SSRI's seem to be the best drugs to help with the symptoms.
doctor's aren't sure what the real causes are of PMDD, however they do seem to be closely related to prolactins and the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and not the follicular phase.

this leads me (non-professionally) to conclude that there is some evidence that a rise in progesterone is linked to this condition. This would also make sense then as to why birth control affects you badly.

all birth control contains progesterone (often in a synthetic form), some has that alone and some has it with estrogen (again often in a synthetic form).

Progesterone production begins just before ovulation and rises rapidly afterwards.

However, this fails then to explain why many women have no symptoms at all during pregnancy, as the progesterone levels are very high to sustain the pregnancy.

hmmmmmm *scratches head*

well, I guess I really didn't answer your question did I?
From what I understand your symptoms should typically reduce within a couple days of your period starting.

Actually that was very informative, thanks. You actually did answer my question with the information that you gave. I knew I could count on you to figure it out . That does make sense because I wasn't happy at all being pregnant. I was miserable and depressed and cried every day but it was a different sort of depression that what I was used to.

well, now maybe I just found the root of your problems with hormonal bith control then..

you sound like you are progesterone intolerant...

just went digging through past medical journals...

progesterone intolerance isn't as uncommon as you would belive.
there have been succesful treatments involving supression of the ovulatory system using goserelin marketed as zoladex. (used typically in the treatment of breast cancer or other cancers sensitive to excessive estrogen, and in treating endometriosis
then using "add-backs" to prevent things like osteoporosis.
oestradiol (synthetic estrogen) doesn't cause any problems but once the progesterone is added back the problems recur.

However, the progesterone provided by insertion of the mirena coil has been shown to be sufficient to help prevent problems caused by lack of progesterone and yet not to stimulate the problems caused by progesterone intolerance.

all of which comes back to problems with the pituitary gland.

Goserelin is also used to desensitise the pituitary gland and stop the natural production of FSH and LH, in women with infertility caused by ovulation problems. Synthetic FSH and LH are then administered to stimulate ovulation.

incidentally do you have any dermatitis type problems?

hmmmmmmm

I learned a lot today

nope, just your common run of the mill dry skin.