The Search that Changed Everything -- Discovering PMDD at 41

Hi, I'm Cindy, and I have ROUGH periods.

For years, I thought something was wrong with me. I loved my family, my job, my life — but like clockwork, every month, a storm would hit: rage, irritability, sadness, hopelessness. Then, like magic, it would disappear.

At the time, I didn’t know it was cyclical. I honestly thought it was just my fiery Portuguese personality mixed with sleepless nights and the chaos of raising babies. I remember sitting across from a social worker who gently said it sounded like postpartum adjustment, and that anger was a regular part of motherhood. For a while, I believed her. But deep down, something didn’t feel right. The emotions weren’t passing — they were amplifying.

One night, desperate for answers, I typed “rage before period” into Google. That’s when I discovered PMDD — Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) that can cause extreme mood swings, irritability, and depression in the weeks before menstruation.

I had never heard of it before. I learned that PMDD affects 1 in 20 women, yet 90% remain undiagnosed, and 30% attempt suicide during their lifetime. For decades, PMDD was dismissed as “bad PMS.” It wasn’t even recognized in the DSM-5 until 2015, and many women are still told they’re just “too emotional.”

That night was a turning point. I wasn’t crazy. I wasn’t weak. I was living with something tangible — something that needed compassion, not control. The relief of finally having a name for what I was experiencing was immense. It was a beacon of hope in a sea of confusion.

As I dove more profoundly, I realized how postpartum depletion — lack of sleep, poor nutrition, and stress — can worsen PMDD symptoms. Many women discover PMDD after having children, when their hormones, responsibilities, and identity all shift. The exhaustion, the overstimulation, the noise — it all becomes too much. Add in undiagnosed ADHD and/or unresolved childhood trauma, and you have the perfect storm.

My healing began when I started to listen — not to the guilt or the “shoulds,” but to my body. I tracked my symptoms, spoke to professionals who finally believed me, and permitted myself to rest. This was not a sign of weakness, but a powerful act of self-care and self-advocacy.

PMDD isn’t a character flaw; it’s a call to understanding. When we listen, seek help, and take care of ourselves, we begin to heal. There is hope, there is light at the end of the tunnel, and there is a path to a better, more balanced life.

If YOU are struggling or suffering with PMDD or have questions about women's' health, I'm here to help! You can learn more about my work here.

Cindy Machado, Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying)