By Jennifer Jope for Fibroids1While many women experience one or more symptoms of premenstrual syndrome each month, there is another class of females who suffer from premenstrual dysphoric disorder – the most severe form of premenstrual syndrome. But there is good news on the horizon for these women in the form of an oral contraceptive that subdues PMDD symptoms just as well as standard antidepressants.
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Are you experiencing symptoms of PMDD?
While PMDD and PMS share similar symptoms, PMDD tends to disrupt a woman’s lives because of its severity. According to the American Medical Women’s Association, symptoms include:
Depressed feelings
Anxiety
Sudden mood shifts
Persistent irritability, anger
Loss of interest in usual activities
Difficulty concentrating and focusing
Lethargy
Change in appetite, food cravings
Insomnia or hypersomnia
Physical symptoms such as weight gain, bloating, breast tenderness, headache and muscle or joint aches.
For more information on PMDD and its symptoms and treatment, visit the American Medical Women’s Association.
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A recent study led by researchers at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, CT, shows that a low dose oral contraceptive with a unique progestin and dosing regimen is effective in treating PMDD, which is characterized by cyclical mood, behavioral and physical symptoms that can be debilitating in some females.The oral contraceptive, Yaz, is manufactured by the New Jersey-based pharmaceutical company Berlex Inc. and is expected to hit the market in early 2006, said Kimberly Schillace, spokeswoman for the company.
The new low dose pill contains drospirenone – a new progestin – and ethinyl estradiol. It is administered for 24 days followed by four days of inactive pills. This differs from typical oral contraceptives which have seven days of inactive pills.
According to Dr. Kimberly Yonkers, associate professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Epidemiology and Public Health at Yale University and lead author of the study, the estrogen dosage is lower in Yaz compared to other pills. It has 20 micrograms rather than 30 to 35.
Yonkers said the study revealed that the low dose pill suppressed ovarian activity which diminished symptoms of PMDD.
The clinical trial included 450 women ages 18 to 40 with symptoms of PMDD who were given either the oral contraceptive or a placebo. Women who were given the pill had “significantly greater improvement” (48.4 percent compared to 36.1 percent of women on placebo) in productivity and experienced greater symptom reduction.
Before this discovery, women suffering from PMDD have typically relied on antidepressants to subdue the debilitating symptoms. Yonkers said the study shows that the contraceptive is roughly as effective as serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which are typically used as antidepressants.
“It is parsimonious if a woman would like contraceptives as well as PMDD treatment,” Yonkers said. “Also, not all women respond to [serotonin reuptake inhibitors] for PMDD and some women prefer to not take a medication in the ‘antidepressant’ class.”
There are some drawbacks with the pill, however. Yonkers warns that women over the age of 35 who smoke should not take the contraceptive due to medical risks. Also, women who have PMDD symptoms, but want to become pregnant should also find an alternative.
While the symptoms of PMS are less severe than those of PMDD, Yonkers said it is “possible” and “likely” that the low dose pill will also be effective for women suffering from more typical PMS symptoms. However, Yonkers points out that the study did not specifically test that theory.
Although the pill regimen for Yaz is slightly different than other oral contraceptives, Schillace said the length and intensity of a woman’s period should be about the same with Yaz as with other oral contraceptives. The pill, she said, is giving women more alternatives to treat PMDD.
“It would give women a choice,” Schillace said. “She gets two for one.”
Ultimately, Yonkers said it is up to each individual to determine what is most suitable for their lifestyle.
“It’s not necessarily better, but for women who are seeking contraception in addition to control of PMDD, this would be more efficient because they could take one treatment,” Yonkers said. “Patient preference has a lot to do with these choices and what may be better for one woman may not be better for another.”
