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Sinus congestion/ headcold 1week before period...

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emmagall78
emmagall78

Does anyone else suffer from sinus type problems during menstrual cycle.

I have been keeping a diary and have noticed that about a week before my period is due I start suffering sinus problems eg stuffy nose, blocked ears, congestion and fuzzy headed sometimes dizzyish.

I keep explaining to my Dr that this keeps happening but he is not convinced there is a link. I'm sorry but my diary says otherwise.

Any advice is much appreciated.

2 likes, 47 replies

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  • Dede123
    Dede123 emmagall78

    Posted

    I don't know if this relates, over the last two years I've been losing my Sence of taste and smell on and off, people keep asking if I was getting a cold because I sound quite nasal, I thought it was down to stress as I lost my Dad two years ago.

    I have been without a period for two years, due to going through the menopause, just recently I have lost my Sence of smell again and sound nasal again.. It could well be connected to menopause related symptoms, I haven't taken anything (hrt) yet I'm investigating the pro's and cons, I'm not having hot flushes anymore or mood swings, I am having bad pains in my finger joints and very stiff walking, I excercise every day although I'm losing a lot of the get up and go that I once had... Not sure if this helps Dede

    • mbauerkemper
      mbauerkemper Dede123

      Posted

      Have your doctor run a full thyroid panel. I went through something very similar and found I had Hashimoto's hypothyroidism. The sense of smell thing is dead on.

  • paula20385
    paula20385 emmagall78

    Posted

    Hi emmagall I do as well I go to my doctor tells me that I have a viruse and just to take ibuprofen and paracetamol , once my period starts I start

    feel OK until the next month I was never like this until I Perimenpause

    Take care

    Paula

  • jamie50513
    jamie50513 emmagall78

    Posted

    I think it is related to peri/meno. I had the same problem yesterday. It made me a little anxious as it just comes out of nowhere. Feels like my nose gets clogged, the weird head feeling like it's stopped up and I'm on a plane, and a little dizzyish. Not like the room is spinning, but a little off balance. I get it at least a week before my cycle and my cycle is due next week. The head pressure was so strong one time I went to the ER, the doc scanned my head and said nothing was wrong it'd just my cycle, and I was on my cycle that day. So even though your doc said there is no relation, I believe it is.
  • emmagall78
    emmagall78

    Edited

    Thanks for the replies.

    I'm so fedup with it all, mine started 3 years ago, I woke up fine, then during the day I felt a headache and woozy then wham I had full dizzy spells not quite room spin but definitely dizzy like I'd been spinning around like you used to do as a child, anyway I had that for about 3 months then it just reduced to what I have to this day.. Balance issues,fuzzy head, almost like a head cold, I didn't realise the pattern until the past year when I started to keep a diary, I can guarantee that 7-10 days before my period it hits me, and it lasts for another week or so, I'm only free from it all for about a week in a month.

    I just turned 38 yesterday, my periods used to be regular but now they are hit and miss sometimes 28 days sometimes 35, I used to be on for about 3 days but now it varies and can sometimes be 5 days long, I have really bad pmt too which I never used to have, and I've started getting acne which I never ever suffered from in my younger days.

    I've been recently prescribed notheristerone to try,I'm sick of taking pills just "to try"... I asked if he would carry out a hormonal blood test, and he said to my horror that there is no blood test to check (I mean really does he think I was born yesterday) I was lol but back in 1978 lol.

    Anyway Its almost like my body is responding by producing excess mucus or something.

    I take ibuprofen, paracetamol, sudafed,guafenisen.

    It's really having an affect on my life.. I'm always tired on top of this all.like I said I only have about a week.or so where I'm symptom free.

    Wish I could get a definite diagnosis sad

    • jamie50513
      jamie50513 emmagall78

      Posted

      Unfortunately the doc is right. He can do a blood test for hormones but because they fluctuate hour to hour, they are not necessarily accurate. You may have to do it a few times to get an accurate reading. Docs usually go on symtpoms. From what you are describing, you are in peri. I'm 38 also and the hard stuff just hit me about 5 months ago. I believe I was already in it since I was 35. My cycles went from 28 to 23 days, heavy flow for 7 to 8 days with cramps and clotting, extremely sore breast, night sweats, headaches, and I gained tons of weight. I thought it was normal and just pms. Now fast forward to November 2015, I was on my way home from work when I got really dizzy, and my heart was racing and wouldn't calm down, and my blood pressure was through the roof, I pulled over called an ambulance and was rushed to the ER. I was treated for dehydration, a UTI that I didn't know I had, and low potassium. After that, I went to the ER every other day, with dizzy spells, heart palps, and extremely bad panic attacks that I never had problems with before either. I started having all kinds of symptoms, nausea, digestion and gas issues, dizzy spells, inside body tremors, tingling extremities, weird head pressure, and my cycles come a few days early or late, very light with a flow for about 3 days. I've had several tests, scans, EKG'S, echocardiograms, mri's and whatever else you can think of. They come up with nothing. My aunt told me there was nothing wrong with me but perimenopause and to research it. Low and behold it was everything I been going through. My anxiety was so bad I resigned from my job because I couldn't cope with being anxious all the time. I was prescribed anti anxiety meds but don't take them, I hate pills. I've just been learning ways to relax, breathing techniques and how to cope. I know my problems are hormone related and I believe yours are too.
    • emmagall78
      emmagall78 jamie50513

      Edited

      Omg Jamie mine started when I was 35 too, exactly the same symptoms as you, including sensitive molar teeth and gums, blurry vision and ear congestion,I like you have had many tests, had all my Wisdom teeth removed thinking it was them causing migraine type headaches, as they were impacted, mri showed a change in the brain relating to a form of migraine, sinus ct scan showed inflammed turbinates, ear exams sometimes note bubbles behind my ear drum, I've had many diff diagnosis, from flu when it all started 3 year ago ( took to hospital) labrythintitus,
    • emmagall78
      emmagall78

      Edited

      Sorry I'll continue... Labrythintitus, bppv,sinusitis, minereres disease, tmjd, migraines and the best one stress and anxiety! (no I'm getting stressed and anxiety from the symptoms)

      I really believe it's peri meno... But what helps? And will it go away? I've just lost my job it was a years contract and it ended but I was hoping to get kept on but didn't and im sure it had something to do with my not being able to concentrate at these monthly times sad

    • monique_93857
      monique_93857 jamie50513

      Posted

      Are you sure your not in my mind you just described me lol it's just horrible what we go though
    • tmpearce
      tmpearce jamie50513

      Posted

      Jamie....you just described me!   I had irregular periods with heavier bleeding and pain, headaches, weight gain, some night sweats and flashes, feeling like my heart was fluttering and anxiety.  In October, 2015 I got really lightheaded and passed out at home.  In emergency room it was discovered that my potassium level was critically low.  I was kept overnight and then discharged.  Heart tests...echocardiogram, ekg, stress test, ct scan all normal.  But since then have been anxious with extreme worrying...especially about health related issues.  Digestive problems are bad with reflux and alternating constipation and diarrhea.  Joint and muscle pain (right now I'm on sofa and can barely move because my right lower back hurts if I move a certain way), and some days I'm so tired I can't get out of bed.  I've discovered that most of these symptoms come and go which I feel  depends on where my hormone levels are.  Right now my main symptoms are anxiety, joint pain acid reflux and dry eyes.  Some days it feels like my vision is "slightly off" then it goes back to normal.

      It's all so frustrating yet reassuring to know that others are going through the same thing and that I haven't lost my mind!

    • jamie50513
      jamie50513 tmpearce

      Posted

      I have had all that. My lower back hurts so bad some days then I immediately panic thinking its my kidneys. Then I have to stop and think, if it was i would have been told that. I had an overnight hospital stay in November and December of 2015. All kinds of tests and still nothing. I was sent home with a script for betas blockers for the occasional heart palps and magnesium. I eat a banana or drink oj or something with potassium in it at least once a day so that I can make sure I have some in my system. I have it all, the intermittent diarrhea and constipation, I've seemed to developed borderline hypertension, acid reflux, terrible gas, indegestion, achy knees, night sweats, weird head pressure, stuffy nose, itchy crawly skin, dry skin and hair, anxiety through the roof, dizzy spells, off balance, blurred vision all sorts of weird sensations. I've been journaling and the symptoms seem to come and go and more so around the time of my cycle. Its tough and has changed my life drastically in a short time.
    • jamie50513
      jamie50513 monique_93857

      Posted

      When I found this site I couldn't believe my eyes. I was convinced that something was wrong and they were missing it. I had bloods done so much they were running out of veins to stick. Then the doom and gloom is really overwhelming. I finally stopped going to the ER after a doc made me mad. That day I was having weird head pressure and anxiety was so bad because I didn't know what was happening. So I went to the ER, they did bloods and a head scan. Came back and said you are fine, it's just anxiety, see a psychiatrist, it's common in women your age. I went home fuming and got into an argument with my family because I insisted the doc was wrong and there was something wrong with me. I got so angry I threw my keys and purse across the room and slammed the door so hard it wouldn't close and popped back open. I've never gotten that out of control before. All this happened over these last 5 months. I finally got an appetite and eating now. I lost 20 lbs . I worried myself sick.
    • elaine33371
      elaine33371 jamie50513

      Posted

      God jamie cant beleive you stayed in hospital overnight, hypertension is that high BP?  Because of the slow digestion peri can cause, it then causes constipation as that slows as well, for the slow digestion, immediatley after eating you lie flat, i know you do this, however, after 30/45 mins get up, because, once you become constipated then you will get bloated and feel full of gas, eventually the only way it can go is out, and thats why we then get severe diahorear,  it gives symptoms similar to IBS, once the severe diahorear  has passed, the gas and bloat will go, to help the constipation, drink water and go for a walk because both of those keep the bowels moving, and when were constipated they dont so it backs up, you could try a very gentle laxative see if that helps.  Magnesium and potassium great ones for the heart, but dont over do them.  And your right it does drastically change your life.  All your symptoms are almost the same as mine!! except i have low BP,  if yours is high, it may be down to the high anxiety you feel, i didnt have that much, but do suffer pms and it had got worse during early peri, but bp does raise sometimes, but mainly mines low, tend to black out a lot if im stood too long, just have to sit quickly, and drink water to bring it back up, so i always have to carry bottled water wherever i go, ive noticed if i drink water regularly especially when i have the constipation, it goes through better and then the gas and bloat goes.
    • jamie50513
      jamie50513 elaine33371

      Posted

      The first time they kept me was for the heart rate being high because the potassium was very low and I was dehydrated. So they ran test to make sure everything was ok. My pressure went back to normal rather quickly. The second time i stayed overnight was because the potassium was critically low again and they ran test to see what might have been causing it. But again after all the CT scans, echocardiograms, EKG'S, blood work up, and urine tests they found nothing but that I was anemic. The heart palps they said was sinus tact (I think I said that right) and it was ok. Nothing to be alarmed about. So they gave me beta blockers in case they got really bad. I don't take them though because they can make the pressure go too low. My BP was always normal. When I have the anxiety attacks it goes up pretty high but once I relax it goes down pretty good. They put me on BP meds because they say it's border line. My anxiety has gotten a little better. I try to breath and talk myself through it. The anxiety was one of the toughest symptoms to deal with. I was always thinking that something is wrong with me. And I think the worst when I get the doom and gloom.
    • elaine33371
      elaine33371 jamie50513

      Posted

      Thats awful what the dr said to you, but its common isnt it, can understand you feeling really angry over it.

       

    • jamie50513
      jamie50513 elaine33371

      Posted

      Oh man was I angry. Docs can say some insensitive things but that was just mean. I was so frightened at what was happening and I know now what it was but then I didn't and just felt like his delivery could have been better. But I used it to my advantage and stopped looking for answers that the docs didn't have any knowledge of. I took my health in my own hands. After dozens of tests and knowing it wasn't any serious illness, I've accpeted that it's hormones. I'm going to go through it wether I want to or not. So just learning ways to cope.
    • shana24827
      shana24827 jamie50513

      Posted

      Wow... I'm similar

      I thought it could be my iron. Has anything changed since then?

    • rach126
      rach126 elaine33371

      Posted

      Have they checked you for pots/dysautonomia? Low BP and these symptoms are SUPER common with this.
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