The 2nd annual National Association forPre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder (NAPMDD) conference was like no other, ever,
anywhere. Since continuing medical education credits were offered this year,
they had a wide array of medical professionals present, both at the podium and
among the attendees—all of them discussing Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, a
disorder that affects women around the world with life-altering symptoms that
revolve around their menstrual cycles.
Clinicians from all fields of PMDD treatment shared what they knew, what
they believed, what they had discovered, what could be proven, and what worked
for their patients.
For a research geek like me, it was sheer heaven.
Nowhere else on earth would I find one location with so many dimensions of
medical care for PMDD represented—and openly exchanging ideas, some of them
rather heatedly. But to witness a public forum of medical professionals
discussing the disorder I have suffered from for over forty years was a dream
come true.
My deepest gratitude and admiration goes out to
NAPMDD Executive Director Amanda LaFleur and her tireless board of women
determined and dedicated to doing all they can to promote awareness and open
discussion of a disorder we have suffered from in silence, confusion and
neglect for more than the 70 years since it was discovered. In Philadelphia, on
the 51st floor of a building overlooking the beautiful City of Brotherly Love,
psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, endocrinologists, gynecologists,
medical researchers, reproductive hormone specialists and other PMDD advocates
gathered. Several speakers commented that they’d only seen PMDD from their
specialty’s perspective until this conference, and they appreciated the
opportunity to hear other points of view, as it brought up ideas they had never
before considered, and made their PMDD picture more complete.
Surprisingly enough, one thing everyone in the room
during a particularly dynamic discussion of treatment options agreed on—the
name needs to be changed and the designation of ‘dysphoric’ dropped, to remove
PMDD from the realm of mental illness. PMDD is a biological disorder, not a
mental one, and needs to be treated as such, and not with the current cache of
psychotropic drugs designed to alter the mind.
That was my major takeaway from the conference. No, you are not crazy. That alone made
it worth the price of admission.
I also attended last year’s NAPMDD conference in
Denver. I
would say the major takeaway from that conference was: You are not alone. Between the two conferences, I now have
something I didn’t have the first forty years of my life with PMDD: Hope—if not
for a cure in my lifetime, then at least for a reliable answer as to what
causes PMDD and the best way to treat it. Nearly everyone I heard speaking on
the subject, with only one notable exception, said antidepressants and/or birth
control were not the answer for treating PMDD, but merely band-aids used to
mask the symptoms, which can (and do) rebound worse than ever when this faux
treatment stops.
But take heart. Caring professionals are out there
studying PMDD diligently. Others want to learn all they can about PMDD, to be
able to treat their patients correctly and with compassion. This is progress
like my generation merely dreamed of. I am truly energized with hope for the
growing number of women still in their childbearing years, struggling with this
debilitating disorder. Now, thanks to NAPMDD, there’s a chance you won’t have
to suffer like so many women who have come before you, shuttling from doctor to
doctor to doctor, being misdiagnosed and mistreated, being told “It’s all in
your head” or having your concerns completely dismissed because the doctor had
no clue what you were talking about. Not to mention being used as a human
guinea pig for countless medications we now know don’t work for PMDD, because
while they may aid in suppressing some symptoms, they do not address the
root biological cause of what is happening to you.
The second part of the conference was all about
support and social networking. Last
year, I think we were all simply relieved to meet “other people like us.”
This year, we had many return attendees. Instead of anxious, relieved and
emotional women dominating the conference landscape like last year, this year
we had a strong squad of empowered women who returned to speak about their
successes (and failures) in managing their PMDD, and to provide support and resources
to those attending for the first time. Many new attendees brought mothers,
sisters, friends or partners for support, and it was beautiful to see. The
atmosphere was just as warm and welcoming as last year, if not more so. The Gia
Allemand Foundation Reception Friday night was open to the public, and provided
a fantastic opportunity to meet and mingle with both attendees and speakers.
At the reception I had a fangirl moment when a PMDD
researcher I’ve admired for years sat at our table and I told her, “I have a
special binder full of all of your studies.” In exchange, she told us how she
got into PMDD research and how inspired she is by the increasing awareness of
PMDD in the medical community. Other highlights of the weekend include a tour
of Philadelphia on a double-decker bus with ten other conference participants,
exchanging ideas over breakfast with fellow speakers and drinks and snacks at
the Tap House with Executive Director Amanda and our wonderful videography team
at BKN Creative. I returned home with friendships I know will last a lifetime.
So the conference is not just about exciting news
and taking notes. It’s also about having fun with friends and creating a
network of support and resources you can count on during the hard times.
If you missed the conference this year, join NAPMDD to stay in the know, which will
provide you with access to the videotaped presentations of both the first and
second national conferences, to discover this information for yourself. The
cost is $36 and well worth the price of admission. There is also a free
membership, but that does not provide access to the videotapes; you’d have to
buy them separately.
Knowledge is power, and knowing all of your options
can empower you to seek proper treatment for your PMDD, and to stand up for
yourself when you meet a medical professional that refuses to believe or work
with you to find the individual solution that works best for you. With the
information from these videos, you have the tools you need to be your own best
advocate.
For more information on NAPMDD and how to attend
their next conference, go to NAPMDD.org.
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