Lung Bleeds and Menstrual Cycles - Link???

T

Tombliboo

Guest
I'd like to hear from any females with CF who experience episodes of lung bleeding (haemoptysis) at the start of their monthly periods. It doesn't matter if it is blood streaking or full-on bleeds.

I have been experiencing this on and off now for the last 14 years and it is now being more problematic. It doesn't happen every month (I can go several months without any) but I never have a lung bleed at any other time of the month.

Until now doctors have never been able to tell me why there should be a link. From doing my own research I have now found a few research reports of this. One I just read from Canada said that this is the only case they have ever heard of where a CF patient's lung bleeds co-incide with menstrual bleeds!

I know from many CF friends that they experience this issue regularly and am concerned that the medical profession don't realise how common it is for us (I'm guessing that most CF doctors wouldn't naturally ask about periods when a patient presents with lung bleeds so they don't realise the connection?)

If I can get enough people to share their experiences of the same thing, we may be able to get a CF team interested in researching this area and finding ways to prevent it from happening (which could well save lives) x
 
B

bethylove

Guest
My second ever hemoptysis occurred just minutes after starting my period. Interesting that you brought it up. I think it had more of a connection to my activity level than my menstrual cycle.
 
C

CyrilCrodius

New member
From wikipedia, here are the other relevant effects of progesterone :
- It reduces spasm and relaxes smooth muscle. Bronchi are widened and mucus regulated. (Progesterone receptors are widely present in submucosal tissue.)
- It acts as an antiinflammatory agent and regulates the immune response.
- It normalizes blood clotting and vascular tone, zinc and copper levels, cell oxygen levels, and use of fat stores for energy.
 
J

jmetzinger

New member
Yes, nearly every period when I was in high school. Since I have been on birth control (nearly a decade), there is no longer a connection.
 
A

AnnieT

New member
This used to happen to me alot with hemoptysis and my periods then it stopped but I used to think there was a connection as well.
 
F

falloutboygurl16

New member
i completely agree on this. Ive noticed blood streaks and small clots in my sputum during or right before my period.
more often than not i do not tell my dr because they like to over exaggerate everything and want to link it to an exacerbation.
i have had this happen the last 6 years or so?
 
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