{"id":3779,"date":"2022-03-07T04:27:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-07T04:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vulvani.com\/corona-und-menstruation-meine-persoenliche-geschichte\/"},"modified":"2022-11-03T05:54:21","modified_gmt":"2022-11-03T05:54:21","slug":"covid-and-menstruation-my-personal-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vulvani.com\/en\/covid-and-menstruation-my-personal-story\/","title":{"rendered":"COVID and menstruation: My personal story"},"content":{"rendered":"

++ Disclaimer ++<\/h3>\n\n

This article is based solely on my personal experience and does not follow any scientific studies. It does not contain any recommendations for action or health advice. Also, the information here is not intended for self-diagnosis. In case of problems regarding corona and menstruation, always contact your trusted medical professional directly. Click here for the latest information from World Organization of Health (WHO)<\/a> and the WHO\u2019s advice for the public<\/a> (as of March 2022).<\/p><\/div><\/div>

I had COVID and my period \u2026 at the same time!<\/h3>\n\n

COVID and menstruation? Today I\u2019m sharing my personal experience with COVID and menstruation. I\u2019ll give you an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at what it was like when it all happens at the same time and why my basal body temperature told me something was wrong. I can tell you one thing up front: I got through it all just fine and it wasn\u2019t as bad as it might sound at first. <\/p>\n\n

We bleed about 20-25 % of the month<\/h3>\n\n

Have you ever wondered what it\u2019s really like to have the coronavirus? And have you ever wondered what it would be like to have corona and menstruation at the same time? For many probably the worst combination ever. But still the reality for many of us. Because if we bleed about 20-25 % of the month<\/a>, it\u2019s not that unlikely to have a positive COVID test in our hands that very week as well. So, what does it mean when we experience our menstruation and COVID at the same time? How does it really feel? And is our menstruation<\/a> different then?<\/p><\/div>\n\n

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Proto Credits: Britta<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/div>

Were those the very first signs? <\/h3>

On Sunday evening, I did a quick COVID test at home before going to a friend\u2019s house to eat delicious homemade tacos together. Negative. Monday morning, I had a slightly upset stomach, but that went away quickly. Maybe I had just eaten too much the night before? Or were the hormones responsible for it? It was cycle day 25 for me and shortly before my period starts, my stomach is sometimes a bit upset. So far, everything was still as usual, I thought. <\/p>

Do I have corona or is it just PMS? <\/h3>

Then on Tuesday I was just tired and kind of emotionally overwhelmed. Work had felt heavy and I couldn\u2019t concentrate. By now I was at cycle day 26, which is right in the prime of the luteal phase<\/a>. This phase in the cycle is also known to many as PMS \u2013 premenstrual sensitivity<\/a>. So, I thought that I could blame my emotions and feelings on PMS. But because I was so low on energy and tired, I closed the laptop much earlier than usual in the afternoon and went to bed. I wanted to rest and take a little nap \u2026 That turned into three hours! Oops. At least I felt a lot better afterwards. But in the evening, I got a bad headache, which I fortunately rarely have. Nevertheless, I still thought at that moment: This is \u2018just\u2019 PMS. So, I still went to bed early.<\/p>

Increased basal body temperature and COVID<\/h3>

The next morning came the big aha moment! Like every morning, I measured my basal body temperature half-asleep. When I read the number on the thermometer, I thought I had misread it. I quickly turned on my cell phone light to look at it again. It said 37.6 degrees Celsius. That\u2019s not quite a fever yet. But still, the alarm bells immediately rang in my head: That can\u2019t be right!? This is way too high! I\u2019ve never had such a high temperature before \u2026 It doesn\u2019t even fit properly on my cycle sheet anymore!<\/p>

How cycle tracking can give us real-time information about our bodies<\/h3>

The day before, my basal body temperature was still 36.8 degrees Celsius \u2013 for me, a normal value for the luteal phase (the time between ovulation and my period). I\u2019ve been tracking my basal body temperature daily<\/a> for a few years now, and I know that such an extreme jump in temperature from one day to the next is not normal for me. I was on cycle day 28 and my basal body temperature should have been getting lower in preparation for my period. I knew immediately: Something was wrong here! <\/p>

Unfortunately my headache had only improved a little overnight, and a slight sore throat had come along as well. Those were the signs of the COVID-19 disease, weren\u2019t they? I did a quick test and immediately the two red lines were visible: Positive.<\/p>

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someWhy cycle awareness is so special<\/h3>

Even before I took a COVID test, I knew something was wrong simply by checking my basal body temperature. This is exactly why I love tracking my cycle.<\/a> If we know how to properly read and interpret our body\u2019s various signals, our menstrual cycle in particular can tell us true insider knowledge about our health<\/a> in real time. And I just find that very special when I experience it in such a concrete way. Because I track my cycle daily, I know what is normal for me. My elevated basal body temperature had already told me in the morning while still in bed: Something is different in your body today!<\/p>

My COVID diary: Netflix and chill<\/h3>

There I was, with a positive test. Quarantine was on the agenda. Since I felt pretty weak anyway, I just stayed in bed and slept a lot. Luckily, due to my cyclical approach to work, I had very few meetings scheduled for my PMS period<\/a> and the first few days of my menstruation. I cancelled all my appointments (including digital calls) right away so I could get some needed rest. Later, I started watching the series \u201cWorkin\u2019 Moms\u201d on Netflix<\/a> \u2013 with five seasons perfect for a few days in bed. The headaches lessened and I felt ok. I just chilled in bed a lot. Day one and two went by unspectacularly. I had a very mild course, thankfully, and no other complaints besides a mild headache and feeling tired. <\/p>

When everything comes together: COVID and menstruation<\/h3>

On Friday, cycle day 30, my basal body temperature dropped (36.3 degrees) \u2013 just as I know it from my cycle at the end of the luteal phase. I knew: My period starts today. So cycle day 30 soon became cycle day 1. My daily COVID schedule: Netflix in bed and rest. That honestly fit pretty perfectly with my ideal daily schedule during menstruation<\/a>. I just drank more tea and brought my hot water bottle with me to bed<\/a>. Curious to see if the coronavirus changes my menstruation, I tracked everything closely and wrote it down in my cycle journal. <\/p>

Did my menstruation change because of COVID? <\/h3>

My menstruation was different than usual. Here\u2019s a little overview for you:<\/p>