HEP C AND WOMEN

[fresnoborn]

I have hep c and before I started treatment, 7 weeks ago, I was having irregular periods. I am wondering, have any of you women out there experienced this? Do you think it has fixed now that I am on treatment and why do you think they were irregular?

[What Next]

I wrote you below I am back biopsy done Now the 2 wekks waitng . How are you doing?

[jmjm530]

I think I gotta go watch a football game and then hunt me an Elk. :)

-- Jim

[Forseegood]

Gee, you know your hymns. For 12 years!!!! On top of tx that long? I was moaning about 2 with the dreaded menopause. No wonder the she/he upstairs elected us to be the ones to have childbirth, youre one tough cookie!

[jmjm530]

Just an attempt at humor.I am as my name suggest. :)

-- Jim

[cigaso]

I know what you guys are saying. I don't know how many times my wife has said I've had many periods of irregularity since I started tx.

DISCLAIMER:
To the women that post on this board, I in no way diminish what it means to be a woman. And BTW, I have no idea what it's like and will never pretend to know.

[Kanzou]

Your reply to Freshnoborn had me ROFL. If I was a 1st time reader and didn't know you were a male, your reply sounded like you experienced irregular periods too.

On another note, your forum responses are a delight to read. Keep up the great writing and hope your goals are being met.

[cuteus]

true, but with mild or no damage it could be unlikely that was the cause.

[What Next]

We were writing below Remember the old fart who had to get help from a teenager about condoms (colored) HA HA guess what all that trouble to start my cycle early probably stress about the Biopsy Monday. WellI wrote you below also my doctor is Tuesdae Stainbrook, DO at Dubois Region Infectious Disease I don't think she is a heptotolist. Is that bad. I have no ideal what one is or if she is one or if what she is is better ????

[fresnoborn]

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR COMMENTS. YOU GUYS ARE SOMETHING ELSE AND I LAUGHED SO MUCH. YOU ALL HAVE ME WONDERING:

JMJM: ARE YOU MALE OR FEMALE. YOUR LAST COMMENT CONFUSED ME SOME. I'M VERY CURIOUS TO KNOW.

[jmjm530]

Just to clarify, the stress related pre-tx symptons I developed had NOTHING to do with irregular periods. At least not mine. LOL.

So thanks for the compliment and welcome to the board. When and if you're ready, tell us a little about yourself. Or not. No rules here.

-- Jim

[nanniegea]

I know for me, on treatment for 8 months now, starting last month my periods have ceased altogether. I am 47 so I'm not sure if it's peripausal or the meds. or just hormonal changes. I will tell my doc on my next visit and see what he thinks. I'll let you know what, if anything, I find out.

[cquest]

Doesn't your liver have something to do w/regulating hormones? It would make sense things would be out of whack if that's the case.
Cin

[oldclaire]

I have not had a period since June and I started treatment on August 4.  Before this, I was very regular and I am 43.

[Forseegood]

Hi, I for one have been having horrible menopausal symptoms and I attribute it to the fact that my liver is impaired, and so go the hormones.  For a good read in terms of Women and Hep C, Melissa Palmer MD has a good book and some articles accessible on the net. Because of the hormonal questions, some think that we almost have a "variation on a theme" vis-a-vis hep C.

BTW, I think it's really sweet that some guys would even come on this thread and try to help. My experience is if you want to clear a room of guys, real quick, start talking about women's hormonal issues, ha!

[token]

not those here I suppose, I really had a good laugh!!
Guys you are great!!!

LOL!!

[1fairygirl]

fresnoborn,
I started going through menopause before I learned that I had hcv.  I had always had regular menses and then started being very irrregular, I was only 38.  Early menopause doesn't run in my family.  Shortly thereafter, I started having hot flashes.  After about six months of dealing with this and then realising what was going on, I went to the doctor who ran the labs and said, yes I am going through menopause.  I've been on premarin and provera since then and I feel much better now.  I'm 43 now and have no more of the menopause symptoms.  I do dread having to quit the hormones, though.  I have found that other women with hcv have experienced early menopause more often that the general population.  I also ended up with thyroid trouble at only 20 years old.  That's very uncommon.  I think I probably had hcv even then.  I would do as someone else had suggested and have your regular doctor run an FSH test and any others he/she feels would be helpful.  Good luck and let us know what you decide or find out.
Smiles,Sue

[oldclaire]

I don't think it is bad at all.   Since she is a doctor at a disease control center, she is going to be much more knowledgable than most doctors.  Try to relax tomorrow and not stress.  Do you have a pool?  I floated in the pool the day before my biospy and it helped.  I forgot to ask you, about the condoms, I wonder what difference color makes?  Must just be a vanity thing.

[fresnoborn]

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR INPUT. I TRULY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU.

JMJM: THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS. I DID LAUGH OUT LOUD. YOU ARE A TRUE GEM.

[cuteus]

perimenopause is what really happens to us prior to menopause. all thesymptoms attributed to menopause( which truly is when menses ceases) is actually the perimenopause stage which can run for many years, until menopause. You could have an endocrinologist or GYN check your hormone levels just to make sure, but most of us do not have a baseline to compare OUR normals to the new result, so it can fall within range but below what it used to be for us. I noticed the change in my late 30's and still going at 53.

[fresnoborn]

I am 43 years old, mother of 3 grown children and I'm even a grandmother (ya, I started young, mother at 17). Early menopause does not run in my family, most of the women have started menopause in their late 50's. Maybe it could be early menopause, I really don't know. Could be stress, I just thought maybe it was hep c related. thanks

[jmjm530]

Could be stress. A lot of people, including myself, started developing symptons in the weeks/months prior to starting tx.

[cuteus]

how old are you? perimenopause can start in the mid 30's for  many women, which means hormone levels are changing thus influencing the cycle.  It is funny how once we find out we have hep c, we try to look back at everything that has been bugging our bodies and try to make a connection. then once you are on tx, anything that happens you try to connect to the meds and afterwards you try to blame physical problems to the tx.  None of us want to think that it is nature and age doing this to us.  Probably most of the time.