Fibromyalgia and Period Problems

Q: Can fibromyalgia be the cause of my irregular menstrual cycles?

A: Your question is one I hear often. Although a number of patients have told me they associate the development of fibromyalgia with the beginning of irregular menstrual periods, research thus far has not proven a connection between the two.

Nevertheless, I wouldn’t be surprised if such a connection is eventually found. It is well known that most chronic illnesses can cause irregular menses. The portions of the nervous system that control menstruation are very sensitive to any slight changes in the body, such as those that occur with conditions like fibromyalgia.

Daniel Clauw, MD, Rheumatologist

Kristen

29 Dec 2011, 22:05

I'm 23 and was just diagnosed with fibromyalgia, but I'm sure that I've had it since I was a teenager. I always had extremely painful (I can remember once thinking that my appendix or something must have burst, it was so bad, I couldn't even walk) periods that were really heavy. I'm about 20 pounds underweight now and back then I had lost down to about 85 pounds (5'6" tall), but my periods just got heavier and heavier. I became severely sick and anemic. I shouldn't have still even been menstruating at all, as small as I was. I eventually got on the pill, which has been a miracle. Without it though, I really doubt I could function at all. Seems logical that there could be a link.

Shelby A

18 Apr 2011, 19:33

I do not doubt the link exsists. I'm still a teenager and everyone keeps saying "irregularity is normal!" I'm finding the comment highly annoying as I was told the same thing when they tried to tell me my Fibromyalgia was growing pains. My Fibro has always been more severe during PMS but I've been able to manage it with heat packs, Advil, and my daily Lyrica. However recently I've been getting my period for approx. 45 days or better with some one to two day breaks every ten days. I don't believe this is anything close to normal and plan to go to a doctor and find out if I can get a hormone replacement to try and end the madness! Overall, I believe Fibromyalgia is playing a hand here-- not irregularity due to my age.

Lori

18 Nov 2010, 13:40

Interesting. My period stopping was the first symptom that made me feel like "Uh Oh, something is not right here." I went on to rapidly (within 2 months) develop other symptoms of fibromyalgia and was just sctually diagnosed today. There has to be a connection.

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Fibromyalgia and Period Problems

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