Does anyone else feel ill during their period?

[madcatterlady]

Since hitting my 30s I feel like I have an illness for a couple of days during my period. I just want to stay in bed, drink tea and eat comfort food. If I have to go out I’m miserable, feel dizzy with headaches, and just so so tired. This happens whether I have pains or not - if I do it’s even worse. And then there’s the bleeding itself, which seems to have gotten heavier.

I’ve been to the doctor and had blood tests plus examinations. No obvious cause was found.

Is this a normal change for my age, some sort of preparation for peri menopause? Though I would think I’m a bit young for that.

Yes, I used to get a sort of period flu, a bit migraine like I think. Don’t get it anymore now I’m actually in menopause. I’m not sure anything helped, maybe hrt.

Yeah I get a period type flu a few days before my period most months. I do have endometriosis and adenomyosis though so I do get quite bad pms symptoms anyway!

Yes. It's a thing. I get cold-like symptoms the days before my period without fail. As soon as I start bleeding, the symptoms disappear.

Never used to suffer much with periods but I have this now I'm perimenopausal. Only mine are getting lighter. I have it at the moment and have been bingeing ice cream. Then feeling crap because Mounjaro. For one day a month it just doesn't stop me stuffing my face. The stomach ache is usually enough to stop me on day two. And yes to the headaches and the general feeling that the whole world can just fuck off. It's crap.

Oh this is definitely a thing. I’m meno now but my god, did I feel like absolute shit around my period. TMI here but my bowel movements were much softer, I had terrible aches and pains and was so tired. I tried taking supplements which didn’t really help.

There’s not enough research in female biology, as the memes say. The reason the GP has no answers is because the female body is a mystery to medicine, certainly compared with the male one.

Yes! It’s like the flu. Horrific and very debilitating. I thought it was just me but it’s a thing. I read that it’s the cytokines ….

• Cytokines: These are proteins that act as signaling molecules for the immune system. During menstruation, the body produces higher amounts of inflammatory cytokines in the uterine cavity to manage the process of tissue breakdown and shedding. When these inflammatory mediators circulate systemically, they can cause the body to respond with flu-like symptoms.

Yep. I get a sore throat a couple of days before my period. Only started happening in my late 30s. I kept thinking I was coming down with a cold until I noticed the pattern.

Thankfully, I've never had it, nor had any friends every mention it.

Yep, period flu is a thing - exhaustion, cold like symptoms and nausea. I get it most months 🙄

Fuck yes.

migraines since mid 30s, I get the shits, I get bloated, out of breath, aches and pains all over my body and arms and legs, such bad bleeding that I sleep with a puppy pad under me, and thank Goodness I WFH. Heartburn so bad i thought I was taking a heart attack, piles, having to pee every 5 minutes; constipation, tiredness, anxiety, mood swings.

but the period pains aren’t as bad as they were when I was younger

Yep, exhaustion and every joint in my body aches like the flu and often nausea and vomiting. I just want to stay in bed for 3 days before my period starts

Yes, I have been like this since my period started

School was horrible
Then I went on the pill at 17. In those days it was thought to be bad for some reason, so I did try coming off a couple of times but it wasn't worth it. Of course you can manage a working day, but it's so much easier with the light false "period" you get on the pill.

Didn't come off it till I was 47. I miss it.

I have it now, and oh my god the state of my stomach area. What's even more offensive as I never wanted to have children! (at school I had a few horrible teachers say to me that it's all worth it when you have children).

Look forward to the end of it. Be like that fleabag scene! Sadly, we all finish late in my family (my mum comes from a stupidly big family, so I know). She was actually given painkilling injections at one stage (in another country).

Right, you reminded me. I must go and take my iron.

sometimes I end up taking vitamin C and allicin because I am convinced I'm catching the flu. Fortunately today my only thing is that "being drilled through my stomach" sensation. Put money on it being worse for work tomorrow.

I hope you feel better soon.

Yep, my bones ache and I feel cold just like before you get the flue. I also have always had a headache with the hormone crash but now it lasts for days before and all the way through my period now.

I used to have what felt like contractions and be really quite out of it on day one - ended up in hospital a few times! I always needed to get to floor level. Couldn’t tolerate smells either. Often became so weak I couldn’t stand. Then day two I would be exhausted because of day 1 and feel like I had a cold for a few days. Glad to see the back of those days.