During the last week before menstruating, for most of the menstrual cycles occurring during the course of a year, there have been at least five of the following symptoms which have disappeared shortly after commencing menstruation:
- Significantly low mood;
- Marked anxiety or a feeling of being on edge;
- Fluctuating moods - suddenly feeling sad, rejected or tearful;
- Feeling persistently angry or irritable;
- Loss of interests in usual activities;
- Difficulty concentrating;
- Decreased energy or feeling of fatigue;
- Altered appetite, usually increased with cravings;
- Significantly increased or decreased sleep;
- A feeling of being out of control;
- Physical symptoms such as abdominal bloating, headaches, breast tenderness, joint or muscle pain and weight gain.
In order for the problem to be considered a disorder there has to be a significant disturbance in functioning.
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