Angie Kent has been a dear friend of mine for quite some time. We met nearly over a decade ago now (crazy!). On one hand, it seems like a lifetime ago and on the other; it feels like it was just yesterday. Angie and I met through mutual friends when I first moved to Sydney. We instantly hit it off and have been soul sisters ever since. I have been with her through a lot over the years and have been lucky enough to witness her beautiful transformation into Australia’s sweetheart.
To me, she is more than just a public figure. She is the most beautiful soul inside and out and has been an amazing friend to me after all these years. For as long as I have known Ang, she has struggled with her health. Those of us who are close to her know she has had her moments of suffering. Last year, she finally got a formal diagnosis, which cleared the grey skies for her after trying to figure out what was going on for so long. Today, she joins us on The Wholesome Seed to talk about her journey and diagnosis with PMDD.
With that, please welcome my dear friend, Angie Kent.
Angie Kent, welcome! Tell us a little bit about your journey with PCOS, Endometriosis and now PMDD.
Thank you for having me! Well, I have struggled with my health unconsciously, consciously, and subconsciously for a long time. Ever since I can remember, my symptoms were always being associated with other things, whether it was being told that the reason I went to the bathroom a lot was that I was anxious or my periods would stop for months on end and I figured it was because of my struggle with an eating disorder that lasted for years. However, I never truly found out what was causing all of my symptoms.
I never knew I suffered from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and Endometriosis (Endo). In February 2022, after my third laparoscopy surgery, I also learned that I have Endo’s evil cousin, Adenomyosis along with Interstitial Cystitis (IC). Not long after that, I was also diagnosed with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). After all these years of struggling, it was not until then that I felt like my true healing began. I still have a long way to go but am on my way!
How long did it take for you to get diagnosed with PMDD?
It took me until maybe mid-last year until I found out I had PMDD. I was feeling like I was manic every few weeks and thought perhaps I have bipolar disorder (BPD) or ADHD. I ended up in the ER a few times after my third laparoscopy because of manic episodes from pain caused by my IC and Endo flareups or serotonin syndrome from doctors prescribing me pain medications that would have the reverse effect on me. It was truly terrifying. It would get to the point every month that I felt like, “what was the point in living?” I couldn’t function and socialise, I felt this deep sense of fear and anxiety. I couldn’t sleep and my disordered eating patterns crept back in. It wasn’t until my amazing women’s health practitioner, Doctor Andrew Orr said to me, “you aren’t going crazy Angie, you have PMDD.”
I was continuously told by GPs that I should see a psychiatrist as it sounded like I had BPD or to go on the pill or take anti-anxiety. None of these options sat well with me. Having the formal diagnosis from Dr. Orr, brought this great sense of knowing and relief, even though it still leaves me debilitated for 5-10 days each month. In reality, I had to do my own investigating, and I got to the bottom of my diagnosis with the help of an amazing team that is across both western and eastern medicine but mostly holistic based.
What symptoms of PMDD do you experience?
Mania, anger, and irritability to the point I can’t stand being touched. Loud noises and bright lights can cause me complete anxiety to the point I can’t function. My breasts are so sore that I wake up in the night crying from the pain, and food cravings I can’t control until I eat it and then it comes with the guilt from my disordered eating past. Trouble concentrating, and insomnia but also always so tired, feeling out of control and completely disassociated from my body. I often shut down and try to avoid any extra communication with people so they aren’t affected by my mood… but my personality is my job, so I have to do everything I can some days to pull myself together to get through the day and then come home and hide.
What lifestyle changes have you made that have helped manage your diagnosis?
When I am eating right, exercising, and seeing my women’s health practitioner regularly for my acupuncture appointments, I am more balanced. Also, taking the herbs and supplements prescribed to me regularly is a must for me.
I also have weekly sessions with an essence energetics healer who helps me absorb, release, and allow my emotions to arise without being attached to them. I do a lot of energy and emotional work as I believe trauma has caused a lot of my invisible illnesses. I choose not to be defined by what I have been through. I believe we can heal our own bodies with the help of amazing people in the field who have studied women’s health, hormones, emotions, and the female anatomy. Some months are better than others. This mainly depends on what is going on in my life. I live a life mostly out of a suitcase and in an industry that can be very toxic. Finding balance can be hard, but it is a must for people with chronic invisible illnesses and/or PMDD.
What does “standardised” treatment for PMDD look like and what does your personal treatment look like?
Standardised from my experience with GP’s, is going on the pill or taking an anti-anxiety medication of some sort. Which is fine if that works for you, but that doesn’t work for my body and how I want to heal. My personal treatment is very holistic and I find the herbs I am on and the essence energetics deep healing I do with my healer and dear friend work best for me. I do sometimes consider going on some kind of anti-anxiety for half the month during a PMDD episode and I can’t see out of the dark hole. However, as soon as I do my practices and own how I am feeling, I can generally get back into my body and calm down my nervous system and speak to my hormones. I let them know they are safe and that we are not crazy, we are just experiencing something that means we need a little more TLC in this moment. Everyone is different about what works for them. No two people experience anything the same, so find what best works for you!
Is there hope for women struggling with PMDD and are there any amazing resources you can recommend?
There is! Slowly but surely, it is being talked about more and more. If I have anything to do with it, I promise women / AFAB people that there will be more than just hope for them! We are stronger together and the more noise we make, the more honest we are with our symptoms, the more people will step up and the right practitioners will come forward to give people the help they deserve.
As far as resources go, surprisingly there are so many for Endometriosis and PCOS but not much for PMDD. I would recommend following my amazing women’s health specialist, Dr. Orr (@drandreworr) as he often does free talks and posts about relevant information. Also, I would check out Premenstrual Disorders Australia (@pmda_australia).
