My journey with PMDD & Adenomyosis

Why I Used to Believe I Was Just “Crazy” And What I Learned About PMDD & Adenomyosis

A few years ago, something happened that changed my life but I didn’t realise it at the time.

One day, my partner at the time  messaged a really good friend of mine and said,
“I have no idea what’s wrong with Amy, and I don’t know how to help. She needs support.”

That friend was a nurse, and her mum was a psychologist.

They sat me down and said something I hadn’t heard before:
“You’re not depressed. I think there’s something hormonal going on. Go see a GP.”

I was relieved to hear I wasn’t “crazy”  but I also had no idea what was coming next.

After tests and bloodwork, the GP told me everything was “perfect.”
But I knew my experience didn’t match her words.

So she gave me a diagnosis I had never heard of: Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD).

PMDD is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome, more intense, more debilitating, and far more than just “moodiness.” It affects a small percentage of people who menstruate but can feel overwhelming in the days leading up to a period.  

At the time, I didn’t know what it was. And honestly, neither did most of the doctors I spoke to.

The GP explained that antidepressants were one treatment option, but that didn’t sit well with me. Taking medication indefinitely for a hormone-related cycle didn’t feel like root cause support, it felt like a band-aid.

Instead, I leaned into lifestyle tools I had already begun exploring:
meditation, breathwork, and tracking my cycle.

And that’s where the real work began.

PMDD can often be misdiagnosed. Because the emotional symptoms, anxiety, irritability, sadness, mood swings look similar to depression or bipolar disorder, many women are told their issues are “in their head” or psychological rather than hormonal.  

In fact:

• PMDD affects up to 3–8% of women of reproductive age depending on the criteria used.  

• Many report experiences of being misdiagnosed with depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder before finally being diagnosed correctly, often after years of medical gaslighting and dismissal.  

This means that for decades, countless women were told they were depressed, anxious, or unstable  when in reality their symptoms were cyclical and hormonally driven.

When I began tracking my cycle, paying attention to the when and how of my mood shifts, everything started to make sense.

Symptoms that once felt unpredictable and frightening suddenly followed patterns. And when you can see a pattern, you can begin to support it.

Years after my PMDD diagnosis, my menstrual symptoms were worsening.

The pain became intense, the kind that dropped me to my knees, left me in bed, unable to move. This was different. This was physical agony, not just emotional overwhelm.

During an unrelated ultrasound, the specialist said something I hadn’t expected:
“You have adenomyosis.” and I had no idea what that was. 

Adenomyosis is a condition where the tissue that normally lines the uterus grows into the muscle wall of the uterus itself. This can cause:

• Heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding

• Painful menstrual cramps

• Pelvic discomfort

• Enlarged uterus

• Fatigue from blood loss and anemia

It’s more common than most people realise, studies suggest that around 20% of people with periods have adenomyosis, with symptoms ranging from mild to debilitating.  

And yet, because the symptoms overlap with “normal period pain,” many people never receive a diagnosis.

To the specialist, the only cure was hysterectomy, something I unequivocally did not want at age 31, without children, and with dreams of family in the future.

Once again, the medical system offered surface-level “solutions” without addressing the why beneath the symptoms.

At this point in my life, I had already begun learning about:

• Lifestyle impacts on hormonal balance

• The role of stress and nervous system regulation

• Nutrition and inflammation

• How chronic stress and modern living affect the cycle

• Gentle, body-based supports like flower essences and homeopathics

I made deep changes:

• Shifted my nutrition to support stable hormones

• Prioritised stress management

• Adjusted my movement to honour my cycle

• Tuned into sleep, recovery, and nervous system regulation

Over time, something remarkable happened:

• My pain became less intense

• My bleeding was not as debilitating

• I no longer needed pain medication

• My cycles became consistent and manageable

This did not mean the symptoms vanished into thin air. Some months are still big and painful but they don’t control my life anymore.

I have no doubt that conditions like PMDD and adenomyosis deserve more awareness, more research, and better medical support.

For too long, women’s symptoms have been dismissed, misunderstood, minimised, or misdiagnosed.

And for every woman who has heard, “That’s just how periods are,” there are dozens more who have felt unseen.  

Our bodies are not meant to be in that much pain. Yet so many are left to suffer because the system doesn’t know what questions to ask or doesn’t take the time to listen.

I share this not as medical advice, but as a lived experience:

I was told my symptoms were psychological.
I was offered medication and invasive surgery.
I was dismissed and misunderstood.
And I was left to figure it out myself.

But there was another way.

A way that required:
Patience, commitment, curiosity, consistency, gentle support

It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t instant.
But it worked.

If you are reading this and relate, if you’ve ever been told:

• “It’s all in your head”

• “You just need to toughen up”

• “That’s just normal for women”

• “You should try antidepressants”

• “A hysterectomy will fix it”

...and it doesn’t feel right to you, I hear you.

There are options.
There are ways to support your body without surrendering your agency.
And you don’t have to do it alone.

If this story resonates with your experience, know this:

I understand why you’re frustrated.
I understand why you feel unseen.
And I understand why you want answers that truly support your body.

I help women navigate these journeys with clarity, compassion, and evidence-informed tools because you deserve support, not dismissal.

If you want to explore your cycle, your symptoms, or your body’s deeper wisdom in a way that feels supportive, informed, and respectful, you’re welcome here.

Your body has a voice.
And it’s time we start listening.

Amy Mason