posted
Have you had your endocrine levels checked?
If you take your basal temperatures at waking each morning, it can let you know whether or not your ovulating. With the periods 16 days apart, I would suspect you are not, but that's just a guess.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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Vermont_Lymie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9780
posted
Hi geneal,
Me too. Exactly as you described.
My best guess at this point is that some of the drugs that I am taking -- abx and supplements -- have a xeno-estrogen effect.
My doctor said that some of the abx we take are processed through the liver, which also processes our hormones.
Therefore (and this is just speculation), perhaps our treatment is slowing down the processing and elimination of hormones, and thus leading to these more frequent menstrual cycles, etc.
Also, taking mepron with fat may mean more fat ingestion. Fat produces estrogen.
It is not fun !
Menopause in everyone I know means the opposite -- getting fewer and finally no periods. Ours is going in the opposite direction.
Posts: 2557 | From home | Registered: Aug 2006
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
It is difficult to have a love life with Lyme.
Between not feeling well and having children, well......
This shortening of time between cycles kind of puts a damper on things too.
My husband is thrilled.
What does endocrine testing involve?
I thought about low progesterone but know how
Unreliable hormone testing is from day to day.
Not taking too many antibiotics right now.
Just diflucan/malarone/periactin/art.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
I believe it's a blood test .... never had it done myself, but know it tells you about hormonal levels. If your LLMD can't do it, talk to your ob/gyn about it.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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CD57
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11749
posted
hi Geneal, I have had similar issues which were determined to be low progesterone. I was put on Prochieve, which is progesterone via suppository, days 12-27. It's really helped.
Posts: 3528 | From US | Registered: Apr 2007
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tickbattler
Unregistered
posted
Hi Geneal,
My periods have gotten shorter since my mid-30's. I am now 43 and they have been happening every 20 to 23 days for the past 6 years.
I was told it would be very unlikely that I would be able to conceive due to this but believe it or not, the doctors were wrong! Can you imagine a mainstream doctor being wrong?!!! I conceived my 2 year old daughter a month before I turned 41.
When I was researching infertility at the time, I remember reading that when woman approach menopause, some have periods that get closer together and others get them farther apart. I was not on any treatment for Lyme at the time so this change happened naturally (didn't have any idea that I had it).
quote:Originally posted by Vermont_Lymie: My best guess at this point is that some of the drugs that I am taking -- abx and supplements -- have a xeno-estrogen effect.
My doctor said that some of the abx we take are processed through the liver, which also processes our hormones.
Could abx have the opposite effect on estrogen and other hormones?
A friend with Lyme has not gotten her period in several months. She is only 30, so it's not menopause.
She started Lyme treatment this summer, so I'm thinking her hormones are off from taking multiple abx? She is also pretty skinny.
Posts: 408 | From California | Registered: Apr 2008
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lymielauren28
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 13742
posted
Hey Geneal,
Here's what I think:
For the last three years since Lyme and co, I have had the SAME problem. I'm only 29, but for a while there (over a year) I was having a period every 16-18 days. My boobs hurt all the time and I was MISERABLE.
I did a lot of reading and researching and found that I am what is termed as "estrogen dominant". The more I read about estrogen dominance, the more it made sense. It's often a result of a sluggish liver.
A normal liver gets rid of any excess estrogen but one that is compromised due to illness or medications can't do it's job right so the estrogen gets trapped in the body.
This causes heavy periods that are closer together, sore breasts, night sweats, fatigue, etc.
Just do a google search of "estrogen dominance" and read a little about it. It's way more detailed than I could ever possibly expalin here.
I was actually having such a hard time with it that Dr.F gave me a script for Progesterone, but I haven't used it yet. What I did do was start taking lot's of milk thistle and also began eating lot's of cruciferous veggies - broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower - because they're anti-etrogenic. Also avoid anything with lavender and tea trea oil in it - they produce estrogen in the body.
I swear that since doing just these few things in the last few months my hormones are starting to even out. I'm now having periods that are 26 days apart and my breasts don't start hurting until a couple of days before my period rather than a couple of weeks before.
Not to mention the fact that we flare around period time anyways, so who needs two a month?! Talk about a vicious cycle.
Anyways, this ended up super long and it may or may not be your problem but I would at least look into it - couldn't hurt!
Lauren
-------------------- "The only way out is through" Posts: 1434 | From mississippi | Registered: Nov 2007
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posted
I am 50 and started having zooey periods around 43. It had been my life pattern to have a cycle of 27 days. Just about at 43, my periods went to 23 days.
Now at age 50, the cycles shift from 49 days to 19 to 28 to 11 and back to 53, etc... oi. Oh, and they tend to be torrential.
I've also noticed that the breast swelling occurs close to Babs flares. If the Babs is subdued, the swelling doesn't occur.
Often wondered if my rages were hormonal or lyme-onal... or both....
So does the cycling with Lyme become kinder once periods have stopped?
Ah...biology..."I enjoy being a girl..."
wiserforit
Posts: 273 | From Banks of the Hudson | Registered: Nov 2008
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posted
About three years ago, at 37yo, I was getting my periods every 11-14 days for a couple months duration---out of the blue. Up until that point I was every 28-32 days.
I had lost some weight quickly and my PCP at the time attributed it to that, testing my fertility and ordering an ultrasound to check for cysts. Perfect health and a fertile myrtle.
Looking back, that was probably the year I was bitten by an infected tick. or the first infected tick.
I was back to my regular cycle after that.
Fast-forward to late summer this year. I went nearly 3 months between periods. Surprise of surprises, I am diagnosed with Lyme disease.
There are many factors that affect hormones. Since lyme too commonly attacks the thyroid, this could easily have been the problem in my case(doctor thinks so)--there are many variables for your LLMD to consider though.
I haven't taken enough medication to know the effects on the body so I defer to those who are veteran patients.
43 is young but the age of menopause or peri-menopause onset is inherited. In my family I should not expect anything to change for another 10 years or more actually (I am 40).
A woman who babysat me as a child got married in her early 40s and had her 1st child at 46yo and second child at around 53yo. Au natural, without help from modern medicine.
This speaks to the antiquated by still-cited notion that women are born with all the eggs they will ever have; an untruth revealed about 8 yrs ago--as we produce new eggs throughout our lives.
That is neither here nor there.
Good luck sleuthing this out. I'm sure your husband doesn't like it, however, it must be a real inconvenience for you...you must be VERY weakened by it too, no? as I remember what it was like for those 2 months a few years back....
Posts: 571 | From Massachusetts | Registered: Oct 2008
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
I will look into the estrogen dominant issue for sure.
I can't do milk thistle with malarone.
I can eat more broccoli and stuff though.
Don't do much lavender at all...wait!
My wonderful Christmas bath lotion is lavender.
Oh no!
One small pleasure at a time goes.
I am going to read on this and then call Dr. F for a phone consult.
I really, really appreciate all of your support and advice.
I am stumped though. Night sweats due to babs or low pregesterone?
Never ending puzzle. Just when you think you have all the pieces.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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kelmo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8797
posted
I'm with Lauren, it's probably an estrogen dominance.
Even my daughter in her teens was having regulation issues until I put her on a progesterone cream.
It made a big difference, and is a no risk try.
Make sure it's USP certified and comes in a premeasured/airtight pump.
Posts: 2903 | From AZ | Registered: Feb 2006
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