Sudden outbursts of anger leading to high-tension situations are common. My sister Mary would go absolutely ballistic just before her period, explains a local attorney s wife. The clerk rang up the wrong price. Mary continued to yell until the manager scurried over. Similar PMDD disruptions cause school, work and family problems.
Personal relationships become especially stressed.
Historically, the drug treatment of choice for PMDD was oral contraceptives in the hope that their ability to decrease painful periods would also decrease mood swings. Oral contraceptives can indeed lessen physical symptoms such as breast pain and bloating, but mood swings persist. Doctors originally prescribed these drugs for depression. For depression, these drugs must be taken daily. For PMDD, studies show that low-dose Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil taken for just a few weeks each month can improve social function and reduce mood swings.