• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of, and finding treatments for, complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Hypovolemia/Girl stuff

Galixie

Senior Member
Messages
220
Ya know what makes low blood volume worse? Hot, dry weather (dehydration) and bleeding. The double whammy is when you have your period during a heat wave.

I would love some reassurance that I'm not alone in this experience.

Florinef does a wonderful job of keeping my blood volume/blood pressure normal most of the time. But not on my period (even though they are very light). Is this normal?

Yesterday I was so bad off after a shower that I had to lay down for awhile to recover (something that used to happen a lot before starting florinef). My oxygen saturation percent dropped to 92%. I ended up with a horrible headache that lasted the rest of the day.

Does anyone know of a way to head this problem off before it happens again? I tried to up my intake of electrolytes, but it didn't seem to make a difference.
 

Moof

Senior Member
Messages
778
Location
UK
I did used to get it, yes (I had very heavy, six-day periods). I was in so much pain the first day that I'd pass out if I tried to stand anyway, so I spent it horizontal; for three days following, the only thing that helped was keeping my legs raised for as much of the time as possible. The last two days weren't as bad – things gradually went back to normal. I didn't know that it was being caused by low blood volume at the time, and I just struggled through as best I could.

Although it got a bit easier after my mid-30s, I can't say I was sorry to see the back of all the monthly hassle. I was lucky enough to go through the menopause earlier than usual at 46, which was a huge relief.

I'm sorry I can't offer any solutions, but I thought I'd let you know that you're not alone with it!
 

Shoshana

Northern USA
Messages
6,035
Location
Northern USA
Just thoughts or ideas....drink extra fluids, and stay out of any direct heat or sun? Choose activities extremely carefully?
SOunds like you are probably doing those, already. Sorry you are having this combo problem!
 

Runner5

Senior Member
Messages
323
Location
PNW
Well, according to NutritionFacts.Org, Ginger can head off hormone related migraines and cut menstruation by up to 50% -- since I suffer from monthly issues I started adding a 1" nob of ginger to my smoothie every day. (So I...."put it to the test" ...haha, okay Brenda will get that).... Since starting I haven't had a hormonal triggered migraine and it actually did cut my period down. It did seem to require quite a bit of ginger to work for me.

However, if you have too heavy of a period etc. go see the doc. You might have some bad fibroids or something going on! I don't think Ginger would work for anything severe, but I am very happy not to have a two day headache anymore. :D
 

Galixie

Senior Member
Messages
220
I'm sorry I can't offer any solutions, but I thought I'd let you know that you're not alone with it!

Thanks Moof. I'm sorry you had such a bad time. I'm glad my periods are not as heavy/long lasting.

Well, according to NutritionFacts.Org, Ginger can head off hormone related migraines and cut menstruation by up to 50% -- since I suffer from monthly issues I started adding a 1" nob of ginger to my smoothie every day. (So I...."put it to the test" ...haha, okay Brenda will get that).... Since starting I haven't had a hormonal triggered migraine and it actually did cut my period down. It did seem to require quite a bit of ginger to work for me.

However, if you have too heavy of a period etc. go see the doc. You might have some bad fibroids or something going on! I don't think Ginger would work for anything severe, but I am very happy not to have a two day headache anymore. :D

I could try the ginger and see if it helps. Thank you. I've never heard of that before.

My periods are actually fairly light (and have gotten lighter in the past few years) which is why I find it surprising that they can lay me so low.

On Saturday my mother was asking me why I wasn't doing something productive, like yardwork (which I have a hard time doing even in ideal circumstances) and it's just embarrassing to have to explain that just being upright was a struggle that day.