Gurjit Kaur, DO Department of General Internal Medicine, Women’s Health Center at The Gault Women’s Health and Breast Pavilion, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Lilian Gonsalves, MD Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Women’s Health Center at The Gault Women’s Health and Breast Pavilion, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Holly L. Thacker, MD Department of General Internal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women’s Health Center at The Gault Women’s Health and Breast Pavilion, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Address: Gurjit Kaur, DO, Department of General Internal Medicine, A91, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195; e-mail kaurg@ccf.org
This paper discusses therapies that are experimental or are not approved by the US Food and Drug Adminstration for the use under discussion.
ABSTRACTPremenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), is characterized by physical and behavioral symptoms that cause marked social impairment during the last half of the menstrual cycle. Symptoms are believed to result from the interaction of central neurotransmitters and normal menstrual hormonal changes. Treatment usually begins with lifestyle changes, over-the-counter medications, and if needed, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Physicians should be aware of the risks of many of the alternative therapies commonly touted in the popular press.