Divabetic (Divabetic.org) presents a month-long showcase celebrating 10 years of diabetes podcasting. Each of the featured podcasts spotlights our favorite guests, topics, poems, games and/or musical inspiration. Enjoy!

On Day 21, we’re spotlighting Divabetic’s Mr. Divabetic Show on Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder podcast from July 2019.

Mr. Divabetic discusses Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) on this one hour of wellness with a wow podcast.

PMDD is a severe, sometimes disabling extension of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) that start about 7 to 10 days before a woman gets her monthly period.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists estimates that at least 85 percent of menstruating women have at least one PMS symptom as part of their monthly cycle. PMS is much more common than PMDD.

The symptoms of PMDD are similar to but more severe than those experienced in PMS.

Symptoms of PMDD include:

• mood changes, including irritability, nervousness, anxiety
• severe fatique
• crying and emotional sensitivity
• difficulty concentrating
• heart palpitations
• paranoia and issues with self-image
• coordination difficulties
• forgetfulness
• abdominal bloating, increased appetite and gastrointestinal upset
• headaches
• backache
• muscle spasms, numbness or tingling in the extremities
• hot flashes
• dizziness
• fainting
• sleeplessness
• vision changes and eye complaints
• respiratory complaints, such as allergies and infections
• painful menses
• decreased libido
• easy bruising
• heightened sensitivity

Biologic, psychological, environmental, and social factors all seem to play a part in PMDD. It is important to note that PMDD is not the fault of the woman suffering from it or the result of a “weak” or unstable personality. It is also not something that is “all in the woman’s head.”

Rather, PMDD is a medical illness that impacts only 3% to 8% of women. Fortunately, it can be treated by a health care professional with behavioral and pharmaceutical options.

Podcast Guests: Dr. Andrea Chisholm OBGYN, Peak 10 Skin founder Connie Elder, We Are Diabetes founder, Asha Brown, and Laura L. who are both living with type 1 diabetes.

Throughout the podcast we will be playing selected songs from P.M. Dawn’s live album courtesy of SONY Music.

Our monthly podcasts are dedicated to Music Lovers living with, at risk and/or affected by diabetes. We aim to be the epicenter of the circle of care, a link between patients and their health care providers, a translator of clinical speak and a bridge between denial and acceptance, fear and confidence

Divabetic was inspired by the late music legend, Luther Vandross and created in 2005 by Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, who, as Vandross’ assistant of 14 years, witnessed his boss, mentor, and friend struggle in silence and solitude with the diabetes and its related complications. Since its inception, Divabetic has presented outreach programs in 15 major U.S. cities, reaching hundreds of thousands of women, their families and health care professionals.

Experience more of our GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS philosophy at divabetic.org