I seem to have a four week cycle with my lyme symptoms. Two weeks before my period are the best for me, then during my period is bad and the week around ovulation is my worst.
Anyone else experience this? Before becoming sick the time before my period was worse for me - I had classic PMS, now those are the weeks I look forward to!
Posts: 58 | From boston | Registered: Apr 2006
| IP: Logged |
cantgiveupyet
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8165
posted
my whole cycle is messed up and changed a lot since lyme
I used to be so sick with my period...nausea bad cramps.....
first few months with bad lyme symptoms it was worse during my period... now things seem to be better during my period.
worse a few days before.
Most of my symptoms really flare around the 11th of every month and last a week.
symptoms flaring during menses is very common. If you do a search you should find some more info too.
-------------------- "Say it straight simple and with a smile."
"Thus the task is, not so much to see what no one has seen yet, But to think what nobody has thought yet, About what everybody sees."
-Schopenhauer
pos babs, bart, igenex WB igm/igg Posts: 3156 | From Lyme limbo | Registered: Oct 2005
| IP: Logged |
AZURE WISH
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 804
posted
my cycles are extremely irregular so there is not mathematical formula for me...
but my symptoms are and have been varying degrees of worse during my period over the years.
The symptoms flared less when I was less sick though.
Although I must say from the begging of my cycles I had horrible cramps with my period. (I had lyme years before my cycles started)
Now my cramps are annoying but I am not doubled over in pain. Now I personally believe that all those years of killer cramps were lyme related...
actually I had pain in my overies for the first 2 years of my lyme illness... which was still years before my cycles started.
sorry to ramble so much... I have heard other women state that their cycle makes their symptoms worse.
robi
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5547
posted
About a week to 10 days before my period my Lyme flares. I have heard many others say this.
robi
-------------------- Now, since I put reality on the back burner, my days are jam-packed and fun-filled. ..........lily tomlin as 'trudy' Posts: 2503 | From here | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
My LLMD sez that estrogen surges at ovulation and again around menses. Estrogen depresses the immune system so the bugs divide, abx kill the bugs while they're in a vulnerable state and you get a herx. She sez it happens three days before and after ovulation and the first day of the cycle.
My pattern fits this explanation.
Posts: 261 | From San Mateo, CA | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged |
TheCrimeOfLyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4019
posted
Anywhere from a week to 15 days before my period, my lyme is at its worst.
-------------------- You want your life back? Take it. Posts: 3169 | From Greensburg, Pennsylvania | Registered: Jun 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
Mine is worst about 10 days before, and about 12-14 days before my period I have a couple of days feeling really good. Those good days are terrible, because I just wait for the inevitable to hit me again
Posts: 155 | From Norway | Registered: Jan 2006
| IP: Logged |
Nal
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6801
posted
I get incredibly moody about 2 weeks before I start. Then I have a big flare up of symptoms right at my period time. It really suck.
Hey, does anyone know if estrogen "surges" when a woman has an orgasm? If you have read my other posts, you know I have a bad flare up of symptoms right after having sex. Just got me thinking.
Nancy
-------------------- Life is 10% what happens to you, 90% how you respond to it!
-Chuck Swindoll Posts: 1594 | From Colorado | Registered: Jan 2005
| IP: Logged |
I also am best the two weeks before period...then starting around day 2 I get a flare that lasts for up to 14 days....
I keep a record of this in my calendar and already know ahead of time when I will be at my worst.
I saw on the Today show a segment about the pill that eliminates your periods all together...I seriously thought of all us lyme women and weather this could help even out the flare cycle..
Any thoughts?
-------------------- We are spiritual beings on a human journey...
ConnieMc
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 191
posted
You girls think pre-menstrual stuff is bad, just wait till you hit menopause with chronic Lyme. Right now, I am having about 20 bad flashes a day, very disrupted sleep, and am in a chronically bad mood. But can't do much about it as I cannot take hormones due to a history of breast cancer.
I have had Lyme since 1998 and since the very beginning, my hormones have been erratic. I have no doubt all my hormone problems, breast cancer and all, is related to Lyme. I will finish radiation this Thurs. Thank God.
All you girls make sure you keep up those mammograms. I was one of the lucky ones and it was discovered early. Only 2% chance of reoccurance, I am told.
Lyme and all the horrid drugs we have to take really screw with our hormones and endocrine system.
Posts: 2275 | From NC | Registered: Oct 2000
| IP: Logged |
quote: My LLMD sez that estrogen surges at ovulation and again around menses. Estrogen depresses the immune system so the bugs divide, abx kill the bugs while they're in a vulnerable state and you get a herx. She sez it happens three days before and after ovulation and the first day of the cycle.
This explains so much! Yes, I definitely do feel worse. Increase lyme sypmtoms plus iron deficiency to the point of anemia - though thank goodness that's been better since I added some iron during my cycle to balance it back out.
As if PMS weren't bad enough previously, LOL
No, Connie, definitely not looking forward to menopause. Hope your body steadies out soon!!! I've read it varies alot from woman to woman as to how long it lasts.
A few said 7-15 days before my period is the worse - I am pretty sure we ovulate around 14-16 days beore we get our period.
The estrogen/weaker immune system makes sense.
Thanks for the suggestion to NOT start a new med around this time!
I looked up old threads around this issue and the majority of women who tried birth control pills to get rid of their cycles said they got alot worse - so I guess I won't try that!
Lori Posts: 58 | From boston | Registered: Apr 2006
| IP: Logged |
God bless female hormones - it is a wonderful thing. I also heard that women in their 30- 50 are more suspetible to lyme-could it be beacuse of the premenopausal changes in the body lowering immune system?
Posts: 719 | From Delaware | Registered: Jan 2006
| IP: Logged |
Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
I was getting extreme pain that started the first day of my period. I had sharp pain all along my skeleton. This started a chain reaction that resulted in all my back muscles tightening. The pain would last about 2 weeks before it subsided.
One day, I made it halfway to the bus stop and realized there was no way I was making it onto the bus. I turned around, called in sick to work, and decided to go on the pill.
I know a lot of people don't recommend going on the pill when you have Lyme. I have always been against the pill because I didn't like the idea of how it changed the hormones. But it really helps.
However, the first month I was on the pill, the entire month felt like the first 3 days of my period. It was awful. It was not as bad the second month. I switched brands, which could have helped. But my gyn said it was probably just getting used to hormones.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I am not sure what the answer is - do a search in med. que. for birth control pills. Some people reported that they made things worse. I have no idea why that would be.
I wanted to try Seasonal to reduce my cyles to 4 times a year because I feel really sick right after my period and around ovulation. But I am not going to mess around with that - clearly hormones effect my symptoms and I don't want to mess with them
Just my two cents - let us know if you feel any changes on the pill.
Thanks Posts: 58 | From boston | Registered: Apr 2006
| IP: Logged |
Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
cutie and badtick - the pill really helped me. It's one of those things that is different for everybody.
I asked an ob/gyn about seasonale and was told it was better to start with one that is monthly rather than just start with Seasonale. He said most people take 2-3 months of regular brands without a break, and that I could move to that after a few months.
As I said above, the first 2 months were worse. Since then, it's been much better. I get 3 more good days every month.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[hi]](graemlins/hi.gif)
![[confused]](graemlins/confused.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic