Case report, 2017
Can a combined oral contraceptive pill help PMDD in women who also have depression or anxiety?
One 34-year-old woman with PMDD along with depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric conditions improved on a combined oral contraceptive pill. Her mood, anxiety, menstrual cramps, and ability to handle stress all got better.
What they did
A 34-year-old woman had PMDD, major depression, social anxiety, panic disorder, and histrionic personality disorder. She also had ongoing thoughts of suicide and poor ability to handle stress. Doctors gave her a combined oral contraceptive pill containing norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol.
What they found
After taking the pill, she improved in mood and anxiety. Her menstrual cramps decreased. Her suicidal thoughts decreased and her ability to handle stress improved. Scores on depression and anxiety tests both went down. Both the woman and people close to her said her day-to-day functioning got better.
What it means for you
Combined oral contraceptive pills may help women with PMDD who also have depression or anxiety. This suggests that treating the hormonal part of the menstrual cycle may help psychiatric symptoms too. The main limit is this describes only one woman, so we don't know if this works for others, how long the benefit lasts, or what happens if the woman stops the pill.
34
Age in years
8%
How common PMDD is in women of reproductive age
About the study
- Original title
- Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill Initiation in a Patient With Major Depressive Disorder, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, Social Anxiety, Panic Disorder, and Histrionic Personality Disorder
- Authors
- Roi C, Conrad EJ
- Journal
- Ochsner journal
- Year
- 2017
- Study design
- Case report
- What was tested
- Combined oral contraceptive pill (norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol)
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28638292/
Topics
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