posted
I was doing some ms research and found this neuro who said ms can be exacerbated during the postpartum period. So I was thinking maybe the same was true for lyme for two reasons: lyme is one of the first things many of the neuros say you should rule out when trying to distinguish between the two. Second on a more personal level everything went wrong with me when I became pregnant with my second son. Did anyone else get sick or get worse at this time?
[This message has been edited by first free (edited 07 May 2005).]
[This message has been edited by first free (edited 07 May 2005).]
janet thomas
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posted
I felt good while pregnant-was in remission-child is ok-nursed 2 yrs-but was always so tired after baby was born, never really recovered stamina.
Posts: 2001 | From NJ | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
Hi...first free, Janet also mentioned something on another post about hormone levels dropping with menses and that exacerbating lyme flares. Is this the same as after pregnancy?
by the way, janet thanks for clarifying that both estrogen and progest fall before menses. I am not very experienced with this so any info on hormones and lyme is really appreciated :-)
Posts: 446 | From California | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
I think this is a very complicated subject with many variables, but I've heard over and over again how hormones play a key part in health overall.
I seem to remember that when a woman becomes pregnant for example, her own immune system is suppressed so as not to fight against a growing fetus.
Steroids do the same thing, suppress the immune system and thus lessen symptoms of the body's fighting mechanisms.
For a short period one feels better, but the suppressed immune system gives the lyme a chance to rage out of control.
Eventually, the lyme worsens. I've heard other women report a lyme relapse or worsening of lyme after pregnancy. Perhaps this is why.
Posts: 925 | From California | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
You might ask your doctor about scabies, it's a mite that bites you that causes allergic reactions and itche's, it's pretty common and most folks don't even know they have them half the time, easily killed with a cream too. Sometimes the rash they cause is no more than midly red skin.
Posts: 121 | From Memphis, TN | Registered: Dec 2004
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Aniek
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posted
I've never been pregnant, but I went on the birth control pill at the beginning of this year because I would flare so bad during my period. Hormones definitely impact Lyme.
I also know that many autoimmune disorders change during and after pregnancy. Some people go into remission during pregnancy, while some people get worse. I've heard that for many people, things like fibromyalgia first arise during pregnancy.
Is pain one of the symptoms that has gotten worse? There is a connection between neurotransmitters and pain. The depression that can occur in the postpartum period may also increase pain.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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dontlikeliver
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Yes it is, and I'm sure it's mentioned in Dr B's guidelines also.
Posts: 2824 | From The Back of Beyond | Registered: Oct 2003
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TerryK
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I became very ill during pregnancy with what I'm sure was undiagnosed lyme disease. I did not recover until several years after pregnancy when I went on abx for pneumonia. Had a remission for several years after that but it eventually came roaring back.
Edited to clarify - I had lyme prior to getting pregnant but I didn't know it. I think lyme is why I got so sick during my pregnancy and afterwards. I had severe post partum depression but I don't know if having lyme made that worse or not.
Terry
[ 19. June 2006, 07:51 PM: Message edited by: TerryK ]
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
my understanding is that the lyme bacteria/virus likes estrogen.
Lucky ladies we are! Any hormonal changes/fluctuations will reflect through symptoms.
I felt absolutely wonderful after my daughter was born, then about 1.5 to 2 yrs later the "s" started to hit the fan.
-------------------- Lymester Posts: 519 | From CT | Registered: Jun 2004
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kelmo
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posted
During a normal day, your ovaries produce 20mg of progesterone daily. During pregnancy, your body produces 400mg daily. That's why you have a sense of well-being and auto-immune disorders generally go into remission.
I have my daughter on 20mg of bio-identical progesterone from days 12-26 of her cycle. Sometimes she needs to play with increasing that amount, we can usually tell because her hair gets really oily and her cramps get bad if she is progesterone deficient.
There is a great book on hormones. Check out www.johnleemd.com. He is the now deceased doctor who pioneered research on natural hormones and their roles in our bodies.
Posts: 2903 | From AZ | Registered: Feb 2006
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dmc
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posted
My llmd told my sister (who is pregnant) w/lyme that after having the baby lymies usually get increased post partum depression...that explained to her what she experienced with her last child two years ago prior to lyme dx.
Posts: 2675 | From ct, usa | Registered: Jan 2004
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kelmo
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posted
Just before the birth, the estrogen increases and the progesterone begins to drop. A couple of days after the birth, the progesterone drops significantly. This imbalance causes the depression/blues.
It is safe to use a bio-identical progesterone cream after giving birth to help this syndrome. Just don't put it on your breasts while you are breastfeeding. Otherwise, 20mg daily is not going to hurt the baby in any way.
janet thomas
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posted
I am well acquainted with John Lee's book, have it and read it, along with just about every other book on the market about hormones and HRT and ,IMHO, john Lee misses the mark by a great deal , it is estrogens,specifically estradiol that is important in how women feel.
-------------------- I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice but only my personal experience and opinion. Posts: 2001 | From NJ | Registered: Mar 2005
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janet thomas
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Forgot to mention that Dr B of NY has often said that Lymies will crash post partum and should have help and expect post partum depression. I did.
-------------------- I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice but only my personal experience and opinion. Posts: 2001 | From NJ | Registered: Mar 2005
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kelmo
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posted
I'm not discounting the role of estrogen, it's just as necessary, but it's the balance that's important.
But, I know you are all aware of that. I wish I had known that 20 years ago. As I enter the premenopause state of life, I am very grateful for the information that's out there.
Bottom line...be careful of sythetics.
Posts: 2903 | From AZ | Registered: Feb 2006
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