Are you, or a woman you know suffering from Long Covid? Did you know that many of the symptoms often overlap with those of perimenopause and menopause?
Long Covid or Menopause?
Recent research is starting to show us that women are disproportionately affected and that 46.5 years of age is the commonest reported age.
Long Covid is when you are experiencing symptoms 4 weeks after they began. Covid Syndrome is where you experience symptoms after 12 weeks. Both of which you should be referred to a Long Covid Clinic for support. There is no test, it is a diagnosis of exclusion.
To date, 1.5 million people to date have self reported long covid, of these the greatest range is seen in women aged 35 – 49 years. The symptoms reported are very similar to and overlap with those of perimenopause and menopause. These include, low mood/depression, anxiety, fatigue, brain fog, sweats, irregular periods, dizziness and pins and needles.
It is estimated that 25% of patients presenting in Long Covid Clinics are actually menopausal. When women have been prescribed HRT, their issues resolved… and resolved remarkably quickly for that matter. There are proposals that all women referred to a long Covid clinic should be offered HRT, but this is not yet reality.
Changes to your menstrual cycle
Many women have also reported changes to their periods after having Covid. Unfortunately, this is not yet recognised by NICE so if you present this to your GP they won’t consider this as part of your symptoms. It is well documented that viruses, including Covid can effect ovarian function, the difficulty is that there is very little research going on looking into the effect this is having on female hormones. Evidence from women in clinics is showing that both the infection and the vaccine has affected the menstrual cycle of some women and seen some of their menopausal symptoms return. You can use the Balance App to track these.
What can you do?
What this means for you and the women you know. It is unlikely that your GP will be aware of this. If the symptoms I have described here are affecting you, or a woman you know is suffering from Long Covid, please share this information with them. They can then discuss HRT with their health practitioner. If it works, you will know that your symptoms are menopause related and not long Covid. There were case studies of women unable to work or go about their daily lives, being able to resume them actively again after a few weeks. Personally, I think it’s worth a try.
The impact of diet
From a nutrition perspective, we know that Covid has a negative impact on our gut health. The decrease in beneficial bacteria can lead to IBS type symptoms such as bloating and/or diarrhoea. Taking the time to get the basics of your diet right can be powerful in terms of improving your Covid symptoms and those of menopause.
- Focus on getting as much plant based variety into your diet as you can (lots of vegetables, some fruit, legumes, pulses, nuts and seeds)
- Picking one new recipe per week can be a simple way of doing this.
- Ensure you include prebiotics which feed your gut bacteria. Examples include: garlic, leeks, onions, asparagus, oats and beans
- Include probiotics which increase the beneficial bacteria present. These include: fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha
If you would like support to improve your perimenopause or menopause symptoms, please contact me to see how I can support you. I use straightforward nutrition advice combined with expert coaching to end your destructive behaviours & stop lifelong dieting.
References
Newson, L. Dunn, S. 2022. Long Covid and Female Hormones [Webinar]. [Online]. Newson Health Menopause Society. 07 March 2022