For Women with ADHD ADD Who Want to Connect
Permalink Reply by Faith on Lucy: I realized it more in hindsight, but I started experiencing some early peri-menopausal symptoms PROBABLY even in my late 30's, early 40's....Birth control alleviated it for a while. But by mid-forties [when I was a LOT more physical, eating healthy, etc.] I started to nose dive....at first, with increasing PMS which I never hardly had. It's so different for every woman [in terms of what gets exacerbated, and to what extent, and how it responds to treatment etc.]. Most women find that "peri" time much more difficult than actual menopause because, at least in meno, your hormones aren't all over the place. Fluctuating hormones can wreak havoc. I finally did my own research and advocated for my own decision in terms of how to address it.
By the way, it's not so unknown for women in their late 30's to start experiencing peri-menopausal shifts; particularly if one had a hysterectomy EVEN IF the ovaries have been preserved; although, it has often been overlooked. And, once again, birth control pills come to the rescue for a lot of women. The BCP also seem to help hormone stabilize for some time [couple of years] after one stops taking them. Or, some women never do stop....they go from birth control to treating meno.
The best you can do is take care of yourself [but realize, that's no guarantee you will breeze through or vice versa] and get familiarized with your own body and the info that's out there. Then, I guess, it's up to your gut.
Best wishes
Permalink Reply by Karen on Glad I found this site and more importantly, this discussion!
I have been going CRAZY for the past year or so - taking Dexedrine Spansule 60mg daily (the max) and it just doesn't work anymore. I tried (note the word "tried") to talk to my Psychiatrist about it - he upped my dosage from 45mg to 60mg. When I told him that wasn't working, he wanted to put me on Adderall. What part of "they aren't working for me" wasn't getting through? All of it, apparently as he told me that menopause had nothing to do with my present situation. I had recently remarried and am no longer working and he told me I was bored....
I am go glad to hear I am not alone and not NUTS (well, no more than usual anyhow!). I am going to definitely go to HRT Center and get myself checked out!!!!
I will let you all know how it turns out!
Thanks so much!!!!
Permalink Reply by RedPeril on YES YES YES YES YES!!
Thank you so much for posting this; I thought it was just me being typical difficult misfit me again. Everything changed DRAMATICALLY once menopause got under way! It's been pure suck, too. Still adjusting the meds. It's been quite an awful ride. Not to scare you....there are other issues in my life complicating things right now, and it's just that this biochemical chaos has come at a really, really unwelcome time in my life. BLEAH.
Permalink Reply by Ms. Elaineous on I am feeling all of your pain! I had a hysterectomy in 2007 and they saved my ovaries...which continued putting out hormones well for many years afterward. I started a new job a few years ago (2011) and realized my brain was just not picking things up quickly at all. I knew I had ADHD but had always figured out ways to get things done by giving myself a million rules for success. After the hormones started taking a nose dive, no rules could make my job better or help me to succeed. I was embarassed, ashamed, and feeling really lousy about myself when I finally started taking compounded natural hormones. It helped with the depression and up and down emotions, but my processing was still so slow and unreliable. I finally got myself tested for ADHD and "Surprise", I certainly had it...as did everyone else in my family. I started taking Adderall and have been up and down with it, but think I finally have the dosage right for me...at least until my hormones dive again. I take progesterone and testerone, as I had none left in my system, and all was going great! Then I started having heart flipflops, which landed me in the hospital overnight. Now I have tried Vyvanse...which was like sugar pills for me, and am back to Adderall, but take small doses of it throughout the day (5 mg. every few hours). It really helps! My only advice for all of you is to do whatever it takes to feel better. I no longer have caffeine, no gluten, and very little dairy, but it is a small sacrifice to feel like myself again. God bless you all through the suffering! It's really TOUGH!
Permalink Reply by Karen on Just wanted to update everyone - I went to the HRC Center for my hormones - thought that was going to fix all - BEWARE!! They will throw you into a real hormone spiral - promise you the world -
I found out the REAL reason my ADHD meds hadn't been working for the past several years! Come to find out, it's quite common for Menopausal women to have their thyroids slow down and/or quit working. If your thyroid is not working up to par (sluggish), your TSH will actually register HIGH. This was my problem and it is HYPOTHYROIDISM. A simple blood test is all it takes. My primary care doctor started me on SYNTHROID and over the past 3 months we have slowly but conscientiously gotten my dosage to where I feel GREAT!! No more mental fog, lack of energy, lack of desire, etc.
I had been telling my psychiatrist for 2-3 years now that my pills just weren't working like they used to anymore - he cited everything from my new marriage to change in work, etc., but never even suggested it could be anything medically related. Yes, I asked him if menopause could have something to do with it all but again, he dismissed it.
Ladies, we know our bodies. Don't let others convince you (like I did) that you don't know your own body! Keep with it until you get answers, like I did! It was worth it!
If you don't feel you are getting the answers from your primary doc, see an Endocrinologist! Hormones are their specialty!
Good luck to all!
Ms. Elaineous said:
I am feeling all of your pain! I had a hysterectomy in 2007 and they saved my ovaries...which continued putting out hormones well for many years afterward. I started a new job a few years ago (2011) and realized my brain was just not picking things up quickly at all. I knew I had ADHD but had always figured out ways to get things done by giving myself a million rules for success. After the hormones started taking a nose dive, no rules could make my job better or help me to succeed. I was embarassed, ashamed, and feeling really lousy about myself when I finally started taking compounded natural hormones. It helped with the depression and up and down emotions, but my processing was still so slow and unreliable. I finally got myself tested for ADHD and "Surprise", I certainly had it...as did everyone else in my family. I started taking Adderall and have been up and down with it, but think I finally have the dosage right for me...at least until my hormones dive again. I take progesterone and testerone, as I had none left in my system, and all was going great! Then I started having heart flipflops, which landed me in the hospital overnight. Now I have tried Vyvanse...which was like sugar pills for me, and am back to Adderall, but take small doses of it throughout the day (5 mg. every few hours). It really helps! My only advice for all of you is to do whatever it takes to feel better. I no longer have caffeine, no gluten, and very little dairy, but it is a small sacrifice to feel like myself again. God bless you all through the suffering! It's really TOUGH!
Permalink Reply by Faith on That's why it's important for us to do our OWN research (and to educate our clinicians). Apparently this psychiatrist has much to learn.
Permalink Reply by Darlene on
Faith,
Its been several years since I started this discussion and I want to thank you for all the help and advice you have given through the years. I did start taking hormones I still take adderall, the short acting kind, so I can control it. I have found that it raises my pain tolerance Which is good because I am always hurting myself. M, problem is depression. I can"t seem to make my doc to understand how depressed I am and have been all my life. I"m taking something, celepram or something like that. My gripe is I no longer have insurance and since I was in the healthcare field, my social security isn"t enough to even pay for a place to live. I"m single and have alienated my family because "no social skills" and ignorance of a.d.d. I have been crying all day and have been pleading with God Then my doctors nurse called and I have to make an appointment. You have to pay before visit. It"s no wonder 99% of the people living in the streets are mentally ill. Just venting
Permalink Reply by Ms. Elaineous on I was diagnosed a year ago. It seemed as if my brain was trying harder & harder to access info that before had been easy to find. I actually reduced my adderall after I began having heart palps & flip flops. I seem to be doing better in the brain area, but my weight has shot up. I am hating menopause. Have recently had a blood test to check for low thyroid. Many women get it after menopause...so perhaps that could be a possibility with you. It is just a simple blood test to find out. Keep trying new things to see what helps! I guess that is all we can do! Hang in there!
Permalink Reply by Country Critter on Let me start by saying THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to everyone who has posted to this thread and especially to Darlene for starting it!!! Normally I avoid the internet/computers as I can get too sucked into them, especially when my ADHD is out of control like it is now, but I didn't know what else to do as I thought I was loosing my mind.
Here's my story: I have been on Depo Provera, a progesteron only injectable form of birth control for almost 12 years and can't remember when I last had my period. I call it my quarterly child vaccine and rarely miss a shot. This last spring/summer, I began to experience hot flashes - especially in the morning and afternoon and was sweating profusely. I also was more irritable and lethargic and my mood swings were crazy. I dreaded leaving my house and the thought of interacting with people made me nauseated. I had all the medical reasons for these changes rulled out, including my thyroid, and decided that at 38 I was entering into perimenopause.
I had also been stable and happy on Adderall XR 25mg for almost 5 years. About a year ago, I began to feel like my meds were not as effective and my doc bumped me up to 30mg. That worked for a bit but over the last 6 mos. I began to feel like I was building a tolerance to that dose. I again began to have diarrhea of the mouth, tangental speech/not being able to remember what the original question or point was, feeling driven by a motor, very forgetful and skattered - especially with my schedule, was late to everything, and was living in a house that was so disorganized that I had to navigate to rooms via paths built into the piles of stuff. Oh, and did I mention that I was only getting 2-3 hours of sleep a night if any and my level of irritability was off the chart. When I went to get my refill, my doc was uncomfortable increasing or changing to something else, so she referred me to a Psych ARNP for a re-eval. This new PARNP felt that I was Bipolar and not ADHD citing that my speech was pressured and grandiose when I was talking about how smart I am (I am a member of MENSA) and how well I did when I was stable on my meds before. She wanted to start me on either a mood stablizer or an anti-psychotic med instead. I told her I did not agree and would rather continue having my life fall apart around me.
Having said all that, I came to the conclusion that maybe the 2 were related. The last few months I have felt the most out of control, and was also 3 mos overdue for my Depo shot. It is now almost 2 weeks after my shot and I feel like my meds are starting to work again. I am so greatful to know that I am not using my mind and that there are others out there like me.
Clearly by this long post, I still have a ways to go but at least I have a direction to follow and can see that proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, albeit vey dim based on what I have been reading. Most everything has been about women who have had estrogen in their system, either via regular BC or HRT. I was wondering if there was anyone out there that is like me who has been on a progesterone only regimine for an extended period of time? And if so, then have you had any issues arise in any phase of this "time of transition" (perimeno/menopause/postmeno). Thanks again to all.
Permalink Reply by Faith on Permalink Reply by Country Critter on Well I am back on Adderall XR 30mg and doing much better, but not back to where I was before I started to have problems. I now have a system in place to sched. my depo appointment an hour after my script refill appointment. Also, this prompted a discussion with my mom and she remembers starting menopause in her early 40's. so I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree in our family. :)
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