Autism/ADHD and PMS

I have temporarily rejoined here, one of the reasons being I would like personal discussion on this so I'm sorry of this hijacks your thread a little but it's all relevant. 

In terms of your own issues, I've never had massive problems in the "women's department" pertaining to mood, although I do feel now slightly more balanced (!) post-burnout, it's easier to manage. Meditation and supplements help personally, but I know it's different for everyone.  You said you know it'll pass - keep that in mind.

I'd like to know if yourselves or any other members find their sensory world (in particular, hearing) more unmanageable around certain times of the month? I cannot discern properly,  cause and effect, but have been wondering now for around 8 months or longer. Considering age having an impact too although I've been advised I am a bit too young for "change of life" (but seem to be heading that way earlier than my peers).

It is frustrating because,  I struggle explaining myself to doctors, have difficulty with interoception and alexithymia. I'd rather try and sort things out myself as far as possible. I have read low oestrogen can affect hearing/tinnitus. Ear infection is ruled out. What may be classed as "irritability" to some, is me not being able to tolerate a meowing cat or general kitchen noises.

I am most definitely not after medical advice, or links to generic "women's problems and autism", I'd like personal experiences. At certain times regular life starts to become unbearable. Like today. I have nearly posted about this several times before.

Could you be having perimenopause? It gives some of the same symptoms of menopause, some hot flushes and head aches, brain fog and heavy or scanty bleeding. It tends to come on somewhere around the mid to late 30's, then it goes away again for a bit before menopuae proper starts.

I think it's quite likely. The difficulty is when, certain symptoms overlap with chronic health conditions and spending most of adult life exhausted and generally unwell. It can be difficult to discern what's "normal" or expected. And, difficulty advocating for/expressing myself when with health professionals. 

I think it's quite likely. The difficulty is when, certain symptoms overlap with chronic health conditions and spending most of adult life exhausted and generally unwell. It can be difficult to discern what's "normal" or expected. And, difficulty advocating for/expressing myself when with health professionals. 

My partner is also autistic but interoception isn't something she struggles with thankfully. I however haven't a clue that I need the loo until it's a bit too close to call.

If you've met one autistic person, you've met one autistic person.

Unknown said:

she's very much in tune with her body

This made me laugh. As an autistic woman this is something I struggle with hugely in terms of physical health. Also, growing up, we don't have the group of girlfriends to absorb by osmosis all these factors that make us up being women. And I think masking plays a big part of not understanding our own bodies. I do think there's a part of us that needs to be explicitly told or shown. 

KT works in endocrine and gynae so she knows a fair bit anyway, plus she's very much in tune with her body and knew it wasn't period pains, but we were in A&E that time so they sent for a gynae....of course. The doctor clearly assumed that because he didn't know after checking Google that it must be women's problems.

It's not just male gynae's that do this, nor male GP's, how did your partner end up in a gynae clinic if her GP thought she had diverticulitis? Surely she would have been sent to another dept?

There does need to be more research, but a big start would be to remember women of child bearing age are more than a womb.

Why do we get sent to gynae dept's for problems with hormones, surely an endocrinologist would be more appropriate?

Oh wow don't get me started on this. I've read so many accounts of women being told by mostly male gynaes that it's just period pains, or that certain procedures like cervical biopsies aren't painful (they really really are).

My partner once went in with diverticulitis and the doctor actually googled symptoms in front of us...... and then the male gynae told her it was period pains. She squeezed my leg in suppressed rage when he said it. Her own female GP diagnosed her correctly following this. There needs to be far more research into women's bodies and possible complications.

I was surprised at how many health problems remained after menopause, some of them actually got taken seriously too, I was diagnosed with fybromyalgia something I suspect I've had for a long time pre menopause. I asked my doctor once why doctors always look for a gynae problem first and keep on doing so long after treatments aren't found to work and test come back negative? She said they're trained to look for a gynae reason for anything wrong in the abdominal area first. I think this is so wrong, we have other things in our abdomens than wombs, we have bowels and guts that just as likely to be causing the problems. Or things like chronic fatigue, especially seeing as so many of work full time, and do the majority of the child care and housework etc.

I feel this focus on gynae problems and seeing womens health through that lens is both lazy and sexist.