Right Time to Visit

When Is the Right Time to See a Doctor for PMS?

The right time to visit your doctor is when:

• PMS symptoms are so severe that it starts to affect your day to day activities

• Lifestyle modifications like diet changes, exercise, etc. are not able to help relieve your PMS symptoms.

• Experiencing severe emotional symptoms like significant mood swings and depression.

• Experiencing symptoms of PMDD

When Is It an Emergency As per Guidelines?

The talk about PMS has been ongoing for a long time, but the diagnostic criteria have been specified more recently. Mild to moderate discomfort is expected during periods, but when it starts to affect your daily life activities, symptoms of PMS should be taken into consideration.

Consider seeking help when you experience the following symptoms:

• Markedly depressed mood, feelings of hopelessness, or self-deprecating thoughts

• Marked anxiety, tension, feelings of being “keyed up” or “on edge”

• Marked affective lability

• Persistent and marked anger or irritability or increased interpersonal conflicts

• Decreased interest in usual activities such as work, school, friends, and hobbies

• Subjective sense of difficulty in concentrating

• Lethargy, easy fatigability, or marked lack of energy

• Marked change in appetite, overeating, or specific food cravings

• Hypersomnia or insomnia

• A subjective sense of being overwhelmed or out of control

• Other physical symptoms, such as breast tenderness or swelling, headaches, joint or muscle pain, a sensation of bloating, or weight gain.¹

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Medically reviewed by

Dr Yash Bahuguna

Researched by

Dr Inara Isani

Written by

Avantika Sukhia

References

1. Mishra S, Elliott H, Marwaha R. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder.