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Hypersensitivity to full moons

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
This isnt an ME/CFS symptom for me but one Ive had since a teen at times. Past couple of months straight Ive been badly affected by it and wondering if anyone knows of anything which helps with the moon sensitivity thing.

My boyfriend told me that the other day when I was flipping out all night (crying, almost abusing him, emotionally everywhere.. I spent half thel night sending him over the top phone messagers) that it was the night of the full moon. He said he was amazed as he'd noted the same reaction from me the full moon before (and I hadnt been like that again till this full moon).

From checking my high school diaries and moon phases back then in the past I had noticed that all my boyfriend breakups consistantly happened within 24 hrs of a full moon, so I wasnt surprised today to find out my boyfriend has become aware that the moon can make me flip out completely at that time (even when i dont know its a full moon.. my bedroom window is completely boarded up). I hadnt had any carbs at all so he knew it wasnt that causing my flip out (but my emotional response to many full moons is exactly like the terrible response I get to carbs).

Has anyone else been badly affected by full moons and if so.. did you find anything which helps prevent this kind of problem? A supplement???

I hate having incidents where Im getting so distressed (which due to then my behaviour ends up also distressing others). Im currently talking the trace mineral lithium orotate (after hair test showed I had none of this ) for past few months and obviously that isnt helping my triggered off mood issues (that also dont prevent my carb mood swings if I breach my diet).
 

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
Unless you're suffering from tides ;), I'd look for something correlated to (but not caused by) the moon cycle. Perhaps your hormonal cycle? Maybe something you do (eat more, eat less, eat different things) that could be the result of regular hormonal changes.
 

Shell

Senior Member
Messages
477
Location
England
Back in the olden days when I was still a nurse there was a well worn "myth" that our patients would be more prone to hallucinations and other florid symptoms, including violent outbursts during a full moon. I think it's a myth that goes back a long way.
At the time there were only three units in the country caring for D/deaf people with psychiatric disorders. The one in London contacted us and the one in Preston asking if we'd like to take part in a study where we would chart behaviors over six months (I think it was) to see if there was anything in it.
So we did.
To our surprise there was a mild increase in florid and violent incidences around a full moon. It was just over the statistical anomoly of 3% but it was interesting.

The only thing I have wondered is that we know the moon has a massive pull on the earth's water (hence the tides) and that this pull has a slight variation because of the rotation of moon to earth, so could there be a pull on us water filled folk, especially when we're odematous??? o_O Probably not. But it's worth wondering.
But sensibly Tania, SOC is the one to take note of here;) Try some basic charting with a record of mood and cravings and see what you get.
 

ukxmrv

Senior Member
Messages
4,413
Location
London
I noticed early on in my ME that my moods were bad around the moon but put this down to hormonal changes. The full moon was around my PMT time. Then after some hormonal interventions that changed my cycle the corelation seems to go away. Either that or I stopped noticing it. Living in a city where I didn't get to see the moon.

Didn't think on it until this full moon which for reasons I can't explain was the worst emotional time for me. Felt like those earlier ones. Going back on a treatment diary I have kept since October should be interesting. I'm going to find the full moon dates and see if anything matches.

I'm one of these "full of water" PWME.

Glad you mentioned this Tania.
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
Unless you're suffering from tides ;), I'd look for something correlated to (but not caused by) the moon cycle. Perhaps your hormonal cycle? Maybe something you do (eat more, eat less, eat different things) that could be the result of regular hormonal changes.

Thanks nothing tallys. If I did have a 28 day menstrational cycle I could easily explain the issues away with hormones... but as I have polycystic ovulation syndrome.. my menstrational cycle is very irregular and normally much longer then 28 days..

Maybe I always have had low blood volume some thou.. as even before ME/CFS I had low BP and used to almost faint if I didnt stand up slowly. Maybe low blood volume makes one more susceptable to the moon?????
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
Back in the olden days when I was still a nurse there was a well worn "myth" that our patients would be more prone to hallucinations and other florid symptoms, including violent outbursts during a full moon. I think it's a myth that goes back a long way.
At the time there were only three units in the country caring for D/deaf people with psychiatric disorders. The one in London contacted us and the one in Preston asking if we'd like to take part in a study where we would chart behaviors over six months (I think it was) to see if there was anything in it.
So we did.
To our surprise there was a mild increase in florid and violent incidences around a full moon. It was just over the statistical anomoly of 3% but it was interesting.

Nods yes.. Ive heard that from a couple of people in medical professions and that before, patients in psych wards have more issues. I once had an ambulance officer also tell me that they get some very strange call outs when there is a full moon.

I seem sensitive to soo many different things.
 

baccarat

Senior Member
Messages
188

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
Thanks nothing tallys. If I did have a 28 day menstrational cycle I could easily explain the issues away with hormones... but as I have polycystic ovulation syndrome.. my menstrational cycle is very irregular and normally much longer then 28 days..

Maybe I always have had low blood volume some thou.. as even before ME/CFS I had low BP and used to almost faint if I didnt stand up slowly. Maybe low blood volume makes one more susceptable to the moon?????

Too bad - about the polycystic ovulation syndrome and the easy explanation of your lunar cycle.

Low blood volume should not make one more susceptible to the moon. Tides occur because of the difference in gravitational pull on the earth's water from one side of the earth to the other (or something like that). I am certain you are nowhere near big enough for there to be a noticeable difference from one side of you to the other. :D

Are you a holder-in of emotions? Maybe you have a 28-day cycle with how long you can hold things in before you blow up. :) Of course I'm just rambling now... it could be anything.

My best suggestion is to keep a really good journal of what you do, eat, feel, etc, and see if you can tease out a pattern.
 

justy

Donate Advocate Demonstrate
Messages
5,524
Location
U.K
Hi Tania - since moving to this Welsh valley, and having a bad M.E re;lapse i have noticed that my sleep is seriously disrupted around the full moon, and that i feel more 'wired' around this time. I'm one of those who does believe the moon has an impact on our behaviour and the way we feel. If i seem to be having a particularly strange/difficult time i speak to my friend down the valley who nearly always says she has been suffering too - and its always a full moon. My husband and children also report more trouble sleeping and more vivid/crazy dreams around this time.

When i was a trianee midwife, it was well known that more babies are born during a full moon - the unit is always very hectic at that time, and its hard to get a home birth because so many women are in labour!

For me, my children were all between 14-16 days 'overdue' and all born at the new moon - so i knew wityh my 4th that i just needed to add on 2 more weeks to there due dates and wait for the new moon. My periods around that time were also around the new moon, rather than full moon - so i'm sure there is a hormonal response thing going on. I would try some hormone balancing - that said ive been taking Agnus Catus, which has helped alleviate PMS etc, but not the full moon insomnia issues.

All the best , Justy.
 

Marlène

Senior Member
Messages
443
Location
Edegem, Belgium
That's really interesting. The same thing happens to me too. I noticed I should not take any supplements 48 hours prior to full moon like vitamin B12 because it makes things only worse!

My sleep becomes completely disrupted, I wake up 30 times a night even with sleeping pills that work perfectly fine the rest of the year, I feel more sick in every cell without reason (like PENE), my mind is raging, black thoughts, restless, wanting to break up with my partner who I'm crazy in love with.

He said with a smile science definitively should do more studies on the impact of the moon ...
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
Hi Tania - since moving to this Welsh valley, and having a bad M.E re;lapse i have noticed that my sleep is seriously disrupted around the full moon, and that i feel more 'wired' around this time.

yeah I know that "wired" from full moon feeling too... that was my original response to full moons when I was a teen even before I got ME. Full moons also like made me "high" as well back then. I even climbed a public building one full moon and did a back flip on a roof after a concert during a full moon (I was crazily joyous).. wired and high is the only way to explain my old full moon affects.

With ME thou my bodies response to full moons has changed.. from high and wired.. to what I experience now. Which is of more negative swinging emotions (near suicidal at times) at times of full moon... mood swings of depression and anger and negative irrationality and arguementive in that 24 hr period.

When i was a trianee midwife, it was well known that more babies are born during a full moon - the unit is always very hectic at that time, and its hard to get a home birth because so many women are in labour!

ah I forgot about the baby thing.. so obviously full moon impacts on other hormones other then the menstrational ones. I do have a ton of hormonal issues (Im seeing a new CFS specialist who specialises in hormones next week but maybe I wont just yet bring up my moon reactions as it may make me sound like a nutcase).

Im glad to hear that Im not alone with the full moon causes changes for me. Thanks everyone.
 

GracieJ

Senior Member
Messages
772
Location
Utah
LOL Okay, then... studies show there is no difference, huh...

Laugh all you want! :) I have to agree with tania.

All I know is that over the years, I do not sleep the night of a full moon, AT ALL. No, I do not track it. I do not WANT to track it. If I see the correlation, it is usually days or weeks later when someone mentions the full moon, reminding me to look back a couple of weeks -- if I dare look, and sure enough -- there is the date, same as the rough night.

I also can go back to my diaries as a teenager, daily writing full of detail for months and years, match it up with a calendar showing the phases of the moon, and the nights of a full moon, I was wide awake and restless. I didn't know about the possible effect at that point, just that there was a night every now and then where I did not sleep.

Not sure what to think about those "studies," especially as acquaintances and clients employed at the state hospital laugh at them with me.

The better answer overall, imho, is that we are inseparable from the whole that surrounds us, and that some will react more than others. Otherwise... well, can't really say it's the fault of a few boyfriends, now, can we, finding a handy excuse besides the usual ones... doubt they'd deny what they are witnessing.

@tania: Working on circadian rhythm issues overall is probably your best bet, and NO, do not mention this to your doctor! Maybe just show him a diary of rough days... Here's hoping you can find some peace from the pattern.
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
@tania: Working on circadian rhythm issues overall is probably your best bet, and NO, do not mention this to your doctor! Maybe just show him a diary of rough days... Here's hoping you can find some peace from the pattern.

I also take melatonin in attempts to keep my circadian rhythm stable (which only helps sometimes).. what else do you suggest to do to work on circadian issues? (or did you mean just bring up the issue with the hormonal specialist?)

I find even when Im managing to get my sleep right and FORCE my body by drugs into sleeping at the right times.. its like my whole bodies cycle circardian wise is very off eg I cant eat in the mornings easily as my digestive system says its the wrong time for food. (It's 1.20pm right now and my body still isnt ready for breakfast.. so i only end up having 2 meals per day due to all this (as I wont allow myself to eat late when Im trying to get my body to sleep)
 

GracieJ

Senior Member
Messages
772
Location
Utah
I also take melatonin in attempts to keep my circadian rhythm stable (which only helps sometimes).. what else do you suggest to do to work on circadian issues? (or did you mean just bring up the issue with the hormonal specialist?)

I have done several things for circadian rhythm issues. The best one was taking a quiz on the Apollo site back several years ago which identified my particular pattern. It has been much easier dealing with it knowing what I deal with exactly. Unfortunately, since Apollo was sold, the site was taken down and the self-test is no longer available, as far as I know. Maybe there are other such tests out there. But I will tell you what I learned to give you an idea what I mean.

My individual circadian rhythm is truncated. My "day" ends at around 6 pm. I am ready to go to bed and sleep at that point, so I am sleepy the entire evening, fighting sleepiness, go to bed and go to sleep... then wake up at about 2 am ready to go again, because my "night" was from 6 pm to 2 am. This was a problem for years, but never could see it until it was defined this way. Now I can do extra light in the evening to lengthen my "day" to normal hours, and sleep at almost normal hours. Once I caught on to going to bed at midnight, my life did a 180 degree turnaround in many areas. If I go to bed any earlier -- I have tried to back it up in 15-minute increments -- I am awake at 2 or 3 am for several hours. A midnight bedtime -- I often sleep solid until 7 am or later. Soooo nice.

That and good sleep hygiene has helped minimize that one night a month of not sleeping... now that I live a more normal pattern, the one night is not as upsetting or intrusive.

Other things to do... rebuild the endocrine system. I have found that the herbs I take to rebuild my adrenals also support the sleep/wake cycle. Found that one out the hard way... took a break from the herbs (finances and just dotty anyway), and stopped sleeping as well. Went back on them, sleep returned. Will be rotating them differently.
 

GracieJ

Senior Member
Messages
772
Location
Utah
I find even when Im managing to get my sleep right and FORCE my body by drugs into sleeping at the right times.. its like my whole bodies cycle circardian wise is very off eg I cant eat in the mornings easily as my digestive system says its the wrong time for food. (It's 1.20pm right now and my body still isnt ready for breakfast.. so i only end up having 2 meals per day due to all this (as I wont allow myself to eat late when Im trying to get my body to sleep)

That is the other large issue with body clocks... food. I have found my meals are best taken on my own "clock," and sometimes that means an apple and a few almonds at 9 pm as a small fourth meal. Ironically, I have been losing weight, as I am finally taking in enough calories not missing a meal -- was often too tired to eat.