---
title: Can hormone implants help severe premenstrual depression when antidepressants don't work?
description: Yes. One woman with a 5-year history of frequently returning depression that didn't improve with usual antidepressants improved completely after receiving est
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-depression-cortisol-and-oestradiol-treatment-1986/
---

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- Can hormone implants help severe premenstrual depression when antidepressants don't work?

Case report, 1986

# Can hormone implants help severe premenstrual depression when antidepressants don't work?

Yes. One woman with a 5-year history of frequently returning depression that didn't improve with usual antidepressants improved completely after receiving estradiol and testosterone implants every 4 months, and her cortisol level (a stress hormone) returned to normal.

 Early or limited evidence

1 woman with 5-year history of frequently recurrent premenstrual depression

## What they did

Case report of one woman with severe premenstrual depression lasting 5 years that didn't respond to standard antidepressants. She had a raised cortisol level and worsened with progesterone or ACTH (a hormone that raises cortisol). She received estradiol and testosterone implants every 4 months.

## What they found

The hormone implants removed all her symptoms for at least 8 years. Her cortisol level returned to normal.

## What it means for you

Estradiol and testosterone implants may help severe premenstrual depression linked to high cortisol when other treatments don't work. This is based on one case followed over 8 years.

5 years

history of recurrent depression

8 years

duration of symptom relief

4 months

implant frequency

## About the study

Original title Premenstrual depression, cortisol and oestradiol treatment Authors Crammer JL Journal Psychological medicine Year 1986 Study design Case report What was tested Estradiol and testosterone implant every 4 months Read the paper [doi.org/10.1017/s0033291700009284](https://doi.org/10.1017/s0033291700009284)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[Estradiol, progesterone and hormone therapy](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormone-therapy/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)

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