Show Notes
I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at https://drbrighten.com/pmdd
If symptoms get worse before a period but do not let up once bleeding starts, is it really PMDD, or could it be PME instead? In this episode, Dr. Brighten breaks down why PMDD vs PME is not a small wording difference but a clinical distinction that can change what treatment needs to address.
Listeners will learn how to tell whether symptom timing fits PMDD or PME, why the symptom-free or mostly symptom-free window matters so much, what two months of daily tracking can reveal before a doctor's appointment, which underlying issues can be mistaken for PMDD, including ADHD, depression, anxiety, thyroid problems, and chronic pain, and why severe mood symptoms, self-harm thoughts, or suicidal thoughts need medical and mental health support instead of self-diagnosis.
For anyone who has been told it is just hormones, this episode leaves one question hanging: what does the full month actually show?
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More from The Dr. Brighten Show
ADHD medication can feel different across your menstrual cycle, and a difficult month doesn’t automatically mean your treatment has failed. View the show notes and episode resources at https://drbrighten.com/podcast/adhd-medication-and-your-period/ .
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ADHD and hormones are deeply connected, and shifts in estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone may help explain why focus, mood, executive function, and even the experience of ADHD medication can change across the menstrual cycle and during perimenopause. View the full show notes and additional resources at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/adhd-hormones-in-women/.
ADHD in women symptoms can hide behind straight As, a successful career, a packed calendar, and the exhausting work of appearing “fine.” In Episode 1 of the ADHD in Women series, Dr. Jolene Brighten joins psychiatrist Dr. Agnes Kwon Simone, pediatric psychologist Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart, and clinical s/xologist Dr. Leann Borneman to unpack the signs women mask, the assessment gaps that lead to missed diagnoses, and how to advocate for a thorough evaluation. View the full show notes at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/adhd-in-women-symptoms/ .
Did you know women with endometriosis are twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD? In my new book, ADHD and Women, I connect the dots between hormones, pain, mood, focus, and the symptoms women are too often told to simply push through—so you can finally understand what is happening in your body and brain. Get your copy: https://drbrighten.com/adhd-and-women/