ADHD and being trans
I recently got diagnosed with ADHD a couple of months ago. That makes me curious; since there's a higher percentage of trans people who are autistic, would there be a higher percentage who are ADHD?
What are your experiences with being ADHD and trans?
There’s a lot of research suggesting cis women with ADHD have symptoms (and metabolism of stimulant medications) fluctuate with hormone cycles. It’s not talked about enough that HRT would cause similar issues for trans fem folks. There isn’t great research on just how those effects would show up for trans people, but it’s reasonable to assume they would.
Conversely, estrogen and the like can mitigate psychotic symptoms so maybe that’s a side bonus?
Me, currently awake at three am on the first day of my period: did you say medication metabolism?
Ouch! Well, if you’re up, may as well read:
Feels like it made mine worse too, but it could be that with less depression the symptoms are easier to notice. I'm also a trans man, so there are gonna be some differences with that too. I'm curious if inattentive or hyperactive symptoms went up for you. For me, I've been experiencing more hyperactive ones.
There's a section in the gender Dysphoria Bible about ADHD and HRT, but I don't know how scientifically valid it is.
This is under the androgenic puberty section:
"If you have ADHD, there may be some changes in your symptoms. Androgens amplify dopamine receptor function, so increasing testosterone can improve the activation potential for dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a key neurotransmitter in the behavior of working memory, the short-term memory of the brain. More working memory means you may become less prone to distractions and have an easier time maintaining cognitive load.
However, estradiol encourages the production of dopamine, so as estrogen levels fall there will be less dopamine for the brain to work with. Your symptoms worsen, not improve."
From the estrogenic puberty section:
"There is a known problem with spironolactone hampering working memory due to its effects on mineralocorticoids. This can significantly worsen ADHD issues and make it much harder to maintain focus or be aware of your surroundings. I was involved in a car accident in 2017 that I blame on spiro fog."
I was involved in a car accident in 2017 that I blame on spiro fog.”
Spiro fog huh? Now that I think about it I guess spironolactone had those sorts of effects on me too, I've just gotten used to them by now.
Like mentioned elsewhere, folks with menstruation cycles are well known to show exacerbated ADHD symptoms with the fluctuations in hormones.
Progesterone made my ADHD a lot worse. Second biggest reason I stopped taking it once getting up to where I wanted to be in top growth. (first being that I was constantly ravenously hungry)
Going back on spironolactone has made it better though. Missing my evening doses of that and estradiol will throw me off a bit the next day.
Well, it certainly depends on the individual. It'll get better for some, worse for others, or stay the same. There's no guarantee HRT will affect it at all.
I think it's just neurodivergence in general. I think some day they'll discover a connection between all these "disorders" that are a part of me, the ADHD, the autism spectrum, the OCD, the anxiety, the Tourette's, the gender dysphoria.
The only thing I was officially diagnosed with as a child was Tourette's, and it's a big deal, but ugh that masked so much depression, anxiety, and ASD traits. Only as an adult in the last decade, have I been able to discuss with psychiatrists and therapists, these other lingering and often distressing qualities. I found that the elaborate coping mechanisms I constructed, maybe aren't super healthy.
I will say the ADHD has gotten much worse in recent years, and maybe it's related to transition. However my partner, who is not transitioning, is experiencing the same thing. Their theory is that it's COVID-related ("neurological fallout"). We both have changing hormones during this time, for different reasons. But my own theory is it's age-related. All of my "disorders" manifest differently over time.
I was diagnosed with ADD/ADHD inattentive when I was a child. I guess when someone has one "disorders" they are more likely to have others. Transitioning medically might have worsened the effects of ADHD for me aswell, staying focused while on progesterone specifically has made me forget what I was doing/saying more often than before.
Anyone else notice changes with ADHD when on specific medications?