Are ADHD and Estrogen Connected? (A Quick and Useful Answer)
Estrogen levels affect ADHD and our brains. What are your suggestions to cope when our stimulant meds don’t work when estrogen levels bottom out right before our cycle starts?
Originally published on January 23rd, 2016, this article was updated and republished on September 19th, 2022.
Video Transcript
This person wants to know and rightly states that estrogen levels affect our ADHD in our brains, and she wants to know what are my suggestions to cope when our stimulant meds don’t work when estrogen levels bottom out right before our cycle starts.
And she’s not interested in taking more meds or upping her meds on the day because she’s already taken two different stimulants at or above the recommendations.
Well, the recommendations are very individual, and I would work closely with your doctor to make sure what’s right for you.
There really aren’t any standard doses that are going to work for everybody, but that aside if you don’t want to look at adjusting your medication on those days, you have to then accommodate your life on those days.
I know that’s even harder to adjust. So knowing just in advance that you’re gonna have a harder time can sometimes help. Just knowing that you don’t want to overschedule yourself on that day.
You want to make sure you have plenty of rest, plenty of sleep, and as little stress as possible. You don’t schedule 10 different meetings on that day.
You want to recognize the fact that if this happens to you on a monthly basis that you’re going to have a harder time. And you have to increase the variables, like I talked about in my book, ADD Journeys Through Adulthood, that you have to understand how these variables work.
The amount of structure. The amount of support. The amount of stimulation. How much you’re doing, and what’s the pace of those experiences? How much you have scheduled at one time. The difficulty, challenges, and how that affects how your brain works. Your multitasking. Your distractibility.
And whenever you’re having these periods of estrogen changes in your life, whether it’s at menopause or before your cycle, you have to adjust your life and make your brain work, you know, at its maximum. The best it can.
Give yourself a break if you’re having trouble during that time. And knowing that this is what’s happening won’t scare you so much, and you can relax a little bit and know that it’ll pass.
Know that if you’re more overwhelmed that you don’t scare yourself that things are all falling apart. Know that this is gonna happen on a monthly basis. Set up your life as best you can during that time, and then just let yourself give yourself a break.
Okay, thanks.
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13 Comments
The first day of my period vyvanse has never worked AT ALL! Like its not even worth taking it that day. And this week has been a fog. Im finding it so hard to tell if I’m going to be able to get things done these days during lockdown. It takes me hours to start doing a task as I dont have to leave my house and procrastinate.
I had a hysterectomy about 14 years ago and was on estrogen and did well on it. For various reasons that I don’t have time to go into, I was taken off the estrogen. I soon developed ADHD symptoms along with anxiety and depression. I take Vyvanse and a low dose of Effexor. These treated the ADHD, anxiety, and depression, but I still didn’t feel well. I recently started back on estrogen and the brain fog immediately lifted. I am hoping once I am stable on it, the ADHD symptoms will diminish and hopefully I can stop the Vyvanse. Does this seem logical?
I had a hysterectomy ~13 years ago and went through very similar experience. My gynecologist told me to stop HRT last year. I soon also developed ADHD, depression, anxiety and some other problems. I went to see another specialist and she told me the recent research shows that it’s safe to take estrogen for women who had hysterectomy. She put me back on estrogen. Although I felt better, menopause hit and I still suffered ADHD and depression. Recently my psychiatrist put me on low dosage of citalopran and wellbutrin. The two together worked magically. The depression is gone, and the ADHD symptoms got reduced significantly.
I can relate to the frustration of ADD and menopause; I think my memory and concentration have worsened since I have been going through menopause. I have tried talking to my GYN and psychiatrist about worsening symptoms and do not get very far.
Funny how I should come across this today! I’m the exact same way. Was diagnosed with depression and anxiety right before ADHD. I came across an info article about women and ADHD on Facebook and it screamed my name so I asked to be tested for ADHD. Sure enough I was right. So I’m on Adderall, still taking Lexapro for anxiety and Wellbutrin for depression. I’m contemplating getting off Wellbutrin and upping the Adderall dosage, but am waiting for referral to behavioral health since I just moved and have to go through the referral process again. I also notice that my anxiety and anger increases around the time of the month for me, too. I’m deaf so I’m unable to hear what was said in the video. Would love if the videos were transcribed or captioned. I’ve felt alone in this until I found this site!!
Prior to a recent diagnosis of ADHD – I have been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and then the last three years gave me a diagnosis of Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). I took fluoxetine (generic Prozac) prior to my ADHD diagnosis and it help with body pain, depression, etc. I stopped taking it to try Adderall about 6 months ago and notice that this medication also helps with those body pains and other symptoms. I have noticed an up in my anxiety and anger with my menstrual estrogen surges similar to those prior to my PMDD and fluoxetine diagnosis. I’m wondering if any scientific connections have been made between PMDD and ADHD – or a diagnosis of one prior to the other?
I was diagnosed with ADHD before being diagnosed with PMDD. Same treatment that you describe, but with very hit and miss results.
It is fascinating to know that someone else is experiencing the same thing as me!
Are there any good papers or articles on the menopause and ADHD. I am a 52-year-old woman that was only diagnosed here in the UK with ADHD and have just finished writing a memoir about my experience. I am up for a hysterectomy, and am debating whether to take it or to try and put off the menopausal symptoms until after it has finished with other less invasive procedures. I wonder if the drop in oestrogen levels will affect me, because my happiest times of my life were definitely when pregnant. I felt so joined up during that period of my life.
I’m a recently diagnosed 57 year old female who has been debilitated and bedridden for the past 2 years with this illness. Can anyone recommend a doctor in San Diego, Southern Riverside or Southern Orange Counties (California) qualified to treat a menopausal woman AND who takes Tricare Prime insurance?
Your suggestions are greatly appreciated ~ Cynthia in San Diego
This is validating because I have just made the connection between having a week of Garbage Brain and my monthly cycles. It didn’t used to be like this for me, but now I am in my fifties and it can be debilitating. I experience days of uncontrollable weeping and brain fog that interfere with regular activities and make it hard to accomplish anything. At least now I know not to believe everything I think that week, as I often become extremely depressed.
What about post menopausal women whose estrogen levels are slim to none?
That’s my question, too!
I am a mess! Not enough info on treatment of ADD and Menopause? I am 52 years old. I know I need HRT? I worry because I don’t know anything about the protocol for treating my personal issues.