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Attention Deficit Disorder & Menopause

Between four and five million adult American women have attention deficit disorder (ADD), according to Mayo Clinic estimates. Adult women with ADD reach middle age already having dealt with many of the additional challenges caused by this diagnosis, which can have both mental and physical symptoms. The hormonal changes associated with menopause can make their ADD symptoms worse.

  1. Symptoms

    • ADD can cause difficulty in focus and concentration, memory problems, sleep disorders, poor physical coordination, hypersensitivity, low self-esteem, fatigue and addiction problems in adults. Many women report memory loss, hypersensitivity and fatigue during menopause. When women who have been struggling with ADD symptoms for years undergo the radical hormonal changes of menopause, the symptoms often get dramatically worse. Experts say the problem is likely to be more severe in women with undiagnosed and untreated ADD.

    Pharmaceuticals

    • Because some of the symptoms of ADD and menopause overlap, so do some of the medications. Bupropion (Wellbutrin), used to treat depression, also is a medication used to treat ADD. Ritalin, used to treat ADD, may relieve symptoms of depression in some menopausal women. And hormonal replacement therapy, used to treat menopausal symptoms, may improve some symptoms of ADD, returning the symptoms to the pre-menopausal level. Some patients also might need anti-anxiety medication to function comfortably during this phase of life, which may relieve some symptoms of both conditions.

    Lifestyle

    • Lifestyle changes can help women with ADD get through menopause. Many women in this age range are busy caring for both growing children and aging parents, as well as working full time; consequently, they develop poor exercise and nutrition habits. ADD can disrupt sleep patterns, and so can menopausal hot flashes. Lifestyle strategies include increasing the amount of sleep, getting regular exercise, and eating a nutritious diet that's low in refined carbohydrates. Activities that exercise the brain--ranging from working crossword puzzles to returning to graduate school--provide mental stimulation that may improve focus. Meditation and yoga may help relieve symptoms of anxiety.

    Alternatives

    • Alternative medicine strategies for coping with ADD during menopause address both getting enough of specific nutrients into the diet--including amino acids, Vitamin E, Omega 3 fatty acids---and adding herbal supplements such as gingko biloba, which is known to improve mental functioning, or St. John's Wort, used to combat depression. The theory is that, with the right nutrients, the patient's body can re-balance the brain chemistry. Progesterone cream made from wild yam and other plant sources may be recommended to help with hormonal balance as well. Supplementation should be supervised by a knowledgeable health care professional.

    Support

    • Support groups exist in many communities for adults with ADD, including some specifically for women. ADDConsults hosts an online support chat for adults with ADD (http://www.addconsults.com/digichat/) and Power-Surge has an online support forum for menopausal women (http://www.power-surge.com/). The National Institutes of Health research suggests that real-life support groups for menopausal women are most successful in helping members cope with this stage of life. Because ADD is so common in adult women, any menopause support group is likely to include a few members with ADD.

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