Do people with autism have more severe PMS than neurotypical

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I'm almost 40 and I get severe PMS when I get really upset and cry. Do some people with autism have more severe PMS than neurotypicals?

Cornflake (Admin) will probably move this thread to the womens forum where you are likely to get more sensible answers.

I would hazzard a guess and say it depends on the individual but probably anything that effects your sensory receptors will likely be worse with someone who has sensory issues ,difficulty with emotional regulation and routine changes.

I had PMDD.

I have PMDD right now and just had my periods (cf: my suicidal thoughts yesterday in Rant topic and this afternoon).

I feel like mine has gotten worse with age. It also just depends on the month. This month, hardly am experiencing it. No tears were shed. No depressive thoughts, just feeling a little more meh than usual?? It was weird.

Last month. Oh my god...I thought it was the end of the world for me. I also had other factors going on in my life but for a week straight I was crying so much. I was so anxious I threw up, I wanted to scream. Everything was 100000x than the norm. I went out to the mall one day and I was supposed to go to other areas. Could not make it through the whole day. My sensory issues were worse too.

No, I don't get more severe PMS than most people. I used to have a lot of pain before a period due to endometriosis and ovarian cysts which affected my mood (most people aren't in great moods when they're in a lot of pain), but I didn't really get extreme mood swings or anything like that. I don't get periods anymore due to a hormonal IUD which has greatly improved my quality of life.

I don't think severe PMS would be related to autism apart from some of us being more sensitive to sensory stuff and changes in our body and/or routine.

Since PPMD is defined as an endocrine disorder, autism cannot be the cause.
Its inclusion in the DSM is due to the fact that, unlike PMS, PPMD causes psychiatric symptoms.
OP could have a PPMD rather than a severe PMS.
Level of progesterone and oestrogens after ovulation and before menstruation and serotonine levels changes may trigger symptoms of PPMD.
We could postulate that autistic individuals might probably have a higher sensitivity to hormonal fluctuations.

I think Autism tends towards extremes and I am the sensitive type... so PMS and menstruation in general have been awful ("very challenging") for me. My period is also a migraine trigger. The PMS when I had miscarriages and when my son weaned were especially whack!! For the latter he was a toddler and my second so it was not a new-baby thing - it was hormonal. Huge crying jags for both. I got kicked out of a support group. Thankfully in general the worst of my PMS is just a day. I sought help as a teenager but the OBGYN said my issues were larger than menstrual and turned me away. Now when I have that bad PMS day, I know to give myself 24 hours of grace. What's annoying is I'm perimenopausal (early 50s) and my cycles are shorter, so I need grace more often. Sigh. I'll be past this soon. I have a friend who sought medicinal help for PMDD and now is on something more general. I started medicines to generally help take the "edge off" (hyperactive nervous system).

I hope you find relief.

I am currently reading a book by a female autistic. She writes that she has terribly painful PMS and she thinks that is because of her autism. She is a medical doctor.

PMDD is definitely more prominent with neurodivergence women, particularly linked to ADHD and ADHD has been shown to be present in up to 70 percent of those with Autism. Mild PMDD could be mistaken for bad PMS. PMDD can become more noticeable in perimenopause which and many women will end up being diagnosed with both autism and adhd during this time as their ability to mask gets harder after a lifetime of doing it well. This can be due to exhaustion/autistic burnout and increased sensory issues. A sensitive nervous system is more likely to interpret the bodily symptoms of perimenopause and menopause are being dangerous and therefore making them more intense and distressing.

I have pmdd and it’s the bane of my existence.

I recently read that women have had success in combating PMDD with over the counter allergy meds such as Claritin or Allegra. It’s all over Reddit. I think I might try it. Has anyone else tried this?

I think it would make sense that people with autism would have a harder time dealing with the symptoms of PMS. I mean it is full of pain, sensitivities, and changes. It's difficult to manage for everyone but for people that are more sensitive, it makes sense that it would be even more difficult.

Yes! It is definitely related.

I have had endometriosis and it made my whole life..insufferable, because at the time, doctors (male doctors of course) had no idea what that meant.... until recently that I am my ovaries do not produce enough oestrogens... My parents used to say I am lazy. I used to lack any energy for the half of the month and the rest I was trying to rest from the extreme fatigue. Plus the strains of undiagnosed autism, made me want to close myself all day in a dark room. The doctors used to send me away with contraceptive pills and antidepressants, until the cyst bursted and almost died. As a result endometriosis was also causing me severe depression. I also suffered from horrible acne. So maybe yes, we have less tolerance to oestrogens.

Maybe one of our sensory sensitivities, include estrogens. That is my experience.