Something curious about the MS disease process

[jumpinjiminy]

around menstrual cycles. They say that having a cycle can bring on or mimic an exacerbation. Yet, this is the point of the month when a woman's immune system is at it's weakest. Doesn't it make you wonder?

[tkrik]

I think there is something to be said about that. Before my dx, if I was going to get a virus or cold it was usually right around my period. With MS, my symptoms always act up some around my period. I remember telling my old neuro about that and was told there was no relationship. Experience tells me otherwise.

[SNOOPY]

An increase of MS symptoms due to your menstrual cycle is not unique to this disease. An increase of symptoms can happen with other conditions/diseases.

Those with seizure disorders notice an increase of activity due to hormonal fluctuations. Migraines happen more during this time.

Those with Crohn's Disease, Meniere's Disease, Sjogren's, Fibromialgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Interstitial Cystitis, all see an increase of symptoms of their condition/disease/syndrome due to hormonal fluctuations.

[MrsBones]

An increase of MS symptoms due to your menstrual cycle is not unique to this disease. An increase of symptoms can happen with other conditions/diseases.

Those with seizure disorders notice an increase of activity due to hormonal fluctuations. Migraines happen more during this time.

Those with Crohn's Disease, Meniere's Disease, Sjogren's, Fibromialgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Interstitial Cystitis, all see an increase of symptoms of their condition/disease/syndrome due to hormonal fluctuations.

Very true...I always chalked up the pseudo-exacerbations during ovulation and menstruation to the fluctuation in body temp during those times. We know a rise in body temperature does effect MS and we are learning more and more about how hormones do.

Since a pseudo-exacerbation has nothing to do with actual disease activity and everything to do with existing damage, it has virtually nothing to do with the current state of the immune system.

[jazzgirl]

I, THANK GOD, am finished with all that menstrual nonsense, but I do remember feeling worse during the two weeks before the event.

It's a fallacy that people with MS have a weakened immune system. PwMS don't have a weakened immune system (though some of treatments can weaken it). Our immune system is just confused.

Our menstrual periods bring on a slight increase in temperature, and that's all it takes to make those of us with MS to feel worse.

[jumpinjiminy]

An increase of MS symptoms due to your menstrual cycle is not unique to this disease. An increase of symptoms can happen with other conditions/diseases.

Those with seizure disorders notice an increase of activity due to hormonal fluctuations. Migraines happen more during this time.

Those with Crohn's Disease, Meniere's Disease, Sjogren's, Fibromialgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Interstitial Cystitis, all see an increase of symptoms of their condition/disease/syndrome due to hormonal fluctuations.

Even more curious. Seeing as how most of those are confirmed autoimmune diseases, why do they increase then? I could see temperature influencing some if it, or most of it, seeing as how higher temps stimulate the immune process. I'm not familiar enough with hormones to understand how they could trigger it, but have always blamed hormones because things followed my cycles for many years.

Whenever I get sick, it always happens at the beginning of my cycle. The gyn told me it was because of the drop in immune system activity. One would think that it would also help with autoimmune diseases. Yet, they tend to go the opposite direction.

I was just curious. It seems there are a couple of possible explanations.

[futurmil2b]

Is it MS or Menopause/peri-menopause

I strongly feel that going through peri-menopause or menopause does slightly effect ms in some way.

I went through peri-menopause for several years and now going through menopause.. no hot flashes thank goodness.. but everything else.. tight tensed muscles, muscle aches, stiffness.

I really don't think its ms acting up, I think its menopause.. A lot of women that are going through menopause or peri-menopause are having the same issues and some even worst.

Some of them are having tightness in their lower limbs, arms, etc. So I can't blame what I am going through on ms. I will be glad when my cycles finally STOP.

I went 3 months without a cycle and was beginning to feel ok and them I began to feel more tension, tightness, etc and within a week CYCLE CAME BACK.. :0(

I am seriously thinking about a hysterectomy so my cycles can STOP... I dunno.

Ms. Jay

[CougarMama]

Estradiol study?

I was reading a couple of months ago about a study of estradiol in ms. Estradiol is a hormone that helps to regulate the menstrual cycle and typically falls to low levels during menopause. I haven't heard anything about this study other then the post on a clinical trials website. I'm just happy to see that some research on hormones is being done, as I believe they play a role in when I have flares. (always the week before for me!)

Ms. Jay, a partial hysterectomy probably won't do anything for you other then stop the bleeding. The ovaries are what are causing your symptoms and a partial hysterectomy will leave the ovaries. A hystertomy also leaves you open for other health problems, such as a small bowel prolapse (enterocele). Best of luck to you in deciding how to handle your symptoms!

[rdmc]

I was reading a couple of months ago about a study of estradiol in ms. Estradiol is a hormone that helps to regulate the menstrual cycle and typically falls to low levels during menopause. I haven't heard anything about this study other then the post on a clinical trials website. I'm just happy to see that some research on hormones is being done, as I believe they play a role in when I have flares. (always the week before for me!)

Ms. Jay, a partial hysterectomy probably won't do anything for you other then stop the bleeding. The ovaries are what are causing your symptoms and a partial hysterectomy will leave the ovaries. A hysterectomy also leaves you open for other health problems, such as a small bowel prolapse (enterocele). Best of luck to you in deciding how to handle your symptoms!

I've always wondered if the deal with symptoms being influenced by menstrual cycle was a hormonal issue.

I wasn't diagnosed at the time I was pregnant...but my neuro believes I've had the disease since college (due to off and on symptoms over the years.) I do remember that during my pregnancy I felt the best I've ever felt in my entire adult life. They say that can be chalked up to Estriol which is a "pregnancy" hormone.

Just wonder how the hormone fluctuation during a woman's cycle could influence symptoms.

[futurmil2b]

I, THANK GOD, am finished with all that menstrual nonsense, but I do remember feeling worse during the two weeks before the event.

It's a fallacy that people with MS have a weakened immune system. PwMS don't have a weakened immune system (though some of treatments can weaken it). Our immune system is just confused.

Our menstrual periods bring on a slight increase in temperature, and that's all it takes to make those of us with MS to feel worse.

I REALLY like the way you put that.. our immune system is not weak its just a little confused.... that is it in a nut shell. We have to figure out a way to help it get un-confused.

I REALLY LIKE THAT. From here on out.. I don't have MS.. my immune system is just a little confused and it will get back on track..

It's like driving down a one way street and you realize you are going the wrong way and you make a quick U-TURN... and go the right way. Hopefully SOON.. they will discover the U-TURN our bodies need.. whether they do or not.. I'm working on it.

I believe with all my heart there is a cure for any disease out there.. Cancer, MS, etc... I truly believe it... and the cure is not in modern medicine..

Ms. Jay

[MSSINCE09]

I had problems with my MS during my cycle. I talked to my neuro and she suggested that I be put on the bcp seasnique. Its the one where you only have a period every 3 months if that and when you do its really light. Since then I have felt much better around that time of the month. I still have some PMS symptoms but nothing like when I actually had a cycle, but no run down I feel like I could stay in bed for the entire week feeling.