You snap at someone you love over something tiny, and a week later you cannot understand why it felt so big.
Is it PMDD? See how the week before your period changes your mood and body
Rage that flares over small things, tears that come from nowhere, a dark mood that lifts once your period starts. Reflect on how often these changes have happened over your last few cycles, then see a first reading of your answers, a two-cycle tracking plan, and questions to bring to a clinician. This self-check cannot diagnose PMDD.
Start your self-check
Start the test- Words for a monthly pattern that is hard to explain
- Six areas linked to real situations from your recent cycles
- A two-cycle tracking plan and questions to bring to a clinician
01
The part of the month that is hard to explain to anyone
For a few days each month the future looks bleak, then your period starts and the fog lifts.
You plan your life around a week you cannot predict, and nobody has ever asked about your cycle.
You may recognize several of these experiences, one, or none. Some change before a period is common; what matters is how strong it is, how much it disrupts your life, and whether it reliably eases after your period starts.
02
Six areas of premenstrual change
Mood swings, tearfulness, and sensitivity to rejection
Sudden shifts from feeling fine to tearful, feelings that are hurt more easily, and reading rejection into small moments in the days before your period.
Irritability, anger, and conflict
A shorter fuse, flashes of anger or rage over small things, and more arguments with the people around you before your period.
Low mood, hopelessness, and self-criticism
A heavy or hopeless mood, a harsh inner voice, and losing interest in people and plans in the days before your period.
Anxiety, tension, and feeling on edge
Feeling wound up, worried, or tense, a sense of dread, and emotions that feel harder to rein in before your period.
Focus, energy, sleep, and appetite
Brain fog, tiredness, sleeping much more or less than usual, and food cravings or overeating in the days before your period.
Physical symptoms and cycle timing
Breast tenderness, bloating, headaches, and aches before your period, and whether your changes ease within a few days of bleeding starting.
03
From a monthly blur to a clearer next step
Look back over recent cycles
Answer 48 questions on how often experiences happened before your period and 14 unscored questions about your cycle, health, and needs.
Read your preview
See which of the six areas stand out and the answers behind them.
Choose useful detail
Use the help information on this page, or choose the optional paid report for a two-cycle tracking plan and clinician questions.
04
Information you can use beyond the result page
A six-area profile that separates mood, irritability, anxiety, energy, and physical symptoms
Answer evidence alongside cycle timing, contraception, age, and existing conditions
A two-cycle daily tracking plan and questions for a doctor or gynecologist
05
Who this reflection is for
- You are an adult who has periods, or had them recently, and notices changes in the days before them.
- You want to understand the pattern, whether you are curious, unsure, or preparing for an appointment.
- If you are thinking about harming yourself or feel unsafe, contact 988 or 911 first; this self-check cannot assess urgent situations.
06
Original questions with transparent boundaries
48 questions form six descriptive scores based on how often each experience happened in the days before your period over recent cycles; 14 context answers personalize the interpretation without changing the scores. The questionnaire is not the DRSP or any other diagnostic tool, and it cannot diagnose PMDD; a clinician confirms PMDD with at least two cycles of daily ratings.
62 questions · 6 areas · About 8–12 minutes
07
Questions before you begin
What is PMDD?
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a cyclical condition in which mood symptoms such as irritability, anger, sudden sadness, anxiety, or hopelessness build in the week or two before a period and ease within a few days after it starts. Physical symptoms such as bloating, breast tenderness, and tiredness often come with them. What sets PMDD apart is severity: the symptoms disrupt work, relationships, or daily life. It is a recognized medical condition, and it can be treated.
How is PMDD different from PMS?
Both follow the same timing in the cycle. PMS symptoms are common and usually milder. PMDD centers on mood symptoms that are severe enough to interfere with daily life and relationships, and the Office on Women’s Health estimates it affects up to 5 percent of women of childbearing age. Many people notice some premenstrual change without having PMDD.
Can this test tell me whether I have PMDD?
No. This original questionnaire is not the DRSP or any other diagnostic tool, and it cannot diagnose PMDD. A clinician confirms PMDD by reviewing at least two cycles of daily symptom ratings, which show whether symptoms rise before your period and ease after it starts. Memory tends to blur that timing, which is why the full report includes a two-cycle tracking plan and questions to bring to a clinician.
What is PME, and how is it different from PMDD?
Premenstrual exacerbation (PME) means an existing condition, such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, or another health condition, gets worse in the days before a period. In PME, symptoms are present through the month and intensify before a period; in PMDD, symptoms are largely absent in the week after a period. The difference can change which options make sense, so tell a clinician about any existing diagnosis.
Could something else explain these changes?
Yes. Depression, anxiety, thyroid conditions, low iron, sleep problems, perimenopause, and the effects of hormonal birth control or other medications can all cause overlapping changes. In your late 30s and 40s, the shifting hormones of perimenopause can make premenstrual symptoms stronger or less predictable. The context questions help you note these factors for a clinician.
Do I need to buy the report to get help?
No. You can answer the questions and see an initial preview of your answers before deciding whether you want the optional full report, which you can read online and download as a PDF. You never need to buy a report to contact a clinician, call or text 988, or find peer support through IAPMD.
Start with what your recent cycles have actually been like
Start your self-check
Start the test