Question for women only...

I think getting your hormone levels checked is a good idea...then you know what you're dealing with.

I think these symptoms could be separate from lyme, but lyme is exacerbating it.

For me, lyme hit and my hormones tanked. Prior to lyme, I was fine...no symptoms, periods never really bothered me...
I tried the bio-identical hormone replacement - and it did not help...in fact after a couple of weeks on it , was when the nervous system vibrations started. I had started with 1/4 dose....then 1/2 dose and then finally full dose.

I stopped. ( I gave it about 4-6 weeks) - and strange thing is 5 months after stopping, my estrogen level was high...after it being almost 'nil' when I went on the hormone replacement.

So, for me, the symptoms - hot sweats, depression, anxiety - were most likely lyme and co's derived...and perhaps put me into sudden menopause. Pre-lyme I had no symptoms of peri-menopause...other than my periods weren't as regular as they had been previously. Instead of being like clock work - every 26-28 days...it would sometimes be 30 or 35 days apart. (Can't remember exactly)

I have girl question!
I am 22. The first week on rifampin MY BOOBS GREW. 😅

Get your hormone levels checked. I'm about to go on natural progesterone cream and have similar symptoms (even before the Lyme). I have read that addressing hormone imbalances can help with Lyme treatment.

Snarf said...
Get your hormone levels checked. I'm about to go on natural progesterone cream and have similar symptoms (even before the Lyme). I have read that addressing hormone imbalances can help with Lyme treatment.

I have progesterone cream sitting on my counter...finally had it compounded...but haven't started taking it.

I tried it once - right after lyme diagnosis...and it didn't seem to help...but I'm thinking I should try it again.

True with the hormone balancing helping with everything! Our hormones can easily get out of whack due to things like these infections, treating these infections, the moon phases and more! I've had a lot of "female issues" because of all of these things.

Jenny, I would say that it is likely due to hormonal changes for you as well. Funny thing (but VERY true!), in my family, the women will usually gain a cup size after the age of 40 - well for me it happened at the age of 51!! I'm telling ya, it's not fair to do that to someone!! LOL! I was having my hormones checked, and my estrogen was at zero, so I haven't worried about it, but I sure have cussed them things!!

Girlie, do be sure to use it for 2 months or more before making any decisions if it's helping or not. It brought about subtle changes for me and it took me 2 months, then I stopped for 2 weeks and realized I'm a much nicer person if I use it regularly. Ha ha!!

Definitely, if you feel worse, stop using it!! No matter how long you have been using it, especially if you can tie it to using the hormones! Just like 3humpedcamel said, it all went haywire for her.

I need to get my hormones checked again, but lack the funds. I bet I'm low in testosterone as well.

pmm73......yes Lyme toys with thyroid and hormonal function. I was having peri-menopause signs prior to lyme. Hot flushes and longer cycle due to delayed ovulation. With lyme it got worse. Like yourself I feel great after period. But 20 days prior to that is hell. Traditionally it was usually that I didn't have much PMS and had energy surges and increased thirst prior to period (this is all pre lyme). Now it is all different. I am always tired, and no energy surges. Progesterone levels are also lower because effected from lyme.

I can deal with regular peri-menopause without the lyme.

Like most of us, my hormones tanked when I got sick. First things first, adrenals....which my doctor#2 got me started on at my last appointment. I decided to do adrenal cortex as opposed to the low dose hydrocortisone....but will revisit IF I have to. Should be an interesting appointment tomorrow since he doesn't know that I opted for the cortex. Not sure what he's going to recommend next.
Oh the joy of being a woman 😂.

It's not just a body building steroid - it's being misused in that context.

I picked through some of the information from the link I posted above to show examples of why we need to have appropriate levels of DHEA as well:
"Metabolic syndrome

Studies show DHEA helps reduce abdominal fat and improve insulin resistance. Other studies suggest that DHEA helps reduce inflammation in the arteries and reduce arterial stiffness.

Adrenal insufficiency

DHEA is one of the hormones made by the adrenal glands. With adrenal insufficiency, the adrenal glands do not make enough hormones, including DHEA and cortisol. That happens either because of problems with the pituitary gland or damage to the adrenal glands themselves (also called Addison's disease).

Several studies suggest that taking DHEA may help improve mood, fatigue, and well being. In one study, women with this condition who took DHEA supplements reported improved sexuality and sense of well being, including fewer feelings of depression and anxiety.

Adrenal insufficiency requires a doctor's care. You shouldn't take DHEA on your own for adrenal insufficiency. Severe adrenal insufficiency can be a medical emergency, especially when first diagnosed.

Depression

A few studies of people with major depression found that DHEA improved symptoms compared to placebo. The results aren't entirely clear, and researchers don't know what the long-term effects of taking DHEA might be. More research is needed. Don't try to treat depression by yourself. People with depression need medical care.

Osteoporosis

Preliminary studies suggest that DHEA may help reduce bone loss in older women. It doesn't seem to have the same effect in men. And in one study it didn't help women who were under age 70.

Obesity

Studies using DHEA to treat overweight people have found conflicting results. Animal studies have found DHEA to help reduce body weight. Human studies found that taking DHEA didn't change total body weight. But it did improve total body fat and LDL ("bad") cholesterol. More research is needed.

Traveler said...
Definitely give the DHEA another try, Girlie!

"Overview

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a hormone produced by the body's adrenal glands. The body uses DHEA to make androgens and estrogens, the male and female sex hormones. DHEA levels peak at about age 25, then go down steadily as you get older. By the time people are 70 to 80 years old, their DHEA levels are only 10 to 20% those in young adults.

Because levels of DHEA decline with age, researchers have wondered if DHEA could work as an anti-aging treatment. In older people, lower than normal levels of DHEA have been associated with osteoporosis, heart disease, memory loss, and breast cancer. But there's no proof that low levels of DHEA cause these conditions, or that taking DHEA can help prevent them. Plus DHEA supplements vary widely in quality. Many products tested don't have the amount of DHEA in them that the label says they do.

Also, DHEA supplements can have side effects. They may lower levels of HDL "good" cholesterol in the body, and in women they may raise levels of testosterone, as well as estrogen.

The DHEA in supplements is a synthetic hormone, so you should talk to your doctor before taking it."

umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/dehydroepiandrosterone

Well, it's not DHEA i have - it's the precursor - pregnenalone...my post was confusing - the pregnenalone will help raise the levels of dhea, and progesterone. It's higher up on the pyramid....but it can sometimes raise cortisol levels...

Exactly, we MUST test hormones before we just start taking them, or we could end up in a worse situation than we already are!

I was bummed traveler i would love to go up a cup im thin not well endowed 😂 prob the only lyme antibiotic effect i squealed in glee over EVER