6, zinc, omega-3s)
Plant-based, anti-inflammatory eating
Emotional processing and trauma work
Lifestyle shifts that reduce stress and support resilience
I’ve used this approach myself and now support clients around the world with the same framework.
You’re Not Broken—You Just Haven’t Been Properly Supported
If you’ve been quietly suffering through half your cycle, wondering why no one seems to understand what you’re going through, please hear this:
🌿 You are not too sensitive.
🌿 You are not imagining things.
🌿 You are not alone.
PMDD can be intense, but it’s also something you can recover from—especially when you have the right support. Understanding your body, nourishing your nervous system, and working with someone who sees the full picture can change everything.
If this post resonated with you, here are a few ways we can go deeper together:
➤ Book a PMDD Strategy Session
A fully redeemable one-hour session to help you get clarity and a personalised plan forward.
➤ Join My 12-Week PMDD Recovery Program
A guided, root-cause-based journey using plant-based naturopathy, emotional healing, and trauma-informed support.
➤ Download the Free PMDD Solution Guide
And if all you do today is forward this article to a friend or whisper “this makes sense” to yourself—know that’s a powerful first step.
You deserve to feel at home in your body again.
With care,
Camilla 💛
About Camilla Brinkworth
Camilla is a naturopath, nutritionist, and trauma-informed PMDD specialist. After healing her own cycle through an integrative natural and holistic approach, she now helps women worldwide stabilise their moods, restore emotional balance, and feel safe in their bodies again—naturally. Explore support options →