PMS and ADHD: How the Menstrual Cycle Intensifies Symptoms
“As an OB-GYN nurse, I can tell you that when progesterone levels are high, dopamine levels drop. So, for women with ADHD, the week leading up to menstruation is an awful time to try and get anything done.”
7 Comments: PMS and ADHD: How the Menstrual Cycle Intensifies Symptoms
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I am so glad for this type of research and article. I have been sharing with my friends how I am “testing” the days I really need to take medication to function. The past 3 months, it has been on the week before my period. Thank you for publishing this piece.
So I have a combined type diagnosis.
With my psychiatrist, we worked out this pattern of symptoms I suffer which is directly related to my cycle.
Day 1 on this is when my menses starts. On blind testing it (just recording my symptoms on which day then comparing) its accurate to predicting my symptoms with a 1-2 day allowance.
Day 29 &1-5
Innattentive symptoms or feel like myself (varies. affected seasonally and by weather)
Day 6
Confused, uncomfortable body sensations, nightmeres
Day 7-11
Hyperactive symptoms
High brain activity symptoms
Day 12
Low mood, irritable, quick to anger.
Day 13-21
Innattentive symptoms or feel like myself (varies affected seasonally and by weather)
Day 22
Struggle with words, clumsy body, trickling sensations in limbs & chest
Day 23-27
Hyperactive symptoms
High brain activity symptoms
Day 28
Feel vunerable and sensitive, sinking feelings, intense sadness.
It also affects how effective my medication is or not. On current dose, it helps my high brain activity days, but rest of the time am undermedicated. It still helps overal. We tried the next dose up, but on high brain activity days symptoms presented like Id overdosed.
So I have a combined type diagnosis. With my psychiatrist, we worked out this pattern of symptoms I suffer which is directly related to my cycle.
Day 1 on this is when my menses starts. On blind testing it (just recording my symptoms on which day then comparing) its accurate to predicting my symptoms with a 1-2 day allowance.
Day 29 &1-5
Innattentive symptoms or feel like myself (varies. affected seasonally and by weather)
Day 6
Confused, uncomfortable body sensations, nightmeres
Day 7-11
Hyperactive symptoms
High brain activity symptoms
Day 12
Low mood, irritable, quick to anger.
Day 13-21
Innattentive symptoms or feel like myself (varies affected seasonally and by weather)
Day 22
Struggle with words, clumsy body, trickling sensations in limbs & chest
Day 23-27
Hyperactive symptoms
High brain activity symptoms
Day 28
Feel vunerable and sensitive, sinking feelings, intense sadness.
Thanks for confirming there is a connection. But really really sucks, you offer to no assistance on how to work with this. translation – quiet bothereing to tell me something I know and HELP!!! This is affecting my work and personal life.
I know this is unrelated, but I can’t seem to find anyone talking anywhere about how trying to conceive affects women with ADHD. What was anyone else’s experience like? I’m currently trying to conceive, I’m 8 months in and I am so stressed, worried, obsessive at times. I’m worried that all my worrying is actually hindering me. I decided not to start my medication again as I was concerned that it could have an affect on the baby or my eggs. I know I’d be handling things a lot better if I was on meds right now. Things are really pilling on top of me and I’m trying my best not to drown right now. I’m 37 and I really worry about my age too…. I’ve been checked at the doctors and he said there’s no reason why I shouldn’t be able to get pregnant naturally. Every month now feels like a roller-coaster… analysing every symptom and getting my hopes up… its awful. I’m over emotional anyway and this is sending me over the edge! I can’t focus on much else atm, I’m completely consumed by it.
Does anyone have any advice on how to chill the f@%k out?
I’m going to post this comment on a few of the female related articles in the hope that someone will reply and can help…. or that Additude may have advice on this and do an article to help. As there is little advice of what a female with ADHD should do about meds when TTC or how to manage the stress etc.
I had to switch doctors because mine moved away. The new doctor is great except when I told him that there’s a connection between my ADHD and PMS/PMDD. I explained that when I’m ovulating, I feel like I have all my sh!t together. Leading up to my period, it’s like I’m slowly losing my mind, and slowly driving my family, friends, and coworkers crazy. A few days into my period, and the clouds start to part, and I slowly start to feel like myself again. My doctor dismissed the connection as coincidental and wouldn’t even consider it. My husband complains that I’m only useful (for lack of better term) for about 2 1/2 – 3 wks per month. He also doesn’t understand female hormones or adhd in general, so that doesn’t help. But it would be helpful if my doctor at least understood.
Not a woman, strictly, do get periods. (Yes hi hello queer people do exist outside of Pride month!)
My first sign of it coming up is my anxiety worsening – it’ll slip back almost to where it was before I started treating it.
The second is the focus. Being anxious worsens it, but in those few days around my period starting, it’ll be like my head got filled with bees. If I’m not on medication, that’s it. Work happens at a snail’s pace. I can hardly get my hobbies going at home or even read the random online crap I’m relegated to skimming through. On meds (Adderall anyways), it’ll be like a meh unmedicated day. Not ideal, but so much better than going without.