This is the first time I have registered with a site to post on adhd. I felt compelled to do so here because I have the same problem as what is being discussed in this thread. It seems that my med (concerta) is completely inaffective during the first few days of my menstral cycle. It is very difficult to focus and to accomplish tasks.
There is defiantly something occuring hormonally. I would love to see this researched by medical professionals.

Thanks all! I found this forum while googling my hypothesis about why I might be back down to *zero* in terms of focus today (first full day of period, was OK even most of yesterday I think). Very curious what the mechanisms are, whether we might find ways of anticipating the cycle and nipping it in the bud.

At least, in the meantime, it saves me some sanity to have a thought other than "for no reason it's as if my med does nothing today". It allows me not to despair that I'll be stuck in this pit for the forseeable future. LOL.

-Persona

thank you so much for proving that I am not crazy or alone. All of you have pretty much described how I have felt today- it's like I didn't take anything. I struggled through work and school and that had not been the case. I was only recently diagnosed and given the Adderoll and right away my focus and everything improved. I've been on antidepressants and anxiety drugs for years and now wonder if all I needed was to be acknowledged as an adult ADHD sufferer. But since I only started my prescription about 2 weeks ago when I emailed my doctor that I was completely out of whack and wondered if I should take more he says we'll talk about it next visit. I'll tell you I'm probably in for a week of tough days since he doesn't want to help me until then.

I'm just so grateful to not be alone because I felt almost unhinged today and kept making foolish mistakes at work. I'm telling you, it was embarrassing how out of it I was.

So printing out all your comments to prove to him I'm not alone and that maybe if he lived through what we are going through he'd understand!

Thanks so much!

FINALLY i have realised that I am not completely losing the plot. I am half way through being assessed for adult adhd (my 7 yr old is already diagnosed)
Every time I start my period I feel like a coiled spring or a jack in the box ready to explode.
I am not yet on any medication and finding it really hard to cope every time I have a period. At least I am not the only one x

Wow!!!, Have been meaning to look up AD/HD and hormones for 6 monthes now and finally took the time. Having same problem around menstral cycle so much so my 8yr old daughter said "Mom u need to start taking ur meds again", of coures my husband noticed too, and since we are working on our marraige, staying focused is a BIG issue. My psychiatrist had not heard of this when I mention it...will be printing all post. Talked to one of my gyno doctors, i cut his hair, and he said you can take certain birthcontrol pills and not have a cycle and they have one that is low enough in est/proges, that its safe to take for long term, through menapause even. I'm 43 and want to learn about all my optitions and which will work the best. I'll text and find out which pill he was talking about so you can do your own research. Thanks to all who' ve shared over the years. anything new any of you have found out I would love to hear about.