Randomised trial, 1992
Do PMS symptoms stay better after stopping progesterone suppository treatment?
Partially. Symptoms improved from baseline but worsened from the end of treatment. Only 27 percent of women were still taking PMS medications a year later.
What they did
Follow-up to a prior treatment study. Originally, 129 women with confirmed PMS received progesterone suppositories or placebo. About 1 year after that study ended, researchers contacted the women by telephone to ask about their current PMS symptoms and medication use.
What they found
Only 35 of the 129 women (27 percent) were taking medications for PMS at follow-up. Symptom severity at follow-up was less than at baseline but greater than at the end of the original treatment study.
What it means for you
Some improvement may persist after stopping treatment, but symptoms partially return. The authors suggest that support, validation, and education during treatment may have helped, and losing these things when treatment ended may explain the return of symptoms. Only 35 of 129 women were tracked at follow-up.
129
women in original study
35
followed up at 1 year
27%
still taking PMS medications at follow-up
About the study
- Original title
- Course of premenstrual syndrome symptom severity after treatment
- Authors
- Freeman EW, Rickels K, Sondheimer SJ
- Journal
- The American journal of psychiatry
- Year
- 1992
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 35
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1176/ajp.149.4.531
Topics
Related studies
Systematic review, 2023
What hormonal treatments have been tested for PMDD, menstrual migraine, and catamenial epilepsy?
Survey study, 2022
What causes PMS and PMDD and what new treatments are being studied?
Systematic review, 2015
What are the effects of continuous hormonal treatments for premenstrual syndrome?
Review, 2012
How should premenstrual disorders be diagnosed and organized?
Review, 2012
How is PMS diagnosed and treated, especially in women approaching menopause?
Randomised trial, 2012
Do hysterectomy or hormonal IUDs reduce premenstrual symptoms in women with heavy periods?