Perimenopause and worsening ADHD symptoms, anyone?

Any other Perimenopausal (I am 52) women who had managed their ADHD fine until this phase of life hit and now you are a trainwreck with worsening symptoms? There is research out there which points to Estrogen having a strong affect on ADHD, and that has been true for my life. My worst symptoms did not present until my period began a few months into age 14. The next year, getting up in the mornings was even harder than before, I was more likely to wait until the last minute for school assignments and be up to all hours of the night cramming to get assignments done. I engaged in risky behaviors like trying drugs and drinking more alcohol and allowing myself to be pressure into having sex and began acting out really badly in class. Now, with my Estrogen fluctuating so wildly and has been since age 48, between having multiple heavy periods a month, then skipping periods the next month, and pink spotting nearly all the time, I can't even manage both physically and mentally. Anyone else?

[Jambopup]

Yes I am 52 and now post menopause it doesn’t seem to get any better I did not know I possibly had ADHD until my son was diagnosed last year ..then the years I had just gone through made sense .. I didn’t realise and assumed it was menopause symptoms .plus I had a stroke at 47.. . for me it was not checking texts before sending so I could write a load of rubbish I have checked this 5 times now !! Forgetting dates and impulsiveness with brain fog(could be menopause though) difficult to determine differences I think

[Hidden in reply to Jambopup]

My brain is racing so fast, I don't seem to absorb the simplest things. I find myself running on autopilot, not really fully processing my actions as I am doing them, and being distracted by all the other things going on in my brain. Like today, I made pancakes from scratch--it's a recipe I have made 100 times before. Half way through measuring out the flour, I needed to go to the pantry and get more to put in my flour canister. I tried to make a mental note of how much I had already measured, but I was thinking about so many other things (paying bills, a song stuck in my head, my dog that is sick, wondering if my doctor will finally call back today, appointments next week and so on and on and on...). So after I got the new bag of flour out, I thought I had picked up measuring from where I'd left off before I went to the pantry, and by the time I added the liquid to the dry ingredients it was obvious I had miss-measured and the batter was more like really dry biscuit dough, needing much more liquid. So I free styled adding more of the liquid ingredients to make up some moisture, which also required more stirring, but stirring is the enemy of great pancakes, because it makes them tough.

I tried to be present enough, but I did not focus on how much I had already measured enough to commit it solidly to memory, instead worrying most about paying bills, and this type of thing happens all the time. It's like carelessness or lack of attention to detail, only I TRIED like hell to not mess up and yet I still do. This is just one small example. It used to be if I said the number of scoops I'd done aloud while I was measuring, I would never mess up. But while I am saying where I am at in the measuring aloud, my brain is thinking about the number before the one I am at and the number after, and then other things, and I can't remember. It's stupid, but this is the kind of thing that frustrates me, makes me feel like a failure and drives me crazy. I love to cook, and now that's not even enjoyable. I just need my brain to slow down. Why do have to think about EVERYTHING at once?

[butterflywings6 in reply to Hidden]

I started using my kids cereal to measure things. LOL. One scoop, one lucky charm. I can lose count so fast, no matter what’s going on around me, my brain is busy! And yes. Perimenopause has been rough.

[Hidden in reply to butterflywings6]

Butterflywings6, did you specifically notice a worsening of your ADHD symptoms with the onset of perimenopause? Thanks!

[JLBowman in reply to Hidden]

Oh dear. I do understand. I do the same kind of things all the time. Retiring from nursing has lessened my stress level, but if anything has made my adhd worse.

[JLBowman in reply to Jambopup]

I have to agree. I’m 57 and had a total hysterectomy last year. I use an estrogen ring for hot flashes and keeping the plumbing that’s left in shape. 🤣 But I don’t think having less estrogen has helped anything. I have a heart arrhythmia, so I’ve avoided stimulants. I use Wellbutrin and do the best I can.

[lostnspace]

I researched why my dexedrine felt like it wasn't working just before my period....hormones. So little is understood about drug efficacy and women's metabolisms in general...I got really into it a few years ago. The problems women face (with or without adhd) related to declining overall estrogen / testosterone / progesterone and many other factors are vast. Women are suffering hugely from lack of education, research, access to bio identical hormone counselling, assessment and treatment. So many later life conditions stem directly from lack of protective and vitality giving hormones. Their are multiple systemic reasons for this, that add up to a widespread and under treated population of suffering females imo. The issue is so complicated and so misunderstood with few experts in few locations, lab testing that doesn't really measure anything in a meaningful way, costs of treatment that the vast majority will never be able to afford, and such a lack of concern socially and medically overall about women's health holistically, it only makes sense why we're on chat boards trying to piece clues together in an attempt to feel better and understand.

[_Sarah_J]

I had my last period at age 54. My periods started late- I was almost 15, and they had always been light and very easy. Because of that, I thought peri menopause would be a breeze. I was so wrong!!! The scariest symptom was how my brain seemed to stop working. I couldn’t think! I had paucity of thought- I was barely even dreaming. I thought it would last forever and I would never be able to think again. I am now 70, and while I do have my brain back, I need much higher doses of medication.