Some things that can be done to minimise the impact of PME include:

Tracking symptoms and ovulation (so you know when to expect changes)
Optimising your metabolism and supporting each phase of the menstrual cycle through nutrition, exercise, sleep and stress management
Looking after your gut health to ensure it’s able to get rid of excess hormones
Being aware of other hormone pathways that can affect the menstrual cycle and reproductive hormones, such as thyroid function, cortisol and the stress cycle/response

“We need to look at the whole picture and know the function of each hormone as well as the impact of other hormone pathways,” Dr Debar adds.

To understand this, Dr Debar recommends asking for an in-depth hormone panel, including “thyroid, vitamin D and in-depth assessment of sex hormones and their metabolites”. This will allow your doctor to see how your body is handling and processing your hormones and suggest possible changes that might ease your specific symptoms.

Does your anxiety get worse before your period? Pre-menstrual exacerbation (PME) could be to blame