Premenstrual Disorders

Brand Name vs. Generic

Eventually, researchers discovered that those who experienced symptoms of PMS gained relief from these drugs. When Kim first saw her physician, she was suffering more from the results of her poor relationships than from the symptoms of PMS, or so she thought. She had just had a huge argument with her husband that had ended with Kim packing all his clothes and fishing gear and taking them to his mother’s house. She was done with him. She had also screamed at her children all day long. That night, she hated being at home alone with them. Her husband had begged to come home, but she insisted he was the cause of all her prob- lems; she was not going to put up with his selfish fishing and his long work hours. After her visit to her doctor, Kim learned she had a monthly chemical imbalance in her brain. Like Emily, Kim’s monthly cycle was affecting the rest of her life. She recognized that she didn’t always feel her husband was unreasonable; in fact, most of the time she thought he was very considerate. He always helped with the house and did his share of taking care of the children. Kim made the im- portant discovery that her husband’s behavior seemed worse once a month, whenever she was experiencing the symptoms of PMS. Talking about psychiatric drugs can be confusing, because every drug has at least two names: its “generic name” and the “brand name” that the pharmaceutical company uses to market the drug. Generic names come from the drugs’ chemical structures, while drug companies use brand names to inspire consumers’ recogni- tion and loyalty. Zoloft and Prozac are brand names; their generic names are sertraline hydrochloride and fluoxetine hydrochloride.

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Premenstrual Disorders •