Hormones as possible 'something in the blood'?

[Hopeful1976]

This is info for Ron, or any other researchers. I feel its important to write - as Ron once said, it is the little bits bits of information that help us to understand what this illness is. So here goes. I have found a definite correlation between my hormone levels throughout my monthly cycle and the severity of my symptoms to the point that I now cannot ignore it and I really need to make people aware. I apologise in advance if this kind of information is already known. For the first two weeks of my cycle my symptoms are tough. P e m is very apparent. All of my symptoms that include fatigue, pain, gut health, nausea, headaches, breathlessness, you name it I have it, are worse for some strange reason. Yet once I ovulate, my symptoms start to improve, to the point that the last week before I have my monthly period, I feel very strong, to a significant degree! I then start my period and the cycle begins again. Bad health for 2 weeks followed by SIGNIFICANTLY improved health. Thyroid levels are all normal, blood test comes back normal etc etc... I have been thinking about the 'something in the blood' evidence - could the something in the blood be a hormone? There is a link here. I feel it acutely every month @Janet Dafoe (Rose49) I'm unsure if others experience this and how this would fit with men who have M.E... Again, sorry if this has been discussed before.

 

[Hufsamor]

@Hopeful1976
How strange.
Im completely opposite...

 

[Judee]

There are also certain times during the month where hormones affect Candida Yeast in the body. That's something my environmental doctor pointed out and he was correct for me, at least. During those times it made my symptoms much worse.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

In my case, and 15 years into menopause- I've not seen any such cycle here.

Unrefreshing sleep started at menopause, and most of my symptoms got severely worse at that point in time. I believe that was when the significant damage started- the failure of the body to make repairs, to complete necessary tasks. I was mild, then. At menopause, managing all this became really tough.

For about 10 years, I experience a completely intense 24 hour cycle. If I ignore crashes, and just focus on when i am just going along with reasonable self-management...... I completely unravel by 5 pm and by 7pm about 100 symptoms are in massive flare. I get just stunningly ill.

 

[IThinkImTurningJapanese]

I'm unsure if others experience this and how this would fit with men who have M.E.

I had this illness as a teenager, it was much less severe then. Growth hormone maybe?

Apparently, for men, the nude beach can raise testosterone levels. Zonneweide!

 

[Hip]

could the something in the blood be a hormone?

Hormone levels are easily checked in the blood, so I would have thought that if there were a link between hormone levels and ME/CFS, it would have been detected. In fact there have been some hormone connections made: for example when levels of the hormone leptin increase in ME/CFS patients, so does fatigue. Ref: here

And a small subset of ME/CFS patients are known to have low T3 syndrome, a type of subclinical hypothyroidism. Ref: here

For the first two weeks of my cycle my symptoms are tough. P e m is very apparent. All of my symptoms that include fatigue, pain, gut health, nausea, headaches, breathlessness, you name it I have it, are worse for some strange reason. Yet once I ovulate, my symptoms start to improve, to the point that the last week before I have my monthly period, I feel very strong, to a significant degree! I then start my period and the cycle begins again.

Looking at the hormones of the menstrual cycle in the image below, it look like the times when you feel worse are when progesterone is low, and the times when you feel much better are when progesterone is high.

So maybe in your case, progesterone is somehow playing a major role. Interestingly, a lot of ME/CFS patients who become pregnant also report a major amelioration of symptoms during pregnancy, and progesterone as well as estriol are the two main hormones that get substantially elevated in pregnancy.

 

[Hopeful1976]

Yes, I felt sooo much better while pregnant. What's strange though is when I've taken the progesterone only pill (thus increasing progesterone which in theory should make me feel better), I get a worsening of gut symptoms (nausea, candida growth ect).... there's definitely a connection here though. I feel it every month without fail.

 

[Hopeful1976]

And again, the week leading up to period and I'm so strong again.
Something is linked. Wish someone would look into this

 

[xebex]

@Hopeful1976 Im Exactly the same. Did I mention already to you about COMT gene mutation and not being able to break down estrogen? I’ve had some improvement this last month taking SAMe that can help break down catechols. Currently I’m in My strongest phase and hoping this month with the SAMe I have less of a reduction in function around my period. DIM and calcium glucarate may also help.

my thoughts are that as estrogen rises we start to feel better but we can’t break it down fast enough which then causes us to feel worse.

testosterone also raises at this time of feeling better which could be a factor.

 

[xebex]

@Hopeful1976 just found this very interesting article explaining how the COMT gene works with dopamine and estrogen, it certainly explains why i becomes useless, ragey and lacking in function up to and during my period. I am COMT met/met

https://neurofantastic.com/brain/20...ys-be-helpful-hint-sex-genes-and-dem-hormones