Hello everyone.  I am so happy to find this group.  I feel like I have been struggling with this condition alone for most of my life.  I am 46 now and just last year was finally diagnosed with PMDD.  My symptoms were less physical and more mood related: anger, short temper, irritable, sad, hopeless... you know the list.

My Psy put me on Wellbutrin and Effexor which has worked well for some months, curbing the episodes that are uncontrollable.  At times, I still struggle with over-bearing sadness and while that stinks there is something else that is more concerning. RAGE. I don't have any family members who rage, I didn't learn it anywhere, yet it comes out of nowhere...  I can be talking to my partner and if he is short with me, or if I feel he is not 'listening to understand" me I go into attack mode.  I am ugly and mean when this happens.  In the last episode, he wasn't even present, but I was so affected by a conversation we had had that I intentionally threw my phone against the windshield in my car multiple times, making several cracks in the windshield and ruined my phone.  Even when I saw the damage I was causing, I continued.  In this case I was alone.  There have also been times when he was present and I cut myself, once sending myself to ER for stiches and an interview with a police officer about hurting myself...  I just don't understand what is going on with me.  I can understand being overwhelmed in sadness and crying at the drop of a hat, as I am used to that.  But these new symptoms are startling.  I am wondering if those 10 days before my period it is best that I stay home and in my room, or leave the house for solitude.  Has anyone had a similar experience in which they break/destroy property or even hurt themselves?  How did you deal with it?

I have heard a few mention cardio excersize helps as well as watching what you eat.  I am wondering if a progestrone cream might help lessen the intensity of these fits of rage.  I can't continue to break things, it gets expensive and I end up feeling horrible even when no one else knows.