Raise money for PMDD, PTSD Therapy.
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Hey, it's Nancy here!
I'm reaching out to try and gather funds for a therapy treatment for PMDD & PTSD.
I have been suffering from Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder for many years.
But the condition has worsened over the past few years to the point where it is severely impacting my life and psychological well-being.
I came across a therapy program called The Red Tent, which is a psychological treatment for PMDD.
It has fantastic reviews and testimonials.
It is an 8week therapy program directed explicitly at treating PMDD with the understanding of how PTSD impacts this condition.
Converted into CAD, the therapy is $2500.
I experienced a mental break in April and have been actively doing what I can to recover.
I was finally diagnosed with PTSD last month and have begun therapy for that.
Due to my PMDD symptoms coupled with my PTSD symptoms, I have worked very little and have exhausted my financial resources towards treatment.
If you are able to contribute financially, please know your contribution means the world to me.
If you are unable to, I ask if you can send me positivity, love and healing vibes through your thoughts and prayers.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart & Lots of love
Nancy Duhamel
More about my PMDD journey
The severity of PMDD:
"It’s a severe and chronic medical condition that needs attention and treatment."
"The symptoms are associated with clinically significant distress or interference with work, school, usual social activities, or relationships with others."
"Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe, sometimes disabling extension of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Although PMS and PMDD both have physical and emotional symptoms, PMDD causes extreme mood shifts that can disrupt daily life and damage relationships."
The symptoms of PMDD begin showing up for me around 10 days before my period is due and can last up to 7 days once my period has started. The following symptoms are what can affect me up to 17 days a month.
- Extreme mood fluctuations, anger, depression, hopelessness, anxiety & panic attacks, extreme fatigue, impaired memory, intrusive thoughts, brain fog, crying spells...
- As well as physical symptoms such as sensory sensitivity to noise, light, sound and touch, sharp vaginal and uterus pain, groin and leg pain, breast pain, body aches, bloating, hot flashes, extreme fatigue, and the feeling like my skin is sunburnt all over.
- Due to the severity of these symptoms, I currently have to plan my work and life around my menstrual cycles. It also affects my home family life as a parent and wife, my social life and my studies at school.
PMDD is treated by trying to reduce symptoms through the use of Birth control or anti-anxiety/anti-depressant medication.
Over the years, I have done lots of blood work to rule out other conditions and check my hormone levels, with everything always coming back as normal.
I have tried numerous birth controls, invested money into naturopathic medicine and this past year alone, have been put on 5 different medications that fall under the anti-anxiety/antidepressant category.
Unfortunately, I keep having adverse and severe reactions to medications, and my doctor has recommended that I not try any more medications until I see a psychiatrist.
I'm on about an 8-month waiting list to see a psychiatrist.
My doc also said some people are resistant genetically to these medications and i could be one of them. He said that I will need to start seeking other ways to manage, such as therapy.
What is understood about PMDD is that the presence of PTSD & ADHD exacerbates the condition. And sure enough, I have been diagnosed with both ADHD and PTSD in this past year.
It feels like i am caught in a vicious cycle.
I have begun therapy for PTSD and am hoping I can continue this and be able to receive therapy treatment for my PMDD.
In April, I experienced a mental break due to the onset of PTSD symptoms coupled with my regular PMDD symptoms.
The PTSD symptoms have included regular panic attacks during the day and during sleep, anxiety, nightmares, reduced sleep, almost daily crying spells, hopelessness and depression. And then my regular monthly PMDD kicks in, and it feels like my entire world is crumbling.
These past 6 months have been the hardest of my life.
I try my best to keep it together each day; that has been possible with the love and support of my family members.
But every day feels like I am just surviving another day.
Asking for help is extremely hard, but I know it's what I need to do right now.
Thank you for reading my story.
Organizer
Nancy VaughanDuhamel
Organizer
Red Deer, AB