Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is an extreme form of PMS that affects approximately 5% of women.

Instead, PMDD is a condition that resembles PMS but in an extreme form, impacting about five percent of menstruating women. Symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder are the same as those of PMS in that they include irritability, tension, anxiety, moodiness, and depression but in the case of PMDD, these symptoms are quite severe, disrupting the lives of the women who experience them.

If you suspect that you are suffering from PMDD and not just typical PMS, it is recommended that you speak with your health care professional such as your doctor so that you can find out for certain and discuss various treatment options.

There are many different treatments now available for PMDD, so when you discuss the condition with your doctor, you will be able to come up with a few possibilities that may help to ease your symptoms. Until recently, there were only a very few options available, but there have been several more techniques and drugs which have been carefully tested and studied in order to receive their Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. There are currently four different drugs that have FDA approval for treating PMDD. These are paroxetine controlled-release (Paxil CR), fluoxetine (Sarafem), the oral contraceptive (YAZ) drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol, or sertraline (Zoloft).

Some women find that these treatments work exceptionally well, others find only moderate relief until they find the ideal option for them. There are, however, no cures for PMDD, though some online advertisers will try to convince you that they have found this solution. Essentially, the recommendation that is typically made by health professionals is to keep active throughout the cycle, eat a healthy diet, and if necessary, try the prescribed medications.