How do hormones affect Women with ADHD?

PMS, PMDD, PCOS, Perimenopause, Menopause

Image from Canva

Hi ADHDers!

I hope you’re all having a great week.

I write this, curled up in bed, as it’s that time of the month for me.

For those who don’t know what I mean, I’m talking about my period.

I don't blame you if you’ve squirmed, squealed or even cringed. But it’s all a part of the circle of life, so let’s talk about it!

A couple of hours ago, I tweeted that “We need more research on hormones and how they impact Women with ADHD, especially when we’re on our periods”.

Since I’m stuck in bed, I’m going to share my initial thoughts.

Shall we begin?

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ADHD, PMS and Me

Image from canva

“After ovulation, estrogen levels drop and progesterone levels rise. Both hormones are at their lowest levels in the days right before your period. That may also cause a drop in dopamine. For some women, that can mean a double whammy of worsening ADHD symptoms and PMS.” - WebMD, Stephanie Langmaid

There comes a time every month when my ADHD seems a lot harder to manage and cope with, and nothing works. The perpetrator is PMS!

Like all of a sudden, my meds are ineffective, I rarely have the motivation or mental clarity to adopt the many coping strategies in my arsenal, and I feel like I'm discombobulated.

Is this starting to sound familiar?

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What is PMS and PMDD?

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) refers to symptoms women may experience before their period, including:

• Feeling anxious, depressed

• Fatigue

• Poor concentration

• Mood swings

• Physical symptoms, e.g. bloating, cramps

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a much more severe form of PMS and symptoms include the above and also:

• Increased sensitivity to rejection

• Excessive sleeping or difficulty sleeping

I don’t know about you, but I realised many of these symptoms overlap with some ADHD symptoms and commonly linked traits.

For example, in this table, I mapped out:

This table links PMDD/PMS symptoms of poor concentration, feeling anxious/irritable, and increased sensitivity to rejection to ADHD symptoms, difficulty sustaining attention, distractions, lack of attention to detail, restlessness and RSD (though not a formal symptom but trait).

I found that my ADHD meds are less effective in the days leading up to my period. According to an article I came across on WebMD:

“There’s some scientific evidence that stimulants have a greater effect when combined with estrogen. As those levels drop in the days leading up to your period, you may see your symptoms get worse.” - Stephanie Langmaid

Crappy!

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Research

I am still in the early stages of reading what’s out there, there isn’t much and it’s all quite difficult to understand with the medical jargon. But here are links to articles on conditions I haven’t touched on:

• Article on ADHD and Menopause.

• Article on ADHD and PCOS

• Article on ADHD and Menstrual Cycle

If you have any insights, experience or thoughts on hormonal impacts on ADHD, please share in the comments below.

That’s all from me,

Rach with ADHD.