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Author Topic: Dr Katharina Dalton  (Read 6351 times)

CLKD

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Dr Katharina Dalton
« on: August 09, 2017, 10:52:19 AM »

Off to do some looking up!

Wikipedia:

Dr. Dalton became involved in the treatment of PMS in 1948, when, as a pregnant 32-year-old medical student, she realized her monthly migraine headaches had disappeared. Consulting with endocrinologist Dr. Raymond Greene,[2] she concluded that the headaches could be attributed to a deficiency in the hormone progesterone, which drops before menstruation but soars during pregnancy. After further clinical study, Dr. Dalton, along with Greene, published the theory in British medical journals in 1953—first using the term "premenstrual syndrome," or PMS.[3]

Dr. Dalton, who treated numerous women after setting up her own practice, concluded that PMS was a cyclical hormonal illness occurring in the 14 days following ovulation, with the most severe symptoms evident during the final four days before menstruation. In direct conflict with the views of many of her male colleagues, Dr. Dalton said the symptoms were more physical than psychological and included migraine headaches, asthma, epilepsy, skin lesions, irritability, fatigue, and depression.[4]

In addition to her patients, she studied teenage schoolgirls, the mothers of abused children and women confined to prison for serious crimes, including murder. Her research showed that during times of severe PMS, students' academic performance dipped and women were more likely to abuse their children or commit crimes. From historic anecdotes, she even concluded that Queen Victoria suffered from PMS, as indicated by reports of her monthly screaming and throwing objects at her husband, Prince Albert.[5]

She is largely credited with developing the use of menstrual charts for the diagnosis of the disorder, and argued that the timing of PMS in women was associated with higher rates of suicide attempts, alcohol abuse and violent crimes. PMS, Dr. Dalton argued, was brought on primarily by deficiencies of progesterone and could be alleviated with hormone therapy. She also believed that the hormone could be used to ease postnatal depression. But today most experts disagree with those findings and instead rely on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or S.S.R.I.'s, and other medications for the treatment of PMS.[6]


There is more ............. I didn't realise that she went back as far as 1948  :o

The National Association for Pre-menstrual Syndrome really helped me.  I had sudden dips of blood sugar which would cause intense nausea .... I don't know how I came across NAPS but I was advised to eat every 3 hours ........ even in the night.  Keeping the body nourished helped.  I had a puppy at that time who needed to pee in the early hours, she soon learned that a biscuit/s was by the bed on our return  ;D

Now when walking or travelling I carry Dextrose tablets: advised by most of the Search and Rescue/Walking organisations as a fast recovery aid; various energy bars, dried fruits and nuts and if I can fancy them bananas for slow release energy.  These are never shared, MINE!

I don't take on as much liquid as I probably ought but my diet is good on foods that divert ...... so I tend to drink when thirsty, keeping an eye on my urine colour during the day.

So ladies, your symptoms if hormonal need to be addressed but by many posts on here, GPs aren't listening  :bang: :bang: :bang:

Maybe have a look at the various topics regarding Dr Dalton's work and make copies to shove under the GP's nose?
« Last Edit: August 09, 2017, 10:57:54 AM by CLKD »
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Hurdity

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Re: Dr Katharina Dalton
« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2017, 02:53:13 PM »

She was certainly pioneering in getting pms recognised - and did women a great service as a resul of her work! However her fundamental thesis has since been discredited - ie that progesterone deficiency was the cause of the symptoms, requiring progesterone supplementation to treat them. The current view from trials (and explained by Elisabeth Vliet in one of her books about ovaries) is that it is the drop on oestrogen that is the main cause as well the fall in progesterone ie progesterone withdrawal rather than progesterone deficiency per se.

Fantastic that she increased awareness of the syndrome to such an extent and nothing can detract from that :)

Hurdity x
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Yorkshire Girl

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Re: Dr Katharina Dalton
« Reply #2 on: August 09, 2017, 03:54:53 PM »

That is really interesting Dr Dalton is right 14 days before with the worse 4 days before. I attempted suicide when I was 19/20, I think she's right about hormone therapy. My old GP put me on antidepressants thinking I had depression, instead of severe PMS, mind you thinking about it now she didn't ask many questions! Interestingly enough the registrar I saw on my fist hospital appt mentioned that antidepressants do not help with severe PMS, which I found out myself.
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CLKD

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Re: Dr Katharina Dalton
« Reply #3 on: August 11, 2017, 01:16:32 PM »

Do we know who 'discredited' Katerina's excellent work and who exactly ran the 'current view from trials' ? 
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Mary G

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Re: Dr Katharina Dalton
« Reply #4 on: August 11, 2017, 01:42:04 PM »

Thanks for that CLKD, it was interesting.  Perhaps there are two types of PMS, one caused by drop in oestrogen and the other caused by a drop in progesterone.  We know that migraines can be caused by either. 
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CLKD

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Re: Dr Katharina Dalton
« Reply #5 on: August 11, 2017, 02:15:19 PM »

 :thankyou:

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Yorkshire Girl

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Re: Dr Katharina Dalton
« Reply #6 on: August 11, 2017, 03:28:54 PM »

Dalton's work should've never been discredited by other experts whoever they maybe they haven't a clue and I'm testment to that!
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CLKD

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Re: Dr Katharina Dalton
« Reply #7 on: August 11, 2017, 03:43:40 PM »

.... so am I  ;) - probably wouldn't be sitting here typing this!
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dangermouse

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Re: Dr Katharina Dalton
« Reply #8 on: May 08, 2018, 09:39:59 PM »

Just about to buy her book and came on here to see if you chicks knew about her!

I'm going to try the 3 hour eating, which is goes against my IF natural tendencies. Apparently, progesterone can't hit the receptors without sugar in the blood, so very important for those who use it alone or for HRT.

A lot of women on another forum I'm on (Ray Peat inspired) have healed their metabolisms and moods with the regular eating. I do think that when I went on the Warrior Diet about 20 years ago for a couple of years and then continued doing intermittent fasting to some degree, was the beginning of the deterioration of my hormonal health.

I did dabble with (healthy) sugar a year ago or so, which discussed on here, but then got beaten down by so much anti-sugar in the media that I quickly stopped. I get that it's bad in processed forms though of course.

Might have to try some of your glucose tabs CLKD!
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CLKD

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Re: Dr Katharina Dalton
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2018, 10:40:11 AM »

We aren't built to 'fast' in that sense.  In the cave man days we would probably eat what was dragged 'home' and then sleep to digest so that the body did it's work.  In the same way as we would get up at dawn and go to bed at dusk, no torches and for safety reasons.  It's one of the reasons why people don't like scuttling critters, i.e. spiders - the fight/flight response is inherent.

I try to keep to every 3 hours.  I have to avoid the sudden hunger dip which makes me feel sick or I go into panic mode and it can take days to pick up again  :'(.

My go to pick-me-ups still are: dried fruits and nuts.  Bananas.  Muesli bars.  Chocolate.  Dextrosetablets - when my sugars are low it fizzes in my mouth  ::).  I was advised to have dry biscuits (Rich Tea) by the bed.  At the time (1980s) I had a pup who needed to wee in the early hours, she soon learned to wait by the bed because there were biscuits ;-).  DH never heard a thing  ;D.  Some people find that Kendal Mint Cake helps but I can't abide it  :-X  ::).  Dried chicken pieces lightly fried with rice when I'm not able to eat: a good mix of veg. when I can. 

Let me know how you get on.    If you think of a baby or toddler in the supermarket at lunch time? Grumpy, screaming, miserable, probably due to being hungry.   :-\
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