---
title: Can PMDD be mistaken for bipolar disorder? | Niyora
description: Yes. PMDD and bipolar disorder have similar mood symptoms, which can lead to wrong diagnosis and treatment. A woman given lithium for bipolar disorder stayed
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/a-case-report-of-a-woman-with-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-misdiagnosed-as-2020/
---

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- Can PMDD be mistaken for bipolar disorder?

Case report, 2020

# Can PMDD be mistaken for bipolar disorder?

Yes. PMDD and bipolar disorder have similar mood symptoms, which can lead to wrong diagnosis and treatment. A woman given lithium for bipolar disorder stayed sick, but recovered when she started antidepressant medication, which is the correct treatment for PMDD.

 Early or limited evidence

One woman with PMDD misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder

## What they did

Case report of one woman who had serious mood changes. Doctors thought she had bipolar disorder and treated her with lithium, but her symptoms did not improve. They recognized her symptoms were linked to her menstrual cycle and switched her to antidepressant medication.

## What they found

The woman recovered only after starting antidepressant medication. Antidepressant medication is the correct treatment for PMDD, not lithium, which is used for bipolar disorder.

## What it means for you

If you have serious mood changes that happen with your menstrual cycle, tell your doctor about the timing. PMDD can look like bipolar disorder, but they are different and need different treatments. This is based on one woman's experience.

1

woman in case study

## About the study

Original title A Case Report of a Woman with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Misdiagnosed as Having Bipolar Affective Disorder Authors Rossitza K. Iakimova, Maya Y. Stoimenova-Popova, Petranka G. Chumpalova et al. Journal Journal of Biomedical and Clinical Research Year 2020 Study design Case report What was tested Antidepressant medication Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.2478/jbcr-2020-0021](https://doi.org/10.2478/jbcr-2020-0021)

## Topics

[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[Anxiolytics and other psychotropics](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-anxiolytics/)[Bipolar disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-bipolar/)[Diagnosis experience and healthcare access](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-healthcare-access/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

## Related studies

Study, 2026

Do anxiety and depression get worse before your period if you already have a mental health condition?

Survey study, 2026

What is the true rate of PMDD, and does it worsen mental health conditions?

Case-control study, 2007

Are there genes that increase the risk of PMDD?

Cohort study, 2004

Do women with bipolar disorder on mood-stabilizing medication experience premenstrual symptom worsening?

Review, 2002

What treatments work for PMDD?

Review, 2025

How does the menstrual cycle affect psychiatric symptoms like depression and anxiety?

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