With my kids being out of school for the summer I haven’t been able to post much, they start back next week and I hope to be back.
I came across this article tonight, it is one tiny step, but at least a step…
It is from MedlinePlus, this is one of the most recent articles I have found where research has found something successful. I will keep an eye out to see what else comes from this.It came from MedlinePlus,
Gene May Help Spur Premenstrual Depression
Finding could explain why some women are more vulnerable to the condition
HealthDay By: Krisha McCoy
Monday, July 23, 2007
MONDAY, July 23 (HealthDay News) — Scientists have discovered a gene variant linked to an increased risk of severe premenstrual depression.
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD, is a psychiatric condition that affects about 8 percent of women in their childbearing years. Women with PMDD experience bouts of major depression and/or anxiety and severe irritability during the second half of their menstrual cycle. These symptoms subside with the onset of the menstrual period.
PMDD has been thought to be related to hormonal changes over the course of the menstrual cycle.
For a new study published online June 30 in Biological Psychiatry, researchers studied 91 women with a confirmed diagnosis of PMDD over at least three months. Another 56 women who had no history of mood disorders related to the menstrual cycle served as the comparison group.
The team found four specific gene variants in the estrogen receptor alpha gene, ESR1, that were more common in the women with PMDD than in the control group.
“While these are preliminary findings that require replication in larger studies, we would argue that this may explain part of the variance among women in the susceptibility to developing this mood disorder,” the study’s senior author David R. Rubinow, Meymandi distinguished professor and chair of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, said in a prepared statement.
HealthDay
3 comments
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September 1, 2007 at 12:22 pm
leila v.
Stef:
I was wondering if you’ve read anything about that new birth control pill Yaz that claims to take away not only the actual period but all of the emotional and physical side effects. The manufactures have made some pretty bold claims, they almost have me sold…
September 1, 2007 at 5:42 pm
Stef
I have not personally tried YAZ only because I have tried BC pills before and like many other Women with PMDD, BC pills have a VERY negative effect. They actually make me crazy.
Anyway, I have read where one Woman felt she had a bit of relief from it, but definitely not complete relief.
I have also heard from another Woman who swears by her BC, not YAZ, but her Doctor has her to where she doesn’t have a cycle. She doesn’t take the ‘fake’ pills in the batch.
I wish I could tell you more. To me it’s kind of like how when Sarafem came out and said they were the cure all to PMDD. Really Sarafem is just a pretty name for Prozac. I took Sarafem, I take Prozac now, I have never had complete relief.
Unfortunately, there really is not any ‘complete’ relief for PMDD. We can only do what we can to make the symptoms as easy to live with as possible. Most of this has to do with our lifestyle.
Whether you choose to try YAZ or anything else for that matter, you will still have to continue, or start, exercising daily, watching what you eat- stay away from processed foods/sugars, no caffeine, lots of water, plenty of sleep, stress free lifestyle.
Good luck. I hope this helped some, I know I wasn’t much help with the YAZ directly, but like I say, I have only read about one Woman who was brave enough to try BC pills again, and she didn’t have all the relief they spoke.
April 13, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Morgan
I tried Yasmin for several months, and it didn’t seem to do much for me. I’m sure everyone is different, but the only thing that has helped me is sertraline.