The Bright Light
It was the year 2014 I had recently lost my father in law and was coping with this unexpected loss. The life I had was about to change completely. I had decided to move with my family to Florida for a fresh start and start the healing process. In general my cycles Were always normal growing up I got the usual PMS (premenstrual symptoms) and cramps and that was that. I would say when I turned 26 and after living in Florida for about a year I started to experience some unusual changes. I just thought I was still grieving over the loss of my father.
It was not until about almost 2 years later that I started putting the puzzle together that things seemed to change around my cycle you name it, I had it. Such as vision changes crying spells night sweats severe mood changes uncontrollable eating and so much more. I then decided one night to start googling some stuff and I had came across PMDD it was like this bright light had turned on in my head at this time there wasn’t much talk going on about this disorder but I strongly felt like this was what I was dealing with.
A few months had went by and I decided to move back to my home state. Once I was settled in I went to see my psychiatrist who had previously known me from a few visits and also made a appointment with a OB/GYN. I had explained to them what I was experiencing and was told by my psychiatrist that I had to do a three month log on my cycles to be diagnosed with PMDD. So I went ahead and started the process surely after those 3 months I had returned to my psychiatrist and to my OB/GYN and they both were able to diagnose me with PMDD.
I was relieved but the work started. I became involved with not only advocating for myself but for others who had just started dealing with this disorder and also how to live with it since then PMDD has become so much more noticed which is great and I’ve learned so much. Every month is different. I experience mental and physical symptoms but what helps me through all of this is knowing that I am not alone and that I will continue to learn and help others who are just beginning. There is a bright light to this and that is knowing that all around the world there are women sticking together.
