Perimenopause

I am perimenopause and notice that my symptoms are getting worse , and I am getting depressed. I am looking for a psychiatrist who could prescribe some medication as my GP has totally refused because ASD/ADHD treatment is not initiated by GPs , such treatments are only maintained by GPs once a psyciatrist has prescribed the medication !!

It was pretty horrible for me. My periods had always been painful but became really unbearable. I had a scan which showed fibroids. My doctor gave me a leaflet outlining options - I wanted to avoid surgery and as I couldn't take the combined contraceptive pill or HRT due to oestrogen making my blood pressure high, I asked to try Depo-Provera progesterone injections. This stopped my periods and made things more bearable - it seemed to balance out my hormones a bit. I did also become very emotional at times and I had some nights where I would wake up with palpitations. I'm so glad it's all over now.

I didn't know I was on the spectrum when I was Peri-menopausal - I didn't discover this until I was in my mid fifties. I don't know if my experience was any different to most other women due to autism - all I ever heard others talking about was hot flushes, which I didn't really get.

I empathise with your situation and hope things get better soon.

You are saying all the things I have experienced. 

Are you still in perimenopause? Maybe it's time to go back to the doctor as you may need a different dose of HRT? I couldn't have HRT, I just didn't get on with it, I saw a medicl herbalist who mixed me up a personalised brew which really did help, not just with menopausal symptoms, but a lot of other things niggling away in the background.

I was sort of launched into full on menopause after a hystorectomy, but now on the other side of it, it's great I love being post menopausal, I feel like me again and the 40 years of reproductutive hormones was some kind of abberation.

When in early perimenopause I asked my GP Practice for support as I approached menopause.  I was told by a clinician that "there is a website for that".  When I asked for details of to which they made reference - I was told that I would need to speak to a different GP (who, for an extended time, was not available to request an appointment).  End of story.  It felt as though I was considered somehow unreasonable to have asked for that specific menopause support.

So ...once I had stopped fuming: I went hunting for self-help education on the topic.

There is a useful set of articles etc. where Autistica looked into just how scarce is the information applicable to menopause and Autism:

https://www.autistica.org.uk/what-is-autism/autism-and-menopause

I also found useful this Psychology Today article and reference materials: 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/women-with-autism-spectrum-disorder/202403/why-autistic-womens-experience-of-menopause-is

Here are two National Autistic Society articles around menopause:

https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/physical-health/menopause

https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/professional-practice/menopause-menstruation

To me, there seemed to be a combination of:

- a reduction in available energy for masking capability (e.g.I reduced my working week to 4 days a week),

- the need for a longer post-socialising etc. event decompression and recovery time (e.g. I needed to be a bit more strict with my calendar management and schedule in regular time to regroup on my own),

- a return to a much younger age group style of increased sensory sensitivities (e.g. I tried to remind myself that showing up and attending things (in my comfortable cotton t-shirt) was more important than people who may disapprove as I wasn't sporting the team work wear (nasty, scratchy polyester polo shirt with an evil collar bothering the nape of my neck and harsh front button placket stitching scuffing below the front of my neck),

- more tendancy toward gastro-intestinal upset from medication or disrupted meal routine (e.g. moved my prescription fulfillment from my GP Practice in-house service to a local independent pharmacy - where I had found a Pharmacist who took my requests for advice seriously),

- a return to something like the adolescent-era levels of sleep dis-regulation (e.g. I found a rechargeable baby's white noise generator helpful to try and reset my sleep approach experience for 30 minutes at weird times overnight www.amazon.co.uk/.../B0CTJK9NND ).

However, I don't believe that I necessarily experienced as disruptive a set of the more "traditional" menopause symptoms as those of which I was aware in some of my neurotypical acquaintances. 

Obviously, it is not a competition (and each woman has their own journey) - but I think family / friends / GP Practice tend to be a bit light on understanding menopause experiences in general - and particularly in the dark when it comes to Neurodivergent / Autistic women.

I have found menopause itself (further adjustments beyond merely periods actually stopping) is a process or exploration of strategies to suit yourself.  I still am finding the increased / decreased impacts are an annoyance (and yet, you can learn about and adapt / adopt Autism-supportive strategies more familiar to our much younger Autists - us "lettings" have much to learn from younger Autistic generations who may have benefited from more female-friendly Autistic strategies from an earlier age in their Autism journey).

I am pleased periods have stopped - now it is more a matter of transferring the energy period management used to consume - towards now adapting to some of the perhaps "more" Autistic presentation I experience now. 

New best friends include things like: decent ear defenders, comfortable active noise-cancelling headphones, effective ear plugs, fidget items, sunflower hidden disabilities lanyard in busy public places, comfortable clothes, attend events on your terms, reasonable adjustments etc. - whatever suits and you as the Autistic person you are now.

More research is required and more advocacy is necessary - so that we may help to improve the peri / menopause experience and journey of those woman who will follow us.

Yes this is me!! I think it’s only since I turned 40 that I noticed things change slowly and I became more sensitive to everything (I’m now 51) I have always stimmed to a certain level but that also has increased but I think that’s due to not giving a f**k any more about how people perceive me when I do it. I have also been on HRT for about 5 years and it has helped with physical symptoms of menopause such as achey joints and I still look young for my age (I am told!)