How Deidre tracked her moods to validate a PMDD diagnosis

For years, Deidre experienced a monthly drop in her mental health that she couldn’t fully understand. 

For about a week before her period, she would feel exhausted, emotionally low, and unable to function in the way she usually could. At first, she didn’t connect these changes to her menstrual cycle. Like many people who experience recurring mood symptoms, she wondered whether this was simply part of who she was. 

But after downloading the Clue app, Deidre began to notice a pattern. By tracking her symptoms daily, she built a body of evidence that helped turn her confusion into clarity, and ultimately led to a diagnosis of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

We spoke with Deidre about getting a PMDD diagnosis, how she used tracking data to advocate for herself, and why tackling period stigma still matters. 

Why did you start tracking your cycle with Clue?

"I noticed that at least for a week every month, right before my period, I would feel very lethargic and my mental health would plummet”, Deidre says, “It took me some time to really notice that pattern."

"I started documenting what felt like this monthly unraveling in the Clue app,” she says. “That’s when I started to realize that it wasn’t random. There was a pattern."

Deidre tracked not only her bleeding but also her mood and energy levels. As this pattern became harder to ignore, she made an appointment with her healthcare provider to find out whether there was an underlying explanation. 

Can tracking your cycle help identify PMDD?

Tracking symptoms over multiple cycles can help reveal patterns that may support conversations with a healthcare provider about conditions like PMDD.

"My doctor suggested that I keep tracking my symptoms over the months ahead so that we could get closer to the source of what was going on," Deidre recalls. "We wanted to find out why I was feeling the way that I did."

For Deirdre, Clue became a way to collect information she could bring into the appointment.

"Clue helped me build a body of evidence about the different symptoms I was experiencing during different parts of my cycle," she says.  "Then I could bring that information back to my doctor."

That record helped her receive a PMDD diagnosis.

"Getting the diagnosis has been really important for me," she says. "It finally gave me the words to describe the way that I was feeling."

For years, Deidre had questioned why she struggled so much during certain parts of her cycle. Having a PMDD diagnosis didn't make the symptoms disappear,  but it helped her understand that what she was experiencing had a name, and that she wasn't alone.

What were the main symptoms of PMDD you were experiencing? 

"I felt like I was doing all the right things to be mentally and physically well, and yet I was still completely exhausted," Deidre says. "I felt mentally low. I couldn't get out of bed. I just wanted to sleep the day away."

The symptoms affected nearly every part of her life.

 "I had a really difficult time functioning at work, in friendships, and in everyday life. And I was asking myself, ‘What's wrong with me?’"

Seeing those symptoms together in the Clue app helped Deidre connect experiences that had previously felt separate and confusing.

How has tracking your symptoms helped you understand your mental health?

"When I saw all the data in one place, it felt like all the pieces of the puzzle came together," Deidre says. "I could see everything that I had been feeling—both mentally and physically—in one space, and that's when it started to make sense."

Before tracking, Deidre says she had been more aware of the physical side of her cycle than the mental health changes that came with it. 

"I think that it's very common for women to notice physical symptoms because those are talked about more," she says. "But what’s often missing from the full picture is the mental component."

Tracking gave her a more complete view of her health.

"If I hadn't used Clue, I think it would have been difficult to have such a holistic view of my health," she says

It has also helped her prepare for moments when her symptoms might affect her plans.

"Sometimes I can have something really exciting planned, something I’m really looking forward to, and then the day comes, and I think, ‘Why do I feel so awful?’ Now I’m better able to check in with myself and understand what might be going on."

"It’s helped me realize that this is not something inherently wrong with me," she says. "I'm just going through something that many women do." 

Can cycle tracking help you advocate for yourself at the doctor's?

Understanding her cycle has also changed the way Deidre approaches healthcare. Rather than relying on memory alone, she can use her tracked symptoms to communicate more clearly with her healthcare provider. 

"I'm really fortunate to have a wonderful doctor here in Berlin who really listens to me and takes how I’m feeling seriously," she says. "But I also know it can be really difficult to find compassionate healthcare providers."

Having a doctor who encouraged her to track her symptoms was an important part of getting answers. But she also sees tracking as a tool that can help people advocate for themselves in healthcare settings where they may not feel heard. 

"There's still medical sexism and medical racism," she acknowledges. "There are still so many things that women and queer people have to go through to receive compassionate care."

Having a record of her symptoms gave Deidre something concrete to bring into the conversation.

 "Clue gives you a body of data to be able to advocate for yourself," she says, "If I go out into the world and I don't have a compassionate doctor, maybe I can at least use this to advocate for myself and get the care that I need."

How do period stigma and taboos affect people's health?

While tracking helped Deidre better understand her own symptoms, she believes broader cultural attitudes around menstruation also play a role in why so many people struggle to get answers.

"Growing up in the 1990s and 2000s, I was taught that my body needed to appear orderly, neat, and entirely discreet," she says. 

"There was so much secrecy and taboo. You passed pads under desks, kept things hidden, and made sure never to let the boys in the classroom know what was happening."

"Society taught me to keep everything under wraps to make everyone else comfortable, completely at my own expense," she says. "Instead of being educated about how my reproductive system worked, or how to feel safe, comfortable, and at home in my own skin, I was taught how to appease an audience."

She believes that a lack of education can make it harder for people to recognize when something is affecting their health. 

"Reproductive health, sexual health, and your cycle are all things that you don't get properly educated about, and that’s why I now encourage my friends and family to pay attention to their bodies, track their symptoms, and get to know their bodies better."

Learning about her cycle has also helped Deidre to rebuild her relationship with her body.

"Growing up, I always felt disconnected from my body," she remembers. "But over the past few years, I have been on a journey to get to know my body better."

Today, Deidre views tracking as more than a way to record symptoms. It's a tool that helped her better understand herself, find answers, and feel more confident advocating for her health.

What’s one word you would use to describe the impact Clue has had on your life?

"Clarity," Deidre says. 

"Clarity means having the full picture, the body of evidence, to understand that you are not crazy. It's not all in your head. There's a real reason why you feel the way that you do. And having that clarity is so empowering."