A mum-of-three suffered with emotional turmoil for over 30 years but could not put her finger on why the traumatising battles happened on a regular basis.
Eleanor Ibi told the Manchester Evening News that she would have thoughts of utter hopelessness and despair which sometimes even led to suicidal thoughts.
After weeks of misery, the fog inside her mind lifts. The dark thoughts are gone. Suddenly, she feels like herself again.
“All my life, I thought I had lots of different mental illnesses,” Ms Ibi, from Openshaw near Manchester, said.
“I had manic depression, you name it.
“I didn’t realise what the problem was for a long time."
Eleanor suffers from premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
PMDD is a very severe form of premenstrual syndrome, also known as PMS or period mood swings.
The condition causes a range of emotional and physical symptoms every month during the two weeks before a menstrual cycle.
Those with the disorder can experience depression, despair, irritability, anxiety, hopelessness, bouts of extreme sadness, fatigue, anger, difficulty concentrating and suicidal ideation.
For some, the feelings are life-changing and completely overwhelming.
“It would start the two weeks before I was due my period and would increasingly get worse and worse," Ms Ibi continued.
“It was feelings of paranoia, anxiety, hopelessness, full on depression mixed with anxiety.
“I used to have manic phases which is why people thought I was bipolar. I would have incredible highs and crashing lows.
“It was unpredictable and predictable. It’s a rollercoaster every month.
“Then I’d get my period and literally the day after I would calm down and spend the next few days apologising and patching up relationships and work."
By 2007, Eleanor’s symptoms had become unmanageable.
She visited her GP with concerns over her mental health – but was told "all women have to deal with PMS".
Eleanor, who works as a governance and admin manager at Manchester Metropolitan University's Student's Union, was eventually prescribed Fluoxetine after begging her doctor for help.
The antidepressant helped relieve her symptoms for 10 years until it eventually stopped working.
In 2017, the mum-of-three decided to do some research herself. That is when the "light bulb moment" suddenly dawned upon her.
"I felt so silly that I had not made this connection before,” she added.
"It was a real light bulb moment and I got a bit emotional about it because it finally made sense.
"I tracked my symptoms over three months, and saw that there was a direct correlation between my monthly cycle and my mental health."
Ms Ibi discover PMDD online and managed to get referred to a specialist at Rochdale Infirmary, where she finally received a diagnosis.
She described the visit as a "real breakthrough" but the monthly battles still occur as Ms Ibi continues to take antidepressants to help ease PMDD symptoms, as well as exercising regularly and taking vitamins.
She added: “You can tell yourself it’s fine, but when you’re in the midst of it, it’s completely debilitating.
“When I realised what it was that I had, I got really emotional that it wasn’t just me being a temporary lunatic for two weeks out of the month.
“I’ve been like Jekyll and Hyde for as long as I can remember.
“When you’re in the good phase of your cycle, everything is brilliant. You can do life. Then it all comes crashing down.”
For more information, help or advice on PMDD, please visit the link by clicking here.
