Anemia....relating to menstration: help please
Posted , 3 users are following.
Ladies (and gents if you're informed in the topic). I am not officially diagnosed with anemia. Although I am worried about my b12 levels and have recently got blood work done but the doctor told me I do not have any concerning blood issues. But I believe that could have been overlooked because I still don't feel well. I feel fatigue. And soreness. I've had heart palpitations but my doctor said it was anxiety...which could be. However, during my menstrual cycle (for 2 months now) I get severe shaking episodes that terrify me. I shake uncontrollably the day I get on my cycle. It lasts an hour or two and then my cycle shows up. I feel like my blood sugar level drops so low that's how my body copes?! I really don't know how else to explain it. I haven't gone to the gyno to talk about it. And I think it's more than anxiety because it only happens the day my cycle arrives (which I don't know the day of until I start physically shaking!!!) Its so scary and I went to the doctor for it last month but all my tests (physical, ekg, and blood work) came back "clean". Does anyone on here have any insight if this may have to do with b12 deficiency of anemia or something my doctor has missed? Because I'm not crazy. My menstrual cycle stops my whole day when it decides to come by and I haven't been feeling like myself in weeks.
1 like, 6 replies
clivealive lilygee
Posted
I'm not a medically trained person but I think a visit to a gynecologist would be a good idea as your symptoms seem to be more "mechanical" than to do with bloodwork.
Just out of interest, were your B12 and Folate levels tested? If so can you post the results together with the ranges <from - to>?
Norton1983 lilygee
Posted
Hi, I have a similar thing. I have pernicious anaemia diagnosed after years of issues (fatigue and nausea being the worst) after having my son, who is now 18 months I started having problems with my cycle, very painful and irregular and the thing I find the hardest to deal with is extreme nausea and shaking uncontrollably, which is very scary. I get the shakes the day before it starts and feel so sick to my stomach. Then have nausea on and off throughout and in the days following. Sick to death of it. My doctor doesn't think it's related to anaemia but that it could be endometriosis, and that the symptoms can be eased by controlling your hormones initially with contraceptive pills.
lilygee Norton1983
Posted
I also believe if it's not anemia, it's gotta be the latter: endometriosis. But I self-diagnose all the time so I wasn't sure whether to claim it as that. My best bet would be to visit a gyno at this point to confirm my suspicions. Personal Q: Were you diagnosed with endo & did you end up taking contraceptives to ease your symptoms?
Norton1983 lilygee
Posted
I haven't been formally diagnosed with endo. My doctor only brought this up a few weeks ago when I spoke to a different dr and got a new perspective. The previous ones were so focussed on treating the Pernicious Anaemia and thinking maybe that would solve everything, that they hadn't looked at other causes. I started treatment for the anaemia about 8 months ago and no improvement in the period stuff so this new doctor mentioned it possibly being endo. We are wanting to get pregnant soon and we had fertility problems previously trying to conceive our son so this doctor recommended holding off on trying out the treatment because trying any kind of birth control/messing about with hormones could make it more difficult to conceive. She said if I can cope just for a few more months in the hope I do get pregnant and maybe my hormones will balance out after, as they were fine before having my son, otherwise we can then look into the endo more and treatment. I just cannot wait for it to be over, it's horrible
lilygee Norton1983
Posted
Ahh, I understand. Tricky situation, I wish you the best of luck with both your symptoms and in trying! 😊 And yesss whatever this is, is terrifying. Luckily this past month wasn't as bad for me as previous months. I got the shakes, but I thought it was just my anxiety acting up. But now I'm starting to really think it HAS to be my uterus because I shake EVERY time before my first day, no matter what day it ends up being.
Norton1983 lilygee
Posted
Yes, I thought I was going mad until this most recent doctor mentioned this. Makes me dread that time of the month! I'm at home full time at the moment with my son, I have no idea what I would do if I was at work, it's hard enough looking after a toddler on those days! I hope you get something sorted and feel better soon! Let me know if you find anything else out, I'd be interested to know what treatment you end up having and if helps. Laura.