Constant Burnout Cycle

[ladybird30]

I'm not sure if I'm looking for advice or just support but I need to do something...

I seem to have a 4 week cycle of burnout and it feels like it's destroying my life. I know my hormones massively affect my AuDHD and sometimes I'd do anything to be a bloke tbh 😅 but I keep having meltdowns every month. It's affecting my parenting, my relationship, my ability to just cope with the day to day. I don't know where to turn or what to do anymore.

I'm mostly worried about the affect it has in my little one. The guilt is horrendous. I've had points where I can be snappy with him or I've had to lock myself in the bathroom because i can physically feel the affect of burnout and I can't handle it and end up a crying mess.

It's a huge mess and I still don't have access to medication due to waiting lists. I feel incredibly hopeless at the moment but maybe someone has something that's helped them or some advice that's helped...

Could you take hormonal contraception constantly like the pill with no breaks or a iud?

OP I hear you so much.

I haven’t cracked the burnout cycle as such but these things help:

•Taking a piriton each night on the 10 days before my period. It brings histamine down and guarantees good quality sleep.

•Taking black Cohosh supplements.

•Drink espresso in lieu of stimulant meds.

• Split on duty weekends each month so the 2 weekends during or after your period, you have your child, the 2 weekends leading up to your period get your partner to have him so you can sleep and be alone.

•Get a cleaner. Takes that off your mental burden. Keeps on top of your immediate environment.

•I came off Sertraline after a couple of desperate years when DC was young but in those 2 years, I got my dream job and had a bloody break from my neurosis. I came off it in the end because I gained weight, couldn’t orgasm or cry on it but boy- perimenopause, life stress, work bullies, society as it is now and DH’s annoying ways make it very hard to not venture back!

My psychiatrist who diagnosed me with ADHD told me that many studies have shown thar regular cardio exercise is proven to have the same benefits as stimulant medication.

I have found that the medication has completely cured me of decades long eating disorders with bulimia, binge eating and over exercising. Exercising used to cause thoughts of food to take up way too much rent free space in my brain. It’s given me dignity so do keep pushing for the medication.

All good tips. I can't take the pill so I've just tracked my cycle. So I know what day its due and what I can expect to feel and when. This helps as over time I've learned things like - don't say yes to everything when I'm on my period as I'll regret it a week later. I need extra caffeine just after my period to stay focused, but caffeine before or on my period = migraine/no effect. Sufficient carb and protein = more focus. Etc. All a bit try and see. I do take meds too but they don't work on my period at all, and to be honest in the 2nd half of my cycle I don't really notice them!

Hi Op, I'm so sorry that I don't have any advice but just wanted to send hugs and solidarity - I could have written this word for word. Interested to read the advice too.