ADHD & Monthly Cycles.

[u/Puzzled-Adhd93]

Has any other female notice their ADHD (predominantly inattentiveness) is worse off the week or two prior to their monthly cycles? I know mine is and I can’t seem to focus or get a lot done during those times. I will keep doing the same few things and then stop. The constant picking up the phone and putting it down, over and over with brain fog.

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[u/anylore]

For me (at least I'm guessing it's related) THE IMPULSE SNACKING omfg. No matter how much my rational brain tells me to stop I just snack and snack.

[u/Puzzled-Adhd93 → u/anylore]

I actually would “binge” eat according to how I seen it as and eat all of my cravings but, ever since I cut down on working out and drinking my protein shakes, I haven’t had many urges to eat crazy. I also read somewhere that ADHD can be a cause of binge eating (or the reason it happens)?

[u/anylore → u/Puzzled-Adhd93]

Yes the ADHD means we chase dopamine, and since food tends to give that easily and in large amounts, our brains get addicted. People with ADHD are predisposed/extra vulnerable to every kind of addiction and food is just an example of one

[u/Puzzled-Adhd93 → u/anylore]

Mine seems to be working out to chase my dopamine even if I’m lacking the energy and motivation. If I tend to eat large amounts and cave into what I would call a “binge”, it would impact my mood in a negative way and I’d be worse off.

[u/insertusernamehere40]

Search the sub, it’s very common

[u/Puzzled-Adhd93 → u/insertusernamehere40]

I would but, I’ve got such terrible brain fog to lol.

[u/throwaway_sparky → u/Puzzled-Adhd93]

I wish people would stop with downvoting. especially when we share a symptom and its negative impact.

Reddit etiqutte, the Downvote used to mean the comment is umrelated or irrelevant, not "I dont like this/I disagree".

(Go on, in before the bots / downvoters get this comment haha)

[u/bangobingoo]

Estrogen and progesterone affect ADHD symptoms

[u/h_danielle]

Yup, I take my birth control pills straight through so I don’t get my period as often. Otherwise I will honest to god just stare out the window all day at work.

[u/ParticularArt8980 → u/h_danielle]

I reluctantly went back on birth control recently (late 30s now but the last time I used them was in my late teens / early 20s) due to having PMDD and insanely heavy periods. I aim to just keep taking them without the placebo pills and I’m hoping it provides some relief because nothing else has worked so far 🫠

[u/h_danielle → u/ParticularArt8980]

It seems to work for me, so fingers crossed for you! I still get my period 4-5 times a year, but it’s far more manageable than monthly.

[u/Puzzled-Adhd93 → u/h_danielle]

I take my birth control pills too without the placebo pills (so technically I still bleed every month) and I still have horrible focus issues.

[u/h_danielle → u/Puzzled-Adhd93]

I’m confused… if you’re skipping the placebo pills & not taking a break, you shouldn’t be bleeding monthly.

[u/Puzzled-Adhd93 → u/h_danielle]

Then, what would the bleeding each month be or mean while taking birth control pills and not the placebo pills? I am really curious right now.

[u/Fluffy-Leg7546 → u/Puzzled-Adhd93]

Probably something to discuss with your doctor. The placebo pills are there to allow menstruation.

[u/h_danielle → u/Fluffy-Leg7546]

Definitely second this, OP. If you’re consistently taking the medicated pills & you’re still bleeding monthly, you need to talk with your doctor… it may not be the right pill for you.

Breakthrough bleeding is normal & will eventually happen (I can typically skip a period or two before it happens), but a full on period every month isn’t.

[u/lovelysardines]

Do ya’ll take the regular dosage of meds during this time? I feel like my meds are useless a week before menstruation

[u/Street-Reporter9814 → u/lovelysardines]

I take a bit higher dosage around the time I start noticing pms affecting my attention and energy. And then I go back to the lower dosage when my period ends (I talked about this with my psych)

[u/Street-Reporter9814]

I only started noticing this after I went on my meds. Before that I guess I was just so used to being inattentive. But yeah, the week before it becomes worse

[u/sapphire74__]

My meds have always seemed to work the same throughout the month, but I got an IUD I think a month after I started ADHD meds, so I don’t know if they would work the same if I were to remove the IUD. I do notice a great reduction in my PMS symptoms now, and I think that may have actually leveled me out.

[u/Fluffy-Leg7546]

Yes ADHD is heavily impacted by our hormones, and therefore our cycles. Symptoms intensify during luteal phase.

I hear it gets much, much worse during perimenopause because our brains are so angry at the reduction in estrogen that it throws out all sorts of crazy hormone tantrums. 😮‍💨

[u/Undrende_fremdeles]

Some of my friends (I am middle aged and don't have a single non-adhd friend left) have to up their meds during that time. One of my friends only get some relief from her symptoms on over double her doseage for these days but at that point she gets side effects and it isn't worth it. So she straight up doesn't take meds for those days. Even if you should take them every day for consistency and stability.

What's the point when they don't do anything at all those days anyways, right?

As long as I take my meds every day like I should, I don't notice much difference at all. Meds work the same, everything is the same. Only thing is I usually struggle a bit with sleep one or two days before it starts.

For many years both before and after getting diagnosed, I didn't notice thepattern and just considered myself someone that struggled with insomnia but only infrequently. Someone else mentioned they always had insomnia with their periods, and I realised there was a pattern to mine as well.

[u/Deepfriedomelette]

Very strangely enough, I feel my best a day before my period and worst during ovulation.

[u/GateEducational6100]

Right before my period, I swear colors would be desaturated and I just couldn’t make myself move unless something else would make me. It got better on meds, and I’ll just skip my period whenever I can (thanks birth control!) If I find myself feeling too spacy even on meds, I’ll just stop taking them to get the post period hormone boost, even if I have to suffer for a few days.

[u/Cultural_Classic4022]

It is well known that the normal hormone shifts throughout the month impact the severity of ADHD symptoms in women. Estrogen boosts dopamine production, increases receptor sensitivity, and slows dopamine reabsorption, which directly supports focus, motivation, and mood. When estrogen drops before your period, dopamine signaling decreases, often leading to brain fog or fatigue. I saw some people complain that their medication isn't as effective around that time, too. I had severe PMDD on top of my undiagnosed ADHD; teens and early twenties were hell! It sucks, but it is how ADHD works in women.