More Pots + Menstruation

[Janey]

I've been having quite a lot of career success despite POTS recently by making myself a freelance and only working on the days that I feel okay. I can predict when these will be because every month, on the dot, five days before menstruation, I feel like death... and that continues into the 2nd day of menstruation and then ceases. The rest of the time I feel "okay" and if I don't push myself, I just about cope. That gives me 3 weeks a month, to work.

Problem is, despite having "success" I am not making enough money to live off by only working 3 weeks a month (and that's relying on the timing for work being right). While my self-esteem is a bit better, my financial situation is not the same as it would be if I were in a full time job working my way up in a company. Before you groan, I know I am lucky to even be doing this much. It has it's troubles though because on my good days I decide that I can work full time and I make applications to companies, get accepted and start work... then when that time of the month comes round, I need a week off work... then I get sacked or laid off, or put on sick leave.

Is there any way I could stop my menstruation? I take the contraceptive pill anyway and I'm sure that lessens the impact of a POTS crash, but I am seriously wishing I could just have a hysterectomy or something to take my periods away. I've tried taking the pill back to back but I still get breakthrough bleeding and get all the symptoms anyway.

Anybody got any ideas about how I could lessen the impact of my menstruation on POTS? My stomach and intestines literally stop working during that period - they don't move. My vision is constantly greying in and out, I'm fainting, I'm dizzy, have a constant migraine and nausea. I even have my incontinence episodes (when I stand up) during this time too.

My POTS doctor keeps saying "menstruation isn't my area," so what kind of doctor deals with menstruation making your primary illness MUCH WORSE?

And what hormones during menstruation could effect POTS and how?

[lieze]

I believe the ablation of the uterus might do this for you.

The only thing they warned me is that then you cannot have children.

Also there have been women that have this done and their periods return.

It was an option for me because of heavy bleeding and also irregular periods.

I think this last interval was only 2 weeks.

The one prior to this was very light but this one is the opposite.

lieze

[Notgivinup]

I've been told to have an ablation too. My periods mess with my POTS terribly. I also have endometriosis. I need to get something done the pain is horrible.

[firewatcher]

I have menstrual migraines. They did not respond to any medical treatment, so my OB/GYN put me on continuous dose BCPs. I had only 3 periods a year and they were planned. If you could tolerate BCPs, that would be one way to do it. They work by disrupting the pituitary and tricking into thinking that you are pregnant.

[ladyt]

hi..

i did stop my period for some years whit a birthcp whit , well i dont quiet remember progresterol or somthing like that. Not the usual whit eustrugen (bad spelling yeah I know, the major femal hormon). That stopped my menstrual migriains and at the time did my bodie well.. Because my periods ust drove my healt to fare down (I have strong symtoms every day, but still varys in lenght , compo, etc)..

There are some birthcontroll stuff that can stop your period.. But they work difren on difrent people..

Its migth be worth a try, less intrusing than removing a parth of your bodie..

best of luck. hope u find somthing that works for u...

[smiles]

Oh periods, periods!!! How they can mess with our autonomic syst!!!! I am currently there and stuck in bed because of such bad flare ups. I am in premenopause and on bio-identical hormones to keep me sane. My flare ups are severe during my period and I do get hormonal migraines too. I have insomnia right before I actually start. I do get mild relief from adding an estrogen cream before and during my periods. I wish I had a better answer. I am down to about every other month and they only last 2-3 days but they haven't stopped yet. I am so ready to move on to real menopause!!! Never thought I'd say that but, 'bring it on!"

I do have to go an internal med doc to get my hormones. Autonomic doc does everything else.