Menopause making autism more intense

Hi

Any older women going through or been through the peri-menopause/menopause? Did it make your autism more intense?  ...for the whole time of going through the menopause or just the weeks when your period would have been due?

I'm 50 and really struggling with severe mood swings, complete change of personality, left social media and isolated. go from feeling lonely to feeling resentful if someone texts me and I feel they're going to want to visit. Have become severely agoraphobic and hate crowds though can cope with going on quiet walks with the dog if I go when no-one else (or as few people as humanly possible) will be there.  so will set off in the dark very early am to reach the field/park for just as its turning to daylight so we have the place to ourselves etc.

What are other women's experiences of going through the menopause? Did it change your behaviour and/or personality completely?  go from calm to extremely anxious or rage within a few seconds?

I live very isolated and its up to a month wait for a GP appointment though none of them have experience of autism anyway so just wanted to know if my symptoms were 'normal' for an autistic woman, even if they were more intense than what a non-autistic woman would go through?

Thanks

Kit

Parents
  • I think it can be a lot worse when you are autistic. I am suffering the lead up to meno and the symptoms are awful. It was doing internet searches that I found out it can be really bad for some women. I'm talking panic attacks (like terror), awful intrusive thoughts and a lot more. But I think being autistic adds on sensory issues (sound become unbearable) and awareness of the horrible internal sensations that can come with it. I found some blogs (not autism-specific) where people listed almost 70 symptoms and the NHS only lists a tiny amount. GPs are not aware enough about this. I also saw this on Twitter about neurodiverse women and menopause: twitter.com/.../1186215391443345409

  • Hi, thanks for posting about this menopause and ASD symptoms.I am going through all of the above.One of the worst problems is that if I am not doing something positive, ie reading or distracting myself I feel deeply depressed too. I recently had an emotional stressor and I find that my ability to cope with anything now is massively reduced.I cry over the smallest thing and every sound that never bothered me before is now positively distressing. Has any one had any success with HRT and anti depressants?

Reply
  • Hi, thanks for posting about this menopause and ASD symptoms.I am going through all of the above.One of the worst problems is that if I am not doing something positive, ie reading or distracting myself I feel deeply depressed too. I recently had an emotional stressor and I find that my ability to cope with anything now is massively reduced.I cry over the smallest thing and every sound that never bothered me before is now positively distressing. Has any one had any success with HRT and anti depressants?

Children
  • Hi. I’m maxed out on oestrogen gel and progesterone. Have been on citalopram (SSRI) most of the last 5 years although I’m starting to think the Citalapram side effects are something I need to think seriously about now. I’m sure it reduces my ability to (what I call) join-the-dots in life and makes my short term memory worse. However, I tried a break from Citalapram a couple of years ago and fell into an awful burnout episode so I do need something to help me with anxiety and depression.

    In summary, I’m on the best meds for HRT relief but they are not a panacea.

    Heavy sigh...