Fibromyalgia and menstrual cycle

[fibroandpmt]

Shamelessly posting here for traffic as I'm at my wits end.

Does anyone find their Fibromyalgia flares up in relation to their menstrual cycle? I find my symptoms are the worst from day 20 (when I roughly ovulate). I feel horrendous and then it eases as my period arrives. It's 10 really shit days of the month. My body feels like it's been run over by a bus several times, painful muscles and joints, extreme fatigue, brain fog etc. It's just so debilitating.

I know some of you may say this is just really bad PMT but the flares can happen at other times of the month too but the flare around day 20 of my cycle is guaranteed.

My rheumatologist says he hears similar from other patients.

Has anyone found anything that helps? I'm taking fish oils, vitamin D, magnesium etc and on painkillers

I've asked about taking the pill maybe to help with hormones and they keep pushing the coil which I'm not keen on. Ideally I don't want to try anything hormonal but don't know what else may help?

@Forgottenyeti

Combined pill is both I think? I can't take oestrogen because of a clotting disorder so not tried it.

Thanks!

Back when I first started having symptoms it was stomach pain, then nausea, then all of a sudden extreme fatigue, muscle aches (mainly back/hips/radiating down my legs). We didn’t catch it for years because my periods weren’t that severe, they weren’t pleasant but not excruciating.

I am on a waiting list for surgery which should resolve allot if not all of my symptoms.

The problem with endometriosis is that it is an inflammatory condition, so it can effect the whole body. I’m not saying You have it of course, but it’s worth looking at, it took me 8 years to get a diagnosis.

My symptoms now are much more advanced, nausea, stomach upsets, back, hip, chest pain, neck pain. Really horrible fatigue, painful periods, pain during sex. But it was a gradual increase in symptoms. I have suspected diaphragmatic endometriosis, which is why I get chest pain and shortness of breath (that’s a new symptom).

If you have any questions feel free to ask. Initially we didn’t pick it up as my symptoms were worse around the middle of the month. It wasn’t until I started tracking that I realised it was during ovulation.

@frustratedwiththepandemic I think the antibiotic was rifixamin? That’s what I got through NHS, but Healthpath recommended oil of oregano and microbial gx to kill off the bacteria, and a prebiotic and probiotic to help build up the right balance again. I used NHS antibiotic, then oil of oregano just in case and I’m just mixing up the probiotics every now and again to try and get the right mix.

It’s amazing up much hormones can flare up symptoms of so many conditions - hope everyone finds something to make things easier, it’s tough!

@user1471474462

Back when I first started having symptoms it was stomach pain, then nausea, then all of a sudden extreme fatigue, muscle aches (mainly back/hips/radiating down my legs). We didn’t catch it for years because my periods weren’t that severe, they weren’t pleasant but not excruciating.

I am on a waiting list for surgery which should resolve allot if not all of my symptoms.

The problem with endometriosis is that it is an inflammatory condition, so it can effect the whole body. I’m not saying You have it of course, but it’s worth looking at, it took me 8 years to get a diagnosis.

My symptoms now are much more advanced, nausea, stomach upsets, back, hip, chest pain, neck pain. Really horrible fatigue, painful periods, pain during sex. But it was a gradual increase in symptoms. I have suspected diaphragmatic endometriosis, which is why I get chest pain and shortness of breath (that’s a new symptom).

If you have any questions feel free to ask. Initially we didn’t pick it up as my symptoms were worse around the middle of the month. It wasn’t until I started tracking that I realised it was during ovulation.

Thanks for sharing this, really insightful. I will track symptoms more closely. Was the inflammation picked up in the bloods?

[quote Buttercup72]@frustratedwiththepandemic I think the antibiotic was rifixamin? That’s what I got through NHS, but Healthpath recommended oil of oregano and microbial gx to kill off the bacteria, and a prebiotic and probiotic to help build up the right balance again. I used NHS antibiotic, then oil of oregano just in case and I’m just mixing up the probiotics every now and again to try and get the right mix.

It’s amazing up much hormones can flare up symptoms of so many conditions - hope everyone finds something to make things easier, it’s tough![/quote]
Thanks so much. Ive actually taken all of those after my stool test. I'll give healthplab a phone though and probably go
Ahead with the test

That sounds more like hypermobility syndrome. The only way I got mine under control was with a specialised private physio and going on a low dose combined contraceptive pill called Millinette. They initially put me on a higher dose and it was horrendous. I already knew I couldn't take the mini pill and wouldn't consider anything like the coil or injection as there is no going back. I can take two packets back to back but no more than two and not very often as it can have the opposite affect.

@delilahbucket

That sounds more like hypermobility syndrome. The only way I got mine under control was with a specialised private physio and going on a low dose combined contraceptive pill called Millinette. They initially put me on a higher dose and it was horrendous. I already knew I couldn't take the mini pill and wouldn't consider anything like the coil or injection as there is no going back. I can take two packets back to back but no more than two and not very often as it can have the opposite affect.

Thanks. Yea I do Have diagnosed joint hypermobility. I'll check that pill out

No, frustratingly it didn’t, I was diagnosed via laparoscopy. I have also had an MRI which showed the severity of the disease (mri can miss early disease).

I recently had a d dimer blood test, interestingly that was raised but no blood clot was found. However it can be raised if inflammation is taking place in the body.

Often the only way to diagnose endometriosis is via laparoscopy, more severe disease can show itself in scans.

I've been prescribed the combined pill so will let you know how I go..

Hi all , op here

Thought I would come Back and update for anyone reading at a later date in case it helps anyone

So in July last year I started with Levest combined pill 150/30 (think it has different names). I did feeel an improvement in symptoms, I wasn't having that debilitating 10 days in between ovulation and period. It just felt more balanced alll month around. The symptoms didn't completely go, I would say the pain was better but the brain fog and fatigue was worse. The first month I felt good, second month it sort of felt worse and then the third month it felt like it was really helping (with the pain, not the fatigue or brain fog). However my appetite went through the roof! I tried really hard to control it but I just didn't manage so then they changed me to Bimizza which had slightly less oestrogen so 150/20. The symptoms remained more settled but the appetite was just unmanageable so after 2 months I've come off it.

This is my first month without the pill and the symptoms have returned almost instantly. The appetite thankfully is back to normal too.

The next step is trying EVRA the contraceptive patch - the advanced nurse I've been speaking to said I could even cut it in half to get the hormones in to the system but not affect appetite. @Buttercup72 did it affect your appetite?

@Forgottenyeti ive been in the gym twice a week since September and using the weight machines. The fatigue has been crippling but just wanted to say the hips are definitely my worst too. I seem to have this posture which means I'm probably hyper extending them all the time I think

@DrinkFeckArseBrick

Hi I have CFS so not fibro and hormones definitely play a huge part for me.

I always feel worse around day 5 of my cycle towards the end of my period. For me it was the same (probably a bit worse) when on the pill. It went away completely when I was pregnant. And I had the mirena coil and had a massive relapse, the worst I've ever felt so I had it taken out after a few months. It could be un related though. I think evening primrose oil helps a bit but might just be placebo effect, it feels like I clutch at straws sometimes trying to find something that helps

I have now been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome too. Any tips

I found this with psoriatic arthritis before menopause, but also, stress also affects it, in fact the 4 years of stress when my husband was having an affair, and the subsequent stress of divorce actually triggered the inflammatory immune disease for me.

@onwardsandupwards22

Hi all , op here

Thought I would come Back and update for anyone reading at a later date in case it helps anyone

So in July last year I started with Levest combined pill 150/30 (think it has different names). I did feeel an improvement in symptoms, I wasn't having that debilitating 10 days in between ovulation and period. It just felt more balanced alll month around. The symptoms didn't completely go, I would say the pain was better but the brain fog and fatigue was worse. The first month I felt good, second month it sort of felt worse and then the third month it felt like it was really helping (with the pain, not the fatigue or brain fog). However my appetite went through the roof! I tried really hard to control it but I just didn't manage so then they changed me to Bimizza which had slightly less oestrogen so 150/20. The symptoms remained more settled but the appetite was just unmanageable so after 2 months I've come off it.

This is my first month without the pill and the symptoms have returned almost instantly. The appetite thankfully is back to normal too.

The next step is trying EVRA the contraceptive patch - the advanced nurse I've been speaking to said I could even cut it in half to get the hormones in to the system but not affect appetite. @Buttercup72 did it affect your appetite?

@Forgottenyeti ive been in the gym twice a week since September and using the weight machines. The fatigue has been crippling but just wanted to say the hips are definitely my worst too. I seem to have this posture which means I'm probably hyper extending them all the time I think

Pic is not attaching but it's basically The sway back posture

@queenMab99

I found this with psoriatic arthritis before menopause, but also, stress also affects it, in fact the 4 years of stress when my husband was having an affair, and the subsequent stress of divorce actually triggered the inflammatory immune disease for me.

Sorry to hear of your journey, hope you are better now