Last month I started an SSRI (lexapro) for my luteal phase, which is about 14 days. Based on when my appointment was and when I started the SSRI i took them for about a week and a half, so not the full 14 days. I took 5mg as prescribed. I felt amazing. My brain was quiet. I was genuinely happy and positive during my luteal phase. I haven’t felt that happy
probably ever. Then I stopped as directed about two days after I started bleeding.
I had severe headaches for about 3 days. Then I felt dull for a few days. Everything felt intense. Then I got sad and have been crying and just feeling blah for days now.
I was against SSRI’s. Like very against them. I tried when I was younger (16/17) and I became a monster (or in hindsight I acted exactly how I do with PMDD). However, I got to a point where I realised I had to do something and my psychiatrist said my brain was more developed so it likely would react differently. She was right. I loved it. But now I feel like I’ve reversed everything. My luteal phase I am happy and the rest of the time I feel like absolute shit.
My initial thought was to take them all the time. Then I realized a day would come where I stop and I’d withdraw like this anyway. Then I thought I’d stop them. But I can’t stop thinking about how happy I felt.
My OCD was better. My ADHD meds felt lol they worked better. I was a better wife. A better mother. I felt peace I’d never felt.
So now I want to hear others experiences taking an SSRI for PMDD. I will be talking to my psychiatrist about all of this but just want to hear from others to see how they felt or feel taking this approach.