On Wednesdays, We Talk: Tonia Jahshan Spills the Tea on PMDD

A few years ago, after a particularly stressful time at work, Sipology founder Tonia Jahshan began experiencing bouts of anger that were uncharacteristic for her. She lost focus, was quick to ire or cry, and even admitted to being downright mean at times - particularly preceding the onset of her menstrual period. But when her moods started to affect her relationships at work and at home, Tonia knew it was time to ask for help.
She went to her family doctor and was referred to the Women’s Health Concerns Clinic at St. Joe’s. After tracking both her mood and her menstrual cycle for two months, Tonia was diagnosed with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). PMDD affects between 1.6 - 6 percent of Canadian women making it more common than schizophrenia, OCD and bipolar disorder. Common symptoms include rage, mood swings, bloating, binge eating, depression and more. Yet most people have never heard of the condition.
Dr. Benicio Frey, Medical Director of the Women’s Health Concerns Clinic at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, and the inaugural Homewood Research Institute Chair in Women’s Mental Health and Depression explains: “PMDD is caused by an abnormal response in the brain to normal fluctuations in hormone levels,” says Dr. Frey. “Because hormonal fluctuations happen naturally during a woman’s menstrual cycle, in the perinatal period, during the menopausal transition, and throughout life’s stages, a simple blood test won’t show any abnormalities. It’s only by monitoring a client’s mood, their physical and emotional symptoms, and their menstrual cycle together that we can accurately diagnose PMDD.”
The good news is, PMDD is also highly treatable. Dr. Frey says there are a number of natural, pharmacological and therapy-based interventions available to women depending on their age, life-stage and symptoms.
Today, Tonia takes prescription medication to help manage her PMDD as she builds an international empire in sippable products and teas and shares her story as the 2024 Community Champion for the Shoppers Drug Mart Run for Women, supporting Women’s Mental Health and Addictions Care at St. Joe’s. To join Tonia’s team at the Run for Women on Sunday, June 9th or to make a gift to support Women’s Mental Health and Addictions Care at St. Joe’s visit bit.ly/r4w2024....
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