posted
Has anyone elses menstrual cycle gotten out of wack because of Lyme? My wife runs about 21-24 days from the start of one to the start of the next cycle. She wasn't like this before she got sick.
Any and all thoughts are much appreciated?
Jason in GA
-------------------- Here for my wife who was diagnosed with Lyme in the Fall of 2007. Diagnosed after numerous visits to the dr and a Igenex positive test for chronic Lyme. Posts: 34 | From North Georgia | Registered: Jan 2008
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posted
Yes, you can find many women on here who will tell you that their cycle changed due to lyme. It was, in fact, one of my first problems. I thought I was going into early menopause and kept seeing gynos and endicrinologists.
I just started treatment and I am told it should go back to normal. I will have to see.
Also may women's symptoms are much worse around their periods.
KMM
-------------------- Severe neurological problems. Probably sick for years. Became chronically sick in Aug 2007. Undiagnosed for another 15 months. Started treatment for lyme and bart Sept. 2008. Improving, but very slowly. Posts: 515 | From washington dc | Registered: Aug 2008
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posted
I have never ever been off schedule in my whole life. It's always been like clockwork for me. I've never experienced spotting or a missed period.
I haven't gotten one in 2-3 months. It makes me worry about other things also. I had spotting the first month but no period and now they are just MIA.
I talked to my obgyn about it, she gave me an rx to help me start my periods again but I lost the dang thing. She also was going to test my hormones (lost that too). I have to call to get her to rewrite them.
I just got a pap smear, still awaiting the results, as those are all over the place too. I wish I knew for sure that they were because of Lyme. I hate worrying.
-------------------- ~*~Lyme POW~*~
I will escape. Posts: 100 | From n/a | Registered: Oct 2008
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disturbedme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12346
posted
Yes, I've had some problems with my cycle as well.... not only that, but everytime my period comes I'm usually much more sicker those few days because it makes the lyme flare. So horrible cramps + horrible lyme flare = it's not fair being a woman!
It really is terrible. Makes me feel extremely rotten and pretty much not human.
-------------------- One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar. ~ Helen Keller
My Lyme Story Posts: 2965 | From Land of Confusion (bitten in KS, moved to PA, now living in MD) | Registered: Jun 2007
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Marnie
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 773
posted
With a Mg deficiency, this impacts the adrenals (hyperplasia = the proliferation of cells within an organ or tissue beyond that which is ordinarily seen in e.g. constantly dividing cells)and the level of estrogen (testosterone for men) goes up as well as cortisol and most importantly...aldosterone (!) (which controls the Na channels).
Progesterone is a diuretic. So...theoretically, during the cycle when progesterone levels are higher, it is likely she will feel a tad better.
The Na triggers inflammation:
"These findings suggested that the NHE (Na-H exchange) ***inhibitors*** suppress the production of PGE2 through inhibiting the release of arachidonic acid and the increase in COX-2 protein levels and thus
induce anti-inflammatory activity."
Oddly...look closely at the "Normal pathway of adrenal steroid synthesis" (chart)...
Progesterone can convert to aldosterone and to cortisol and to the androgens.
Cortisol is an immune suppressant. It's "counter" is DHEA/DHEAS which triggers the immune system. DHEA -> testosterone -> estrogen.
The thyroid gland impacts DHEA levels and since DHEA -> testosterone -> estrogen, oftentimes this gland becomes "hypo" in lyme. What results is weight gain.
Estrogen/testosterone dominance is not healthy (cancer wise). On the "flip side"...DHEA has to be produced to counter very high levels of cortisol which is very destructive as well as dampening the immune system, so sometimes the person will become hyperthyroid for a time...eventually antibodies will be made against that gland.
Excess cholesterol is *broken down* via this pathway into those steroid hormones.
To *produce* cholesterol, we use an enzyme called HMG coA reductase.
By inhibiting that enzyme, (Mg does this) we halt cholesterol formation.
Bb takes the "cholesterol" pathway to build its cell walls.
We are making and breaking down cholesterol all the time.
Pseudohyperaldosteronism (which can be caused by licorice) inhibits an enzyme called 11-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type II (Protein:HSD11B2).
That enzyme converts cortisol to inactive cortisone.
It is being inhibited...keeping cortisol high when aldosterone is high.
This condition is characterized by hypertension, kaliuresis and ***reduced plasma renin***.
Oddly... An over-active renin-angiotension system (RAS) leads to vasoconstriction and retention of sodium and water. These effects lead to hypertension.
Sooo...too much aldosterone or an over-active RAS both can -> hypertension.
Why is it important to get aldosterone down?
"Recommendations for alsosterone antagonists in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction."
That is just some of the hormones this pathogen impacts.
The HPA axis is thrown off (hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal)...for starters.
And then there are the neurotransmitters which also are thrown off - acetylcholine, serotonin, glutamate, etc.
In a perfect world, IV Mg pyrophosphate and sub (lingual) B6 would help.
But...we are left to find other ways to get Mg back into the cells (infected ones especially) to bind to ATP (as Mg-ATP)...to transfer phosphate groups...to correct the HPA axis.
We are increasing ATP via the far infrared light (880nM) and the increased ATP will drive Mg back into the cells which then will enable the phosphate group transfers.
Meanwhile...if you can get your wife to a good endocrinologist and have the following measured, it will give an indication:
And then talk to him/her about Rx. spirolactone. Research that old cheap drug and see HOW it works.
We must get inflammation down and halt TNF alpha AND IL 1B (esp.).
Ongoing high levels of TNF alpha AND Il 1B will damage the pancreatic beta cells that produce insulin...and she will develop late onset diabetes.
Halting "just some" TNF alpha via Humira...isn't enough.
This is one extremely complex pathogen that impacts us in many many ways.
Abx. help (a lot!), but do not cure.
IMO...we are using the wrong class of drugs...and not giving the "natural" things that would help.
Posts: 9424 | From Sunshine State | Registered: Mar 2001
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It makes me worry about other things also. I had spotting the first month but no period and now they are just MIA.
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