PMDD cycling does go away after menopause. But during the years before and during the menopause transition (which can often last 5-10 years!), things can get rough for a while since women/AFAB with PMDD are sensitive to hormone changes and hormone flux increases EVEN MORE during perimenopause. Estrogen gets very erratic and unstable before it declines at the end of menopause.

My mentor’s laboratory has recently published a randomized controlled trial demonstrating that HRT (estrogen patch with infrequent doses of progesterone to help the endometrium stay thin) can prevent these perimenopausal emotional issues, especially in highly stressed individuals.

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Updated 22 December, 2018 by Tory Eisenlohr-Moul, PhD