OCD and PMS?

I came off my birth control 8 weeks ago (after being on it for 13 years) and felt fine up until week 6 when I had a flare up. From that point on, I have been a mess. I got my first period post-pill on Saturday and my ocd has been awful. I am having a flare up over the fear of having pmdd, and my brain is telling me it’s true since there’s evidence of having up and down symptoms these last two weeks, including the massive spiral I’m in right now. I’m giving into compulsions and I’m feeling overwhelmed, scared, and depressed. Did anyone else go through this when stopping birth control? Does it sound like something I’ll be dealing with every menstrual cycle? Is the first period post-pill the worst of it all?

Samantha9618

Date posted: 17h

I did! I was on an IUD for a few years before my last baby. I was a freaking wreck after I got it removed. It took me a few months to get used to things feeling different and finding new coping strategies. I personally felt like long walks around big trees outside or at the gym helped regulate (any amount of outdoor exercise) helped quite a lot. For me, exercise helps quiet the loudness of the OCD compulsions . I also found TCM to be helpful during hormone transitions. And of course the right kind of support. I highly recommend trying something that works for you! I don’t think OCD allows for healing to be linear and there will be ups and downs. You got this 👍

Paige G.

Date posted: 15h

@Samantha9618 Thank you for message!! You’re right, it is definitely a nonlinear process. Did you find that after a few menstrual cycles that it at least becomes less intense?

Samantha9618

Date posted: 14h

@Paige G. Yes! For me it’s usually 3-6 months before things regulate and with each one the intensity lessened. I find that my hormonal state influences the intensity of the OCD thoughts and compulsions, so anything I can do to regulate it even a little is one way I can help myself.

Paige G.

Date posted: 14h

@Samantha9618 That’s a great point. Thank you so much for your input! This is my first natural period in about 13 years I believe (maybe one or two in between years ago), but even when I was on birth control I barely ever had a period. 15 days before I got this period, I noticed my boobs got tender and my anxiety/ocd ramped up and it has just been completely up and down since.

Samantha9618

Date posted: 12h

@Paige G. No problem! I just went almost two years without mine between pregnancy and breastfeeding so I totally understand feeling wack. I have been diagnosed with PMDD and the two weeks leading up to my period are not fun and sometimes scary. Anti-histamines, Pepcid, high fiber, good hydration, and high protein can do wonders too!

Paige G.

Date posted: 12h

@Samantha9618 Oh wow! If you don’t mind me asking, what constituted you being diagnosed with pmdd? Was it strictly your worsened ocd? What stages of your cycle do you notice your ocd and anxiety get worse?

Samantha9618

Date posted: 11h

@Paige G. ***Trigger warning: Traumatic birth*** I don’t mind sharing, I’m very open about my health! I got diagnosed with OCD about a month ago and I looking back it’s seems it may have always been present. Primarily, the PMDD came with mood swings, painful periods, debilitating fatigue, but primarily wanting to implode my life and then the dramatic let up once my period started. It has been an issue since my very first cycle. My cycle definitely makes my OCD worse. I notice my OCD is far worse when my health is worse since it’s a lot harder for me to cope in general. Postpartum has never been kind (this is my third go) and this time it was particularly bad due to the general stress and hemorrhage at birth causing complications with healing. This past month (4 weeks ago) was the return of my cycle (it was a particularly bad spiral the week before). I accidentally related to some Instagram content from NOCD and that’s what made me seek help. The OCD is ever present but it gets progressively louder at week 3 and 4 then calms down a bit after my cycle starts and even more once it finishes.

Paige G.

Date posted: 10h

Wow, thank you for sharing your story! I can sympathize with you, as I was diagnosed earlier this year with ocd, but I have certainly had it my whole life. That sounds like it was hard to go through; I’m terrified of getting pregnant because of my ocd and anxiety. I’m my therapist through NOCD has been amazing and I believe it’s helped me a lot, I hope you end up loving it! If you ever feel like things are getting worse or that you’ll never get better, just trust the process and keep going. You’re right, ocd will always be here, which sucks lol. For me, since this is my first natural cycle since I was about 17, my anxiety, ocd, and moods have been up and down over the last 17 days, and I’m on day 3 of my period and it’s still here. Today it’s not as bad because my family is here visiting and I’ve been distracted, but I think it’s still elevated a bit. When you say a dramatic let up once it started, does it go into a few days of your period? Or does it let up the exact day it comes?

Be a part of the largest OCD Community

Share your thoughts so the Community can respond