Something which makes no sense has happened which I wanted to share here because it feels significant. It might mean some thing to others.
I got ill with sudden onset at Christmas 3 years ago. I couldn't tell you whether or not I had a virus at the time. I vaguely remember having a cold around that time but various viruses were coming and going frequently- I have school age children.
That Christmas, I clearly remember sitting down and feeling like I couldn't get up. It was a very busy time; I'd been pushing myself but I was used to that. I did get up, but the heaviness, exhaustion, and leg and arm pains didn't leave. I thought I was anaemic as I had been a year previously. When my bloods came back 'normal', my GP suggested CFS.
I only really started to believe I had ME/ CFS weeks later when I was no better and decided to hit the gym. That's when I discovered PEM and I have kept on 'discovering' PEM ever since.
I used to get some CFS symptoms for a few days prior to my period. I also got menstrual migraines and these migraines became more chronic over the years.
Looking back now, I would get some CFS type symptoms in the week before my period. I would walk into doors, get words jumbled up. At times, I would get in the car to drive and feel unable to do-ordinate everything to do so. I remember getting very tired, but it's hard to say if it was the same as the fatigue I have now, because it didn't last long. I never thought of it as a problem, just PMT. I was aware that the cognitive stuff seemed more extreme for me than other though.
Anyway, I'm now 48 and menopausal confirmed by blood work. My periods stopped for 6 months, then I had one, then another 10 week gap.
So here's the nonsensical thing: I had 4 or 5 days a while back where I felt almost normal. During this time I mowed the lawn and did not get PEM (I always get delayed onset PEM from mowing the lawn). I was waiting for the PEM to hit and it didn't; I just carried on feeling almost normal, tired, knackered in fact, but pretty normal, not ill. My brain was functioning almost normally. My body was coordinating normally. I was still pacing and felt I needed to be careful but this was a huge change for me. Then, at the end of the 4/5 days, I got my first period in 6 months.
I couldn't get my head around the period being significant. Why would I feel better BEFORE my period now that I'm menopausal and with ME/CFS?? Whatever hormonal mix changed pre period to cause symptoms similar to brain fog now is causing those chronic symptoms to lift. The improvement didn't last.
However, 10 weeks on and I have just had another good week. I started to think I'm getting better, that something is working. I did some physical work in the garden, took my kids into town- again no PEM. I can't say I feel great exactly, but to feel anywhere near normal is such a huge change. I had energy.
I re-ordered all the supplements I've been taking this week! I keep thinking of the TV show the Leftovers where people in the unaffected town of Miracle keep trying to recreate the exact moment that people disappeared, in case something they were doing at the time protected them.
Then, just like last time, on around the 5th 'good' day my period started.
So... It's got to be hormones- hasn't it? And in what way? I've googled to try and find anything on people feeling better BEFORE periods during menopause but not got anywhere. I'm assuming something to do with progesterone/ oestrogen balance but I'm not bright enough to work it out. Although my brain fog has been better I'm nowhere near normal intellectually.
Has anybody else experienced anything similar? Or does anybody understand what could be going on chemically?
I got ill with sudden onset at Christmas 3 years ago. I couldn't tell you whether or not I had a virus at the time. I vaguely remember having a cold around that time but various viruses were coming and going frequently- I have school age children.
That Christmas, I clearly remember sitting down and feeling like I couldn't get up. It was a very busy time; I'd been pushing myself but I was used to that. I did get up, but the heaviness, exhaustion, and leg and arm pains didn't leave. I thought I was anaemic as I had been a year previously. When my bloods came back 'normal', my GP suggested CFS.
I only really started to believe I had ME/ CFS weeks later when I was no better and decided to hit the gym. That's when I discovered PEM and I have kept on 'discovering' PEM ever since.
I used to get some CFS symptoms for a few days prior to my period. I also got menstrual migraines and these migraines became more chronic over the years.
Looking back now, I would get some CFS type symptoms in the week before my period. I would walk into doors, get words jumbled up. At times, I would get in the car to drive and feel unable to do-ordinate everything to do so. I remember getting very tired, but it's hard to say if it was the same as the fatigue I have now, because it didn't last long. I never thought of it as a problem, just PMT. I was aware that the cognitive stuff seemed more extreme for me than other though.
Anyway, I'm now 48 and menopausal confirmed by blood work. My periods stopped for 6 months, then I had one, then another 10 week gap.
So here's the nonsensical thing: I had 4 or 5 days a while back where I felt almost normal. During this time I mowed the lawn and did not get PEM (I always get delayed onset PEM from mowing the lawn). I was waiting for the PEM to hit and it didn't; I just carried on feeling almost normal, tired, knackered in fact, but pretty normal, not ill. My brain was functioning almost normally. My body was coordinating normally. I was still pacing and felt I needed to be careful but this was a huge change for me. Then, at the end of the 4/5 days, I got my first period in 6 months.
I couldn't get my head around the period being significant. Why would I feel better BEFORE my period now that I'm menopausal and with ME/CFS?? Whatever hormonal mix changed pre period to cause symptoms similar to brain fog now is causing those chronic symptoms to lift. The improvement didn't last.
However, 10 weeks on and I have just had another good week. I started to think I'm getting better, that something is working. I did some physical work in the garden, took my kids into town- again no PEM. I can't say I feel great exactly, but to feel anywhere near normal is such a huge change. I had energy.
I re-ordered all the supplements I've been taking this week! I keep thinking of the TV show the Leftovers where people in the unaffected town of Miracle keep trying to recreate the exact moment that people disappeared, in case something they were doing at the time protected them.
Then, just like last time, on around the 5th 'good' day my period started.
So... It's got to be hormones- hasn't it? And in what way? I've googled to try and find anything on people feeling better BEFORE periods during menopause but not got anywhere. I'm assuming something to do with progesterone/ oestrogen balance but I'm not bright enough to work it out. Although my brain fog has been better I'm nowhere near normal intellectually.
Has anybody else experienced anything similar? Or does anybody understand what could be going on chemically?