If your ADHD feels like it's on steroids the week before your period—you are not imagining it.
Mood swings, emotional outbursts, sudden fatigue, brain fog, or total system shutdown might not be "just ADHD." It could be PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) or premenstrual hormone sensitivity that’s flaring your symptoms.
As a practitioner who specializes in ADHD, PMDD, and functional root-cause care, I see this pattern in a large percentage of my female clients. And many don’t even realize their hormones are playing a role in their focus, motivation, or energy.
Let’s break it down.
What is PMDD?
PMDD stands for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, a severe hormone sensitivity that causes significant emotional and physical symptoms in the luteal phase (the 1–2 weeks before your period).
While PMS can cause some mood changes, PMDD is debilitating and often misdiagnosed as anxiety, depression, or in many of my clients’ cases—just "worse ADHD."
Common PMDD symptoms include:
Sudden irritability or rage
Depression or hopelessness
Panic or anxiety
Physical discomfort (bloating, joint pain, headaches)
Sleep disruption
Crying spells or shutdowns
The ADHD-PMDD Connection
Many women with ADHD also have PMDD or some form of hormonal mood sensitivity. Here’s why they overlap:
Estrogen affects dopamine. Estrogen helps regulate the same neurotransmitters (like dopamine and serotonin) that are already in short supply in ADHD brains.
In the luteal phase, estrogen and progesterone drop dramatically. This drop impacts mood, memory, motivation, and energy—exactly the areas where ADHD already makes things harder.
ADHD symptoms intensify during this phase: executive dysfunction, overwhelm, sensory sensitivity, and time blindness can all spike.
This creates a perfect storm.
Signs You Might Have Both ADHD and PMDD:
Your ADHD symptoms get significantly worse in the 7–10 days before your period
You have mood crashes or emotional dysregulation that lifts like a cloud once your period starts
You feel like a different person week to week (and can never quite explain why)
Stimulant meds don’t feel as effective during this phase
You’re not crazy. You’re not broken. You’re just ready for a new kind of care. ✨What You Can Do About It
If this sounds like you, you are not alone—and there are things you can do to support your body.
Start Tracking
Use a simple mood + symptom tracker (like the free one I created) to spot patterns in mood, sleep, irritability, and focus.Balance Blood Sugar
Blood sugar crashes amplify hormonal shifts. Protein + fiber at every meal helps stabilize mood and reduce luteal anxiety.Support Your Nervous System
Magnesium glycinate, lemon balm, calming rituals, and nervous system regulation practices can go a long way.Test Don’t Guess
Functional lab testing (like DUTCH for hormones, GI-MAP for gut health, or HTMA for minerals) can show you exactly what’s going on under the surface.
The Takeaway
If your cycle feels like an emotional rollercoaster that wrecks your focus, motivation, or emotional stability—it might not be "just ADHD."
Hormone sensitivity is real. PMDD is real. And you deserve support that looks at the whole picture.
Want to Learn More?
Explore my services to get personalized support for ADHD, hormone health, and PMDD — because you deserve care that looks at the full picture.