Why do I with my montly cycle get a bad sinus cold/infection?

[capwap]

I have for the last 8 months that I have been tracking get a sinus infection/cold with my monthly menstrual cycle. My cycle is very regular and only lasts about 5 days. About 2-3 days before the flow starts I get headaches, fevers, shakes, coughing, post nasal drip and just plain dizzy. The worst of the sinus infection hits the day the flood gates open. Each month it is basically the same symptoms but this month they are more severe. I have on several occasions asked my doctor why this keeps happening. He says there is no way there is any relationship between the sinus infection and the cycle. This time, I am running fevers, have a cough, a severe sore throat and have totally lost my voice. I don't have a ton congestion, just enough to know it is there. My neck on the right side in hurting and my body aches, I am now 3 days into my cycle and have been this way since day 1. I went to see my internal medicine doctor today and he still believes there is no connection.  He did find that my Vitamin B levels are low and says that sometimes during a menstrual cycle womens' immune systems can be reduced slightly. He thinks that because of the low Vitamin B level that maybe the reduction with immune system might be just enough to make me more prone to minor infections like this. He gave me a nasal spray to help the inflammation in my nasal passages and wants me to try this spray consistently for two cycles to see if that helps. Is there anyone else out there having these same issues? Can you please share with me what is helping you with this? I am at my wits end and am sick of being sick every month. Right now I feel like I am on this path all by myself and that my doctor thinks this is all in my head. Please help!!!

[SnifflyGirl]

I too find it comforting to finally find a board with others who are experiencing this.  I have had these symptoms since I was in junior high...seen every doctor imaginable...had allergy testing three times...been on every kind of antibiotic, nose spray and vitamin you can think of and still can't kick it.  I've finally convinced my doctor that it seems tied into when my periods used to be when I had them (endometrial ablation).  He doesn't believe there's a correlation between my cycle and the sinus infection/flu-like symptoms but I'm going to send him this page so he can see it's not just me and maybe he will look further.
One thing we've just started to try is that he had me take my basal temp every morning for a month. My temp is very low so even though the blood work doesn't support that there's anything wrong with my thyroid, he's put me on a low dose thyroid med to try for a month and see if it helps with the symptoms at all.
I have lost jobs over the years because of this and I fully understand what you all are referring to when you talk about it being stressful mentally and emotionally.  It's horrible being sick so regularly and not have an answer and a fix for it.
I will be watching for other updates and information and will provide the same as I get it.

[Lizanna1969]

Every time I get my period I get a sinus infection. No Dr. Understands so I go on a antibiotic and then am told about antibiotic resistance ugh. I feel all symptoms of a sinus infection and it's horrible. I'm in perimenopause now so I don't know when my period is coming. Mine seemed to correlate when I started having adult onset allergies???? I think I get swollen, my immune system breaks down and I'm hit with a infection. It is so frustrating and makes it difficult to function the days I get sick. Not enough research is done for pms, ppmd, health related issues arount a woman's periods so I can only hope some Dr. With similar experiences will figure it out for future generations.

[Lizanna1969]

Every time I get my period I get a sinus infection. No Dr. Understands so I go on a antibiotic and then am told about antibiotic resistance ugh. I feel all symptoms of a sinus infection and it's horrible. I'm in perimenopause now so I don't know when my period is coming. Mine seemed to correlate when I started having adult onset allergies???? I think I get swollen, my immune system breaks down and I'm hit with a infection. It is so frustrating and makes it difficult to function the days I get sick. Not enough research is done for pms, ppmd, health related issues arount a woman's periods so I can only hope some Dr. With similar experiences will figure it out for future generations.

[SueBrown2]

OMG I am crying typing this I am so relieved to have found others that suffer the same (thought I was going mad). I live in Scotland and have suffered chronic sinusitus now for 15 years. I have had three operations (to remove polyps and sort drainage) I am still under hospital treatment and only recently went to a herbalist who suggested it tied into my periods. I am on herbs and immunity tablets from herbalist and steroid drops daily plus neilmed saline rinse from the hospital consultant. I only started the herbalist recently and my first sinus infection since seeing her started two days ago. Whole left side of my face swollen ear eye face pain, yellow discharge, thumping headache...and surprise surprise woke up this morning with my period! (Reason I have never tied it in before was I was on a pill which meant I never had  a period at all, just recently stopped that pill) . Where do we go from here though? I am going to tell my consultant at my next visit in December. I am now close to the menopause I wonder if symptoms may disappear then?? My heart goes out to all off you suffering the same it is really effecting my work and my life. I hope we all get help to fix this .

[UnaCan]

Hi Amarena and others
From my own experience, I find that doctors know only what has been tested and proved. Considering that all diseases affect people differently and how we are all different in many ways, I don't think it is possible for them to know everything. Thus, I guess we rely on this kind of forum to get information from each other to get help.
In my experience, I do definitely see the relation between my period and sinus infection. I think that the lowered immunity during the period is causing the sinus to flare up as the sinus flares up every time I am sick with other problems too along with infection.
I have been put on 8 different vitamins to boost the immune system but it is tough fight once you lose the basic health. My naturopath doctor says it takes a long time to build it back up and it is a battle as we age as well.
So, there are others who suffers the same problem if that helps you emotionally. My mental health is taking a toll during my sinus flare up due to the severe headaches, eye sight issues, and frequent infections which causes me to be isolated at home as well.
For now, I use sinus rinse, Nasonex and tylenol. I do have a polyp but my doc won't remove it. I live in Canada and unless symptoms are really bad they don't fix it. If removing it would help, I would even travel to another country to do it.
I will post anything I find helpful here once I figure others out.

[Amarena]

I have been experiencing the same problem for quite some time too! I appreciate your sharing the information you had found in the past, but do you have any updates now? I already take immune boosters and additional supplements around my period as I know my immune system is weakened (I take a vitamin B rich women's daily multivitamin regularly and add iron and echinacea + elderberry syrup (immune) supplements a few days prior to my cycle. However, even this hasn't seemed to help/stop the problem!

I was told a while back that I had severe polyps in my sinuses and some diseased tissue even. I've always chalked it up to that, but for the past 8 months that I've been otherwise healthy I've noticed this issue. I can't help but wonder if the hormones impact the polyps given that hormonal steroids help lessen the issues related to my sinuses...