Jules Robinson has opened up about suffering with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) after the birth of her son.
Speaking with co-host Mel Wilson on The Juggling Act podcast, the former Married At First Sight contestant said she "knew something was wrong" after the birth of her son, Oliver, in 2020.
"It was about three months in, and obviously because you’ve got so many hormones going on [post-partum], you don’t really know if you’re coming or going," she told Wilson.
"But I’d stopped breastfeeding and I’d just got my period [again] and it was just the most intense emotions and feelings."
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Robinson described feeling so lethargic, that she felt as if she "could sleep for days".
"I am so emotional [when I’m menstruating]. I actually feel like I can’t get through — you almost feel like you can’t deal with life," she said.
"I can only explain it as you just feel like you can’t function with life, and I think I cut myself [off] from the world."
As any woman will tell you, it's almost impossible to know what's considered 'normal' when it comes to your menstrual cycle. For Robinson, the pain and emotions were just something she's "always suffered".
"But I think that’s quite normal to feel like that. I’ve always been very sensitive," she added.
"After I had Oliver, it just took another level of that depth of despair, [feeling like] ‘I can’t actually function through today’.
"It got really bad when I was actually in Bali… It was awful. I had really dark, horrible thoughts, and that’s when I was like, ‘This is not me’."
After seeing a doctor, the 41-year-old was eventually diagnosed with PMDD — a severe form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
"I can say now, a year on, it does depend on many things … it’s been hard," she said.
Since her diagnosis, Robinson has been working alongside her doctor to navigate different treatment options to help relax symptoms, including lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise.
"I am next-level, totally different to who I am on a normal basis. It’s not a nice feeling. I naturally am a very happy, upbeat person, and then to literally go, from one day to the next, you can’t get yourself out of that hole.
"[But] it feels really good to talk about it."
Have you heard of PMDD before? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Feature image: Instagram/@julesrobinson82.
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