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Medical Health Encyclopedia
Premenstrual Syndrome - Medications
From Healthscout's partner site on erectile dysfunction, HealthCentral.com
(Page 4) [For more information, see In-Depth Report #28: Anxiety.] Hormone TherapiesBirth Control Pills. Most oral contraceptives (OCs) combine progestins (either natural or synthetic forms of progesterone) and estrogen (usually ethinyl estradiol). Some doctors advise women with PMS to skip the 7-day placebo interval of their birth control medication and instead use the active drugs on a continuous basis to avoid monthly menstruation. New OCs are also being developed to specifically treat the mood symptoms associated with premenstrual dysmorphic disorder (PMDD):
![]() Side effects of OCs include nausea, breakthrough bleeding, breast tenderness, headache, and weight gain. Women who smoke, or who are at risk for blood clots or stroke, should avoid oral contraceptives or use them with caution.
GnRH Agonists. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists (also called analogs) are powerful hormonal drugs that suppress ovulation and, thereby, the hormonal fluctuations that produce PMS. They are sometimes used for very severe PMS symptoms and to improve breast tenderness, fatigue, and irritability. (These drugs, in fact, are sometimes used to rule out or confirm a diagnosis of PMS. If symptoms persist while the drug is being taken, then PMS is unlikely to be their cause.) GnRH analogs, however, appear to have little effect on depression. | ||||
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