Living with PMDD: How Nettle™ changed my life and career

When I first heard about Nettle™

I first heard about Samphire Neuroscience in late 2023, when a friend told me about a new device that might help with my PMDD: Nettle™. For anyone who might not know, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is often described as a more severe version of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). In my case, and a lot of others, that’s a very simplified idea of the disorder - but it can help as a starting point to describe to others what it is.
I’d tried everything from medications, supplements, therapy and various hormonal contraception, but nothing seemed to make a real dent in my symptoms. So when I heard there was something new being developed specifically for PMDD, I signed up for the waitlist immediately.

My PMDD journey

My journey with PMDD started around seven years ago, when I was 23. I already had a history of depression, anxiety, and painful periods, but the emotional crashes I experienced in the days before my period began to stand out. People close to me started noticing it too. The older I got, the worse those dips became.
For me, PMDD wasn’t just a few days of irritability and sadness. It felt like a complete loss of will to keep going. I’d spend days sleeping just to escape my own thoughts. I couldn’t look after myself properly or cook, living off takeouts, I picked fights with my partner, pushed my friends away and withdrew from the world entirely. Every month, I would leave every single group chat I was in. It became a bit of a running joke. I’d be so embarrassed when I’d come out the other side of it all, wondering why I couldn’t just get my act together.

"It will pass" but it never felt that way

No matter how many times people told me it would pass, I couldn’t believe them. Because when you’re in that place, it really is all you can see. A PMDD flare feels like the only reality that’s ever existed or will exist. My best friends would literally pull me out of bed while I sobbed, trying to convince me I’d feel better once my period came. I didn’t believe them but sure enough, like clockwork, I’d get my period and it would all change.

I once heard Vicky Pattison, who also lives with PMDD, describe it as: Every month, you spend weeks building your sandcastles—your healthy habits, your systems—and then PMDD comes in like a wave and washes them all away. And you have to start over again. But what no one talks about is what happens when you’ve done that enough times to feel like you can’t rebuild anymore. I got to the point where, even on my better days, I’d think: What’s the point? My sandcastles are just going to get knocked down again. I was exhausted and I felt like I couldn’t keep leaning on my people to carry me through it every single time. It was a really difficult time and I was willing to try anything that could help my symptoms.

My experience using Nettle™

I started using Nettle™ in November 2024 and noticed a shift within the first month of using it. I felt more functional, more emotionally grounded and I wasn’t bed-bound by the weight of my thoughts. I was able to have some normalcy in my life for the first time in a long time.

I knew it had to be Nettle™ that was helping me because there was one luteal phase I went away and forgot to bring it with me, and my symptoms were more difficult to navigate that month.

I’ve carried on using Nettle™ each month and my symptoms have continued to improve. I originally used Nettle™ in the 7 days leading up to my period, but now I’ve added some extra sessions whenever I feel I need it.

From user to team member

When the opportunity came up to join Samphire as a team member a month ago, I jumped at it. I’d already been recommending Nettle™ to anyone who would listen. I love that now I get to spend my days helping others find the same relief that I did.

Nettle™ comes with a 90 day guarantee, and this is such a great way to see if the device works for you. We also host monthly Ask Me Anything sessions with our founder and neuroscientist, Em, and they’re a brilliant way to learn more.

You’ll see me pop up on our socials and blog, and I hope I become a familiar face as well as a reminder that you don’t have to start from scratch every month.