What are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)?
SSRIs are a class of medication that affects the brain’s use of the neurotransmitter serotonin. This improvement in serotonin use is known to improve physical and emotional PMS symptoms. SSRIs are also used to treat depression, anxiety, menopausal hot flashes, and chronic pain. SSRIs are usually the first-choice medication for treating severe PMS and PMDD symptoms, including depression, anxiety, irritability, anger, mood swings, breast tenderness, bloating, headache, and joint and muscle pain. SSRI treatment only during the premenstrual phase appears to be as effective as continuous SSRI treatment.1 And, it costs less. If you have PMS symptoms that completely subside during your period, this approach is likely to work for you. But, if you have emotional symptoms of depression or anxiety all of the time, taking an SSRI continuously may be a better option for you. Commonly used SSRIs for PMS include sertraline (Zoloft), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), paroxetine (Paxil), fluvoxamine (Luvox
