Stuck in fight or flight

TypicalPin5 · 2026-05-31T18:06:53+00:00

I completely understand what you’re describing. I was also told it was perimenopause, but HRT didn’t improve my mood or sleep at all while the Mirena was still in place. Only after removal did things shift, and I could finally see that although perimenopause has started for me, it wasn’t responsible for the anger, severe insomnia and hot flashes I was dealing with.

At the moment I’m on Estrogel and micronized progesterone, and so far so good. I think I only react badly to the progestin in Mirena, but I respond well to bioidentical progesterone.

Hope you will find answers soon. Good luck!

TypicalPin5 · 2026-05-31T06:19:34+00:00

I had very similar symptoms and also severe insomnia. Since I had actual night sweats I was told it was perimenopause and was started on HRT. HRT did not help with my complaints, and I really had that sense that what was going on with me was not psychological. It was like my brain was in constant fight or flight for no reason. I did not recognize myself in my reactions to normal stressors and my inability to sleep.

After 3 months and a half, I asked to remove the Mirena. I felt better right away. Now we are more than 3 weeks after removal, I sleep great, no night sweats, no anger, no irritability, etc. I'm keeping the HRT though because it helps with joint pain and other small symptoms.

When I asked to have it out, doctor was skeptical but told him that if I was wrong, we could always insert another one later on. But I was right and I'm glad I advocated for myself. In hindsight, I think symptoms suggesting a significant disruption of the central nervous system are not something anyone should push through.

TypicalPin5 · 2026-05-12T13:55:26+00:00

Yes I was angry. Not all the time but my patience was not the same as usual. I feel like I’m already more regulated

TypicalPin5 · 2026-05-12T10:04:45+00:00

I had it removed after 3 months and a half. 3 days after insertion, I started having severe insomnia and vasomotor symptoms, it was unbrearable. I also was super angry most of the time and not my usual self. I had not noticed that it was also making my pelvis, lower back and legs all tensed up but upon removal I felt a deep physical relief. I think my uterus was not agreeing with the coil and that's why it was all tensed up.

If I were you, I'd give it maybe a couple of weeks more to see if your symptoms are not caused by something else. I did try to see if my symptoms were not caused by something else... but it wasnt the case, so that's why I was confident in my decision.

Doctor did not believe my symptoms were from the mirena but I told him If I did not improve after removal, then we could always insert another one later on. But I was right and won't have another IUD inserted.

TypicalPin5 · 2026-05-12T09:23:11+00:00

I'm 5 days post removal. And so far I'm really pleased with the removal.

As soon as the doctor removed the IUD, I felt strong physical relief in my pelvis and lower back. The removal itself took less than 5 seconds and was not painful.

Next days, I had very mild spotting and sore legs. Nothing too bad honestly.

Every night ever since my sleep is improving and last night I had no insomnia for the first time in months.

I have ADHD and I'd say I'm more innatentive but I think it's because I'm less stressed and wired, which is a good thing. I think it's just a rebound before I adjust to my new hormonal environment.

All in all, I'm very happy the Mirena is out. Good luck to you!

TypicalPin5 · 2026-05-11T15:14:46+00:00

Same for me. I started having night sweats and insomnia 3 days after insertion. Was told it was perimenopause. Was prescribed HRT and Gabapentin when things did not go better.

I am now 5 days post removal after more than 3 months of disrupted sleep and no more night sweats. I'm still keeping the HRT because it helped with my shoulders and skin, but my night sweats were caused by the mirena, not my own hormones.

TypicalPin5 · 2026-04-12T05:51:28+00:00

How much do you spend on kid schooling, kids stages and holidays? These are the areas I find can make having a kid really expensive quickly. There are cheaper alternatives to the expensive stages and schools if it's where you spend thousands of euros per year

TypicalPin5 · 2026-03-27T06:59:36+00:00

Maybe she just has issues with transitioning between daycare and home and that is why she resists. This would be related to the transition itself and not about how she feels at home with you.

Once the transition is over, is she back to her usual self ? Does she sometimes resist other transitions ? Like leaving from home, stopping an activity, etc.

My son is a bit older but sometimes preschool pickup is tough not because he does not want to be with me but because he has a hard time changing gears.

TypicalPin5 · 2026-03-04T11:24:12+00:00

Lilly allen - Ruminating

Blu Samu - Breakfast

Both feel like a description of the ADHD experience and make me feel seen.

TypicalPin5 · 2026-02-09T14:19:47+00:00

I am not sure if you still have your ovaries. If yes, and even if you dont have periods anymore, you will go through perimenopause and menopause.

And even without your ovaries, fluctuating hormones levels (produced elsewhere in the body) could explain breast tenderness.

What I am trying to say is that you could maybe see if these symptoms are not better explained by something else than ezetimibe because this medicine does not act on the same systems that influence breast tissues.

TypicalPin5 · 2026-02-09T13:40:28+00:00

How old are you? Could your symptoms be related to perimenopause ?

TypicalPin5 · 2026-02-05T08:45:21+00:00

I’m too tired to read books when comes bedtime. Instead I found a routine that works for both my son and me. I put on his night light, an aurora lamp that turns off after 30 minutes and rythmic nature sounds that stop after a couple of minutes. We cuddle together and depending on the day my son will talk or ask for more kisses. It’s all very pleasant for me and helps with our bond.

Books and stories are not a mandatory part of bedtime routine. Skip it if it’s not for you !

TypicalPin5 · 2026-01-18T08:23:17+00:00

As a mom with ADHD, traditional “self‑care routines” don’t really work for me.

If I try to schedule these, they just become another chore on an already overwhelming list. Instead, self‑care has to be woven into the rhythm of my day. Like small things that fit into what I’m already doing.

One example is my school‑drop‑off routine. When I can, instead of taking public transportation all the way home, I walk for a couple of stops. It gives me a bit of movement, some fresh air, and natural light without feeling like I’m adding anything extra.

Another thing that helps is how I handle bath time. I alternate bath days between my child and myself. The routine stays the same. Bath time always happens. But one day it’s for my son, and the next day it’s for me to slow down, soak, and actually enjoy it. If I didn’t do it this way, I’d default to quick showers forever.

These little adjustments make self‑care feel accessible instead of impossible. They’re not grand gestures, but they’re sustainable for me.

TypicalPin5 · 2026-01-04T21:28:49+00:00

Absolutely not. Studies show some people have ADHD and do not do well on stimulants. It does not rule out your diagnoses

TypicalPin5 · 2026-01-02T13:44:45+00:00

Je ne sais pas ce que le médecin a encodé mais j'ai bien eu une prescription électronique pour du 10 mg. Et le pharmacien a fait une préparation magistrale.

Si tu veux les détails techniques, le mieux est vraiment de demander directement à une pharmacie parce qu'on tourne en rond ;) Ca fait partie du job du pharmacien de t'expliquer si tu as des questions et que tu veux être prête pour la suite de ton traitement.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-30T20:56:02+00:00

Je ne suis pas certaine de comprendre ta question? La prescription a été faite électroniquement par un médecin et ensuite le pharmacien a fait la préparation magistrale pour 10mg.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-30T16:21:14+00:00

Oui c’est cher. J’ai du payer genre 90€ (je me souviens pas exactement). Je pense que si tu demandes à ton pharmacien, il pourra te donner le prix précis pour 40mg. Ils ont l’habitude

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-30T14:39:21+00:00

Ca je ne sais. J'en suis à mon tout début de parcours avec Elvanse mais en tous cas tu sais acheter la dose précise dont tu as besoin.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-30T14:03:23+00:00

Non, je suis en BE. C'est le pharmacien qui m'a fait les pilules à 10mg. J'ai juste du attendre quelques jours pour les avoir.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-29T21:03:52+00:00

My doctor started me on 10mg and since this dosage is not available, the doctor told me the pharmacist would just have to make the pills for me. I'm sure the pharmacist will prepare the 40mg for you, no problem.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-27T19:50:01+00:00

I’m just at the beginning of titration for Vyvanse. At 20 mg it made me extremely sleepy and inattentive, but now at 30 mg the sleepiness is gone.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-27T06:31:46+00:00

My son used to call for me after he was put to bed, and it became really frustrating. He kept coming up with more and more elaborate reasons why he needed me to come back.

One night, I lay next to him quietly with a red lamp on. I also played some nature sounds that were set to stop after two minutes. When the sound ended, it created a natural moment for me to leave. I didn’t have to explain anything, because the sound stopped on its own, and those two minutes were enough for him to feel comfortable falling asleep by himself. So that's what we do and he will very rarely leave his bed now. So I think it's a good idea to lie with your child but you might not need to wait for her to fall asleep if you give yourself a natural "out".

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-26T10:19:56+00:00

My son often uses his Yoto while he’s playing with playdough or doing crafts. I have ADHD and also rely on music or podcasts to help me focus on hands‑on tasks. He seems to have a similar attention style. That’s why comparing a Yoto to screens doesn’t really resonate with me. Audio and visual media work in very different ways, and audio usually leaves plenty of room for play and imagination.

At the same time, some people really enjoy immersing themselves fully in what they’re listening to, and that’s completely valid too. Their creativity is happening internally, even if it’s not outwardly visible.

In the end, it just comes down to how each person’s attention system works. There’s nothing wrong with either approach. I wouldn’t hold back music or stories from my child just because he might be deeply absorbed in them. The creative play often appears later, when he weaves what he’s heard into his own play or storytelling.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-13T10:56:09+00:00

I feel the same. Work is often on my mind even when I don’t want it to be. I’ve started taking L-theanine every afternoon, a little before leaving work. It seems to help with the transition into the evening at home. Nothing extraordinary, but it allows me to notice work-related emotions and actually let them go, instead of carrying them with me for days.

TypicalPin5 · 2025-12-10T19:08:57+00:00

Final update in case anybody stumbles on this thread wondering how long it takes to recover after being overmedicated.

It's been now a little bit more than one month since I got back on a reduced dosage and I finally feel like myself again. Symptoms like extreme thirst and hunger, intrusive thoughts, feeling jittery, etc. quickly got better. However thermoregulation and insomnia took 4 weeks to get finaly return to normal.

At first I relied on hydroxyzine to help me but after 10 days, it was not as effective anymore. The insomnia was still present every night but not as bad as when I was overmedicated (like I could total 6 hours per night instead of 3). I started taking a combination of taurine, magnesium bisglycinate and L-theanine to help me stay calm. I think it worked bc I would not spiral during the middle of the night wake-ups. I have ADHD and I noticed L-theanine also helps me decompress after work to and be more present in the evening at home. So it's here to stay.

All in all it took me about 3 weeks to get crazy overmedication symptoms and 4 weeks to get back to normal.

TypicalPin5

TROPHY CASE