Why Does My Vyvanse Feel Different Before My Period? ADHD, Hormones & Perimenopause

Does your ADHD medication seem to work brilliantly for most of the month and then suddenly feel less effective before your period?

In this bonus episode of Prescribe or Pass: The PoP Pod, pharmacist Kate Thomas explores the fascinating and still under-researched relationship between ADHD, stimulant medication and female hormones.

We look at how oestrogen and progesterone may interact with dopamine, why ADHD symptoms can worsen during the luteal phase, what happens during perimenopause, and the emerging evidence around adjusting stimulant doses at different points in the menstrual cycle.

We also unpack an important question: can you actually have different Vyvanse doses across the month?

There’s plausible biology, growing clinical experience and some intriguing early research but there are also major gaps in the evidence.

Plus, we discuss how to distinguish worsening ADHD symptoms from PMS or PMDD, why tracking symptoms across several cycles can be incredibly useful, and what to take to your prescriber if you notice a consistent pattern.

For clinicians, people taking ADHD medication, and anyone interested in why the same medication can sometimes feel very different depending on where you are in your hormonal life.

Educational information only. Do not change your stimulant dose without discussing it with your prescriber.

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