autoimmune + menstruation

[PolarnOPirate]

I am suspicious that I have something autoimmune going on, doc has me tracking symptoms to see if there is any pattern. My symptoms seems to be really bad days 1-15 of cycle and ease off for the second half. Is this a thing, does anyone else here who has an autoimmune condition experience flares monthly, related to their periods?
I am on medication for something else days 15-28 of cycle so wondering if that could be affecting symptoms in the second half.

[Redannie118]

It can be a big thing- it is for me and i have several auto immunes. Also issues getting and staying pregnant. What are your symptoms? Do you know which autoimmune your GP supsects?

[PolarnOPirate]

Thanks for your answer. That's helpful for me to know, but sorry you're suffering!

I'm not sure which problem exactly, I have a variety of things going on, all since I had my second child 3 years ago. 'Plantar fasciitis' but not textbook, not convinced it's actually that. Can't get to the kids in the night sometimes, as feet don't work. Horrendous stiffness in low back and neck which wakes me and then I can't move to readjust myself. Extreme dry eyes (can't open eyes in the morning sometimes), dry mouth, increased floaters in my eyes. Random facial rashes every few months. Itchy all over. And sometimes I feel like my blood is too acidic. That sounds crazy but that's how I can think to describe it. All very inflammatory-sounding.

Got pregnant twice straight away and thankfully no issues there - but I didn't have any symptoms then so maybe I wasn't unwell at that time.

Going to email the doc for some blood tests, has been on my to do list. I don't want to be ill and if I'm not diagnosed with anything then I'm still 'healthy' on paper!! But on the other hand, if there's nothing wrong with me then why do I feel so shitty

[Redannie118]

Yep text book auto immune symptoms. Could be Sjogrens, Lupus, Sleroderma, thyroid or a mixture( they often mix. ) When you get your bloods checked tell them you want a full blood screen. You want your inflammitory markers, thyroid, vitamin and folate levels and very important for auto immunes, your ANA markers checked. GPs are often clueless about things like this, so even if your bloods are ok ask for a rhuematology referall. Let us know how you get on.

[Sevensilverrings]

Agree with last poster. I have mild lupus, a clotting disorder, eye problems and thyroid is dodgy. It takes ages to work it all out, but there are meds to help and it’s worth pushing your GP for a referral.
Add anti Dsdna to the blood request. If lupus is mild and elusive it can show on that and not on ANA. That’s what I had, with very similar presentation to you. Don’t scare yourself on google though, they like to talk about the extreme cases, and it’s not helpful. Push your doctor. And rest up! Autoimmune stuff doesn’t like to be ignored and pushed through!

[Sevensilverrings]

(And yes, hormone monthly stuff has huge effect, sadly)

[DianaT1969]

Not to derail from getting your blood work done and some answers, but a lot of people who do intermittent fasting (16:8) report a decrease in inflammation. My plantar fascitis, which I had for 3 years, disappeared within 10 days of starting 16:8. My knees also don't creak as I get up. I used to hobble for the first 5 mins every morning. 😁

[DianaT1969]

Also, you are taking a decent dose of vitamin D and magnesium in winter?
Epsom salt baths/foot baths are good for magnesium absorption through skin.

[PolarnOPirate]

Oh shit 😭 that all sounds so scary ☹️ I hoped I was just being silly.

@DianaT1969 thanks - I already do 16:8, I find it does help. I still need to know what’s going on though I guess. I take 25ug vit D and 100mg magnesium every day, does that sound enough? Thanks.

[PolarnOPirate]

@Sevensilverrings that’s interesting re clotting, I had a haemorrage with my first birth and lost half my blood in a scheduled section with my second so I received some blood then. I had nosebleeds all the time as a kid and once had one that wouldn’t stop for 3 hours! Hm.

Your post was v kind but omg I really don’t want to have lupus 😭 so sorry you’re dealing with that, along with you @Redannie118 !

[Sevensilverrings]

I wrote a reply last night, but my computer ate it, sorry.
I’m absolutely not trying to scare you. It’s really unlikely you have lupus. I just wanted you to know that it’s often not too big a deal if you did. I’ve had it all my life but only diagnosed a few years ago. Never hospitalised. (Pregnancy issues, but, you are through that). My doc reckons lots of women have low level lupus and it’s never caught, but also they are much much better at finding it now, so many have what he terms ‘lupus light’, which translates to possible mix of a few not so serious symptoms, and remissions from them for years at a time. Many people take no meds at all. Obviously it isn’t like that for everyone, it on the whole it has been for me.
I’m sorry for scaring you, I hope you find answers soon.

[PolarnOPirate]

Oh no, don't apologise it was good to hear, made me sure I should get some investigations done. Woken up this morning with itchy red face coincidentally! Thanks for your insight.

[PolarnOPirate]

Doctor has replied to my email saying she will order bloods and a liver ultrasound! I really hope I don't have a fatty liver as I eat well and barely drink! I think that's because I mentioned being very itchy. I didn't mention anything about lupus but she sent me some lupus pages to read through... ugh I'm trying to not jump the gun! There are worse things in the world I guess.

[Sevensilverrings]

That’s great you’ve taken action and sounds like you have a good GP (it can be a real fight to get tests for autoimmune stuff).
You are at the scariest bit, when you don’t know what to expect, in my experience my mind went everywhere, and google really didn’t help. You should get some answers soon, and then it might be nothing, or it might be something treatable, and most people with autoimmune stuff feel much much better once they are on the right meds. Maybe look at it like that? That you will probably already have taken the first step to feeling better soon.
If it is lupus (which is unlikely) you’ve caught it really early, and that’s going to make it much easier to get on top of, which is good.
Make sure your taking care of yourself...plenty of fluids and rest and get outside to take your mind off it.

[bababra]

Also sounds like vasculitis - I'd ask for a rheum referral

[PolarnOPirate]

Just come out of my liver ultrasound. I wondered why I needed that but learnt that lupus can enlarge the liver. Anyway, radiographer said liver seemed fine and everything else in the abdomen looked fine too. So that’s good!! A relief. Why am I so itchy though

I have to wait a couple of weeks until my blood tests.

[PolarnOPirate]

In case anyone is interested/Googles in the future and ends up here (I’ve done this many a time😄) - had my blood test results and all was normal, except my ANA thing wasn’t back yet and she’s referred me to a rheumatologist anyway. Of course I am pleased that I am healthy but wtf are all these symptoms about then? I am 31, exercise daily (genuinely, as in, I do at LEAST 7 workouts a week), eat well. I really don’t know what else I can do to feel better.

Kidney, liver, diabetes, inflammatory markers, thyroid and blood count all came back perfectly normal. So that is truly a relief.

Doc said maybe my facial rash and swelling is rosacea, maybe all these different symptoms are separate things which she said was more likely. But would be bloody unlucky!!

Vitamin deficiency - I guess that would have been picked up in the ‘blood count’ part of the tests? But I think I’ll add in iron on top of my vit D and vit B12 and berocca too.

Just thought I’d update as PP were very kind and helpful to me