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Symptom Cycle - Related To Monthly Cycle?

lisalouryan

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lisalouryan Newbie
lisalouryan
Posted

To all the women out there,

Have any of you noticed an increase in severity of symptoms depending on where you are in your monthly cycle?

At my last dr appt, he said that as hormone levels go up and down during the cycle, you can definitely see an increase in severity of symptoms - this has proved to be true for me.

I keep note of how I'm feeling regularly and have noticed this pattern.

Thanks, Lisa

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woolwhippet Explorer
woolwhippet
Posted
To all the women out there,

Have any of you noticed an increase in severity of symptoms depending on where you are in your monthly cycle?

At my last dr appt, he said that as hormone levels go up and down during the cycle, you can definitely see an increase in severity of symptoms - this has proved to be true for me.

I keep note of how I'm feeling regularly and have noticed this pattern.

Thanks, Lisa

YES! This is very true for me. This period coming up will be my first 100% gluten-free. I am curious to see if symptoms reappear to the same degree.

Lenore

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Without a doubt. For years the worst of my symptoms would be for the 2 weeks before my period. Gluten took care of that by causing an early menapause so I can't compare for after diagnosis.

wolfie Enthusiast
wolfie
Posted

Very true for me too. I am now back on the pill to control the hormone disaster and bleeding (sorry for TMI) that I had going on. I have noticed that I feel much better all around now and it has got to be the hormones being level instead of up & down all month.

oceangirl Collaborator
oceangirl
Posted
Very true for me too. I am now back on the pill to control the hormone disaster and bleeding (sorry for TMI) that I had going on. I have noticed that I feel much better all around now and it has got to be the hormones being level instead of up & down all month.

Two weeks before are atrocious. Nearing 50 so that probably doesn't help. But, yes! I think it impacts.

lisa

DElizabethE Apprentice
DElizabethE
Posted
To all the women out there,

Have any of you noticed an increase in severity of symptoms depending on where you are in your monthly cycle?

At my last dr appt, he said that as hormone levels go up and down during the cycle, you can definitely see an increase in severity of symptoms - this has proved to be true for me.

I keep note of how I'm feeling regularly and have noticed this pattern.

Thanks, Lisa

Hi Lisa,

You are finally someone I can really relate to. Before I was diagnosed with celiac I was bounced back and forth between my gastro Dr. and my ob/gyn. Now over 5 months into being gluten free (and I'm extremely careful) they are starting to do that again. I am so frustrated and just want some answers.

Before gluten free I had severe abdominal pain almost every day for about 6 hrs. Now I am down to about half the month. During my ovulation time is the worst. For about 4 days before it and 4 days after I am still in severe pain...enough to send me to the ER every month. It's so frequent that my daughters even know if I come in their room in the middle of the night they have to get dressed right away. My friends even joke (lovingly though) that I should make an "on call" list of people to take me there.

Anyways, I finally see an ob/gyn specialist in a couple of weeks. At this point I don't care if I have a hysterectomy. I've already had my children but want the pain to just stop. I want to feel better!

Diane

SpikeMoore Apprentice
SpikeMoore
Posted

Yes. I have an idea that the inflammatory substances from celiac in the intestine influence inflammation in the uterus and vice versa. I have had 2 gluten free cycles and noticed an improvement in the monthly flow and pain. Unfortunately I figured out the gluten thing too late and now have stage III endometriosis (just found out today). My hope now is to be able to control the endo with gluten free diet to a tolerable level, although I may have to use hormones occasionally, I'd rather not. At least that way I won't be adding to the inflammation from endometriosis with inflammatory substances produced by celiac/gluten intolerance. Time will tell.

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SpikeMoore Apprentice
SpikeMoore
Posted

Oh, and one more thing. Lisa, pick up and read the book "taking charge of your fertility". It explains more about your cycle than you will every be able to learn from your doctor.

  • 2 weeks later...
beoptimistic Newbie
beoptimistic
Posted

I am so glad I found this thread! I found out that I am gluten/cassein/soy/egg/yeast intolerant a couple of months ago from my Entero Lab results. I am not a full blown celiac. I have always had a very painful heavy and irregular menstral cycle and was put on birth control pills when I was 17. Now I'm 22. Given my age/goals in life, I know I will continue to be on the pill for at least another 5 years, but am still curious about gluten (and other foods) affect on the menstral cycle.

When you all say that your symptoms are worse during your cycle--do you mean only before going gluten free??

What symptoms? Just pain?

How about moodiness/anxiety and depression? I have had a hard time determining whether these symptoms are just normal PMS or if they are actually the result of my food intolerances.

Since I have been on the pill for about 5 years, my cramps and bleeding aren't that bad any more, so it's difficult for me to tell if my gluten-free diet is helping. I find it much more difficult to track my moods. I try to be self-aware, but it's not always that easy.

thoughts??

--kate

beoptimistic Newbie
beoptimistic
Posted
Yes. I have an idea that the inflammatory substances from celiac in the intestine influence inflammation in the uterus and vice versa. I have had 2 gluten free cycles and noticed an improvement in the monthly flow and pain. Unfortunately I figured out the gluten thing too late and now have stage III endometriosis (just found out today). My hope now is to be able to control the endo with gluten free diet to a tolerable level, although I may have to use hormones occasionally, I'd rather not. At least that way I won't be adding to the inflammation from endometriosis with inflammatory substances produced by celiac/gluten intolerance. Time will tell.

My Mom has also had endometriosis and had a hysterechtomy when she was 40. Now she also has MS and many other health problems. I definitely think she's gluten intolerant, but she isn't very receptive to getting tested just yet. I know I have both genes for it, that means she has one. So I wouldn't be surprised.

Do you think there was a large connectioin b/t being gluten intolerant and the development of your endometriosis? What have your doctors said about it?

As a 22 year old, I would like to avoid developing these conditions and am wondering if it's diet related or not.

gfgypsyqueen Enthusiast
gfgypsyqueen
Posted

I think the moodiness and depression at PMS are better now that I am gluten-free. However, if you happen to be unfortunate enough to combine a Gluten attack and PMS, let's just say the results are not good for anyone in a 5 mile radious. I can usually tell when I have been glutened mainly by the depression and moodiness. Then is the realization that everything is irrtating including skin contact. And by then there is nothing to do except try not to pick a fight, but that is really hard some days :(

HannahHannah Apprentice
HannahHannah
Posted

Absolutely :). I'm also very glad to have found this thread.

I find symptoms (GI mostly, some dizziness after being glutened) are worse a week or so before my cycle. Add PMS to that and I feel sorry for anyone who has to be near me!

zagadka Newbie
zagadka
Posted

i have been gluten free for about 2 months now. prior to that, my cycle would be anywhere from 31-35 days long, and i would have my period for 7-9 days. ugggggh. I never had any terrible PMS symptoms other than being verrrrrry tired and verrrrry cold. occasionally i would be insanely sensitive, but figured that was "normal" to cry for seemingly no reason. ha.

and tummy prob's....let's not even go there. big D across the board for 2 or 3 days straight. so much fun.

both periods that have occurred while being gluten free, especially the last one, have been MUCH different. My last one lasted for only 5 days- woo! both arrived at 33 days... it'll be interesting to see what happens the longer i carry out being gluten free.

beoptimistic Newbie
beoptimistic
Posted
i have been gluten free for about 2 months now. prior to that, my cycle would be anywhere from 31-35 days long, and i would have my period for 7-9 days. ugggggh. I never had any terrible PMS symptoms other than being verrrrrry tired and verrrrry cold. occasionally i would be insanely sensitive, but figured that was "normal" to cry for seemingly no reason. ha.

and tummy prob's....let's not even go there. big D across the board for 2 or 3 days straight. so much fun.

both periods that have occurred while being gluten free, especially the last one, have been MUCH different. My last one lasted for only 5 days- woo! both arrived at 33 days... it'll be interesting to see what happens the longer i carry out being gluten free.

Ugg! You sound like me before I went on the pill, except it wasn't every 35 days, it was whenever the hell it felt like coming (ex: every two weeks, then not again for 2 months, etc.) and lasting like u said, 7-9 days. Then again, I was running cross-country and track year round and probably had very low body fat. I could have just been on my way to amenoria. It could have had nothing to do with gluten!

I wonder what it would be like now that I'm gluten free if I went off the pill. I guess I won't find out for years to come still.

At any rate--I definitely hope it gets better for you!

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