This just in from Amara:

"Dear Rollercoaster,

"It sounds like you may have (PMDD) Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. But before I get into that I'd like to point out that there's nothing wrong about going to the doctor if you have a medical concern. People tend to have this idea that to go to the doctor something must be really wrong with you—a starring role in Prozac Nation kind of depression.

"And while it doesn't seem like you have that type of depression, whatever you have is taking days—sometimes a whole week—out of your month. That's something worth going to the doctor for. Sure, it may only be a day or two on occaision but what if one of those days was opening night?

"As for PMDD, it is basically a more severe form of PMS and its symptoms include depression, irritability and anxiety. Serious stuff. The good news is that it is treatable and you don't have to be a 16-year-old girl on antidepressants if you don't want to be. There are other treatment options like cognitive-behavior therapy, exercise or nutrition modification.

"In any case, you have nothing to lose by going to the doctor and potentially a lot to regain. Break a leg!"

Wow. This is really heating up. I think the stakes have been raised.