lyme affecting period?

I have sort of always had heavy and irregular periods. To help with this I went on yasmin birth control in 2006. That has helped regulate and lighten them.

I was diagnosed with LD at the end of the summer - just finished antibiotics about 2 weeks ago. I have been feeling a little better and even started working out a little bit - until I got my period two days ago. It has been HORRIBLE - like worse than it's been in years. Heavy, painful, nausea, lightheadedness from anemia, etc! The only thing I can correlate this to is the lyme or stopping antibiotics. (I know that antibiotics counteract birth control and was using a back up method for the 4 months on antibiotics)

Has anyone else's period been affected by lyme? Is this common or am I just crazy? I really just want my life back and am hoping these bad period symptoms aren't related to the lyme/doesn't mean it's coming back...

Happy new year!

Hi - yes I saw that thread, very interesting and kind of scary. I actually made an appointment with my gyn about this and am anxious about it.

I do have some of the symptoms of endo but more symptoms of fibroids. The thing that concerns me is that my period wasn't NEARLY this bad when I got it over the last few months while still on antibiotics. I feel like if I had endo or fibroids I would have known by now - but I guess you never know. I am mainly curious as to whether or not people noticed symptoms like this as a result of lyme or treatment for lyme. Could it be that this is just a result of finally being off abx? Like everyone else here, I am just so sick of being sick...
thanks for the response dowa!

I have had irregular and painful periods since getting Lyme. I actually have cramps that I would normally attribute to my period for about 3 weeks out of the month.

I notice an increase in Lyme symptoms the week before my period, so I definitely think the two are connected.

Lyme really messed up my daughter's periods! She was having her period every two to three weeks. Now that she is on the antibiotics, they are coming every 28 days. The PMS is horrible -- intensifies the lyme symptoms. The actual period is heavy. Periods are miserable when you are healthy, but with the lyme, they are like hell for her. She cannot go on birth control because, we found out from lyme testing, she is prone to blood clots. Hope you are feeling better soon. Lisa

My periods were heavy with painful cramps & migraines too, until I went on a gluten-free diet. Now, I seldom get some mild cramps, and haven't had a migraine since starting the gluten-free diet. So not everything is from Lyme...even hormone troubles.

abanana,
I know....like Lyme isn't bad enough! We have to deal with female crap worsening too!!!! I sucks!!

My LLMD is also an GYN and endocrinologist. Since I started seeing her in July, 08, she asks at every visit; are you having irregular periods yet? I said no until December. On my first visit with her in july, I was taking Yasmin too, but really to only keep my acne under control. My doc told me I could do that with supplements, that my acne was nutrient related. So I stopped Yasmin. It's too expensive anyway and hey, one less pill to take.

Anyway, my periods went from every 28 +days and no cramps to every 3 weeks or less with pelvic, hip and cramp pain. Real heavy for 3-4 days then spot for about a week. My doc said that the LD might be throughing me into early menapause!!!!! No Way......I'm only 42! So yes, this disease really screws you up big time. Also, when your on your period one of the hormone excreted is relaxine. It's the same hormone that relaxes your pelvis during childbirth. Relaxine is hormone that affects tendons and ligaments which are connective tissue. Guess what is any easy target for Lyme......yep....connective tissue. So to sum things up; that's a double wammy.

Most lymies are anemic. When on your period, and it's really heavy, you become even more anemic; which increases the headache and lightheadedness, etc. It's important to increase your fluid intake (to keep a normal blood volume so your heart doesn't have to work so hard) and make sure your are on enough iron (this is the anemia part, you need iron to bind oxygen to blood cells. When iron availability is low, oxygen carrying capcity is low. Your brain and heart are very sensitive to low O2, oxygen, levels: lightheadedness, palpatations).

I was curious too. How long were your symtoms before your Lyme treatment started? How long were you on anbx? And are you still having Lyme symptoms now that your off anbx?

I'm asking cause my LLMD's protocol is to continue meds (anbx, etc.) for 4-6 weeks after your symptoms have stopped. So I wonder if your treatment was long enough?

my prayers are with us all daily- Lisa

Hi LupnerRN - basically I started feeling like something was "not right" in April 08. I have always been kind of a gym rat - but I kept it going over the summer. I was getting gradually more fatigued and had random "sick days" over the summer where I felt like I was achy with a fever and flu. I was diagnosed at the end of the summer. My CD-57 indicated that I had not been infected earlier than 6 months prior. I was on abx from early September to the last week of December. My symptoms had improved greatly by the 4th week of November. My doctor kept me on abx for another 4 weeks after that.

I did end up seeing my gyn after the super heavy period... she was not surprised it was bad. Again, I live in an area where lyme is so common so a lot of her patients have also been treated for LD. She said any kind of illness or physical set back can throw off your system. She said I was right to be concerned and ask the questions but that I had nothing to worry about. She said had it been endo or fibroids I would have still had symptoms and been in pain (I saw her a couple days after my period ended and I was feeling better by that point). She told me I could call her any time if I had any other concerns about the lyme or period.

I am continuing on yasmin because my periods have always made me sick (not as bad as the last time, but it consistently is bad enough to interfere with daily life - I mean I was still running and working out for the first 10 days on abx before I started herxing... it takes a lot to knock me on my ass). I take yasmin continually - meaning I usually skip the sugar pills for a couple packs so I only get my period once every three months. My gyn's advice was actually to stick with the yasmin - she reasoned that if my body is already stressed after fighting lyme, why put it through the additional stress of having a period? This doctor has helped me with other health issues and I trust her 100%.

I have a call with my lyme doctor today - it's been 4 weeks since I went off abx and he asked that I call him at this time just to make sure I'm doing well enough to stay off abx. I know many of you suggested I think about going back on abx - but I really am feeling about a thousand times better than I was in like October. At that time, I couldn't even get out of bed some days and now I am back at the gym 4 times a week and even lifting weights again. My energy is coming back and I am optimistic that I will be OK. I am, however, leaving the decision of whether to stay off abx in to my doctor's opinion. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Sorry this was so long - I hope you all are doing well and hanging in there! best wishes to everyone and thanks for the guidance

Both of my parents are being treated for hypothyroidism -however- my thyroid levels are fine and were checked recently and over the summer. Actually, before I found out it was lyme I assumed it WAS hypothyroidism because of my family history. I had the fatigue, low body temp, dry skin, etc. Luckily my doctor saw through it and tested me for both thyroid levels and lyme.

I've had lyme disease for almost three months now and I've been on the antibiotics for the same amont of time. I wanted to know if anyone has experienced lighter periods? My symptoms like cramps, breast tenderness, ect is worse then before the lymes, but the actual period is lighter. I just wanted to know if anyone else had this issue. It's nice there is a place to discuss our concerns. Few people understand lymes.

I read somewhere that the worse periods is due to increased levels of inflammation - I'll try to find that info again.

I feel so horrible during this time. Are there any tips on how to feel better while it happens? Motrin takes a little of the edge off, and I take extra detox baths, but it is not a significant improvement, unfortunately.

Lyme affects your periods!!! Hormones!! For years I have dealt with periods every 2 weeks, for sometimes 7-9 days. Ultra sound showed my uterus enlarged, did a biospy which found nothing.
Rest and regular bedtime helps. Take extra vitamins and Vitamin C before your periods, extra EFA's, Coconut oil, Probiotics <everyday.

I took Progestrone the natural compound in higher doses, seemed to help the cramps, also another natural compound bi est - for the estrogen. They make another Progestrone thats made with Peanut oil, I decided not to use it. ( Peanut and the fungus connection).
For low iron, I took bio salts, Ferrum Phos. ( health food stores carry). And extra Vitamin C.

Well I would like to know whats going on with my period.  I have had

lymes for at least 10 years.  My periods havn't been heavy or anything

I did notice symptoms worse before period.  Well Nov. period started really

weird its like i started but i spotted very very lightly for 4-5 days then had

regular bleeding, then spotted again, then stopped. same the for Dec. 

Know I havn't had one January, Febuary. I am 51 so I don't know whats

going on. See gyno Friday.  don't know if this is it or what.  LLMD, said

im still ovulating. 

thank you sunnyside to mention that lyme affects period.........i have not had my period for the past month.