What is PME?

PME or Premenstrual Exacerbation, is the worsening of another disorder during the premenstrual cycle. This can include a major depressive disorder or more generalised anxiety disorder.

Premenstrual Exacerbation (PME), and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) are difficult to distinguish from each other, because of the limited research and understanding of both conditions.

PME symptoms usually worsen during the luteal or menstrual phases of the cycle. The luteal phase is the time between ovulation and menstruation. PME exacerbates symptoms of the existing disorder are present throughout the entire cycle, but become more severe during the premenstrual phase.

Conditions that can intensify premenstrually include:

• Major depressive disorder
• Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia)
• Suicidality
• Schizophrenia
• Anxiety disorders
• Alcoholism
• Eating disorders
• And more

PME is not yet a recognised diagnosis on its own. Rather, it is linked to the diagnosis of an underlying mental health condition. The International Association For Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD) wants more research and acknowledgement of the cycle of PME, and related disorders, so that a label or category can be created for those individuals (who live with PME). The IAPMD wants to establish recorded evidence of who responds to which treatment, so that they can demand the development of new treatments that are effective for PME (as there are currently no evidence-based treatments).

According to the IAPMD, about half of women who seek medical help for what they believe is either PMS or PMDD discover they actually have PME, or a psychiatric condition they were unaware of.

If you think that you are experiencing the symptoms of PME or PMDD, you should make an appointment with your GP or healthcare professional to talk about possible treatments, or therapy.  The IAPMD have a great PME self screening tool on their website to check symtoms.