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Question for the ladies

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Lyme Disease
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CajunGrl
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2009
Posts : 4717
Posted 5/2/2009 4:49 PM (GMT -7)
Does your symptoms get worse right before your menstrual cycle? I've noticed that with me, all of my symptoms come back full force a week before I am supposed to start. I started taking the Depo Provera shot a year ago to stop my menstrual cycle because I just could not function. The fatigue is already a bad symptom of mine but it gets worse around my cycle. For whatever reason, I started bleeding again(a little), and I have all the symptoms of a period. The fatigue is killing me. I can sleep 12 hours a day. I have a little brain fog and my entire body hurts, especially my muscles and my hands.

Anyway, just wondering if anyone else gets this too?
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JELAINEP
Veteran Member
Joined : Sep 2007
Posts : 2017
Posted 5/2/2009 5:16 PM (GMT -7)
Yes, which is like reason # 7,984 why I don't own a gun! These symptoms started for me about 6 months before I got really sick and disabled. I always felt like a truck hit me and would stay in bed the first day of every period. I was missing 1-2 days of work a month.... but it's worse now with LD.
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CajunGrl
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2009
Posts : 4717
Posted 5/2/2009 5:38 PM (GMT -7)
LOL Jelaine. You make me laugh everytime. I do own a gun, LOL. Never wanted to use it yet though, haha!

On a more serious note though...did you do anything to get through this? I swear, all I want to do is sleep. It does this to me for about a week and I get my days and nights mixed up. I was actually thinking about not taking the Depo shot anymore but this monthly spell I had reminded why I DO take it, LOL.

Thanks for responding and making me laugh. I needed that.
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MarriedtoLymeinNJ
Regular Member
Joined : Sep 2007
Posts : 273
Posted 5/3/2009 5:11 AM (GMT -7)
LOLOL Jelaine!!!

CG-- OMG it is *brutal* My periods have always been messed up- but the Lyme makes them 100000000000 x's worse. The moods, the pain, the Lyme symptoms, allof it. Just awful.

Someone (so so sorry I can't remember who, but I know y'all will forgive me LOL) was discussing bio-identical hormones that helped them.
I am going to try to do some more research on that soon.
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CajunGrl
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2009
Posts : 4717
Posted 5/3/2009 6:29 PM (GMT -7)
I've read about bio identical hormones and was considering trying them but my mom told me when she was younger, she was on it and felt like she was dying when she tried to come off of it. I think maybe the doctor she was seeing at the time didn't know enough about how to mix it and gave her too much. But either way, it scared me, LOL. I've talked to other people that were on it and they were doing great. I would much rather be on bio identical hormones though than ever take synthetic. There are way too many symptoms and scary things that can happen on synthetic. I don't think the bio identical hormones stop your period though and that's what I need right now, LOL.
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spaztick
Veteran Member
Joined : Oct 2006
Posts : 851
Posted 5/3/2009 10:31 PM (GMT -7)
Hi CajunGirl,

In my case, I do believe there is a correlation between being premenstrual and worsening of Lyme symptoms. It took me awhile to figure this out. I was on the Depo Provera shot for over six years due to PMS symptoms of increased irritability and very sore, painful breasts. I stopped taking the shot in the Spring of last year, and although the breast problem has re-emerged, I haven't noticed any increase in emotional symptoms.

Lyme disease itself can cause worsening PMS symptoms. Remember to take calcium supplements when you're on Depo Provera, to prevent bone loss.

(If you read through the forum, there are tons of posts about the correlations between Lyme and hormones. My LLMD has said that it is because of hormones that there are more cases of women (vs. men) who get Lyme disease. The think he said the ratio is 4-5 to 1.

I hope you're having a PMS-free day!
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CajunGrl
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2009
Posts : 4717
Posted 5/3/2009 10:38 PM (GMT -7)
SpazTick,

Thanks for the information. I truly feel like I cannot function at all when I'm on my period. I already can't function from Lyme. My cycle just made it worse. It's getting better. I'm not hurting as bad anymore. I'm not sure why I even bled a little and had symptoms because I haven't had a cycle in over a year. I waited a little longer than usual to go in and take the shot. That could be why. My body may have to get adjusted again. It definately sucked though. The fatigue is what makes everything so much worse. I'm missing pretty much all of the day and can't sleep at night. Blah!!
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CajunGrl
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2009
Posts : 4717
Posted 5/5/2009 2:55 AM (GMT -7)
Bumping this up since there are more people coming to the forum.
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Martha's Vineyard
Veteran Member
Joined : Jul 2008
Posts : 1119
Posted 5/5/2009 7:21 AM (GMT -7)
yes yes yes Cajun.
The lyme just loves the hormones and stress of pms...and loves menopause too.
Sleeping 12 hours a day and waking up dead tired...yes...the rule with lyme.
Most cannot get up.
And most cannot sleep either.
It would be helpful to you to go back and read all of the post on this...this was posted before.
But never mind...it is too hard for you when you feel like crap.
I also had such heavy bleeding at my time, that is was like after birth. Very embarressing to have it running down my leg and hitting the floor...even within minutes of adding all of the stuff to stop the flow.
For the crazy pain...and for the fatique...go on cymbalta and you will at least feel so much better.
It will not cure you, but you will be abe to function.
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CajunGrl
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2009
Posts : 4717
Posted 5/5/2009 5:31 PM (GMT -7)
Hey Martha's Vineyard,

I got your email but haven't had time to reply. I just wanted you to know. I really didn't want to get on anti-depressants because I gained so much weight on them before. My doctor prescribed me pristiq because it's not supposed to make you gain but I still haven't tried it yet. I was on Lexapro for two years and it was very hard for me to get off of it and I had withdrawal symptoms and mood swings. I just don't want to go through that again. I'm not knocking it though. It really helped me when I needed it....big time! I'm not a pain pill person either but it helps me get through the day and do some things I need to do. I'm only taking 50mg of Ultram and ONLY one a day so I figure if I ever want to come off, I'll be able too alot easier than the Lexapro.

Anyway, just in case I ever change my mind or this pain gets worse, are there any side effects to cymbalta?
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RottenDog
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2009
Posts : 1013
Posted 5/5/2009 6:21 PM (GMT -7)
cajunGrl

I was on cymbalta 30mg 1 daily and for me it wasnt good, after taking it i was either in bed or my recliner for the rest of the day.felt like if the house was on firer i would just have to burn couse i couldnt get up to leave it. needless to say i'm not taking that ever again.
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CajunGrl
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2009
Posts : 4717
Posted 5/5/2009 6:40 PM (GMT -7)
Rottendog,

It's funny how medicines react differently to people. Prozac did that to me. I was a complete zombie. I didn't have a care in the world. Couldn't laugh or cry. I don't like that feeling. I already feel weird enough from Lyme. Blah!

Oh and thanks for the info!
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sojourner
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 1173
Posted 5/5/2009 10:06 PM (GMT -7)
Okay, this published study is a tad long; but if you read it a little chunk at a time, and then re-read, it begins to make sense. It explains and answers why women feel so badly during their cycles when complicated by Lyme. It relates, as always, back to the immune response and in our case, depending on the season of life we are in and how settled our hormones are - the fine line between estrogen and progesterone.

http://www.lymenet.de/symptoms/cycles/evalsum.htm

Hope this helps.
Homeopathic European protocol is helping our daughter through a living nightmare experience of years of this. Now, we are beginning to see some indications of the rusty wheel moving b/c we are oiling the right parts!

By the way, Cajungirl - Hashimotos Thyroiditis of 30 years. Your anti-TPO antibodies need to be monitored; hope ur doc is doing that 4 u. Heth is the next generation and we are trying to prevent this from becoming the autoimmune thyroid issue for her. She is hypothyroid but we are slowly but surely moving her back to the center. She is 18.

Blessings,
Sojourner
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CajunGrl
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2009
Posts : 4717
Posted 5/5/2009 10:23 PM (GMT -7)
Sojourner,

Thank you for taking time out of your life to post that. I love reading and learning new things.

As for monitoring my antibodies....I don't think he's doing that. I probably need to find a new doctor soon. He is like my third endo already. The doctors here just don't have enough experience in my opinion. I actually have to drive 30 minutes out of my way to see this one. He is the one that finally figured out I did have Hashimotos when I had been telling doctors that for 2 years. I knew my thyroid was not supposed to be swollen like that and I knew I wasn't supposed to be feeling wired up with hypothyroidism. On my last appointment, I asked him to check my adrenal glands and was told that they didn't think the saliva or urine test was accurate. Say what?? All they did was check the function of my kidney and liver. What that has to do with adrenal glands....I haven't a clue. So, yeah.....I'm in a predicament.
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