---
title: How can women prevent psychiatric symptoms from getting worse before their period?
description: Semi-intermittent dosing (adjusting medicine doses in the days before the period) may help women stay stable all month. However, research on this approach is
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-exacerbations-achieving-stability-all-month-every-month-2017/
---

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- How can women prevent psychiatric symptoms from getting worse before their period?

Study, 2017

# How can women prevent psychiatric symptoms from getting worse before their period?

Semi-intermittent dosing (adjusting medicine doses in the days before the period) may help women stay stable all month. However, research on this approach is limited.

 Early or limited evidence

This is a clinical review and opinion piece, not a study of women

## What they did

Clinicians reviewed research on premenstrual symptom flare-ups in women taking psychiatric medicine. They presented a treatment strategy called semi-intermittent dosing, where medicine doses are adjusted during the premenstrual phase.

## What they found

Premenstrual worsening of symptoms can disrupt about 10 years of a woman's reproductive life. The article presents semi-intermittent dosing as a potential treatment strategy but does not provide detailed research results or success rates.

## What it means for you

Adjusting medicine doses before the period might prevent symptom flare-ups. The main limitation is that evidence for this approach is sparse. Women and doctors need more research to determine if it works and how to use it safely.

10 years

Potential disruption from symptoms

## About the study

Original title Premenstrual Exacerbations: Achieving Stability All Month, Every Month Authors Leahy LG Journal Journal of psychosocial nursing and mental health services Year 2017 Study design Study What was tested Semi-intermittent dosing (adjusting medication doses) Read the paper [doi.org/10.3928/02793695-20170330-02](https://doi.org/10.3928/02793695-20170330-02)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Premenstrual exacerbation (PME)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pme/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

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