I have read that women's immune systems are most active in mid-cycle
(something about fighting off infection at the most likely time of
conception).  I have noticed that mine is least active during and just before
my period (I always seem to get a cold during my period).  Allergies are also
supposed to be related to the immune system, and I am wondering if they get
worse at mid-cycle.  And how does menopause, pregnancy, or lactation affect
incidence and severity of colds and other infections (cold sores, etc.) and
of allergic responses.  Please share your experiences.

14 responses total.

Oh...this is interesting... I'm going to start keeping track on a
calendar and see how things line up.  I read a very interesting
article about which hormones are released during which week and what
they do to you.  I think progestin (sp?) is the "I want to cuddle"
hormone, and is released the week before or shortly earlier than
that.  It was fascinating to read, and it made a lot of sense when I
thought back to cycles and dates and what I did that day.

Can you summarize the article?

I'll have to dig for it...I may have thrown the magazine away...

I am also hoping to hear from Valerie on this subject, when she recovers from
typing up her last contribution.

I don't have recognizable allergies.  But I've been pregnant twice, and my
general health both times was unusually good.  Now I'm in perimenopause (you
can't tell if you're menopausal until it's been a year with no periods) and
lately I seem to catch every germ that comes near me.  I think it's indirect, 
that the real change is a need for somewhat more sleep.

I find that for a few days before my period I seem to be more subject to
intestinal infections, which interfere with sleep and may lower resistance
further (vicious cycle).  But I have also read that the hormonal changes cause
more sugar to pass into the large intestine, which could be causing the change
in flora.  Does perimenopause affect the intestinal flora?

This response has been erased.

I used to be the never-got-sick type. THen I hit my early 20s and it all 
went to hell. I had lots of allergies and strep throat as a young child 
but was over it by kindergarten.

My eyesight also went down once I hit my 20s. Weird.

I thought that people with allergies had an overdeveloped immune system and
were less likely to get infections.  Valerie, do you have allergies?  I have
one friend with lots of allergies who never gets a cold and is astonished to
get the flu once every few years.  Does pregnancy affect allergies?

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I wonder, though, if hte people who think that they got sick more easily
durring pregnancy is perhaps (and I"m no medical professional, so don't quote
me here, I'm just vaugely speculating) because they are more aware of their
body, and more worried about their health, because they are worried about the
baby's health....  or perhaps that hte body, with the added stress of
pregnancy, simply reach the "shut down" point of being sick quicker, and
concentrates on keeping the baby healthy....

Just me babbling.
As far as my cycle goes, I feel less well right before my period, but then,
I get PMS pretty bad, so that's probably a large measure of it... I don't get
sick, as such, I just feel like I do right before I get sick...

I know I'll often feel like I'm getting sick right before a trip, because just
before we travel is pretty much the only time I worry about whether I'm going
to get sick.  Now, mind you, I've never been pregnant <grin>, but I guess this
is similar to what faile is talking about....

Yep.  You hit the nail right on the head.

(But then, I was babbling, so.... who knows what I was talking about.=)

(apparently I did.  go figure)

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