Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Gilla999 on April 07, 2022, 12:56:51 PM
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I'm two weeks post covid - the first week was just a very bad cold which I now feel has gone, but it feels like I've now got hormone issues again - all of the usual symptoms I get such as 2am wakening, palpitations, absolute exhaustion, night sweats. I'm also late with my period. It feels as though I need to up my HRT (when I've felt like this in the past it was always the case and worked) and I wondered if anyone else has experienced Covid interfering either with the menstrual cycle or HRT?
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Hi Gilla999
I’m not entirely sure but that’s because I had a hysterectomy and then caught COVID a week after coming out of hospital. #notfun
I noticed after COVID a return of my meno symptoms. However I say not entirely sure because I had a hysterectomy but my ovaries WERE left.
I have read that women have noticed their menstrual cycle being changed after their vaccinations so it may follow that hormones are affected by the virus itself too in that respect.
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The vaccine has definitely affected me. Badly. I’ve not been right since. I can’t get my HRT dose stable after being great for months.
There’s a video with Dr Nick Panay who believes that Covid does have an effect of hormones - you’ll find it on YouTube x
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If you look for Dr Tina Peers on UTube there are discussions about long covid, histamine and inflamation in the body and how it can be treated.
She is also a menopause specialist.
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Thank you ladies, massively appreciate this. I will check out the links now. It will be 2 weeks on Sunday since I tested positive and I can't work out if this is still covid itself or now my hormones - it's so hard to work out because it mirrors exactly my symptoms when it definitely is hormonal, yet there would be no reason for this to be hormones.
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Certainly Covid has been known to alter hormones .......... let us know how you get on?
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Gilla def yes covid does affect estrogen, it is def a thing! I hope you recover real soon. Not sure but I think some women find it helpful to temp increase E but check with your provider x
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Niki me too re vaccine, Iv sent you a pm x
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The day i tested positive for covid last week i also started my period even though I was mid cycle.
I use patches and have been fab since i started using them till this past week whereby I’ve had adrenaline surges, night sweats and bad morning anxiety symptoms.
I’m praying it’ll settle down again :'(
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Sorry to hear that Ches, it affects estrogen for some reason, I think related to immune response. It hopefully will settle down for you, let us know x
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It's interesting you say that it effects estrogen because I 100% "feel" that my estrogen is low despite upping my HRT two days ago. I won't know until I do a blood test next week (I'll let you know) but I have all my classic low estrogen symptoms
Thanks CLKD... in a right old mess after my fifth day in a row of being awake since 3am. Palpitations, night sweats, the usual suspects.
Thanks ladies... it helps not to feel so alone x
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Gilla reading about other ladies post covid and hrt can take a little to settle again, you will bounce back I’m sure but it’s a pain no doubt🙄
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Thanks for the kind words Sweettooth! I think when you've spent so long in misery prior to getting your HRT right it can be a bit scary to feel like you're back in the worst of it without really understanding why or knowing what to do about it, or when it will get better
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Gilla I know exactly how you feel. When you have been in a very dark place you are always scared of returning back there. I didn't sleep very well last night and my first thoughts are oh god please don't let my hormones become unbalanced again so I end up like last summer. Have you got any ammunition you can use whilst waiting for things to settle? I'm thinking maybe Night Kalms( just ordered these myself), maybe download the Headspace app ( just done this myself) so that we have tools that can keep us calm and help with sleep? We were out with friends on Saturday who tested positive for Covid yesterday morning so that's probably not helping with the sleep. Xx
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Gnatty I have tried pretty much everything there is for sleep and the only things that work for me are the sedating antidepressants, which I've been on for some time (put on at the start of Peri due to sleep issues). However my personal experience is that when hormonal sleep issues raise their head, there is no pill strong enough to overcome it - the answer for me has always been fixing the too low estrogen (which is what has always been the cause for me.)
It's interesting how the after effects of covid really mimic hormonal problems : palpitations, insomnia, anxiety etc. I wonder if they will ever find any research that shows a link....
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I think you are taking mirtazapine the same as me? Yes I am sure you are right. Do you ever find the same issue with too much oestrogen? I am beginning to wonder whether the oestrogel itself can be giving fluctuating levels with all the different manufacturing centres. There would only have to be the slightest change for it to have a knock on effect as people on here have mentioned before. I was ok switching to the green square but now I am back on orange I feel like my oestrogen is possibly increasing. Might do a post about it.
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Yes Mirtazapine but I'm in the middle of a slow taper across to Trazadone.
I've not personally been able to pinpoint experiencing the same symptoms to too much Estrogen but I have read a lot of women on here saying that, especially if they are histamine sensitive.
I have my monthly blood test tomorrow (results on Thursday) so I'll soon know if the covid has indeed affected my Estrogen levels, or it the after effects of covid just happen to mimic that! Will post an update. Sending you lots of good vibes Gnatty!
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Gilla same as you and lots of other ladies after covid or vaccine.’ It will settle but time varies from person to person.
I was greatly sorted b4 vaccine and it just sent my body crazy. Done the wrong thing by increasing and increasing as I just got worse, then had all the turmoil of reducing back down so it’s taking much longer than is bearable at times!!!
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Just saw this post as I was browsing and interestingly my periods started again after a 6 month break (and desperately counting up to the magic 12 months) the same day I tested positive for Covid. Possibly pure coincidence but I haven’t been the same since. Had heavy cold like symptoms, combined with period pain and anxiety - not nice! Have now got another period and have been experiencing serious mood swings, sore boobs, heavy tummy etc. Just as it used to be when I was younger. And at 55, I even still got spots!
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Gnatty I have tried pretty much everything there is for sleep and the only things that work for me are the sedating antidepressants, which I've been on for some time (put on at the start of Peri due to sleep issues). However my personal experience is that when hormonal sleep issues raise their head, there is no pill strong enough to overcome it - the answer for me has always been fixing the too low estrogen (which is what has always been the cause for me.)
It's interesting how the after effects of covid really mimic hormonal problems : palpitations, insomnia, anxiety etc. I wonder if they will ever find any research that shows a link....
When you have covid your histamine levels rise dramatically and the symptoms are much the same as hormonal symptoms, there is information about it on youtube, I found it really helpful.
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That's interesting, Mayflower. Is there an argument then for taking hay fever remedies?
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Mayflower that's super interesting because my histamine is off the chart at the moment... crazy itchy eyes, I've just been prescribed an inhaler for the first time ever, and been referred to an allergy specialist. I'm having a terrible time of it post covid but I can't be sure that that's the cause - as the eyes I have been having since November - or whether covid just turned the volume up to 10! I had almost wondered if it was due to my E being too high - still waiting for my blood test result.
I'm on the max dose of prescription antihistamines allowed and it's not even touching the sides - the histamine / adrenaline rushes are what are causing the palpitations and waking me throughout thr night.
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Gilla, I raised my Estrogen after my vaccine as my symptoms were back and unbearable but it only made me worse! So frustrating all this x
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This all makes sense. A lot of the side effects of the vaccine seem to be histamine, autoimmune type reactions so decreasing estrogen would seem logical.
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I used to get very fast heart rate episodes and a few other symptoms and wondered if it was high histamine levels that caused them. Estrogen interacts with histamine and histamine sensitivity increases at peri and menopause, it all seems to be connected and then Covid increases histamine levels further in the body, so it's confusing when trying to determine the cause of symptoms and how to find a solution.
For me personally I reduced my intake of high histamine foods and I knew after a week that it was high histamine causing me the problems that I'd been having for several years and even though I don't take HRT, I feel I won't need to now because the outcome has been literally so dramatic.
As for anti-histamines, they can only reduce some of the symptoms but if your body is overloaded with histamine anyway, it becomes unable to cope and so the key is to reduce the histamine levels as much as possible.
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I identify with that approach as it then same one I took with some success but unfortunately it didn’t give all the answers.
No gluten, histamine foods, meat, it makes its very difficult to comply, expensive and leaves you wondering if you are getting all the nutrients needed.
Saying that, going in that direction I feel is a good thing.
BUT why is it we have to do this now, when for years many of these things were not an issue!
It must be decline in the endocrine, adrenal, thyroid functions that cause all of this.
So I think it may need to be a total body approach for many, although as Mayflower has evidenced, one approach can be very effective for some.
I agree Mayflower, antihistamines, great for symptom relief but don’t actually address the underlying cause. x
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Mayflower you're completely right that it's confusing to pinpoint a cause when there are multiple things going on. My best guess is that I either had a pre existing allergy (it's not hayfever) or was beginning to have a histamine response to the HRT (as when it first appeared it seemed to be cyclical at the start of each cycle) and then Covid came along and the immune response to that just turned the volume up to 100!
Interesting on the histamine diet - I have read about it but been a bit put off as the premise was "no pre packaged food" which for someone who hates cooking isn't easy! I don't eat a lot of the classic histamine foods except for coffee - eek! But I do eat/drink an awful lot of dairy and I wondered if it might be worth giving it a go cutting that out. I'm seeing an allergy specialist in a couple of weeks' time so will be interested to see what he recommends and if he is aware of the histamine connection with Estrogen.
Thanks ladies, keep posting your Covid/hormone related stories if they happen as I'm interested to hear!
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Would love to hear from anyone whose menopause symptoms are improving after having Covid, surely a virus leaves our bodies. I’m taking a Dr Wolz product zell oxygen to help immunity after virus if that’s any help xx
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Also what is best antihistamine to take please.
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The best antihistamine is Fexofenadine which is a non drowsy prescription one. But whatever is going on for me personally at the moment is so severe that even the max dose of that isn't working for more than 3 hours :'(
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Thanks Gilla. How exactly are you feeling atm? I’m sorry you are suffering so much!
Since covid I am suffering again with anx and low mood, having fluctuations so getting headaches too. Such an awful time….had all this post vaccine!
I don’t appear to have allergies as such but was thinking antihistamine cud help in some way? X
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So today has been the first day since pre covid where the horrendous eye allergy has been manageable by taking 2 Fexofenadine a day. I tried the steroids yesterday but they kept me awake all last night (a known side effect) so I won't be taking those again! I am hopeful that the fexofenadine has finally started to kick in and am also wondering if the horrendous palpitations / irregular heartbeat (which I had put down to covid) are actually a side effect of the fexofenadine itself, as I read today that it can be. So my current thinking is that I had some initial allergy (not hayfever as it's been going on since Nov... I had wondered if it was connected to my HRT...) which was then made 100 times worse by the immune response of covid and it's taken a while for the Fexofenadine to really take hold and dampen it down (ie. about 3 weeks at least). Hopefully I'll eventually be able to stop taking the Fexofenadine and the horrible palpitations / racing heart will go away and the eye allergy won't come back!
My blood test result is due back on Tuesday too, so I'll know then if covid did actually lower my E level or.not!
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Have u had any nausea ost covid? I seem to have this past few days especially in the mornings x
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Hi Sweettooth
I remember on another thread you said your folate levels were low. Low folate causes nausea. If you supplement with folate you must make sure your vitamin b12 levels are good as well, but I think I remember you saying they were high, so that’s ok.
Another cause of nausea is low choline. The main food sources of choline are eggs (great for breakfast), liver, fish, chicken (not too much meat but just enough so as not to get to much histidine).
It’s difficult for vegetarians and especially vegans to get enough choline in their diet. Vegetarians should eat a lot of eggs but vegans would probably have to supplement with choline and/or phosphatdylcholine (not too much as it can make you feel low and depressed).
It’s a minefield! Personally I always have eggs for breakfast, try and eat greens for the folate and now and again take a 1/2 folinic acid lozenge in the morning if I feel nauseous.
Hope this will help.
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Thank u v much Marchlove. It’s so hard to know. My gut feeling is it the after effects of covid, I’m fatigued as well and covid certainly doesn’t help hrt!
I will look into the lozenge. At present I’m taking a good multi vitamin with 400iu folate in it. X
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Hi Gill,
Sorry to hear about all of the challenges you are facing on top of peri. I feel like after catching covid it did amplify all the symptoms and bring new ones. I caught it in March 2020.
Sorry I haven’t been on the forum much..I’m still working on optimising my HRT which is tough. 8)
Just wanted to send you a big hug and to everyone on this thread.
Angela xx
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Hi Hilla, just wondering how you are now and if your bloods came back? I’m hoping you’re feeling a bit better overall🤞🤞
I’m still low on energy but small steps xxx
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Hello ladies.
I just wanted to say that when I was doing some research on my Ulcerative Colitis I learned that choline can be very harsh on the intestines. This was over a decade ago but I remember it because my friend gave me some eggs from her hens and I ate a lot before my gastro appointment. I assumed they would have a binding effect (sorry if TMI). There is also the problem of cholesterol for some people.
I rarely eat eggs now and I am not aware of a choline deficiency but I will keep it in mind.
Take care ladies.
K.
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Tks Kathleen, Iv no probs with eggs etc anyway.
Iv been watching your posts and hoping your decreasing will help you, it’s all we can do is try and wait, wait and try! Good luck xxx
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Hi Sweettooth - I have started feeling SO much better in the last 2-3 days, back to my old self. Two weeks ago I started taking a whole host of supplements after doing a lot of research into what was recommended from functional doctors for post covid inflammation. It's probably just a coincidence but I thought it might be interesting/useful to someone so I've listed them below (obviously best to do your own research before taking anything!).
I finally got my blood test back today and my E was 606 which I realise sounds high to some people but is actually lower for me than it was for the last two months. And 606 is when taking 3-4 sprays of Lenzetto vs 2 sprays in March and Feb when it was circa 700-800. So I feel pretty sure that Covid either lowered my Estrogen level or interfered with the HRT in some way. I'm now on 3 sprays of Lenzetto and seem to be fine so plan to stick with it unless anything changes.
The Fexofenadine seems to have finally kicked in for the allergy symptoms too - my guess is that the immune response of Covid (which I am certain goes on for longer than you have the cold symptoms) just ramped the allergy up several notches. The palpitations have lessened considerably and the coughing and chest problems have gone.
Supplements I've been taking:
Vitamin A,C, D
Coenzyme Q10
NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine)
Resveratrol (Japanese Knotweed)
Quercetin
Magnesium Gylcinate (evening)
Taurine (evening)
Liquorice root
Green Tea extract
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Hi Gilla, thank you so much for such an informative helpful post!
Iv been so tearful today and sweats are back among other meno symptoms. I tested positive on 30th March and was ok mood wise until a week after, like you first week cold etc symptoms.
I think it has further affected my estrogen which was affected anyway by vaccine last year but now clearly worse! I wonder will yours go back up again as time goes by?
Can I ask re the supplements was it a GP recommended those or alternative practitioner? I take good vitamin supply at the mo but I’m interested in repair of cells, am I right in thinking the knotweed may help? Of course I’d have to ask medically first👍 X
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My experience sounds similar to yours - had a bad cold for a week but mood wise was OK... improved for a couple of days and then WHAM hit by all the meno type symptoms (and more). Interesting your point about the vaccine as I had my booster in Dec and had big problems with my E level dropping afterwards but I assumed it was down either to my natural E dropping or because I was temporarily taking Metformin and the doctor didn't bother to tell me it can affect your E level. I hadn't considered a possible connection with the booster.
You would think it would go back up again but who knows and it's annoying to keep paying for blood tests every month to see where you're at. I would really like to now just stick on the 3 sprays and have a full stable cycle where I'm a normal human being :-\ If I don't start to feel bad I'll just stick with 3 sprays.
The supplements were just what I decided to take after doing a lot of online research and reading of scientific studies etc. They all to some degree have proven benefits in reducing inflammation though of course not trialled like proper drugs.
As I say who knows if it did anything - could well just be a coincidence and potentially too soon for it to be that working - but I find it impossible to sit and do nothing about it when I'm feeling so poorly, I need to feel proactive!
Have you had a blood test recently to check your E level? Do you know roughly what it was before the covid/vaccine made you have a dop?
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Hi Gilla and thank you for reply! It’s good to know one is not alone not that we want others suffering but I have heard from several ladies whom Covid has affected hormones and all have said it’s about a week after initial symptoms…. let’s hope it’s temp🤞
Yes I had bloods done few weeks back so I wud know if I get them done again. I increased a tiny bit last Monday and had a good evening yesterday and a much better morning so praying we both continue that path!!
My hormones went crazy after my vaccine a year ago, I could not get a second as I was so bad! It happened a few days after 1st and Iv been to hell and back unable to find a balance again but it was happening slowly…just sooo sensitive🙄 we women that are affected easily suffer that’s for sure! Always light at end of the tunnel though😁
Thanks again for the supplements info👍❤️❤️
My experience sounds similar to yours - had a bad cold for a week but mood wise was OK... improved for a couple of days and then WHAM hit by all the meno type symptoms (and more). Interesting your point about the vaccine as I had my booster in Dec and had big problems with my E level dropping afterwards but I assumed it was down either to my natural E dropping or because I was temporarily taking Metformin and the doctor didn't bother to tell me it can affect your E level. I hadn't considered a possible connection with the booster.
You would think it would go back up again but who knows and it's annoying to keep paying for blood tests every month to see where you're at. I would really like to now just stick on the 3 sprays and have a full stable cycle where I'm a normal human being :-\ If I don't start to feel bad I'll just stick with 3 sprays.
The supplements were just what I decided to take after doing a lot of online research and reading of scientific studies etc. They all to some degree have proven benefits in reducing inflammation though of course not trialled like proper drugs.
As I say who knows if it did anything - could well just be a coincidence and potentially too soon for it to be that working - but I find it impossible to sit and do nothing about it when I'm feeling so poorly, I need to feel proactive!
Have you had a blood test recently to check your E level? Do you know roughly what it was before the covid/vaccine made you have a dop?
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Hello ladies.
I haven't had COVID but every six months I have some blood tests as part of my Ulcerative Colitis care. These tests include two markers for inflammation, the main one being C Reactive Protein (CRP). The amount of this
protein increases with any inflammation so even a simple cold would cause the level to rise.
This may be routinely measured in post COVID patients but I assume anyone can order this test. It would be a good way to see how well supplements or other treatments were working.
Take care ladies.
K.
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Thanks K that’s really good to know! Xx