PMDD and severe PMS are not “just hormones,” and with the right medical approach, it is possible to reduce monthly crashes by addressing the deeper drivers behind mood, inflammation, and cycle imbalance.
When Your Cycle Disrupts Your Life, It Deserves Real Answers
For many women, PMS is more than mild irritability or cramps. It can be debilitating mood swings, anxiety, depression, insomnia, fatigue, and physical symptoms that return like clockwork every month. At Health & Vitality Center, Dr. Shiva Lalezar offers PMDD or PMS treatment in Los Angeles through a functional medicine approach that evaluates hormone patterns, detox pathways, gut health, inflammation, and environmental exposure. The goal is to restore stability, not simply suppress symptoms. Schedule your consultation with Health & Vitality Center to explore a more complete approach to PMDD or PMS treatment in Los Angeles.
What Is PMDD?
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe form of PMS that affects mood, emotional regulation, and physical well-being in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Symptoms typically appear in the one to two weeks before menstruation and improve shortly after bleeding begins.
PMDD can affect relationships, work performance, sleep, and quality of life. Many women describe feeling like a different person each month, and they may spend years being dismissed, misdiagnosed, or told the symptoms are simply "stress."
PMS Versus PMDD
PMS can involve cramping, bloating, breast tenderness, irritability, fatigue, and sleep disruption. PMDD includes many of those symptoms but tends to involve a more severe emotional and cognitive component. Women with PMDD often experience:
Intense mood swings or emotional instability
Anxiety or panic symptoms
Depression or hopelessness
Anger, irritability, or feeling out of control
Brain fog and poor concentration Severe fatigue and sleep disruption
The symptoms are real, physiological, and often driven by deeper endocrine and inflammatory patterns.
Why Conventional Treatment Often Falls Short
In conventional care, PMS and PMDD are often treated with birth control, antidepressants, or symptom-based medications. For some women, these options provide temporary relief. For many others, symptoms return the moment treatment stops, or the monthly pattern continues in a different form. One of the main limitations of conventional treatment is that it typically focuses on suppressing symptoms rather than identifying what is driving them.
PMDD and severe PMS are frequently influenced by layered imbalances, including estrogen dominance, low progesterone, thyroid dysfunction, cortisol disruption, chronic inflammation, gut dysbiosis, and impaired detoxification of hormone metabolites. When these deeper drivers are not addressed, treatment can become a cycle of trial-and-error. A root-cause approach is often necessary to create more stable emotional and physical health across the entire month.
Work in a toxin-heavy profession?
We treat the long-term effects of occupational exposure, including firefighters, police, tradespeople, and more.
A Functional Medicine Approach To PMDD/PMS Treatment
Functional medicine views PMS and PMDD as conditions influenced by multiple systems. Rather than focusing only on cycle timing, Dr. Lalezar evaluates how the body is processing hormones, how stable inflammation and metabolism are, and whether gut or toxic burdens are contributing to symptoms. This approach may involve supporting the body through several key areas, often in a structured sequence.
Liver Support And Detoxification
The liver is responsible for processing and clearing hormone metabolites. When detox pathways are sluggish, estrogen byproducts can accumulate and worsen monthly symptoms. For some patients, supporting detoxification is one of the most important turning points in reducing PMDD severity. This may include strategic liver support and addressing environmental exposure patterns that contribute to hormonal disruption.
Heavy metals can also act as hormone disruptors. When clinically appropriate, Dr. Lalezar may evaluate toxic burden and support detoxification as part of long-term hormone stabilization.
Hormone Imbalance And Estrogen Dominance
Many women develop estrogen dominance due to modern environmental exposure, including chemicals in plastics, food supply contamination, and hormone-like compounds in personal care products. When estrogen is high relative to progesterone, symptoms may include:
Mood swings and irritability
Anxiety and emotional sensitivity
Breast tenderness and bloating
Headaches
Heavy or irregular periods
Sugar cravings and fatigue
This pattern is common in both PMS and PMDD. Correcting it often requires more than adding hormones. It frequently involves detox and metabolic stabilization.
Testimonials
“I highly recommend Dr Lalezar.”
I went to Dr Lalezar frustrated that after having seen 4 specialists, 3 years of aggravation, having gained more than 30 lbs, no one could figure out what was wrong with my thyroid.
Well she did in the first 10 min I met her. I also found out that the level of mercury in my body was thru the roof. She fixed that too with her chelation treatment and only in a few sessions.
Not only she is the most pleasant doctor you will meet, but also she is one of the brightest. She thinks in 3 dimensions and combines her knowledge of western medicine with osteopathy beautifully. She is extremely competent.
Her office staff are so kind, considerate, and patient orientated. Dr. Lalezar has spent so much energy, turning her office and treatment center into a beautiful, calm, zen spot, following Feng shui elements. You will never feel like you are in a doctor’s office.
I have come across people who have come to her office as far as Barstow. I highly recommend Dr Lalezar.
– Farahnaz F.
“I feel better than I have felt in years”
“I feel better than I have felt in years thanks to Dr. Lalezar. Seriously, I had been to other doctors and when they asked how I felt and I said “meh” they just shrugged it off. It turns out I was suffering from extreme mercury toxicity.Thank goodness Dr. Lalezar knew what tests to give me. She also has prescribed hormones and various minerals and micronutrients to get me feeling better than ever. Those, along with IV chelations have made incredible transformations in my health.
Three friends in the past week have told me how good I look. I also brought my 16-year-old daughter to see her for a full exam and Dr. Lalezar has been compassionate, thoughtful, and nurturing to us both.”
– Margaret G.
“Dr. Lalezar cured me and GAVE ME MY LIFE BACK.”
Starting in February 2018 I started to develop a mysterious, severe face rash that conventional doctors could not determine the cause. By March, it progressed and it was very painful…it felt like my face was on fire and weeping blisters developed on my face. It was horrible. I didn’t want to go anywhere. Doctors tried me on all sorts of medications. I also switched out all my makeup and skin care products. Nothing cured it. Additionally, the doctors would prescribe Prednisone, which helped, but as soon as I tapered off, the painful rash would reappear…and worse each time! The conventional doctor finally told me he thought I was developing psoriasis. I refused to believe that. I intuitively knew I was reacting to something.
I spent countless hours researching possible causes on the Internet. I thought maybe I developed an allergy to a certain food. So I went on an elimination diet and for several weeks only ate fruits, vegetables and salmon. I also got allergy tested for cat dander and goose feathers as I theorized maybe I developed an allergy to my cats or to my feather comforter. None of this helped. The burning rash and blisters continued to return.
I didn’t want to return to the conventional doctors. They were at a loss, too. I knew I had to take a different approach.
I found Dr. Lalezar’s website and resonated with what I saw. I had treated with functional medicine practitioners with great success in the past.
Dr. Lalezar cured me and GAVE ME MY LIFE BACK.
How?
Ten years ago I was diagnosed with a nickel allergy. During my Internet research, I studied nickel allergy and saw that many magnets contain nickel. In July 2017 I started wearing magnetic lashes. I thought it was pretty far-fetched that my lashes – with extremely tiny magnets – would be the cause of my face rash. Because my rash didn’t start developing until many months after I started wearing the lashes. And, even though the rash did start underneath my eyes, the rash had spread to many parts of my face, including by my ears, my forehead and underneath my chin.
Keep in mind, even when my face was at its worst, I CONTINUED TO WEAR THE LASHES. I figured because I couldn’t wear makeup, those lashes were the one element of beauty I could easily still wear.
Dr. Lalezar took ample time to meet with me and listen to my medical history. I mentioned my nickel allergy and told her about the magnetic lashes. (Although, again, I still thought it likely wasn’t the cause.)
She submitted my blood for testing and she also had me to a six-hour urine test that would test the presence of many heavy metals in my body.
In the meantime as I was awaiting results of my labs, I contacted the company where I bought the lashes from. They couldn’t help me when I called them, so I emailed the company. Nine days later they responded to me, informing me that the magnets on their lashes were indeed “black nickel coated.”
I decided to stop wearing the lashes to see what would happen. The last day I wore them was April 25, and I was in the middle of tapering off a round of Prednisone. (If the lashes were the culprit, then my nickel reaction would occur three days later per my allergy results regarding nickel 10 years ago.) My Prednisone taper ended April 26.
The rash returned; however, by April 28, the rash would have progressed to the oozing stage. It didn’t. The red, dry, itchy rash appeared in various parts all over my face, but it didn’t burn as bad and it never started oozing. It plateaued. Why didn’t it progress this time? The only thing I changed was I stopped wearing the lashes. Now I was pretty convinced the lashes were the culprit.
On April 30, I saw Dr. Lalezar because the results came in on my heavy metals testing. It revealed that I had an excessive amount of nickel in my body…more than four times the limit a human being should have in the body. It was evident that the nickel-plated magnetic lashes was the primary contributor to my face rash.
After months of obsessive research and dealing with the terrible rash, and with the help and expertise of Dr. Lalezar, I was overjoyed and eternally grateful to have finally found the cause of my ugly and painful face. Needless to say, I immediately threw the lashes away, and Dr. Lalezar started me on IV chelation therapy to expel the nickel out of my body.
A couple of weeks later (by Mother’s Day!), my face was almost fully healed. I will forever be grateful to Dr. Lalezar for helping me solve the terrible mystery of my awful face rash that was ruining my life. Since this experience, I’ve done further research on heavy metal toxicity, and it’s amazing the kinds of health problems people can suffer from due to large amounts of heavy metals in their bodies. It is a contributor to many types of ailments and illnesses. And mainstream medical providers do not address this.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Dr. Lalezar and team!!!
– Connie W.
“Dr. Lalezar is wonderful at examining the whole picture”
“I am currently seeing Dr. Lalezar to get to the bottom of several issues including fatigue, hormone imbalance, high cholesterol, and mood disorder. I am trying to get off some of my medications. I am so tired of traditional doctors just giving you a pill for your symptoms.
Dr. Lalezar is wonderful at examining the whole picture: hormones, nutrition, toxicity, and the environment. I really feel that she is interested in helping me. Just for example, I changed my diet and started taking Red Yeast Rice per her advice, and my cholesterol went down 40 points in 3 months! The bio-identical hormones have also made a huge difference in my energy levels.
Functional medicine requires more involvement and responsibility from the patient too. If you want to take control of your health, I recommend Dr. Lalezar and her capable staff.”
– L. L.
“She was very professional and kind”
I went to see Dr. Lalezar for answers regarding my overall health and low immune system. After taking lots of blood samples and a urine sample and waiting for a few weeks Dr. Lalezaradeh’s office called me in to meet with the Dr who went over ALL of my test results and figured out why my immune system is down and drafted a plan to get me back on track (which worked). She was very professional and kind and her Vitamin C injection is like medical crack it will have you up and running in no time. It really works! The only down fall is that she tests for EVERYTHING and somethings are NOTcovered through insurance so make sure you have met your deductible. Oh and shout out to the staff who are very warm and welcoming.
– Keith M.
“Great experience.”
Great experience. And I will continue come to Dr. Lalezar Office for my IV vitamins and minerals. Today I start a program to see if my body has a heavy metals and if I do Dr. Shiva Lalezar will help me to clean my body from it. Let’s start my journey.
– Anastasia S.
Gut Health And Hormonal Stability
The gut plays a major role in hormone metabolism, immune regulation, and inflammation. Dysbiosis, leaky gut patterns, and food sensitivities can contribute to systemic inflammation and worsen PMS or PMDD symptoms.
Women with PMDD often report digestive symptoms such as bloating, irregular bowel habits, reflux, or food reactions. Supporting gut integrity and microbial balance can reduce inflammatory signaling that affects mood and cycle stability.
The Role Of Stress, Cortisol, And Adrenal Function
Stress does not “cause” PMDD, but it often intensifies symptoms. When cortisol rhythms are disrupted, progesterone can decline and mood stability can become more fragile.
Supporting adrenal function is often an important part of treatment, especially for women who are high-achieving, overextended, and running on depleted reserves.
Improving sleep, regulating stress patterns, and supporting nervous system stability can reduce the intensity of monthly symptom swings.
Treatment Options At Health & Vitality Center
Treatment is always individualized, but care may include a combination of strategies designed to restore hormonal balance and reduce symptom severity.
This may include:
Targeted hormone support, including natural progesterone therapy when appropriate
Gut repair and food sensitivity evaluation
Detoxification support and liver cleanse strategies
Nutrient optimization to support hormone receptor sensitivity
Metabolic stabilization and inflammation reduction
The goal is to reduce monthly disruption and help women feel emotionally and physically steady throughout the entire cycle.
What Results Can Patients Expect?
Every patient is different, but many women seek care for improvements such as:
Less anxiety or depressive symptoms tied to the cycle
Reduced mood swings and irritability
Better cycle predictability and overall well-being
Improved sleep in the luteal phase
Reduced bloating, cravings, and fatigue
More stable energy throughout the month
Most importantly, the goal is for symptoms to stop controlling your life.
Why Choose Health & Vitality Center?
Health & Vitality Center has served Los Angeles since 2009 and is led by Dr. Shiva Lalezar, a functional medicine physician known for identifying root causes behind complex hormonal conditions. Rather than masking symptoms, the practice uses a structured, sequential approach that addresses metabolism, gut health, detoxification, and hormone balance together. Dr. Lalezar’s clinical depth and advanced detox expertise help women pursue stable, lasting improvement with PMDD or PMS treatment in Los Angeles. Contact Health & Vitality Center today to take the first step toward relief and long-term cycle stability.
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Frequently Asked Questions
PMDD Or PMS Treatment
Is PMDD a hormone imbalance or a mental health condition?
PMDD is influenced by hormonal fluctuations, but symptoms often reflect deeper endocrine, inflammatory, and nervous system patterns. A functional medicine approach evaluates both hormone balance and systemic contributors.
Can birth control cure PMDD?
Birth control may suppress symptoms for some women, but it does not always address the underlying causes of hormone imbalance or monthly mood disruption.
Why do my symptoms feel worse as I get older?
Hormonal patterns often shift in the late 30s and 40s as pre-menopause begins. Progesterone may decline first, which can intensify PMS and PMDD symptoms.
Can gut issues really affect PMS and PMDD?
Yes. Gut dysfunction can increase inflammation and interfere with hormone metabolism, which may worsen mood and physical symptoms tied to the cycle.
How long does it take to see improvement?
Some women notice early changes within a few cycles, but long-term stabilization often takes several months, depending on the underlying drivers.
Do you treat PMDD naturally?
Treatment is individualized. Many patients benefit from natural and functional strategies such as gut repair, detox support, metabolic stabilization, and targeted hormone support when needed.
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