Is anyone familiar with two very specific aspects of either PMDD or PMS? The first aspect I'm interested in is intense all-over itching, without a visible rash.
The other aspect I'd like info on is eczema, specifically related to PMDD or PMS. Can it possibly flare up around the time of one's period?
So I guess what I'm trying to figure out is, how can menstruation affect skin, either by causing extreme itching (not hives, and not a rash but nearly unbearable itching), or by causing eczema which is usually extremely mild to suddenly become very aggravated.
This is not for me. This is about my daughter. She is on birth control, not for contraception, but because her periods were extremely haphazard, irregular, and very heavy and caused her to be very anxious. They have helped somewhat, but she still has some periods. I am trying to figure out why she has these attacks of itching that make her look like she's being stung by a million bees, the way she desperately tries to scratch and writhe. It was so bad and she began having a panic attack that I had to take her to the ER two nights ago. They couldn't see any rash, just the eczema between her fingers, but the itching was all over, not just where the eczema was. The eczema had gotten worse pretty quickly. The ER gave her something for the anxiety and an antihistamine. They asked about her last menstrual period and she said she said she was currently on it.
So today I'm trying to think of causes, and I wondered about PMS. Her period, before she started taking birth control, used to give her extreme anxiety and irritability and the doctor said it was more like PMDD. So now, I'm wondering, could the itching be related?
Any insight will be appreciated.
Google result:
Autoimmune Progesterone Dermatitis.
Can presents as eczema.
my son's eczema gets worse when he is stressed out. I think stress affects EVERYTHING in our bodies. Just my .02.
hello
First consider this.. getting a menstrual chart and having her chart her monthly cycles... it seems like a pain at first.. but IF you really want to understand her symptoms.. then it's a good idea to know what ones hormones are doing each month.. that said..
you mention that when she was in the ER she was on her period... with the onset our ones period, estrogen and progesterone fall.... that shift alone can cause mood swings and anxiety..
something to note here. Estrogen controls Cortisol (the stress hormone) so as estrogen FALLS the cortisol levels can RISE in relation to the estrogen. in essence, the cortisol is running ammuck and hence can cause stress.. couple this with outside stimuli and WHAM.. you have anxiety... or can at least.. that is one element possibly going on here..
two.............. leading up to her period (esp. once you ovulate and get a rush of progesterone) .... your body heats up .. why, because regardless if you want to become pregnant.. your body is going to prepare.... hence, progesterone warms the body to prepare for possible baby... that said.. it warms the body which can also mean.... if you have a tendency towards eczema.... well that and hives thrive on heat... couple this with things like caffeine, alcohol, even overly warm clothing and again, your skin disorder is aggravated..
also............. progesterone makes us more insulin resistant... and our bowels slow down (again, thinking baby, the body is slows the intestines and bowels to make sure it absorbs any nutrients) .... what can happen during this part of your cycle is............ in some cases, if you eat too much sugar, processed foods m basically anything that thrives on yeast, this can make eczcema worse and or cause yeast overgrowth..
many might say.. wow.. that is all too complicated and drawn out and what does this have to do with that.. it's all relevant because as a person thoroughly understands their monthly cycle.. they can begin to see just how much the hormones affect them and how the hormones are affected..
what bothers me is that doctors are so ready to medicate rather than to educate... hence, they gave your daughter meds.. this is a band aid affect..
I am now 51.. but when younger.. I often suffered from hives... and at peak times of the month they would flare up.. the doctors wanted to medicate with anthihistamines, but again.. that doesn't solve the problem...
I also had yeast overgrowth.. it wasn't until I was 42 and trying to figure perimenopause that I finally began to understand why the hives were more active at certain times than others and why I had anxiety ..
again, have her learn to chart her cycle and write down the symptoms and I think this will show you a pattern and I think once you begin to see the pattern emerge, then you can go from there and find ways to help alleviate some of the problems.. you ll probably need to chart the cycles for a few months to see a pattern emerge..
if you need assistance. let me know.
I hope this helps..
Well itchiness can be a sign of anxiety right?
And eczema does worsen with stress. My son has it and for him, if he's around dogs or cats, or even just stressed out - his will flare up. Sometimes it's not visible - he'll scratch his neck to relieve the feeling, and then it gets red (from the scratching).
Hormones can make anxiety worse - that's very common.
As Diane B mentions, if your daughter has an underlying medical condition, this could be related. Hormones worsen my medical condition. It always gets a bit worse before my period until about day 2.
Good luck - I hope you find the route cause :)
My guess, given your daughter's complex medical history involving autoimmune disease, is that this is either eczema (autoimmune based) or system candida (which also causes intense itching and is autoimmune based in many people). Either can fluctuate with menstrual cycles or other hormonal issues (including endocrine function). It could be something else, too, of course, but I'm sure it's no accident that it's occurring in someone with immune system disruption and suppression.
We often see these things in combination.
