10th March – hormone hell: the saga continues

So after that week in February everything calmed down and I felt well again which was nice as I had booked to to go to Iceland as a surprise for my boyfriends 30th birthday, so thanks for settling hormones, we had a great time. Jump to 10th March and it started again. At this point I was wondering if there was some sort of pattern as it had been 4 weeks since the symptoms began previously. Could I call this my new menstrual cycle?

This time wasn’t so bad though (to begin with). I had intermittent ‘period’ type pain in my pelvis and back but no bleeding. I felt fatigued and my body was achy for a few days. Then it really ramped up around the 23rd of March, I remember this week because I was on annual leave from work and it was the first week of  COVID lockdown. Absolutely not a complete waste of a precious weeks holiday. Symptoms this time were similar to the first lot in February but I’d say more extreme. The nausea was often in the mornings and then again in the evening, the achy body and fatigue was to the point that I didn’t get out of bed much for a few days and slept a lot! Again if I’m looking for the good then the sleeping loads was great! I also had the good old constipation with needing to wee more often. But then new symptom alert! Intermittent headaches - like migraines really and the start of the sore boobs. I would say at this point the sore boobs was just mild and didn’t really bother me unless I squished them when turning over in bed or the dog stood on one. Also on one particular day, I remember it was absolutely boiling outside and I was curled up in bed with a hot water bottle as the ‘period’ cramps were so painful.I think this time round I felt very  emotional and I remember sobbing a lot because I was so fed up and feeling constantly drained. I took the second pregnancy test this week, not particularly because I thought I was pregnant but just because it was there and I could. I think I was hoping it to be positive just so I had an excuse for feeling like this.

I have to say at this point that the fatigue/exhaustion was extreme! Never felt so tired in my life (I’ve definitely said that after a night shift in ED). So I’m not sure if I can totally put it all down to hormone imbalance or if I was just generally poorly. I mean in my line of work all you have to do is sniff and you’re being diagnosed with COVID by your colleagues, so who knows!