What Are the Symptoms of Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder?

With menstrual dysphoric disorder, you may feel very sad, angry, or anxious before your period. You might cry easily and feel stressed or out of control. These mood changes can include irritability and extreme mood swings. Along with these feelings, you can also experience trouble sleeping, feel very tired, or have difficulty concentrating on day-to-day tasks. Some people also have physical symptoms. These might include headaches, tummy pain, bloating, breast tenderness, or muscle aches. These symptoms usually start about a week or two before your period and then fade away once the bleeding begins. Because the symptoms can feel very strong and make it hard to go to school, work, or do your normal activities, it is important to speak with a healthcare provider if you think you might have this condition. They can help figure out what treatments might work best to make you feel better.