Why is there an exacerbation of symptoms before menstruation?
If you're on abx when this happens, are you killing more bb or is your system just overwhelmed?
Posted by LightAtTheEnd (Member # 24065) on :
I don't know--I'd like to know, too.
This has happened to me consistently since my tick bite, before and since antibiotics. It's possibly the most consistent aspect of my symptoms.
Posted by jwick25 (Member # 15190) on :
My LLMD advised that the majority of her female patients have this very complaint.
She does not have the exact answer, but guesses that it might have something to do with our hormones at this time.
Believe me, I feel your pain! I think there might be a supplement that helps alleviate some of the discomfort, but I can't remember the name. I know, helpful. Posted by lajamur (Member # 24593) on :
i'm the same way. the dizziness, nausea, all the neuro symptoms, fatigue.... SO much worse during the week before my period.
i know i've read that bb tends to sync up with the female hormonal cycle? i haven't been able to find anything more concrete/specific about that, but i have definitely seen it mentioned.
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
There is an association with menses and lyme flares. Read this congressional testimony for more info. It is very interesting. http://www.lymeinfo.net/part7.html
Terry
Posted by greengirl (Member # 25316) on :
Add me to this list. I've searched for answers both before and after realizing I had lyme. Never found anything to help or answers.
All that I can come up with by way of explanation is that, overall, I'm much more sensitive to everything during that time (noise, smells, temperatures, colds, intuition, salt, etc. etc.).
Dr. Northrup talks alot about women using their cycle to be in better tune with their inner-most needs on all levels.
Posted by lotus26 (Member # 26556) on :
i had the exact same question. if lyme bugs hate heat, why do they come out most before/into menstration when your body temp is higher then usual. i asked my doctor who has done extensive research with lyme and he said that the bugs love the lining that accumulates when you menstrate. it's a prime food for them apparently.
Posted by lotus26 (Member # 26556) on :
also it IS an opportune time to kill off many bugs in large volumes when on abx. my doctor told me even though its the time i feel the worst, i should try and be the healthiest and take meds religiously. good luck. i feel your pain. the week before my period is the worst, the week after, the best.
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
If you want answers, read the link I gave above. I'll cut and paste some of the info but I don't want to format it all. It's not that hard to read.
The information comes from a very good source!
"My interest in Lyme disease has to do with some information that turned out to be rather surprising - that I'm going to show you - indicating that in some individuals and in women who have regularly recurring menstrual cycles there seems to be a dynamic between the hormonal status or the endocrine status of the individual and the immune system." Posted by Dawn in VA (Member # 9693) on :
I agree with what Terry posted. We know Lyme (and possibly other coinfections) affect our HPA axis and really screws with our hormones and edocrine system as a whole. I think that's why many of us have irregular periods until we get well- or are well into getting there. Perhaps the same is true regarding pre-menstrual exacerbations.
Posted by sickpuppy (Member # 23846) on :
TerryK, thanks for the link to that transcript--very interesting. I pulled out this part explaining that a few days before and a few days after the 1st day of your period, your immune system works harder:
...there is a period known as the immune response interval that is occurring approximately three days prior to, including the day of menses, and three days thereafter. If you then take the data and look at the pattern of estradiol secretion in normal women versus the pattern of night sweat activity in women with Lyme disease, what you see is, indeed, at the time that you see a decline in ovarian hormone production, in terms of estradiol secretion and progesterone secretion, which is the hallmark of the period prior to menses, this is when you see intensification of the immune system response.
I hadn't gotten my period in 3 months so I wasn't sure if I was just herxing again. I feel happy to see a normal function of my body returning. I guess if you don't get your period, you don't get these vital peaks in immune activity.
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
What she seems to be saying is that the immune system becomes more active right before the period. This probably means you are killing infection.
She states that sweating is a hallmark of active infection so keep that in mind as you read this.
If you look at the monthly pattern of night sweat activity in association with menses, over consecutive menstrual cycles in this individual, you see is the intensification of night sweat activity is indeed occurring around the time of menses.
If you look at the mean intensity of this monthly pattern of night sweats, or diaphoresis, and you study this in association with menstrual cycle dynamics, what you see is that during the luteal phase of the cycle - this defines the period after ovulation, during which time the progesterone secretion is highest - and you look at the mean activity of night sweat activity during the follicular phase, prior to the time of ovulation, you see that there really is not much difference in the intensity of the night sweats or immune system activity.
Rather, there is a period known as the immune response interval that is occurring approximately three days prior to, including the day of menses, and three days thereafter.
If you then take the data and look at the pattern of estradiol secretion in normal women versus the pattern of night sweat activity in women with Lyme disease, what you see is, indeed, at the time that you see a decline in ovarian hormone production, in terms of estradiol secretion and progesterone secretion, which is the hallmark of the period prior to menses, this is when you see intensification of the immune system response. Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
haha sickpuppy - I was trying to format info from her testimony and you put the pertinent info up a whole lot faster and better than I did. Good job!
Posted by LightAtTheEnd (Member # 24065) on :
Before Lyme, I had regular periods, but since Lyme, I get them every 15-18 days, AND symptom flares in the 3 days before.
I thought Lyme was supposed to flare every 4 weeks, not 2, but I'm sure it's Lyme-or-whatever that has caused my cycle to speed up.
Unfortunately it varies just enough to be unpredictable.
Posted by sickpuppy (Member # 23846) on :
Predictably unpredictable, LightAtTheEnd! I'm pretty sure I'd rather be a male with lyme than a female with lyme.
Posted by greengirl (Member # 25316) on :
Can someone state this a little more simply for me, please? I'm having trouble following. Are you saying that there is a hightened immune response around menses? So, there would be a larger die-off around that time and, thus, more symptoms?
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
greengirl - I think you understand it perfectly.
Anyone else have another understanding?
Terry
Posted by sickpuppy (Member # 23846) on :
Yup greengirl you got it. The heightened immune activity is the 3-4 days before the 1st day and then also the 3-4 days after the 1st day--so a total of 6-8 days with the 1st day of bleeding in the middle.
Posted by orrn (Member # 6672) on :
I get intensified symptoms about a week before my period and now before I ovulate also. Don't know why that is. My best days are usually the first and second days after I start flowing. I was told I have estrogen dominance, but can't figure it all out. Drives me crazy! It's a short drive, but I don't live there yet...
orrn
Posted by littlebit27 (Member # 24477) on :
People kept asking me this when I was posting questions-but I don't usually have a period because I am on the depo-or I thought I didn't. I started spotting the other day and looked back at my symptoms/health journal and sure enough I am spotting every 28 days. And most of the time my symptoms get worse right around that time.
I just thought I was spotting-just because-but apparently I was still following the schedule, perfecly every 28 days.
Before Diagnosis I was having ALL kinds of issues with my period. Now, they are "normal" again.
Posted by greengirl (Member # 25316) on :
And, suddenly, 12 years of my life now makes sense. Thanks, guys.
Posted by hadlyme (Member # 6364) on :
Spirochetes die off in cycles.... so in females, our cycles we get more die off at that time. You LLMD should have warned you about this happening.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)